Winding Down

So Rob and I have made it to Portland and are both fairly impressed. The city is incredibly large but it has a really hip vibe to it. Rob's friend was kind enough to let us throw our things in her apt while we peruse around town. I'm thinkin we might catch a movie today and try to just take it easy. There have been too many wild nights in a row including our last night on the actual bike trail after climbing to the top of Astoria's column. Astoria was a great little town with fantastic people. We met a guy named Dave who offered us a place to stay and we ended up staying awake for far too long considering our bus ride to Portalnd was at 8:00am. Needless to say we just barely made it. So I guess we're gonna kick it around town for a spell and see what this booming metropolis has to offer a couple of worn out transcontinental cyclists.
Can't wait to see everyone.

We Made It

Although we haven't officially ended our trip yet, we did however, reach the pacific ocean. It was a glorious time on the beach with raging 60 mph gusts and being sand blasted in the face. Besides that it was cool to see the ocean for the first time. We all drank a bottle of champagne behind a wind barrier made of driftwood to celebrate. We then decided to head back to Florence and get a motel room for showers. Every orifice of mine was sand-locked. The trip up the coastal highway 101 has proven to be quite an ordeal. The wind is coming directly south and the traffic and roads leave much to be desired. We have been able to visit some really great breweries in the mix to take some of the pressure off. Rogue, Pelican, among many as well as a really enjoyable visit to a winery right on the beach in Yachats. So Rob and I are here in Tillamook about to visit the cheese factory and then head for a campsite for the night. I'll keep trying to post some pictures.

I Can Smell the Ocean

Hey everybody sorry for the lack of posts. We've been really cranking and I haven't really had the time to sit at a computer and collect my thoughts. So we're in Sisters, Oregon and we only have about a week left before we hit the coast. Things are getting really exciting and we're all getting a little bit antsy to get there. We stayed in Bend last night which was a really incredible town. Rob is thinking about living there and now I can see why. We had to do a tour of all the breweries in town which numbered many and included "Dechutes."
My birthday seems like it was forever ago, but we spent a great deal of time in Yellowstone park. I saw Old faithful, grand prismal springs, painted mud pots and almost had a run in with a bear. Well I thought it was a bear. It growled at me for sure but I took off running - too fast to even see. Idaho was a gorgeous state with many gorges. We pedaled down by the Payette river and met lots of paddlers who were kind enough to offer us some PBR and snacks. We also got the chance to hit up some more hot springs. Very crowded however but still a nice treat. It was great to be able to go so long without a real shower. About a week and a half through the entire state of Idaho and parts of Oregon.
We've met some great people including Wiley at Red Fish Lake, Donnie and Zack at Spuds n Suds, and a real cool cat named Andy in Bend. Wiley's quite the character but with loads of info about his travels and how to live life like a real man on a Bimmer. Thanks for the dinner and the phone message Wiley! Oregon has proved to be a really nice state but incredibly hot on some days that we have to climb multiple passes. They haven't been too bad but they're really starting to wear on my wits.
But we'll' reach the ocean soon enough and then I'll get to check out highway 101 for a couple of days up to Astoria. From there Rob and I will be making our best efforts at bumming around Portland until our flight leaves on the 12th. I think we'll manage. I hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to seeing you all upon my return home.

Headwinds and Grizzly Bears

Wyoming has proved to be a very windy state as I had just flown down into the valley and was met with winds comparable to those on top of Grandfather Mtn. I could see the horizon about 20 miles away and I was cranking incredibly hard on completely flat terrain to push 5-7 mph. Not to mention a storm was blowing in directly overhead but I also encountered some Eastbounders who boasted an average 28 mph speed with the wind. I wanted to strangle them. But upon arrival at a gas station in Muddy Gap, WY, I couldn't find Rob or Rich anywhere and decided I would ask the folks at the trailer adjacent to the gas station. It turns out that they were in there with Rory and were being catered to by a nice Mormon family who cooked us lasagna, garlic bread, eggs, and milk and cookies. They were really interested in our travels and loved to listen to our stories as well as give us their own. Rob got the responsibility of reading a couple books to the youngest of the 6 children. It turned out to be a really fantastic evening complete with showers.
We had the opportunity to soak in some hot suplhur springs in two different towns that made my skin stink for a couple days but it felt fantastic. It was a much need break from the sore muscles brought on by harsh Wyoming terrain.
We met back up with our compadres Mike and Dillon and made it into one of the most beautiful parts of our country thus far, the Grand Teton National Park. We camped right under these incredible mountains and took a semi-bath in Jenny Lake right at the base. The whole time I couldn't help but wishing I was on the top of the world looking down on the valley. That night, I had awoken to the sound of a bear rattling the junk out of a bear box that stored all of our gear and food. For the rest of the night I could hear footsteps all around my tent and a heavy breathing that gave me the shivers. I will be sure to not bathe and smell like soap for the remainder of my stay in the Teton and Yellowstone National parks. I spoke with an older gentleman who told me that there had a been a Grizzly that set up camp in the area we stayed in and that the wildlife authorities were having trouble locating it and removing it. So chances are that he was the one causing my cold sweats that night.
It was sad however that the next morning we had to say goodbye to our dear friend Rory O'Callahan as he took off north into Yellowstone and then to Montana while we went south into Jackson Hole where I am currently. This town is fantastic but very touristy. There are hundreds of stores and a really cool downtown area. Tonight we're going to see a reenactment of an old time shootout in the middle of town. Cant wait. I hope this finds everyone doing well and I'll try to post some pictures when I have an opportunity at a computer w/o time limits. Adios

Breckenridge and Pueblo

Breckenridge freakin rocks the rockies. We had such a blast last night in town. Things were pretty hectic during the day but we ducked into the brewery to get out of the sun. We met some people who let us stay at their place last night and it was a much needed break from camping out. The festivities in Breck made the town seem like a really hip and happenin place to be. There's an awesome bike trail that we rode on through the mountains that took us right into town. All downhill too.
We met a guy named Donald in Pueblo who was kind enough to take us in and entertain us for the most part. He took us down to the river to body surf the waves. Way cool. He set up a projector in his backyard for us to watch a movie as well. Thanks for everything man.

Tappin the Rockies

Colorado finally! This is one state that I’ll be sure to get the most out of before I leave. Not that Kansas was bad but the terrain here has already proven to be far more beautiful. I can see the mountains far off in the distance and I’m giddy in my cycling shorts to get up close and personal with them. I get to add a coyote to my extensive list of road-kill encountered. It looked like a dog at first, but once you check out its teeth, you know its one vicious mammal. Of course it did look far more docile with its innards strewn about the highway.
Anyways, we had the opportunity to stay with a very kind lady named Gillian who went about a mile a minute but seemed to go out of her way to make sure we were comfortable or had everything we needed. Pink mullet aside, she worked as a prison guard in Ordway, CO and was a joy to chat with.
The other day I made a wrong turn going out of town (constant state of delirium I guess) and ended up facing headwinds for about 12 miles in the wrong direction. It wasn’t until then that I noticed my mistake and turned around to head back to Scott City, only to find oddly enough, more headwinds. But all in all, I made the best of my first 130 mile day and headed into town just as the sun was setting over the grain elevators. The only downside was that upon my arrival to camp, Rob said we had to knock out a 120 mile day in the morning. So I’m finally here in Pueblo, CO and the city is amazing. My bike is all tuned up and after about 650 miles in a week, I’m more than ready for a day off and a shower. It looks like it’s about to pour now so I’d better head to the hotel.
Much love.

Cruisin' Round the Breadbasket

Kansas has proved to be a better state after all. At first I was quite disappointed with how mundane everything could be but I came to realize it was just the heat getting to me. After a couple of rain showers and cloud covered days, the weather has made for a more enjoyable ride. Even though the terrain is not very attractive, Kansas does have its moments after riding 40 mile stretches without any services.
One of our first nights in Kansas was after a 100 mile day and proved to be quite and entertaining evening. I had just sat down to eat a jar of pickled okra when an all out battle royale broke out amongst 15 rednecks. People were fighting left and right and the funniest part was when one guy tried to scissor kick another in the back of the head. There wasn’t much for me to do except sit quietly eating my okra and watch the whole event unfold over the next few hours. The sheriff eventually came after everyone disbanded and tried to settle things down for the night. After riding 100 miles a day for a couple of days you find yourself just staring at things for no reason, so this escapade gave me something more entertaining to stare at.
That same night, after coming form the bathhouse, we had the opportunity to meet a young lady named Bonnie who had recently had her trailer stolen earlier that day. We couldn’t just leave her on her own with these crazy rednecks so we decided it was best to adopt her to tag along. Considering the countless times we have been helped along our, this was the least we could do to help someone else in need. The company is great and has added a new dynamic to our group. I’m interested to see how things will pan out over the course of our journey.
We made a stop in Buhler, KS the other day to get some lunch and get Rich’s spoke fixed with the FiberFix. Unfortunately the FiberFix snapped in half and proved to be quite useless. As we were pondering over what to do next, Rich asked the girl at the delicatessen if there was a bike shop around. She said that her father was a big biker and could probably help. And help he did. In no time flat he was there with extra spokes and a bike stand. He even trued his wheel like a professional mobile bike surgeon. He was a really kind pastor in the area named Todd and was really excited to help us. He discovered that Bonnie had lost her trailer and wanted to help out even more so he offered to lend her a rack and a set of panniers in the hopes that she would return them upon arrival at her destination. We were all very fortunate to have run into Todd. He also met up with us down the road and gave her a cook set and better saddle for if and when she departs from our group. Things were looking grim but got turned around in and instant because of the selfless acts of certain individuals.
I’m interested to see how things will pan out over the course of our journey.
We’ve also been riding with our friend Tom that we met at the Houston Hotel in Missouri. He was a lawyer from D.C. and is quite a character. I think he likes hanging out with us because of our wild uninhibited nature and it reminds him of when he was in college.
So I’m here in Scott City, Kansas and things couldn’t be better. The bike is doing well and I’m in high spirits. Kansas is starting to get a little better but we all can’t wait until we get to Colorado. Every eastbounder we have passed has told us countless stories of how magnificent things are about to get for us. The next few weeks are going to be really exciting and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Takin a Safari

I'm here hanging out at a safari hotel with 1 dollar beers trying to escape the heat of the day. This is the territory of Osa and Martin Johnson who seem to have been pioneers to the state of Kansas. We've made it to a town called Chanute and it is entirely too hot to be outside. We ducked in here for a quick drink and something to eat and were graciously given the opportunity to use the internet in the basement of this place. The parks in Kansas are really nice and we stayed at one last night with a municipal pool and some sort of amusement park in it. It was crowded to say the least but we managed to stroll up and commandeer one of the pavilions. Not too much going on except trying to crank out a couple more centuries in the next few days. The terrain is greatly manageable and is a lot less taxing on the body. Hopefully we'll make it to Pueblo, CO in the next few days if we keep up our current pace. I'd say we're running at about a constant 13 miles an hour and I've extended great efforts to plan my rides for the better parts of the day. Hope everyone is doing well.

You did what with that cucumber?

The night before last was absolutely a hoot. We were eating at KFC when a guy named Pony introduced himself as the proprietor of the motel next to us and offered a cold beer. We had just eaten so nothing sounded better. It turned out that Mike and Dylan were staying at the motel that night so we were jst sitting around chatting and soon enough bikers began to come in by the truckload. We were convinced to stay for the eveneing with the chance to visit a beautiful spring with rope swings as well as dinner for the whole crew. We couldnt pass this up. By the time our pasta feast was over, there were 14 cyclists sitting around the table. 3 eastbounders and 11 west. We ended up keeping the party going and everyone joined in and kept buying rounds of beer. The games we played were incredibly hilarious and kept me in stitches. I met a lot of really great people and Pony was as kind as ever to allow us to camp onhis property for free and feed us as well. Plenty of trail magic going on that night.
So we're in Ash grove, Missouri and I'm starving so its about time for lunch. Adios

Chicks Dig a New Ride

I’m here in Houston located in Texas County, Missouri and can now add armadillo to the extensive list of road kill I’ve encountered. Missouri is really nice with loads of rolling hills and green flora everywhere. The first part was a placid sea of corn which evolved in winding, rollercoaster-like hills. The Ozarks have proved to be more fun than everyone had made them out to be.
Mammoth Cave was somewhat disappointing considering it was entirely over-commercialized and it made me sick to see how much trash was left on the floor in one of the common rooms. Besides that it was nice to be able to see another network of limestone caves. Things are going swimmingly as we have made it through Illinois in a matter of a couple days and have taken a much needed day off after cranking out our first century. The Mississippi river was beautiful and it made me dream about my upcoming trip in summer 2008 with Daniel Hettinger. We took our day off in Carbondale, Illinois where, fortunately there were 3 bike shops located in a centralized area. I say fortunately because after we had such a fantastic stay in Sebree, (literally an oasis amongst the corn fields) I realized that I had ridden that first century on a broken rear stay. I desperately needed a weld or a new bike so, once again, my folks came through in a clutch and offered to purchase me a much needed, early birthday present. I was sad to hang my Nishiki up to dry, but my new whip should be able to carry me to the pacific. I can smell the salty air already. Well, maybe that’s just the copious amount of sodium I excrete with my sweat.
While we were waiting for my bike to be upgraded with thicker tires and a plusher seat, we ran into an interesting fellow named Buzz who demanded our attention with stories of Vietnam and of his brother the coke addict. I wanted to push off to the library but he offered to buy me a drink so, naturally, I couldn’t resist. The fellas and I ended up getting our fair share of fermented beverages so we went to get some rest at the hotel.
On the way into Missouri, we had the opportunity to check out a really spectacular feature of red granite boulders at Elephant Rocks State Park. It was really amazing to see this geological oddity as each boulder stood almost like and installation piece of artwork. I couldn’t help but yearn to climb them, but without my climbing shoes, I knew it would be a quick end to the trip if I fell and twisted my ankle. So I reluctantly declined and limited myself severely.
My mind is now at ease because all technical aspects of this trip have been significantly better due to the addition of my new bike. No longer do I find myself constantly thinking of when and where I’ll get munsoned as my old Nishiki finally breaks down completely. Thanks mom and dad. I owe you big time on this one.
I hope everyone stays in touch and keeps me updated on the happenings of their summer adventures and be sure to check out the new pictures.

Bourbon Anyone?

We're here in Munfordville, KY and we just woke up after a good nights sleep. We crashed at a really nice park under a bridge next to the Green River. Yesterday was fantastic as we had the opportunity to visit Heaven Hill Distillery where they make Evan Williams, Henry McKenna, and Elijah Craig bourbons. They offered us a free tour and tasting which made us all giddy as schoolboys. I found every aspect of the distillery incredibly interesting not because of my exuberant love of whisky, but because of the magnitude of operations going on there. The bourbon was delicious though.
We made a stop in Danville to get our bikes tuned up and get some last minute parts before the long stretch of nothingness. While we were waiting we met a really stand up chap named Nate who not only bought us a round of Goose Island, but borrowed a friends car and drove us 15 minutes to get it. (Thanks for the hospitality mate. You represented your town and Centre College very well.)
So after an 80 mile day yesterday and a good nights sleep, we're heading a little off route to see the greatness that is Mammoth Caves. Now this is what keeps me going. I don't know if we'll be able to take the whole tour because none of us had brought hiking boots with us, but we should be able to see a great deal in the time allotted. So thanks for tuning in and I hope to hear from you later.

Andrew stay away from copperheads, and samalanders.

No More Appalachian Mountains

Hello hello.
I am currently in Berea, KY where we have just finished our second map. We decided to get a hotel room for the night and it was amazing. I have never slept so well. My body possibly could not have taken such physical abuse without a day off so we're hanging out in a dry county with not a cold beer in sight. Things could be better. The past few days were strenuous with lots of big hills but we are definitely coming out of the Apps and I couldn’t be happier. With 80 mile days and large hills, the human mind starts to literally deteriorate and you never know what's going to come out of your mouth next. I find myself singing songs and repeating the same words over and over again. I can't tell you how many times I've been told to shut my mouth. But I think it's hilarious. Rob and Rich have had a short fuse with me and we've all had our little storms but we get through them with short periods of isolation.
The past few places we've stayed were fantastic. One night we stayed on a river where we all took a dip and enjoyed a nice refreshing swim. The family that took us in was extremely kind and were all about mountain biking and whitewater kayaking. The next night we stayed at a hostel owned by two elderly folk who were also very generous. We met up with the father and son westbounders and shared some interesting stories about dogs and hills. There was also a really hardcore German who was eastbound but had started in early May and had already made it this far. He couldn’t really hold a conversation but was really excited to see other cyclists. His next plans are to ride north along the Jersey Shore. We told him to keep his bike locked up at all times. But I think he'll faire just fine.
I shed some hair to battle the everincreasing heat and I'm loving it. This means no more stache and no more hair like a rockstar. Now it's a more composed and respectable Jacob. Ha

Building Empires on Peanut Butter and Bread

Hey everybody what’s happenin. I’m currently in Haysi, VA after a long hard day. A couple days ago we stayed in a town park in Wytheville in a really interesting amphitheater. It’s amazing how we can just get on our bikes and ride to a destination and hope there’s a place for us to camp out. We we’re very fortunate last night to roll into Meadowview after a series of unfortunate events. It started out in Marion where just as we were heading out of town my tire began to warp. We had just passed the last bike shop we would see for about 700 miles through Kentucky so we had to turn around and cycle back into town. Unfortunately the outdated bike shop didn’t have the tire I needed for my 80’s Nishiki so dad came through in a clutch and sent two tires overnight. We ended up having to camp at Hungry Mother state park and got caught in a torrential downpour. Luckily our gear dried out fairly quickly the next morning. So after I fixed my tire, Rob ended up getting a flat tire that had to be re-patched a number of times before we could even leave the town of Marion. Eventually we made it to Meadowview where we had to ask a country storeowner where we could crash for the night. She mentioned a pastor who lived next to a church who would let us stay on the church’s property for the night. So after an ordeal of getting in touch with the pastor, we get some laundry done and are greeted by a neighbor who was also a member of the church. His name was Tom and was as kind as ever. He offered us full use of the facilities at the church and even dinner and breakfast. We declined naturally as to not impose but to our surprise we woke up the next morning with 30 dollars he had left for us to get breakfast. It was like getting a visit from the tooth fairy. A little more trail magic if you will. So after a huge breakfast, we had to climb some serious hills, which was about a 2000 foot increase in elevation over about 3 miles. Exhausting. It was nice to reach the top and meet three other Eastbounders. A father and son and a really hardcore Irishman who was quite a character. He wore a full brimmed hat and was riding a front suspension mountain bike. He has to be out of the country by August 24 because of his visa so you should have seen him cranking up this hill. We met him at the next town sitting in the shade eating a loaf of bread with a jar of peanut butter. He had a great quote as we were talking about finding a diner to eat at. He said, “You know, whole empires were built off of peanut butter and bread.” Great stuff. After lunch we had another substantial hill to climb with a wonderful, downhill descent and we finally pulled into Haysi in the hopes that we can find a place to stay. Library time has however, proven to be a priority to everyone in the group. I’m always glad to hear from people along our journey so keep in touch and I’ll post again sometime in the near future.

Ceremonial Tire Dipping Yorktown, VA

Hey everybody I just wanted to give everyone a quick update as to the happenings of our TransAm bike trip. We’ve been cranking out some miles and are on schedule for the most part. The first two days were pretty rough, but once we get into the swing of things there’s no stopping us. We started in Yorktown, VA on Saturday and are currently at a library in Lexington, VA. I want to say we’ve ridden approximately 300 miles and we are extremely sore. Being in the saddle for 80 miles a day really starts to wear on you, but our spirits are up. The people we have met along the way have been tremendously helpful and hospitable. We had the opportunity to sleep in a hostel the first night and behind a young lady’s convenience store the next day. We took a short respite in Charlottesville where we actually just sat around and watched TV all day at a friend’s house. They were incredibly kind and offered to tend to any and all of our desires. I attempted to add a third chain ring to my bike because the hills through the Appalachians have proven to be quite intense. Besides that, the hills are like riding a rollercoaster. It gets to the point where you despise going down hills because you know what’s coming up next. More uphill battles. It gets to be very mentally taxing, but the camaraderie between Rob, Rich and I has been very uplifting. The sights are incredible in Virginia. We have run across hundreds of historical sites and battlefields, and just visited the burial site of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Very interesting. I did happen to see two mountain lions yesterday as I was ing up a hill. It’s amazing how quick and agile those creatures are. The dogs had also proven to be quite a nuisance when going up hills because they bite and nip at your feet while you’re trying to outrun them. Rob was fortunate enough to outrun a Rottweiler but you should have seen how big his eyes got. Last night we experienced an incredible thunderstorm that woke us up in the middle of the night. We were camping behind an old country store called Gertie’s, who fixed us the most amazing pancakes this morning. We’ll be staying in Troutville tonight at a campground hopefully, that is if we make it the next 40 miles before sundown. For right now, we’re all just enjoying the excellent sights of Lexington and taking it all in before we have to hit the road. I hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying their summer as much as we are. Feel free to send e-mails to keep in touch or chech out Rob and Rich's blogs at trackrob.blogspot.com