Maine and the Atlantic!

Well, I made it to Maine, Wells Beach to be exact. I've never been to Maine so I'm very excited, especially not having seen the Atlantic Ocean since my 2009 bike tour thru Jacksonville, Florida. I splurged on an oceanfront motel with off-season rates and even braved the seafood. Unfortunately, although I keep trying, I don't really like seafood.
To continue my last post; the rest of New York was pleasant. I took the time to stop at Franklin D. Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park. Not knowing much about him it inspired me to do some reading on this important president and Eleanor.
The next few states went by quickly. I spent two days riding thru the mountains/hills of Connecticut. Climbed one hill and ate lunch in Rhode Island (only 6.5 miles), and then had a very pleasant jaunt into Massachusetts. I really liked this state with its good roads and lots of small parks and natural areas. I'm definitely in a more outdoor oriented (and winter) environment as many more Subaru and four-wheel drive vehicles are on the roadways. New Hampshire was also quick. The roads were busier and not as well paved, but I'll give the state another chance in a few days as I begin my westward journey.
So the rain arrives here tonight. For the next day and a half I will continue riding northeast and then turn westward. The last 1,000 miles...

0-60 in Five hours...but usually more

Riding into and out of Washington D.C. was quite easy as there were bike paths most of the distance. The quiet winding paths were so pleasant I was unable to tell that around me was a huge metropolitan area. Camp the first night was in a state game area beside an old stone wall. Into Maryland the next day I found the hills began well before Pennsylvania, but I survived. The next day was once again in pleasant weather and I stopped at a campground where they were having "prom night". I didn't have a tuxedo, but they still gave me a fine meal of beef and potatoes; with dessert! Moving right along into Pennsylvania I did spot a few Mennonites (rollerblading, cycling, and horse and buggy). I was surprised not to see more considering how close I was to Lancaster.
I cycled thru Valley Forge National Historic Site, where the Continental Army passed a cold diseased ridden winter. There was not much left standing of the encampment, but the rolling hills were a thing of beauty. Although I was very close to Philadelphia I decided not to stop, because I don't like riding thru big cities. As it was I spent the rest of the afternoon among busy traffic that had me rushing for the outskirts. Thankfully I escaped without harm and that night camped in New Jersey.
This state was quite a surprise as the roads were quiet and the scenery was beautiful. I especially liked Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, although that is when the sunny skies finally abandoned me. Fortunately this also kept the cars at bay and I had the roads mostly to myself (some were even 'closed' due to the past natural events). Now I am in New York State, in the town of New Paltz. Tomorrow I plan to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site at Hyde Park.
So the ride goes well...although I look forward to the sun's return :-)

Cycling Full Circle

I have just returned from my first (and only) sixty-mile training ride. Considering that on Friday morning I begin a journey spanning thousands of miles I feel good. Especially when one takes into account the fact that I have not ridden my bicycle any notable distance since last November. One may figure me a bet dense, but I have found that doing something even more ridiculous next is one way to dispel that notion. Running a half-marathon with only one training run; sounds painfully ridiculous! Sure, but not when one rides a bike for the first time in almost a year and then plans to ride the equivalent of halfway across America.
Truth is I never planned to complete a circumnavigation of the United States. Back in 2001 I simply wanted to visit the Cascade Mountains in Washington State. Being lazy and not wanting to plan flights and ground transit I figured that biking from my home in Michigan would be a viable option. That first journey I made it almost through North Dakota before winter caught me out (I did prolong the trip by riding from Seattle to San Francisco). With a few tours in between I started a cycling trip in San Francisco in 2009 with my brothers, headed for Baja, Mexico. Afterwards with time on my hands I continued cycling onto Texas and then Florida. I was enjoying myself so on up to Washington D.C. I road.
Well, that was a long ride. I still hadn’t ridden to the Cascades so after a week-long break, during which time I ran the above mentioned half-marathon, I began anew in North Dakota and eventually ended my extended tour in Seattle, Washington.
So now, over ten years later I am planning to complete a bicycle tour that I never planned in the first place. The last piece of the puzzle is Washington D.C-Maine-Michigan. So with one good training ride under my belt it’s onwards….