Westbound and Down

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Tag: biking

  • Update #2

    It’s been 21 days since I started this journey. I’ve already met so many great people, seen many beautiful places, climbed many hills, and have been chased by many dogs. I would change a single moment of it. I’ve managed to make it across the Appalachian mountains and will be crossing into Illinois tomorrow already! I am also proud to say that we have already passed my initial fundraising goal of $5,000 on Sunday, May 18th! Since then I have doubled it and we are already above $6,500!!! That has made the miles all the more worthwhile and I couldn’t be happier with how that is going.

    Not long after the first few days I met another rider, Ben. Him and I have been biking together for about a week and a half now with some gaps in between. We also met another rider, Roman from London, UK who we’ve joined up with the last few days as well. Then wouldn’t you know it, we met with 2 ladies from the Netherlands biking in the same direction and combined riding forces as well! We added one more to our group, David, and we’re riding 6 riders strong. It’s fun having people from all over to hangout with and talk to.

    I spent two days at the Appalachian Trail Days Festival in Damascus on my own and met a bunch of AT through hikers. I was the odd duck out on my bike but they took me in. It was an awesome event with tons of vendors and the churches hosting meals and doing free laundry and showers for everyone. There was also a bunch of live music and food to go along with it all. I was definitely glad to have taken a couple 0 mile days there. I even ran into my Sioux Falls friend Andrew at the festival who began his AT through hike in late March!

    Naturally we’ve been caught in the rain a few times but have managed to stay out of it at night. One of the days I was rejoining Ben and Roman and managed a 97 mile day through the hills of Eastern Kentucky, which is really about unheard of . I definitely can understand why… haha I’m not sure I would do that ride again! No pain, no gain I say. Doing that ride has definitely grown my confidence that I am able to start doing longer mileage days and should be primed up for the rest of whatever the route can through at me for distance and elevation gain. For more details on my days, check out my Polar steps linked on the main page. At the end of today I will have rolled 1,000 miles on the TransAmerica trail.

  • Day 1-4 Recap!

    Day 1 my good friend Tate drove us from Virginia Beach to Yorktown, VA. Heavy rain over Norfolk on the way had us killing time at breakfast so we didn’t get there till noon. Another buddy from college, Shiloh, who’s stationed in Yorktown and his buddy showed up to send me off as well at the beach. My old engineering supervisor from Aerostar, Derek and his wife Amy met up with us the day before in VB and we had a great time catching up over oysters and crab! Back to it I took off in overcast weather waving goodbye to my buddies thinking to myself, it’s really here, it’s go time! I was excited! The main route road

    I also met Marty, a man who’d done the TransAm in 1988 in Williamsburg and he gave me some advice and we exchanged numbers. I had a shorter ride (40 miles ish) to Chickahominy River Park campground and tented it there.

    Day 2 Marty came to meet me at 7am to ride with me but heavy rain started. Thankfully he brought us coffee so we drank that till it cleared up around 830am. Marty hooked me up with another bottle cage and a sweet 20th anniversary Bicentennial TransAmerica Trail riders jersey. We ran into Coach (rideordieerica.com) who currently is still breaking the Guinness world record for most miles on a bicycle in one country at around 45,000 miles! Also met another older couple who was on the same route and schedule as I and connected with them. Pretty cool to already meet so many people who’ve done the route! We had a nice ride to Charles City where we ate at a nice little diner for lunch.

    Marty departed not long after and I had a great ride into Mechancsville just north of Richmond. I was hosted by the lovely Young family after Michael picked me up from a gas station I was lucky enough to stop at just as it started raining sideways! I can’t thank them enough for the cozy bed, great dinner, and awesome company.

    Day 3 (40ish miles) I shared coffee with Michael and Grace and went on my way towards Beaverdam, VA. I stayed in a nice church and was given access to the whole hall downstairs with kitchen and shower. I relaxed at the church on a beautiful sunny evening.

    Day 4 (40ish miles) another great weather day for riding through the countryside of Virginia. Lots of wheat fields, forests and older style homes. I’m hosted in the backyard of Abi and James, another sweet family just south of Mineral, VA. I am now roughly 160 miles along the route, a little behind pace but I’m doing my best to let my legs get used to being in the saddle and peddling everyday. I know the miles will get easier and start piling on soon!

    Big shoutout to everyone who’s donated! We are way past what I thought we’d be by now at $2,963!!! This is going to such a great cause I’m stoked to have raised this now, I appreciate you all and remember, it’s a 501(c)(3) organization so it is tax deductible! Happy trails y’all.