Two nights ago just after finishing up my blog I went back to the city park (my campsite) and sat around lonely and depressed. I sat and thought to myself, "the novelty of this trip has definitely worn off, I am ready to call it quits and go hang out with my family". This was a terrible night. I think the reason for it was a combination of being by myself and not talking with anyone for a few days, not feeling well from the stomach flu, being dehydrated and finally because it was 105 degrees out at 5:30pm! I moped around the park for awhile doing random things with my bike and read a bit, but was tired of toying with my bike and simply couldn't get into the books I was reading. Finally the sun went down and so did the tempurature, with this I put up my tent and set everyting up for bed. In the distance I could see a storm front moving toward me and the wind was picking up. Storms cannot sneak up on you in Kansas. You can see them hours away. Its like playing hide-and-seek with a fat kid that's a mouth breather, they simply can't hide. Seeing the storm I decided to put the rain cover on my tent. I don't have a hammer so instead I was using a stake turned sideways to push the slim metal stakes into the ground. While pushing in the last stake, my hand slipped. With all of my weight behind it, my hand was forced onto the sharp tip of the stake, slicing open the tip of my left thumb and my right palm. Immediately blood started pouring from the cuts. I was pissed at myself for not using a rock or something! thoughts like: will I need stitches? can I ride with this? what are those stakes made of? All started popping into my head. I rushed over to the bathrooms and washed out the cuts with water and then continued over to the pool where there was a party going on and a lifeguard that was willing to help me out. She taped everything up and shortly after thanking her I went back to the tent and passed out.
I slept alright and woke up the next morning before sunrise to beat the heat. To my surprise the wind had shifted and I quickly forgot about the heat or the cuts on my hands. I made it to the first town while it was still cool (85 degrees). I took a short break and kept going to make ride as long as I could while it was still cool. Nearly 5 miles from the next town, I ran into a couple from California by the names of Steve and Cyndy ( http://greatisland.net/biketour/ their website). They are doing a cross country bike ride of sorts simply because they can and they want to visit some family in Rhode Island. Cyndy's last day of riding should be today when the two reach Salida, KS. She has to return to Sacramento so she does not lose her job as a dietician. She is a lot like what you would expect a dietician to be and by that I mean she is a picky eater, but the bike trip is getting her out of that habit in a big way. Steve will stop take a break and drive Cyndy to the airport tomorrow and then return to Salida to finish the ride to Rhode Island. Steve was the CEO/President of a company that builds fire trucks. He no longer has that obligation and as a result has the time to ride across the country. Steve and Cyndy are an older couple, probably in their mid to late 30's and usually ride road/race bikes. This is their first tour and aside from the lack of showering and heavy bikes I think they are enjoying their time. I rode with the two into the town and had breakfast at a local place. By this time it was really hot and every chance to get a glass of ice water and sit down was welcome. I enjoyed the meal but more so, I enjoyed their company and the conversation. Following breakfast I decided to ride with them so I could take a break from talking to myself. Being used to racing, the two always rode in lines to take advantage of eachothers drafts and used all of the biker lingo and hand signs that goes along with it. I was clueless at first but its not that difficult to figure out.
We rode the rest of the day switching off who was leading the group which really does help when there is a headwind. Our next big break was in Ness City, at the City Pool. This was the most refreshing swim of my life! Jumping in that water after riding in 100+ degree weather, felt amazing! I swam around a little but for the most part just floated. I was too tired to go off the diving boards or down the slides, so I just sat in the water. A couple of kids instantly came up to us and wanted to show us tricks and wanted us to throw them. I declined, but Steve thinking they would go away, threw them a few times. They didn't leave him alone after that. After swimming around for a bit we went to a restaurant down the street that had all you can eat taco's and ice cream. I ate a lot! We left too full to ride comfortably, but managed to make it 12 more miles to Bazine and Elaine's Bike Oasis where we stayed that night.
Elaine is a older woman who lives with her husband on their farm. The two started taking in cyclists about 6 years ago and have loved every visit they have had. They offer a B&B as well as their yard if your not looking to spend the money. The two have no kids, but I get the feeling they really wish they had. They were very kind to me and offered to help us in any way they could. We pulled into the B&B somewhat late and were greeted by an older couple on a tandem bike, the same that I had seen the day before in Eads but didn't get up early enough to talk with. They were nice enough people but they kept to themselves for the most part so I didn't get their names or much of a chance to talk with them. That night I slept on the screened in porch on the house, this kept me from putting up my tent and saved me some time in the morning.
I woke up late to find everyone hurrying to clean up their things before they got too wet, it was already raining. As we got our things together we ate some corn for breakfast before heading out. In Rush Center, KS I left the Trans-American Trail for good. This marks the completion of my first map along the ride and I think it puts me at or nearby the halfway point of the trip. From here I will continue East along Highway 56 until I come to Clinton, MO where I will begin riding the Katy Trail to St. Louis. Over the course of the day, I hit two huge walls! The first was more like a hill, an invisible hill, actually it was just a terrible headwind, but it slowed us down to almost 10 mph the whole day. Aside from today, the wind yesterday was the worst that I have seen on the trip. The road is so straight and the wind didnt shift at all, as a result the wind was in our faces all day. We stopped much sooner than we had expected in Great Bend, KS where we hit the second wall. The Great Wall...China Buffet! I love Chinese food buffets!!! We sat and ate plate after plate of Sesame Chicken, Beef and Peapods, as well as bowls of Egg drop soup, it was amazing! After we were full, we sat for a few hours talking because we were unable to stand. This might have been from the ride that we had just completed, but I am going to attribute it to the MSG overdose. After 3 hours at the buffet, we took off our separate ways. Steve and Cyndy to a hotel and me to Ellinwood 12 miles up the road.
I was actually trying to make it further than Ellinwood, but after a long day on the bike and the wind still in my face, I called it quits early. When I arrived I spoke with a couple of locals that weren't really sure if you could camp in the parks. I was pretty close to a church at the time so I went and knocked on the door of the rectary and asked if I could set up my tent in the backyard. Father Chuck, the priest at St. Joseph's, said it would be just fine. After unpacking my things and having a snack, I went and talked with Father Chuck a little. Most of the conversation was about the bike route I was taking (he gave me a few pointers on my route and may have saved me a few miles) and also my trip to this point. He was also telling me about a shortage of priests in the area and how they have been waiting for new ones for a while. In the meantime, he is running the show at two different parishes. It struck me as odd when he mentioned there is a large number of priests in the Phillipines. In fact the church and the area has been waiting for a few for several months now, but there is some hold up going on with their visa paperwork. I thought this was odd because it almost seemed like they were mail ordering priests from the Phillipines...China will export anything these days, even priests from the Phillipines ("the chinaman is not the issue here dude!...and Dude Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature, Asian-American please"). Sorry for rambling. After talking I filled up my water and went to bed, hoping to get an early start before the wind, this was a dumb idea.
I woke up to thunder and lightning and managed to get all packed up and on the bike just as it started raining. Having not eaten breakfast and not knowing what I was in for regarding the storm, I headed into the nearest gas station and sat down for some coffee. It turns out there were severe T-Storm, flood, and wind warnings out...should have just kept riding. As I was sitting talking with the two girls behind the counter the storm started to get worse and worse. At some point the Tornado sirens went off and continued for a few minutes straight. I stayed in the shop and observed the interactions between the locals and these girls. Turns out they knew everyone. As someone pulled up, one of them would say who it was and the other would start preparing their order and before each of them left, one would say "try not to melt out there". It was like clockwork.
Eventually the rain slowed and I started to ride. Today was worse than yesterday. Maybe the drafting helped a whole lot yesterday, but today I was struggling to reach 10mph. By the time I had completed 60 miles and made it to McPherson, I was dead. After stopping by another Chinese Buffet (this one wasn't quite as good) I found my way to the Library where I am sitting now. Who knows how fast I will make it out of here. The wind is killing me! I always thought it blew from West to East...not the case. I was expecting to do at least 100 miles a day through KS, but with the wind the way its blowing, I am lucky to get 60. The people in Kansas are very nice though. I stopped in Lyons, KS for a bit and a guy came up to me name Derril and asked where I was going. After about 2 minutes of talking with the guy he called up someone that he knew in Marion to see if I could stay with him. When the guy didn't answer, Derril said "hold on" and called up a few more people. Only one person answered but said they wouldn't be around tonight, oh well, thanks anyway Derril! I couldn't believe that this guy was going out of his way to try and find me people to stay with. Either way, I didn't make it to Marion so it wouldn't have made a difference. Not sure where I am staying tonight, but hopefully I can go for a swim or take a shower!
-Marcus
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Update
The first three posts are back up on the Blog! Sorry if they seem out of place, I am not sure how to change this around, but at least I have them now. Thanks again Deedah!!!!!!!
-Marcus
-Marcus
Empire Builder: The People and Places
6/9/09
Last night while I was eating dinner by myself, a guy about my age came and sat down across from me with a can of miller lite and just looked at me without saying a word. He was wearing a big cowboy hat and boots as if he just got off a ranch. I introduced myself and started talking with him. He was a construction worker and when the "bossman" told him business was going to be slow for the next few weeks caught the first train to Spokane, WA. He has live in all but 14 of the united states and has picked up a little bit of an accent from each. This combined with a slight lisp gave him one of the most unique accents I've ever heard. We talked for a while about where i would begin (Astoria) my trip. He had lived nearby and gave me a discount card of a local restaurant called The Lighthouse. He handed it to me and looked me in the eyes as he said "there's a waitress there...Real attractive!" After talking for a little more than an hour, I went back to my seat to try and sleep. 10 minutes after falling asleep, the stewardess shook my shoulder and said, "he's gonna be your new seat-mate" looking at a guy standing next to her.
He was a 23 year old traveling around the country by bus and train after recently being laid off from his job as a grass roots organizer. He worked to educate students and organize them against nuclear research. I found the idea of a grass roots organizer getting laid off and giving up to be somewhat ironic. He told me about conspiracy theories dealing with Denver International Airport, his being a vegetarian simply to prove he didn't have to eat meat, and how he was the last of his friends to get his first cell phone and facebook account. The first time I pulled out my phone he looked at it and said "oh you have one of those new future phone, huh? How would you ever get along without it?" I just laughed and said "yeah".
I didn't sleep well last night. The car was freezing and all I have on is a t shirt and shorts. I woke up around 3 after going to bed around 1. I watched the full moon dip in and out of the clouds until about 4 when I went back to sleep.
I got up at 5:30 with the sunrise and went to the lower level of the train where there is a single aisle with bathroom doors on either side. As I walked down the stairs and turned the corner into the aisle, I see a young Amish couple kissing...found 'em! Caught totally off guard, all three of us freeze. They separate to let me through and she puts her head down smirking and he avoids eye contact as well. Without hesitation I look at both of them and recite one of my favorite movie quotes to perfection, "big gulps huh?... Welp...see ya later!" And walk past into a bathroom stall. The reaction was easily the most awkward and confused look I have ever received from anyone. They must have thought something was seriously wrong with me. They most likely had no idea I was quoting Dumb and Dumber or what a big gulp was. I entertained myself the rest of the morning by coming up with ideas of what I would say if I were to find myself in a conversation with an Amish person: Nice threads, is that shirt polo? You look just like the girl from sex in the city! If you need to look anything up I have internet on my phone. Great turban! (while pointing to her bonnet). Though I would probably never say any of these to someone, I was a nice break from my book.
This was not my last meeting with the couple though. Later in the day I spotted the two of them walking through the car. To avoid eye contact I grabbed my water bottle and took a drink while looking at the ground as they walked past. Just as I was about to swallow I saw that he was wearing Reebok's...I immediate choked on the water spitting it everywhere as I could not hold back the laughter! Reebok...the latest in menonite fashion! Forget retro! I want colonial!...I want Reebok!
The scenery in North Dakota and Montana is similar to Nebraska or Eastern Colorado but with fewer houses and towns. At our house last year in college, (man that's strange!) we used to say that our fridge was where vegetables went to die. Montana is where cars go to die. Rusty broken down cars in yards outnumber houses 37 to 1 in Montana.
Glacier NP and the Rocky Mountains are a welcome and beautiful change of scenery. I can't wait to go back and spend some time hiking around that park. I was disappointed that the train didn't do switchbacks up the mountains as I had heard...sorry Mike the conductor didn't even know what I was talking about.
Next stop Portland and not a minute too soon, after walking into the coach car from the dining car you get punched in the nose by the scent of 40 some people sitting in the same car for two days...smells like class! Seriously this car has got da funk!!! As I sit here writing, a women just sat beside me (I am in the window seat) with her infant child and proceeded to start breast feeding...time to get off of the train!
-Marcus
Last night while I was eating dinner by myself, a guy about my age came and sat down across from me with a can of miller lite and just looked at me without saying a word. He was wearing a big cowboy hat and boots as if he just got off a ranch. I introduced myself and started talking with him. He was a construction worker and when the "bossman" told him business was going to be slow for the next few weeks caught the first train to Spokane, WA. He has live in all but 14 of the united states and has picked up a little bit of an accent from each. This combined with a slight lisp gave him one of the most unique accents I've ever heard. We talked for a while about where i would begin (Astoria) my trip. He had lived nearby and gave me a discount card of a local restaurant called The Lighthouse. He handed it to me and looked me in the eyes as he said "there's a waitress there...Real attractive!" After talking for a little more than an hour, I went back to my seat to try and sleep. 10 minutes after falling asleep, the stewardess shook my shoulder and said, "he's gonna be your new seat-mate" looking at a guy standing next to her.
He was a 23 year old traveling around the country by bus and train after recently being laid off from his job as a grass roots organizer. He worked to educate students and organize them against nuclear research. I found the idea of a grass roots organizer getting laid off and giving up to be somewhat ironic. He told me about conspiracy theories dealing with Denver International Airport, his being a vegetarian simply to prove he didn't have to eat meat, and how he was the last of his friends to get his first cell phone and facebook account. The first time I pulled out my phone he looked at it and said "oh you have one of those new future phone, huh? How would you ever get along without it?" I just laughed and said "yeah".
I didn't sleep well last night. The car was freezing and all I have on is a t shirt and shorts. I woke up around 3 after going to bed around 1. I watched the full moon dip in and out of the clouds until about 4 when I went back to sleep.
I got up at 5:30 with the sunrise and went to the lower level of the train where there is a single aisle with bathroom doors on either side. As I walked down the stairs and turned the corner into the aisle, I see a young Amish couple kissing...found 'em! Caught totally off guard, all three of us freeze. They separate to let me through and she puts her head down smirking and he avoids eye contact as well. Without hesitation I look at both of them and recite one of my favorite movie quotes to perfection, "big gulps huh?... Welp...see ya later!" And walk past into a bathroom stall. The reaction was easily the most awkward and confused look I have ever received from anyone. They must have thought something was seriously wrong with me. They most likely had no idea I was quoting Dumb and Dumber or what a big gulp was. I entertained myself the rest of the morning by coming up with ideas of what I would say if I were to find myself in a conversation with an Amish person: Nice threads, is that shirt polo? You look just like the girl from sex in the city! If you need to look anything up I have internet on my phone. Great turban! (while pointing to her bonnet). Though I would probably never say any of these to someone, I was a nice break from my book.
This was not my last meeting with the couple though. Later in the day I spotted the two of them walking through the car. To avoid eye contact I grabbed my water bottle and took a drink while looking at the ground as they walked past. Just as I was about to swallow I saw that he was wearing Reebok's...I immediate choked on the water spitting it everywhere as I could not hold back the laughter! Reebok...the latest in menonite fashion! Forget retro! I want colonial!...I want Reebok!
The scenery in North Dakota and Montana is similar to Nebraska or Eastern Colorado but with fewer houses and towns. At our house last year in college, (man that's strange!) we used to say that our fridge was where vegetables went to die. Montana is where cars go to die. Rusty broken down cars in yards outnumber houses 37 to 1 in Montana.
Glacier NP and the Rocky Mountains are a welcome and beautiful change of scenery. I can't wait to go back and spend some time hiking around that park. I was disappointed that the train didn't do switchbacks up the mountains as I had heard...sorry Mike the conductor didn't even know what I was talking about.
Next stop Portland and not a minute too soon, after walking into the coach car from the dining car you get punched in the nose by the scent of 40 some people sitting in the same car for two days...smells like class! Seriously this car has got da funk!!! As I sit here writing, a women just sat beside me (I am in the window seat) with her infant child and proceeded to start breast feeding...time to get off of the train!
-Marcus
Leaving Town
6/8/09
Just before leaving for the train station today I went to the grocery store with my mother to pick up some food for the trip. Though I did not even fill a single basket, it was still more food than I wanted to carry, and less than I would like to have on hand. Not being able to carry more than two days worth of food makes me nervous and realizing this made me a bit tense the rest of the morning.
The ride to the train seemed very long. I was anxious and nervous and wanted to get on the train asap. Checking in at the station was a breeze. The box that I packed my bike up in was so large that I only had to take the handlebars off. This will make things much easier once I arrive in portland.
Waiting to board the train I had a cup of coffee and a hamburger with my parents, eager to see where and who I would be sitting with for the next two days. After leaving the food court we went down to the gate. At the gate waiting with us were roughly 15 Amish. I was hoping I would get the chance to sit and talk with a couple of them at some point, hasn't happened yet but I'm still hopeful.
I boarded in car 2715 and was suprised that I was one of the first, especially after waiting in line for such a long time. I picked seat 57, a window seat with noone beside me. There are two girls my age across the aisle from me and a couple in front of me that look like they are coming from, or on there way to a commune. All four of them have had their headphones on since just after we started moving with...that's almost 2 hours straight!!! Other than them there are a few older couples in the back of the car. I haven't found the Amish... yet. I bet they're in the bar car!
I have spent the past hour or so reading "Life of Pi" which I am convinced has the slowest start to any book I have ever read. As a result, I have turned to the crackberry to update this page. It looks like it will be a long ride
Just before leaving for the train station today I went to the grocery store with my mother to pick up some food for the trip. Though I did not even fill a single basket, it was still more food than I wanted to carry, and less than I would like to have on hand. Not being able to carry more than two days worth of food makes me nervous and realizing this made me a bit tense the rest of the morning.
The ride to the train seemed very long. I was anxious and nervous and wanted to get on the train asap. Checking in at the station was a breeze. The box that I packed my bike up in was so large that I only had to take the handlebars off. This will make things much easier once I arrive in portland.
Waiting to board the train I had a cup of coffee and a hamburger with my parents, eager to see where and who I would be sitting with for the next two days. After leaving the food court we went down to the gate. At the gate waiting with us were roughly 15 Amish. I was hoping I would get the chance to sit and talk with a couple of them at some point, hasn't happened yet but I'm still hopeful.
I boarded in car 2715 and was suprised that I was one of the first, especially after waiting in line for such a long time. I picked seat 57, a window seat with noone beside me. There are two girls my age across the aisle from me and a couple in front of me that look like they are coming from, or on there way to a commune. All four of them have had their headphones on since just after we started moving with...that's almost 2 hours straight!!! Other than them there are a few older couples in the back of the car. I haven't found the Amish... yet. I bet they're in the bar car!
I have spent the past hour or so reading "Life of Pi" which I am convinced has the slowest start to any book I have ever read. As a result, I have turned to the crackberry to update this page. It looks like it will be a long ride
It begins...
6/07/09
This trip will be my first attempt at what is called "Self-contained" bike touring. The idea is to carry everything you will need along the way, on the bike, and turn it into a two-wheeled mobile home. I will be attempting to cross the country from the Pacific Coast (beginning in Astoria, OR) to the Atlantic Coast (finishing in Bar Harbour, ME) with a layover in Chicago for my cousin Cathy's and her fiance Tom's wedding on July 25. Congratulations Cath and Tom!
Total the trip is just over 5000 miles. I was expecting to take my time and average around 60 miles a day. As a result of my poor planning, I am getting a late start and will need to average about 75 miles a day if I want to make it to the wedding.
I begin my adventure tomorrow as I board a train which will take me from Chicago to Portland, OR. It will be a 45 hour train ride aboard the increasingly popular "Empire Builder" train, known for is scenic cross country route through Glacier National park.
Following my arrival in Portland, I will begin riding to the trail head of the Trans-American Trail in Astoria, OR. Everyone is familiar with Astoria as this is where the movie The Goonies was filmed. After spending some time with Chunk, Data and the rest of the gang I will follow Highway 101 South along the Pacific Coastline to Florence, OR. My route will take me through Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming (Yellowstone and Grand Tetons included), Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and finally Maine. I will be riding on the Trans-American Trail until I reach the Great Rivers Trail, which I will ride until I arrive at the Northern Tier Trail. (http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/RouteNetwork.pdf)
I will be carrying the following:
Camping Equipment
-3 person Tent
-Sleeping Pad
-20 degree sleeping bag
-Sleeping bag liner (for cold or extremely hot nights)
-50ft. rope (for hanging up food)
-2 liter pot
-backpacking stove (thanks Jon!)
-utility knife
-dish soap
-sponge
-hand sanitizer
-Sham-WOW!
Clothes
-3 polyester t-shirts
-long sleeve wool shirt
-3 pairs of cycling shorts
-2 pairs of normal shorts
-thermal sweatpants
-3 pairs of cycling socks
-wool thermal socks
-polyester underwear
-rain jacket
-rain pants
Bike Equipment
-Jamis Aurora bike
-Jandd Extreme front bike rack
-Topeak Super Tourist rear rack
-Ortlieb Back-roller classic panniers
-Louis Garnier front panniers
-bell (Thanks Andie!)
-odometer/speedometer
-bike multi tool
-cone wrenches (13, 14, 15, 16mm)
-spoke wrench
-spare spokes
-spare brake and derailleur cables
-bike pump with gauge
-Helmet
-Bike shoes
-Safety Vest (good for visibility and directing traffic. Thanks Morrissey's)
-Sun Glasses
-Duct tape
-lock and additional cable
-spare tubes and patch kit
-cable ties
-chain breaker
-Maps
Hygiene/Health
-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-bar of soap
-gold bond medicated powder (like a millions little fairies)
-deodorant
-spf 85 sunscreen
-Benadryl
-Advil
-Chap stick
-water purifying tablets
-multi vitamin
Electronics
-Blackberry (for internet and entertainment)
-Camera
-Solar charger
There is plenty more stuff but I can't remember it all and I am sure you don't want to read my packing list. Total the gear weighs in at 75lbs, a lot less than I thought I would have.
Expectations of the trip include chaffing, a few bad stomach aches, probably some weight loss, sunburn, and most of all adventure. I am excited for the people I will meet, the things I will learn (hopefully not to much about bike repair) and being in the middle of nowhere. I anticipate that the trip will be physically and mentally challenging but in the end will be an experience of a lifetime.
I will update this page and check my email as often as possible. If you would like to contact me...
trucc903@gmail.com
...or you can add me as a friend on Google Latitude and track me as I ride.
-Marcus
This trip will be my first attempt at what is called "Self-contained" bike touring. The idea is to carry everything you will need along the way, on the bike, and turn it into a two-wheeled mobile home. I will be attempting to cross the country from the Pacific Coast (beginning in Astoria, OR) to the Atlantic Coast (finishing in Bar Harbour, ME) with a layover in Chicago for my cousin Cathy's and her fiance Tom's wedding on July 25. Congratulations Cath and Tom!
Total the trip is just over 5000 miles. I was expecting to take my time and average around 60 miles a day. As a result of my poor planning, I am getting a late start and will need to average about 75 miles a day if I want to make it to the wedding.
I begin my adventure tomorrow as I board a train which will take me from Chicago to Portland, OR. It will be a 45 hour train ride aboard the increasingly popular "Empire Builder" train, known for is scenic cross country route through Glacier National park.
Following my arrival in Portland, I will begin riding to the trail head of the Trans-American Trail in Astoria, OR. Everyone is familiar with Astoria as this is where the movie The Goonies was filmed. After spending some time with Chunk, Data and the rest of the gang I will follow Highway 101 South along the Pacific Coastline to Florence, OR. My route will take me through Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming (Yellowstone and Grand Tetons included), Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and finally Maine. I will be riding on the Trans-American Trail until I reach the Great Rivers Trail, which I will ride until I arrive at the Northern Tier Trail. (http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/RouteNetwork.pdf)
I will be carrying the following:
Camping Equipment
-3 person Tent
-Sleeping Pad
-20 degree sleeping bag
-Sleeping bag liner (for cold or extremely hot nights)
-50ft. rope (for hanging up food)
-2 liter pot
-backpacking stove (thanks Jon!)
-utility knife
-dish soap
-sponge
-hand sanitizer
-Sham-WOW!
Clothes
-3 polyester t-shirts
-long sleeve wool shirt
-3 pairs of cycling shorts
-2 pairs of normal shorts
-thermal sweatpants
-3 pairs of cycling socks
-wool thermal socks
-polyester underwear
-rain jacket
-rain pants
Bike Equipment
-Jamis Aurora bike
-Jandd Extreme front bike rack
-Topeak Super Tourist rear rack
-Ortlieb Back-roller classic panniers
-Louis Garnier front panniers
-bell (Thanks Andie!)
-odometer/speedometer
-bike multi tool
-cone wrenches (13, 14, 15, 16mm)
-spoke wrench
-spare spokes
-spare brake and derailleur cables
-bike pump with gauge
-Helmet
-Bike shoes
-Safety Vest (good for visibility and directing traffic. Thanks Morrissey's)
-Sun Glasses
-Duct tape
-lock and additional cable
-spare tubes and patch kit
-cable ties
-chain breaker
-Maps
Hygiene/Health
-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-bar of soap
-gold bond medicated powder (like a millions little fairies)
-deodorant
-spf 85 sunscreen
-Benadryl
-Advil
-Chap stick
-water purifying tablets
-multi vitamin
Electronics
-Blackberry (for internet and entertainment)
-Camera
-Solar charger
There is plenty more stuff but I can't remember it all and I am sure you don't want to read my packing list. Total the gear weighs in at 75lbs, a lot less than I thought I would have.
Expectations of the trip include chaffing, a few bad stomach aches, probably some weight loss, sunburn, and most of all adventure. I am excited for the people I will meet, the things I will learn (hopefully not to much about bike repair) and being in the middle of nowhere. I anticipate that the trip will be physically and mentally challenging but in the end will be an experience of a lifetime.
I will update this page and check my email as often as possible. If you would like to contact me...
trucc903@gmail.com
...or you can add me as a friend on Google Latitude and track me as I ride.
-Marcus
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Dirty-ass Red goes to the big city
8/1/09
I am finally on the road again after nearly 3 weeks off in Denver and Chicago. Though the time wasn't the most productive, it was a fun and a much needed break. After racing nearly 400 miles in 3 days to get to Denver, I was greeted with big hugs and friendly smiles from familiar faces. My time spent off the bike was some of the most memorable of the trip and reminded me that I have the best family and friends anyone could hope for. Some of my favorite times include a Harry Potter party to celebrate the opening of the 6th HP film. Nobody actually made it to the movie that night, but we had some Muggle fun with my road flares, fireworks, and a bottle of corn whiskey. The following day was spent at the theater watching the film. The 6th movie was the first one that I had seen and afterwards was anxious to watch the rest. So, the next day was spent alternating between the pool and my friend Papa Steve's house, where we were watching the rest of the Harry Potter movies. The movies went late into the night and into the next morning. It was like a 6th grade sleepover, we sat in a cold dark room watching what seemed like endless hours of G-rated fun until we passed out. There was also "Tony and Marcus' Day of random fun full of milk," when my friend Tony and I walked around Denver in the hot sun, eating a huge sandwich and drinking a gallon of milk (milk was a bad choice!!). I should also mention that I was wearing a dark green leisure suit that I picked up at a Goodwill at the beginning of the day. The highlight of the day was either the milk or a woman in a old beater of a Subaru shouting "Burritos" at us as we sat on a curb waiting for a ride. Before she left she made a puckering face as if she wanted a kiss, then smiled showing all 7 of her teeth and drove away. Other interesting days included Tony's birthday when we rode a 4 person bike (double surrey) around a park chasing ducks and eventually taking it into a neighborhood, playing a couple of Rugby games with the guys from Regis, and the night Tony broke up with his girlfriend (I would describe the events of the evening, but I keep hearing my father say "filter" as he reads this and so they have been left out). One of the final and slower nights during the week was spent sharing stories with my friends Christie and Moryah who were returning from Guatemala. Though the evening was low key, some great news came out of the gathering. My friend Deedah is a member of Google Reader, a site that notifies you when a blog you are a fan of has a new post. On this site, she found my old and original blog posts. I am excited to have these back and can't wait to put them back up. Thanks Deedah!
Part of my time off was also spent in Chicago. I flew back leaving all of my things in Denver in order to make it to my cousins Cathy and Tom's wedding. I showed up to the airport wearing the leisure suit that I bought on the fun day. Even though I got a lot of stupid looks on the plane and in the airport, it was worth it when it was well received by my family. My mom picked me up from the airport and didn't recognize me, which explains why she almost drove past me as I walked up to her car. My dad took one look at me saying "what are you wearing? Did the Amish convert you?" he proceeded to laugh for roughly 20 min. When I arrived home, dinner was waiting for me and the force feeding began. My mom is a great cook and didn't hesitate to make more food than we could possibly be expected to eat. When nobody else wanted any more, it found its way onto my plate. As much as I said I didn't want it, I was could still eat more. Thanks Mom, I miss your cooking already! The next morning as I came down the stairs my dad said to my siblings, who were sitting at the kitchen table, "oh look, here comes Dirty-ass Red". Apparently I look identical to one of my Dad's old friend who they called "Dirty-Ass Red" and he swears that if any of his old friends saw me, they would call me the same thing.
That's it! I've had it with this abuse...I'm leaving home...and I'm going to live on my bike...and ride across the country!!! Damn, what was I thinking!
The wedding was a great time! The ceremony was a beautiful Irish wedding and the reception was even more fun! The Coral Room at the Drake Hotel was definitely not ready for The Ricker or the Trucco dance party that broke out. The fun didn't stop with the reception though, it continued into a lounge at the hotel until 2am with the Aunts, Uncles, and Older cousins. Those who were still standing spent a few more hours at the Hangy Uppy until the sun came up. I couldn't wait to rush over to my brother Chuck's apartment the next day to help him move out, which is why I had about 10 missed calls and voice mails when I woke up. The wedding was a great excuse to take some time off and see my family, thanks Cath and Tom and Congratulations again!
After returning to Denver, I put off getting back on the bike for as long as I possibly could. First because 3 weeks of sitting around, drinking, and not riding bikes put me in great shape for the rest of the trip. Second, I did not want to leave my friends and spend at least another month alone on the road. One mistake that I made on this trip was doing it solo. Physically I have had no real problems, but a lack of conversation is draining for any person that is somewhat extroverted. I realized for the second time why this trip is so hard, and why I enjoy having friends and family around me. The first day of the trip was rough. I started late in the morning since I had to get some things together and get back into a routine. My friend Kevin "Brett, Shy Guy, Guy, Rodney" Stakelin joined me for the first 20 miles or so. I rode with him through downtown and out onto the Cherry Creek trail. When he left me, the trail started splitting off into different directions and I had no idea where i was going. I found my way onto the highway I was suppose to be on and started riding in some heavy traffic. It didn't slow for a while and the heat started to pick up, which was awesome. After a few turns and a change in highways, I started to feel a bit sick to my stomach. Shortly after the stomach ache started I made several stops at gas stations and grocery stores. This was the first time on the trip and in a recent memory that I had a serious stomach ache. Dehydration and exhaustion started to set in and I decided to cut the day short at Kiowa at the Elbert County Fair before the gas stations started to disappear. The stomach ache continued through the night and I couldn't even finish eating a hot dog. On top of the stomach, I put my tent up near the trailers since the tent area was full, bad choice. All of the trailers had generators and the nice fellow beside me decided he should keep his on until 12:30 in the morning...thanks man.
I slept well all things considered and woke up feeling alright. By noon the next day I was in Limon, the town that I was aiming for the first day. With the stomach feeling better as the day went on, I decided to ride to Kit Carson. When I arrived I found the city park with the help of some locals and rode up to a picnic area with a homeless guy laying on a bench. I started making dinner and within 10 minute of being there, Denny decided to come talk with me. Denny was an older guy, at least 60, who definitely had a drinking problem, and had not showered in a while. He said he had been homeless for 30 days, but said the last time he had a job was in 2005 "with Big Man and JD", fixing the damage from hurricane Katrina. He was a nice enough guy but I had to be careful not to say anything that might make him think I was liberal in any way, he was a mixed up dude. After Denny had mentioned something about looking for work and trying to find some help, I told him about a couple places in Denver that had good programs. He quickly responded with, "what are you some kind of liberal? They're always trying to set up new programs and eventually they're going to socialize the whole damn country!". I was planning on staying the night there until I spoke with my mom. I called her just after Denny left to go get some "soda". My mom suggested I check out another place in town to camp for the night. I resisted but took her up on it and eventually rode to the next town when Denny returned with a drink for me and insisted I drink one of them. When I told him I was going to go check the other place out he wanted me to wait for him to get his stuff so he could check it out with me. I was getting creeped out and decided to ride 20 more miles to Eads even though it was already 7:30.
I left Kit Carson and just outside of town had my second flat of the trip. I pulled the bike off the shoulder and fixed it, not knowing where the whole had come from. Worried about time I started racing for Eads, with bugs hitting me in the face and giant Grasshoppers jumping into my wheels. For some reason Grasshoppers jump at you as you come towards them, and when they jump at the bike they always get torn up in the spokes. When they get hit, it makes a sound as if you were to pluck a string on a guitar and it makes me laugh every time I hear it. The other thing is that in Eastern Colorado, they grow their Grasshoppers HUGE!!! I'm talking like the size of a small dog! Somehow, the growth hormone that the cattle farmers out here are using is being absorbed by the Grasshoppers and they look like Lobsters. Please start eating organic foods, my wheels cant take much more of this! Also, after riding this leg of the trip I am no longer curious why Eastern Colorado is the smallest and least popular of the Colorado Universities.
When I was about 5 miles out of Eads and at around 8:30pm, I got my 3rd flat. The sun was going to set any minute now and hear I was only 5 miles out fixing a flat. After inspecting the tire and the innertube, I concluded that it was the wheel that was puncturing the tube. It looked as if the holes for the spokes were not entirely covered by the tape. So before putting everything back together, I wrapped the inner wheel with some duct tape and continued on. I haven't had any problems since and am now considering the matter closed. I arrived in Eads in the dark and quickly found the city park. I set up camp and went to bed after pounding a few liters of water.
Today I rode to to Tribune, KS completing the state of Colorado and crossing over into Central time. I was able to take a much needed shower and am taking some time off of the bike. I rode 250 miles or so in the past 3 days and was certainly not prepared for it or the stomach flu. I am going to see what I can find hear in town to eat and am anxious to plot out the coming days through corn fields. It is getting harder and harder to find places to charge my phone and even more difficult to find is digital service so that I can post to the blog.
It was rejuvenating to spend time with everyone over my break and it has prepared me for the next 2500-3000 mile to Portland, ME! Thanks for all of the hospitality, delicious food, and most of all, for supporting me on this trip! Sorry for such a big break in posts, hopefully I will start to post on a more regular basis to satisfy all of you who are becoming RedRider junkies.
-Marcus
I am finally on the road again after nearly 3 weeks off in Denver and Chicago. Though the time wasn't the most productive, it was a fun and a much needed break. After racing nearly 400 miles in 3 days to get to Denver, I was greeted with big hugs and friendly smiles from familiar faces. My time spent off the bike was some of the most memorable of the trip and reminded me that I have the best family and friends anyone could hope for. Some of my favorite times include a Harry Potter party to celebrate the opening of the 6th HP film. Nobody actually made it to the movie that night, but we had some Muggle fun with my road flares, fireworks, and a bottle of corn whiskey. The following day was spent at the theater watching the film. The 6th movie was the first one that I had seen and afterwards was anxious to watch the rest. So, the next day was spent alternating between the pool and my friend Papa Steve's house, where we were watching the rest of the Harry Potter movies. The movies went late into the night and into the next morning. It was like a 6th grade sleepover, we sat in a cold dark room watching what seemed like endless hours of G-rated fun until we passed out. There was also "Tony and Marcus' Day of random fun full of milk," when my friend Tony and I walked around Denver in the hot sun, eating a huge sandwich and drinking a gallon of milk (milk was a bad choice!!). I should also mention that I was wearing a dark green leisure suit that I picked up at a Goodwill at the beginning of the day. The highlight of the day was either the milk or a woman in a old beater of a Subaru shouting "Burritos" at us as we sat on a curb waiting for a ride. Before she left she made a puckering face as if she wanted a kiss, then smiled showing all 7 of her teeth and drove away. Other interesting days included Tony's birthday when we rode a 4 person bike (double surrey) around a park chasing ducks and eventually taking it into a neighborhood, playing a couple of Rugby games with the guys from Regis, and the night Tony broke up with his girlfriend (I would describe the events of the evening, but I keep hearing my father say "filter" as he reads this and so they have been left out). One of the final and slower nights during the week was spent sharing stories with my friends Christie and Moryah who were returning from Guatemala. Though the evening was low key, some great news came out of the gathering. My friend Deedah is a member of Google Reader, a site that notifies you when a blog you are a fan of has a new post. On this site, she found my old and original blog posts. I am excited to have these back and can't wait to put them back up. Thanks Deedah!
Part of my time off was also spent in Chicago. I flew back leaving all of my things in Denver in order to make it to my cousins Cathy and Tom's wedding. I showed up to the airport wearing the leisure suit that I bought on the fun day. Even though I got a lot of stupid looks on the plane and in the airport, it was worth it when it was well received by my family. My mom picked me up from the airport and didn't recognize me, which explains why she almost drove past me as I walked up to her car. My dad took one look at me saying "what are you wearing? Did the Amish convert you?" he proceeded to laugh for roughly 20 min. When I arrived home, dinner was waiting for me and the force feeding began. My mom is a great cook and didn't hesitate to make more food than we could possibly be expected to eat. When nobody else wanted any more, it found its way onto my plate. As much as I said I didn't want it, I was could still eat more. Thanks Mom, I miss your cooking already! The next morning as I came down the stairs my dad said to my siblings, who were sitting at the kitchen table, "oh look, here comes Dirty-ass Red". Apparently I look identical to one of my Dad's old friend who they called "Dirty-Ass Red" and he swears that if any of his old friends saw me, they would call me the same thing.
That's it! I've had it with this abuse...I'm leaving home...and I'm going to live on my bike...and ride across the country!!! Damn, what was I thinking!
The wedding was a great time! The ceremony was a beautiful Irish wedding and the reception was even more fun! The Coral Room at the Drake Hotel was definitely not ready for The Ricker or the Trucco dance party that broke out. The fun didn't stop with the reception though, it continued into a lounge at the hotel until 2am with the Aunts, Uncles, and Older cousins. Those who were still standing spent a few more hours at the Hangy Uppy until the sun came up. I couldn't wait to rush over to my brother Chuck's apartment the next day to help him move out, which is why I had about 10 missed calls and voice mails when I woke up. The wedding was a great excuse to take some time off and see my family, thanks Cath and Tom and Congratulations again!
After returning to Denver, I put off getting back on the bike for as long as I possibly could. First because 3 weeks of sitting around, drinking, and not riding bikes put me in great shape for the rest of the trip. Second, I did not want to leave my friends and spend at least another month alone on the road. One mistake that I made on this trip was doing it solo. Physically I have had no real problems, but a lack of conversation is draining for any person that is somewhat extroverted. I realized for the second time why this trip is so hard, and why I enjoy having friends and family around me. The first day of the trip was rough. I started late in the morning since I had to get some things together and get back into a routine. My friend Kevin "Brett, Shy Guy, Guy, Rodney" Stakelin joined me for the first 20 miles or so. I rode with him through downtown and out onto the Cherry Creek trail. When he left me, the trail started splitting off into different directions and I had no idea where i was going. I found my way onto the highway I was suppose to be on and started riding in some heavy traffic. It didn't slow for a while and the heat started to pick up, which was awesome. After a few turns and a change in highways, I started to feel a bit sick to my stomach. Shortly after the stomach ache started I made several stops at gas stations and grocery stores. This was the first time on the trip and in a recent memory that I had a serious stomach ache. Dehydration and exhaustion started to set in and I decided to cut the day short at Kiowa at the Elbert County Fair before the gas stations started to disappear. The stomach ache continued through the night and I couldn't even finish eating a hot dog. On top of the stomach, I put my tent up near the trailers since the tent area was full, bad choice. All of the trailers had generators and the nice fellow beside me decided he should keep his on until 12:30 in the morning...thanks man.
I slept well all things considered and woke up feeling alright. By noon the next day I was in Limon, the town that I was aiming for the first day. With the stomach feeling better as the day went on, I decided to ride to Kit Carson. When I arrived I found the city park with the help of some locals and rode up to a picnic area with a homeless guy laying on a bench. I started making dinner and within 10 minute of being there, Denny decided to come talk with me. Denny was an older guy, at least 60, who definitely had a drinking problem, and had not showered in a while. He said he had been homeless for 30 days, but said the last time he had a job was in 2005 "with Big Man and JD", fixing the damage from hurricane Katrina. He was a nice enough guy but I had to be careful not to say anything that might make him think I was liberal in any way, he was a mixed up dude. After Denny had mentioned something about looking for work and trying to find some help, I told him about a couple places in Denver that had good programs. He quickly responded with, "what are you some kind of liberal? They're always trying to set up new programs and eventually they're going to socialize the whole damn country!". I was planning on staying the night there until I spoke with my mom. I called her just after Denny left to go get some "soda". My mom suggested I check out another place in town to camp for the night. I resisted but took her up on it and eventually rode to the next town when Denny returned with a drink for me and insisted I drink one of them. When I told him I was going to go check the other place out he wanted me to wait for him to get his stuff so he could check it out with me. I was getting creeped out and decided to ride 20 more miles to Eads even though it was already 7:30.
I left Kit Carson and just outside of town had my second flat of the trip. I pulled the bike off the shoulder and fixed it, not knowing where the whole had come from. Worried about time I started racing for Eads, with bugs hitting me in the face and giant Grasshoppers jumping into my wheels. For some reason Grasshoppers jump at you as you come towards them, and when they jump at the bike they always get torn up in the spokes. When they get hit, it makes a sound as if you were to pluck a string on a guitar and it makes me laugh every time I hear it. The other thing is that in Eastern Colorado, they grow their Grasshoppers HUGE!!! I'm talking like the size of a small dog! Somehow, the growth hormone that the cattle farmers out here are using is being absorbed by the Grasshoppers and they look like Lobsters. Please start eating organic foods, my wheels cant take much more of this! Also, after riding this leg of the trip I am no longer curious why Eastern Colorado is the smallest and least popular of the Colorado Universities.
When I was about 5 miles out of Eads and at around 8:30pm, I got my 3rd flat. The sun was going to set any minute now and hear I was only 5 miles out fixing a flat. After inspecting the tire and the innertube, I concluded that it was the wheel that was puncturing the tube. It looked as if the holes for the spokes were not entirely covered by the tape. So before putting everything back together, I wrapped the inner wheel with some duct tape and continued on. I haven't had any problems since and am now considering the matter closed. I arrived in Eads in the dark and quickly found the city park. I set up camp and went to bed after pounding a few liters of water.
Today I rode to to Tribune, KS completing the state of Colorado and crossing over into Central time. I was able to take a much needed shower and am taking some time off of the bike. I rode 250 miles or so in the past 3 days and was certainly not prepared for it or the stomach flu. I am going to see what I can find hear in town to eat and am anxious to plot out the coming days through corn fields. It is getting harder and harder to find places to charge my phone and even more difficult to find is digital service so that I can post to the blog.
It was rejuvenating to spend time with everyone over my break and it has prepared me for the next 2500-3000 mile to Portland, ME! Thanks for all of the hospitality, delicious food, and most of all, for supporting me on this trip! Sorry for such a big break in posts, hopefully I will start to post on a more regular basis to satisfy all of you who are becoming RedRider junkies.
-Marcus
Friday, July 17, 2009
Intermission
7/21/09
After several text messages, emails, phone calls, and threats from curious readers, my concerned family, stalkers, and those with no other way to procrastinate at work, I have decided to write an update. The last time that I wrote, I was in Lander, WY. I took a day off there to hang out with some locals and a hundreds of other people in town for an annual climbing festival. My day off consisted of visiting a local ice cream shop, riding around town, updating my blog, talking with some people that have given their lives to faith and eventually led me to the Lander Bar.
Early in the afternoon, I returned to the city park where I was staying to find 4 or 5 Amish looking folks pulling in on bicycles, spread all around the park. I immediately started laughing, thinking about the about the last group that I ran into on the train. I did not hesitate to go up and greet them. The men all had long beards with hair that looked like it was cut by hand. They wore blue jeans, blue collared shirts and covered up with a large tan art smock sort of thing. The women wore plain off-white dresses and had clearly not cut their hair in a long, long time. I remember thinking that one of the women would get her hair caught in the spokes of her bike while riding and began laughing at the mental image of her head being pulled back while riding. This was at a most inopportune time because she and another were walking past and looked over in disgust as I chuckled quietly. The first person I spoke with was lady who was extremely shy. She seemed to have a very hard time coming up with more than a yes or no answer as I asked her about their trip. After a very short conversation she insisted that I go speak with a guy who was pulling up to a picnic table.
Jerry was young looking guy with graying reddish brown hair and an awesome beard! He carried a briefcase and a guitar on his back. When I sat down and introduced myself we had the general bike touring conversation, where are you going? Where are you from? How long have you been out? What’s your daily mileage? It turns out that the group is not on a bike tour at all. They are a group of 22 that travel around the country trying to live their lives as early Christians did. They do not affiliate with any church, but instead try to read the bible in as many different languages and religions as possible. Jerry explained to me that they have all dedicated their lives to faith and simply let God direct where they go and what they do. No one in the group owns anything other than what they have on their bikes and Jerry estimates that he spends less than $700 each year. They get buy on dumpster diving at grocery stores, people that offer to put them up for a night or two, living in farming communes, and occasionally buying what they need. I was around for a conversation that Jerry had with a “Sister” named Ashira, regarding how they were going to restock on toilet paper by asking for the half-used rolls being thrown away at a local hotel. I spoke with the two for a bit, mostly just inquiring about their lives. Jerry has read the bible in English, Hebrew, and Greek and several times in each language. After speaking with Jerry for a while he pulled out a 16 page hand written essay on his philosophy on life and religion. It was covered with a piece of tie-dyed paper and was titled Earth’s Tears. Jerry handed it to me saying “this is what I have come up with as an explanation of how I see the world. I am not giving it to you because I think you should believe the same, but because if you understand how I see the world, than maybe you will have tolerance for others like me and eventually for everyone”. Before our conversation ended, Jerry and Ashira gave me a pocket version of the New Testament and a bookmark that said “Peace” but if read backwards said “shalom”. They wished me safe travels and I was on my way.
At around 4pm I ran into some of the locals that I met at the city park, Kyle, Cash, Mike, and Andrea. Kyle is a 26 year old with 2 DUI's, 0 front teeth, and a million stories. He works at a local climbing shop and offers to let anyone borrow his car that wants to since he hasn’t gotten his license back yet. Cash is a younger guy too, also with 2 DUI's but one of his was in Arizona, so when he wants to drive somewhere he has to blow into a breathalyzer mounted in his car. He has a handyman business that he runs and seems to be doing ok for himself. Mike and Andrea are dating and live in the Lander City Park. Their lease on a house in Lander expired and they are hanging in the park until it their new lease begins in Fort Collins. They are moving there so Andrea can finish up school at Colorado State. In the meantime they climb a whole lot and volunteer at City events like the climbing festival. Anyway, I ran into them in the park and after hanging out and talking for a while, they suggested that I go get something to eat and hang out at Lander Bar, the only bar in the city of Lander (Landerbar.com). I took their advice and upon sitting down at the bar struck up a conversation with some guy that had just finished up a NOLS course and was waiting for his old college buddies. He clearly had a head start on them and did not hesitate to buy me a beer. His name was Mike and he was from Woodstock, IL. We talked for a while/he talked for a while, telling stories about his most recent NOLS course, his outdoor experiences and travels, and made sure that I understood the value of being able to just go out into the wild and plan your own trips rather than hiring someone to guide you. After Mike’s lesson, I was about ready to take off and see what else I could find in Lander. As I was finishing the burger that I bought and getting ready to take care of my bill, Kyle and Cash walked in and sat down on the stools next to me. They were excited to see me here and Kyle “bought” a round for the 3 of us and another guy that bar tends at Lander Bar but wasn’t working. After being served, Kyle asked “how much do I owe you?” The bar tender looked at Kyle and then at the other bar tender not working and said “how much do you want to pay?” Kyle looked somewhat dumbfounded, hesitated and responded “$1.87”. After seeing this, I did not buy a single drink without including the off shift bar tender, Kyle, and Cash. We switched off buying rounds all night, the whole time I had no idea how much of what I was ordering was actually being put on my tab. At around 7 o’clock the rest of the climbing festival showed up for the Kick-Off celebration. Being that I had been hanging out all night with Lander locals, people started to confuse me for one, including the new bar tender when he asked how long I had lived in Lander for. The strange thing about Lander was that the whole time I was there I didn’t meet a single person born and raised in the town. Everyone had moved there from somewhere else and was jus adopted as a local.
The evenings events included a pull-up competition, climbing videos on the wall of the bar, and outside on the patio and small yard beside the bar, live music. I had some interesting conversation that night with some guys from Boulder, CO, a couple from Paris, and then some old guy who was over served that thought I was one of his old climbing buddies from Arkansas. I spent most of the evening talking with these people until a blue grass band started playing and a hoe down broke out in the yard of the bar. The locals that I had met, some of the climbers and me decided that we were going to dance. None of us knew what the hell we were doing or how to dance to what these guys were playing so it turned into a combination of foot stomping, spinning, clapping, and everything that you would expect to see around 1am at a hoe down. The dancing really took a turn when some guy started doing something that resembled a James Brown imitation. After that it was anything goes and things got really ugly, there was even a mosh pit. With this I decided I had had enough dancing and decided I would head back to my tent. I was surprised to see that my tab had only amounted to $17 with food. This was definitely a few beers short, but I signed off and rode my bike back.
I woke up in the morning feeling awesome and decided to have a bowl of ibuprofen for breakfast. People had already started setting up for the festival and the events were underway. I stuck around to see the sponsor tables and the first couple rounds of crate stacking. Crate stacking is where you take milk crates and stack them one on top of the next while balancing on the stack. It has got to be ridiculously hard and even thought you were tied in to a rope hanging from a tree the falls still looked like they were painful. I talked with the locals about the previous night and had some good laughs before cleaning up and saying goodbye. I was considering staying another couple nights, but they said that the festival pretty much disappears into the mountains after the first day so there wasn’t much more to see. I left at around 11am with every intention of riding 125 miles to Rawlins, WY that day followed by another 100 the day after which would land me in Laramie.
The 91 miles that I rode along highway 287 that day was something special. There 3 towns, 2 cafes, and 1 gas station. I filled up on water in Jeffrey City, an old ghost town that had at one time been home to several thousand people who worked at a Uranium mine. But after the Uranium ran out, there was no need for the town anymore either. There are two buildings in the town that are still in use. The first is the café where I stopped for some food and a refill on water. When I pulled up there was only pickup truck in front of the place. Knowing that this would be the only place to get water, I went in and found an old lady sitting at the bar playing poker on the internet, on 3 different laptops all at the same time. She looked like the lady down the street growing up that was overweight and had grey hair…you know, the one that everyone was scared to death of because she was a witch. The bar was long with only a few stools and plenty of space between them. 2 round tables were on the floor and did a terrible job of filling the room. The booze was untouched. There were 8 different bottles behind the counter and not one of them had been opened. Without turning around the woman said “Can I help you?” she sounded mad that I had interrupted her. At first I was just going to get some water and then get the hell out of there, but after hearing her say that I figured I would probably be more welcome if I bought some food, so I asked for a menu. The woman said, “Well what do you want?” They didn’t have menus. What restaurant doesn’t have menus? I didn’t know what to say so I just asked for a cheeseburger. “Fries too?” I said that would be great. She went into the back room and a couple of kids came out asking why I was riding my bike. I’m not really sure what I said but it didn’t entertain them and they just ran back after saying “that’s weird”. Next a man came out of some other door with a baby and before the door closed two more women came out. They talked to themselves and said hi to me before the old woman came back with a glass of ice water and some condiments. Another couple followed her from out of the kitchen. “Where the hell are all of these people coming from?!?!” I thought to myself, there was only one car in the parking lot! When another woman came from somewhere else and I started to watch the massive LCD TV that they had. Big Daddy was on. After about 10 minutes the chef came out with a cheese burger and fries, of course there was a chef back there. I sat and ate quietly until the old woman came up and started to tell me about how much she hated bicyclists and how they are usually “big city assholes that think were a bunch of cow dicks! You seem pretty nice though, most just come in here ask for some water and leave!” Thank God I asked for that menu! While I was eating some guy came in, sat down at the bar and asked for a 6 pack. The old woman gave him 3 bottles and 3 cans and then he just left. No wonder the bottles at the bar were unopened, this place was also the liquor store. Before I left she offered to fill up my water bottles and even put ice in them for me.
The second in Jeffery City is an old gas station that was converted to a pottery store by a guy named Byron. It’s called Monk King Bird Pottery (http://monkingbirdpottery.com/Home.html). I did not have the chance to meet Byron, but I heard that he is a really cool guy from everyone I met in Lander. I was told that you have not truly experienced Wyoming until you have hung out with Byron. Unfortunately he was not around when I got to Monk King, so I will have to return at some point. The next stop on my way was a gas station just outside of Muddy Gap, WY. It was a gas station that charged $.50 to fill up each water bottle and had a $10 minimum to use Debit cards. I didn’t have any cash on me but did have enough change for one water bottle. The guy refused to let me fill up the other water bottles so I continued with one. Before leaving some Swedish guys came up to the gas station. I gave them the heads up on water but they decided to camp at the gas station anyway. They informed me that I would have some strong head winds on the next portion of the ride, but I willing to give up on my 125 mile attempt yet.
After another couple of hours I came to Lamont, WY and Grandma’s Café. The café was in terrible shape and didn’t look like it was still in use. It was the only building in the town and I figured it was probably abandoned. It was getting pretty late and with 35 miles to go and no water, I pulled off the road. After looking at my maps to see what the next town was and giving a call home to see if someone could look something up for me, an older guy came out of Grandma’s and asked if I needed any help. He said I could camp out in back of the place and was welcome to use the bathrooms and sink. I convinced myself that 91 miles was still pretty good for the day, especially considering the night before, and decided to call it a night. I set up camp behind the diner ate some spaghetti with a can of chili before trying to find the guy that invited me to stay. His name was Cliff and I found him inside of the diner smoking cigarettes, doing a crossword puzzle, and watching Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? With special guest, Larry the Cable Guy. Cliff was only 45 but he looked like he was 60. He was unemployed and was helping out his parents by running things around the diner until he found something else. When I told him that I came from Lander that day, he said “Whoa, there’s a different place for you. Lander sure is an interesting bunch.” He was a nice guy and it was interesting talking with him. I went to bed early that night hoping that I could get a good start the next morning.
I woke up at 5:40 that morning and had left Lamont and Grandma’s Diner by 6:30 I was happy to be on the road and on my way just as the sun was rising. I pulled into to Rawlins before 9am only to find that nothing was open in the town except for an Amish Bakery and Discount food store. “HAHA…We meet again!” I thought as I walked past a couple of Amish women. I took special not of their footwear, not Reebok but Asics. Either way they were made in a sweatshop somewhere in Asia. I was surprised at how cheap everything was; open boxes of cereal, expired granola bars, brown bananas…it was all at least 50% off! I stuck with the stuff from the bakery which was also quite cheap. I bought an 8 pack of doughnuts for $1 and ordered some waffles. I ate all of it before I left there and picked up a couple of dented cans of tuna and beans for later that day.
At Rawlins, highway 287 joins up with Interstate 80, so I had no choice but to ride on the shoulder with cars passing me at 80mph. I was sure to take picture of this! Where 287 separates from 80 there is a small gas station. I stopped in filled up with water and asked the guy if taking 287 to Laramie instead of 80 would add many miles. He said “yeah, maybe 7 or 8” as he sat there smoking a cigarette while hooked up to an oxygen tank. Thinking that I had 135 miles to Laramie from the start of the day I figured 7 or 8 more miles couldn’t hurt. I decided that locals are not to be trusted on distances when at mile 135 I saw a sign that said “Laramie 16 miles”. Between Rawlins and Laramie there is not much. Medicine Bow, WY had a gas station and Bosler was a ghost town. There must have been 40 or so houses and buildings in Bosler but I found out once I got to Laramie that only 1 person lives there, and he lives in the old abandoned school building. I had strongly considered stopping here, but as I was riding through the town I had to ride at least 14 mph if I wanted to keep from getting bitten by mosquitoes. At 13mph you would still get bitten, but 14mph was just fast enough to keep them off of you. There were a couple of times when I put up with the swarms of mosquitoes biting me just so that I could have pictures of the houses that are falling apart. The last 20 miles into Laramie was possibly the hardest of the trip. Not only was I 130 miles in on the day, there was a huge storm in front of me and a head wind that kept me from going over 15mph. I was out of breath the whole time, but was doing my best not to breathe too hard because every time I did I inhaled a mosquito. I managed to avoid all of the rain and pulled into Laramie at around 7pm. My first stop was at Little Caesar’s for a $5 large pizza. I sat and ate it in the shop and finished it in about 10 minutes. As I was throwing the box away the guy behind the counter said “wait did you just finish that whole thing?” I said yeah. “Holy Shit! That guy ate that in like 7 minutes, “ he said to his co-worker and told me to look at my receipt to see how long it actually took. I had already thrown it away, but I doubt it was less than 10 minutes. I am thinking I should go into competitive eating after this trip if I can’t find a job elsewhere.
I ended up riding 151 miles that day and made it into Laramie. I figured I would get a hotel room for the night so I could take a shower and get some good sleep. As I started checking with motels, I found that few had nothing available as a result of the Rodeo that was in town. I really like Laramie because the people were so friendly and accommodating to bikers. When I pulled out of one motel, my water bladder, which holds a gallon of water for me and has saved me on several occasions, fell off the side of my bike. I turned into a parking lot to go back and just as I saw it, some cowboy and his friends in their truck swerved out of their way to hit and burst it. They turned and laughed at me as they drove past. I can’t describe how angry I was. Shortly after this another car drove past as close as possible honking the horn and the woman in the passenger seat stuck her head out the window to shout “get the fuck off the road asshole!!!” I was honked at a few more times before I made it to the hotel and was ready to chase down the next car that did anything.
Surprisingly, I didn’t feel all that terrible when I got to my room. I wasn’t sore, I was happy to be out off the street and I actually had some energy. Despite this, I showered, stretched, drank as much water as I could and went to bed knowing that I probably wouldn’t be able to walk the next day.
I woke up and my worst fears were confirmed, I could not walk. That’s an exaggeration but it was easily the sorest day of the trip! Luckily most of the ride to Fort Collins, CO was downhill. I started late that day, it was around 10am when I left, but still managed to cross the Wyoming/Colorado border before Noon. I was also impressed that I did it with just 2 liters of water and got into Fort Collins, my intended destination for the day by 1pm. I didn’t eat any breakfast before leaving that day and made my first stop at a McDonalds when I got in. I ordered 8 dollars worth of food off of the dollar menu. During lunch I started calling up my friends in Fort Collins and Denver. I was only able to get a hold of 2 people, 1 in Fort Collins, Jamie and 1 in Denver, Tim. My good friend Jamie met up with me at the New Belgium Brewery where we were going to do a tour but they were closed. We ended up just hanging out and catching up before I took off for Denver at around 4pm. Tim was the main cause for me riding another 67 miles that day. When I talked with him on the phone he said, “Why wouldn’t you ride down to Denver tonight? You should not tell anyone else and then just surprise everyone!” I knew why I didn’t want to ride to Denver but it sounded like a great plan and I am easily convinced so I continued on my way to Denver. The ride was long and had very small shoulders on the road. I wound up riding down Federal Blvd. in Denver until I arrived at my final destination at 10:30pm, well after the sun went down.
After 127 miles that day and nearly 370 in the past 3 days, being greeted with hugs and a bottle of champagne from some of my best friends was an amazing feeling! It was so amazing that I decided I didn’t want to leave and I am still here now. Well to be honest I didn’t want to try and ride 1000 miles in 9 days to make it in time for the wedding. Instead I will fly from Denver back to Chicago, go to my cousin Cathy’s wedding and then return to Denver and resume my trek across the country. I will post an update soon on what I have been up to here in Denver with my friends, but figure this will do for now!
Sorry again for the late update, I hope you enjoy!
Marcus
After several text messages, emails, phone calls, and threats from curious readers, my concerned family, stalkers, and those with no other way to procrastinate at work, I have decided to write an update. The last time that I wrote, I was in Lander, WY. I took a day off there to hang out with some locals and a hundreds of other people in town for an annual climbing festival. My day off consisted of visiting a local ice cream shop, riding around town, updating my blog, talking with some people that have given their lives to faith and eventually led me to the Lander Bar.
Early in the afternoon, I returned to the city park where I was staying to find 4 or 5 Amish looking folks pulling in on bicycles, spread all around the park. I immediately started laughing, thinking about the about the last group that I ran into on the train. I did not hesitate to go up and greet them. The men all had long beards with hair that looked like it was cut by hand. They wore blue jeans, blue collared shirts and covered up with a large tan art smock sort of thing. The women wore plain off-white dresses and had clearly not cut their hair in a long, long time. I remember thinking that one of the women would get her hair caught in the spokes of her bike while riding and began laughing at the mental image of her head being pulled back while riding. This was at a most inopportune time because she and another were walking past and looked over in disgust as I chuckled quietly. The first person I spoke with was lady who was extremely shy. She seemed to have a very hard time coming up with more than a yes or no answer as I asked her about their trip. After a very short conversation she insisted that I go speak with a guy who was pulling up to a picnic table.
Jerry was young looking guy with graying reddish brown hair and an awesome beard! He carried a briefcase and a guitar on his back. When I sat down and introduced myself we had the general bike touring conversation, where are you going? Where are you from? How long have you been out? What’s your daily mileage? It turns out that the group is not on a bike tour at all. They are a group of 22 that travel around the country trying to live their lives as early Christians did. They do not affiliate with any church, but instead try to read the bible in as many different languages and religions as possible. Jerry explained to me that they have all dedicated their lives to faith and simply let God direct where they go and what they do. No one in the group owns anything other than what they have on their bikes and Jerry estimates that he spends less than $700 each year. They get buy on dumpster diving at grocery stores, people that offer to put them up for a night or two, living in farming communes, and occasionally buying what they need. I was around for a conversation that Jerry had with a “Sister” named Ashira, regarding how they were going to restock on toilet paper by asking for the half-used rolls being thrown away at a local hotel. I spoke with the two for a bit, mostly just inquiring about their lives. Jerry has read the bible in English, Hebrew, and Greek and several times in each language. After speaking with Jerry for a while he pulled out a 16 page hand written essay on his philosophy on life and religion. It was covered with a piece of tie-dyed paper and was titled Earth’s Tears. Jerry handed it to me saying “this is what I have come up with as an explanation of how I see the world. I am not giving it to you because I think you should believe the same, but because if you understand how I see the world, than maybe you will have tolerance for others like me and eventually for everyone”. Before our conversation ended, Jerry and Ashira gave me a pocket version of the New Testament and a bookmark that said “Peace” but if read backwards said “shalom”. They wished me safe travels and I was on my way.
At around 4pm I ran into some of the locals that I met at the city park, Kyle, Cash, Mike, and Andrea. Kyle is a 26 year old with 2 DUI's, 0 front teeth, and a million stories. He works at a local climbing shop and offers to let anyone borrow his car that wants to since he hasn’t gotten his license back yet. Cash is a younger guy too, also with 2 DUI's but one of his was in Arizona, so when he wants to drive somewhere he has to blow into a breathalyzer mounted in his car. He has a handyman business that he runs and seems to be doing ok for himself. Mike and Andrea are dating and live in the Lander City Park. Their lease on a house in Lander expired and they are hanging in the park until it their new lease begins in Fort Collins. They are moving there so Andrea can finish up school at Colorado State. In the meantime they climb a whole lot and volunteer at City events like the climbing festival. Anyway, I ran into them in the park and after hanging out and talking for a while, they suggested that I go get something to eat and hang out at Lander Bar, the only bar in the city of Lander (Landerbar.com). I took their advice and upon sitting down at the bar struck up a conversation with some guy that had just finished up a NOLS course and was waiting for his old college buddies. He clearly had a head start on them and did not hesitate to buy me a beer. His name was Mike and he was from Woodstock, IL. We talked for a while/he talked for a while, telling stories about his most recent NOLS course, his outdoor experiences and travels, and made sure that I understood the value of being able to just go out into the wild and plan your own trips rather than hiring someone to guide you. After Mike’s lesson, I was about ready to take off and see what else I could find in Lander. As I was finishing the burger that I bought and getting ready to take care of my bill, Kyle and Cash walked in and sat down on the stools next to me. They were excited to see me here and Kyle “bought” a round for the 3 of us and another guy that bar tends at Lander Bar but wasn’t working. After being served, Kyle asked “how much do I owe you?” The bar tender looked at Kyle and then at the other bar tender not working and said “how much do you want to pay?” Kyle looked somewhat dumbfounded, hesitated and responded “$1.87”. After seeing this, I did not buy a single drink without including the off shift bar tender, Kyle, and Cash. We switched off buying rounds all night, the whole time I had no idea how much of what I was ordering was actually being put on my tab. At around 7 o’clock the rest of the climbing festival showed up for the Kick-Off celebration. Being that I had been hanging out all night with Lander locals, people started to confuse me for one, including the new bar tender when he asked how long I had lived in Lander for. The strange thing about Lander was that the whole time I was there I didn’t meet a single person born and raised in the town. Everyone had moved there from somewhere else and was jus adopted as a local.
The evenings events included a pull-up competition, climbing videos on the wall of the bar, and outside on the patio and small yard beside the bar, live music. I had some interesting conversation that night with some guys from Boulder, CO, a couple from Paris, and then some old guy who was over served that thought I was one of his old climbing buddies from Arkansas. I spent most of the evening talking with these people until a blue grass band started playing and a hoe down broke out in the yard of the bar. The locals that I had met, some of the climbers and me decided that we were going to dance. None of us knew what the hell we were doing or how to dance to what these guys were playing so it turned into a combination of foot stomping, spinning, clapping, and everything that you would expect to see around 1am at a hoe down. The dancing really took a turn when some guy started doing something that resembled a James Brown imitation. After that it was anything goes and things got really ugly, there was even a mosh pit. With this I decided I had had enough dancing and decided I would head back to my tent. I was surprised to see that my tab had only amounted to $17 with food. This was definitely a few beers short, but I signed off and rode my bike back.
I woke up in the morning feeling awesome and decided to have a bowl of ibuprofen for breakfast. People had already started setting up for the festival and the events were underway. I stuck around to see the sponsor tables and the first couple rounds of crate stacking. Crate stacking is where you take milk crates and stack them one on top of the next while balancing on the stack. It has got to be ridiculously hard and even thought you were tied in to a rope hanging from a tree the falls still looked like they were painful. I talked with the locals about the previous night and had some good laughs before cleaning up and saying goodbye. I was considering staying another couple nights, but they said that the festival pretty much disappears into the mountains after the first day so there wasn’t much more to see. I left at around 11am with every intention of riding 125 miles to Rawlins, WY that day followed by another 100 the day after which would land me in Laramie.
The 91 miles that I rode along highway 287 that day was something special. There 3 towns, 2 cafes, and 1 gas station. I filled up on water in Jeffrey City, an old ghost town that had at one time been home to several thousand people who worked at a Uranium mine. But after the Uranium ran out, there was no need for the town anymore either. There are two buildings in the town that are still in use. The first is the café where I stopped for some food and a refill on water. When I pulled up there was only pickup truck in front of the place. Knowing that this would be the only place to get water, I went in and found an old lady sitting at the bar playing poker on the internet, on 3 different laptops all at the same time. She looked like the lady down the street growing up that was overweight and had grey hair…you know, the one that everyone was scared to death of because she was a witch. The bar was long with only a few stools and plenty of space between them. 2 round tables were on the floor and did a terrible job of filling the room. The booze was untouched. There were 8 different bottles behind the counter and not one of them had been opened. Without turning around the woman said “Can I help you?” she sounded mad that I had interrupted her. At first I was just going to get some water and then get the hell out of there, but after hearing her say that I figured I would probably be more welcome if I bought some food, so I asked for a menu. The woman said, “Well what do you want?” They didn’t have menus. What restaurant doesn’t have menus? I didn’t know what to say so I just asked for a cheeseburger. “Fries too?” I said that would be great. She went into the back room and a couple of kids came out asking why I was riding my bike. I’m not really sure what I said but it didn’t entertain them and they just ran back after saying “that’s weird”. Next a man came out of some other door with a baby and before the door closed two more women came out. They talked to themselves and said hi to me before the old woman came back with a glass of ice water and some condiments. Another couple followed her from out of the kitchen. “Where the hell are all of these people coming from?!?!” I thought to myself, there was only one car in the parking lot! When another woman came from somewhere else and I started to watch the massive LCD TV that they had. Big Daddy was on. After about 10 minutes the chef came out with a cheese burger and fries, of course there was a chef back there. I sat and ate quietly until the old woman came up and started to tell me about how much she hated bicyclists and how they are usually “big city assholes that think were a bunch of cow dicks! You seem pretty nice though, most just come in here ask for some water and leave!” Thank God I asked for that menu! While I was eating some guy came in, sat down at the bar and asked for a 6 pack. The old woman gave him 3 bottles and 3 cans and then he just left. No wonder the bottles at the bar were unopened, this place was also the liquor store. Before I left she offered to fill up my water bottles and even put ice in them for me.
The second in Jeffery City is an old gas station that was converted to a pottery store by a guy named Byron. It’s called Monk King Bird Pottery (http://monkingbirdpottery.com/Home.html). I did not have the chance to meet Byron, but I heard that he is a really cool guy from everyone I met in Lander. I was told that you have not truly experienced Wyoming until you have hung out with Byron. Unfortunately he was not around when I got to Monk King, so I will have to return at some point. The next stop on my way was a gas station just outside of Muddy Gap, WY. It was a gas station that charged $.50 to fill up each water bottle and had a $10 minimum to use Debit cards. I didn’t have any cash on me but did have enough change for one water bottle. The guy refused to let me fill up the other water bottles so I continued with one. Before leaving some Swedish guys came up to the gas station. I gave them the heads up on water but they decided to camp at the gas station anyway. They informed me that I would have some strong head winds on the next portion of the ride, but I willing to give up on my 125 mile attempt yet.
After another couple of hours I came to Lamont, WY and Grandma’s Café. The café was in terrible shape and didn’t look like it was still in use. It was the only building in the town and I figured it was probably abandoned. It was getting pretty late and with 35 miles to go and no water, I pulled off the road. After looking at my maps to see what the next town was and giving a call home to see if someone could look something up for me, an older guy came out of Grandma’s and asked if I needed any help. He said I could camp out in back of the place and was welcome to use the bathrooms and sink. I convinced myself that 91 miles was still pretty good for the day, especially considering the night before, and decided to call it a night. I set up camp behind the diner ate some spaghetti with a can of chili before trying to find the guy that invited me to stay. His name was Cliff and I found him inside of the diner smoking cigarettes, doing a crossword puzzle, and watching Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? With special guest, Larry the Cable Guy. Cliff was only 45 but he looked like he was 60. He was unemployed and was helping out his parents by running things around the diner until he found something else. When I told him that I came from Lander that day, he said “Whoa, there’s a different place for you. Lander sure is an interesting bunch.” He was a nice guy and it was interesting talking with him. I went to bed early that night hoping that I could get a good start the next morning.
I woke up at 5:40 that morning and had left Lamont and Grandma’s Diner by 6:30 I was happy to be on the road and on my way just as the sun was rising. I pulled into to Rawlins before 9am only to find that nothing was open in the town except for an Amish Bakery and Discount food store. “HAHA…We meet again!” I thought as I walked past a couple of Amish women. I took special not of their footwear, not Reebok but Asics. Either way they were made in a sweatshop somewhere in Asia. I was surprised at how cheap everything was; open boxes of cereal, expired granola bars, brown bananas…it was all at least 50% off! I stuck with the stuff from the bakery which was also quite cheap. I bought an 8 pack of doughnuts for $1 and ordered some waffles. I ate all of it before I left there and picked up a couple of dented cans of tuna and beans for later that day.
At Rawlins, highway 287 joins up with Interstate 80, so I had no choice but to ride on the shoulder with cars passing me at 80mph. I was sure to take picture of this! Where 287 separates from 80 there is a small gas station. I stopped in filled up with water and asked the guy if taking 287 to Laramie instead of 80 would add many miles. He said “yeah, maybe 7 or 8” as he sat there smoking a cigarette while hooked up to an oxygen tank. Thinking that I had 135 miles to Laramie from the start of the day I figured 7 or 8 more miles couldn’t hurt. I decided that locals are not to be trusted on distances when at mile 135 I saw a sign that said “Laramie 16 miles”. Between Rawlins and Laramie there is not much. Medicine Bow, WY had a gas station and Bosler was a ghost town. There must have been 40 or so houses and buildings in Bosler but I found out once I got to Laramie that only 1 person lives there, and he lives in the old abandoned school building. I had strongly considered stopping here, but as I was riding through the town I had to ride at least 14 mph if I wanted to keep from getting bitten by mosquitoes. At 13mph you would still get bitten, but 14mph was just fast enough to keep them off of you. There were a couple of times when I put up with the swarms of mosquitoes biting me just so that I could have pictures of the houses that are falling apart. The last 20 miles into Laramie was possibly the hardest of the trip. Not only was I 130 miles in on the day, there was a huge storm in front of me and a head wind that kept me from going over 15mph. I was out of breath the whole time, but was doing my best not to breathe too hard because every time I did I inhaled a mosquito. I managed to avoid all of the rain and pulled into Laramie at around 7pm. My first stop was at Little Caesar’s for a $5 large pizza. I sat and ate it in the shop and finished it in about 10 minutes. As I was throwing the box away the guy behind the counter said “wait did you just finish that whole thing?” I said yeah. “Holy Shit! That guy ate that in like 7 minutes, “ he said to his co-worker and told me to look at my receipt to see how long it actually took. I had already thrown it away, but I doubt it was less than 10 minutes. I am thinking I should go into competitive eating after this trip if I can’t find a job elsewhere.
I ended up riding 151 miles that day and made it into Laramie. I figured I would get a hotel room for the night so I could take a shower and get some good sleep. As I started checking with motels, I found that few had nothing available as a result of the Rodeo that was in town. I really like Laramie because the people were so friendly and accommodating to bikers. When I pulled out of one motel, my water bladder, which holds a gallon of water for me and has saved me on several occasions, fell off the side of my bike. I turned into a parking lot to go back and just as I saw it, some cowboy and his friends in their truck swerved out of their way to hit and burst it. They turned and laughed at me as they drove past. I can’t describe how angry I was. Shortly after this another car drove past as close as possible honking the horn and the woman in the passenger seat stuck her head out the window to shout “get the fuck off the road asshole!!!” I was honked at a few more times before I made it to the hotel and was ready to chase down the next car that did anything.
Surprisingly, I didn’t feel all that terrible when I got to my room. I wasn’t sore, I was happy to be out off the street and I actually had some energy. Despite this, I showered, stretched, drank as much water as I could and went to bed knowing that I probably wouldn’t be able to walk the next day.
I woke up and my worst fears were confirmed, I could not walk. That’s an exaggeration but it was easily the sorest day of the trip! Luckily most of the ride to Fort Collins, CO was downhill. I started late that day, it was around 10am when I left, but still managed to cross the Wyoming/Colorado border before Noon. I was also impressed that I did it with just 2 liters of water and got into Fort Collins, my intended destination for the day by 1pm. I didn’t eat any breakfast before leaving that day and made my first stop at a McDonalds when I got in. I ordered 8 dollars worth of food off of the dollar menu. During lunch I started calling up my friends in Fort Collins and Denver. I was only able to get a hold of 2 people, 1 in Fort Collins, Jamie and 1 in Denver, Tim. My good friend Jamie met up with me at the New Belgium Brewery where we were going to do a tour but they were closed. We ended up just hanging out and catching up before I took off for Denver at around 4pm. Tim was the main cause for me riding another 67 miles that day. When I talked with him on the phone he said, “Why wouldn’t you ride down to Denver tonight? You should not tell anyone else and then just surprise everyone!” I knew why I didn’t want to ride to Denver but it sounded like a great plan and I am easily convinced so I continued on my way to Denver. The ride was long and had very small shoulders on the road. I wound up riding down Federal Blvd. in Denver until I arrived at my final destination at 10:30pm, well after the sun went down.
After 127 miles that day and nearly 370 in the past 3 days, being greeted with hugs and a bottle of champagne from some of my best friends was an amazing feeling! It was so amazing that I decided I didn’t want to leave and I am still here now. Well to be honest I didn’t want to try and ride 1000 miles in 9 days to make it in time for the wedding. Instead I will fly from Denver back to Chicago, go to my cousin Cathy’s wedding and then return to Denver and resume my trek across the country. I will post an update soon on what I have been up to here in Denver with my friends, but figure this will do for now!
Sorry again for the late update, I hope you enjoy!
Marcus
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