To be continued....

So far this trip has met most of my expectations but it has also brought many surprises. It's been an exciting adventure of a lifetime and it's also helped me to discover many things about this country, the generous and friendly people I've met and, mostly, about myself. One of the most important things I've learned about myself is that, although I absolutely love cycling and camping, I don't necessarily love doing them for ten or more weeks at a time. I also learned that my goal of reaching the Atlantic Ocean by bike is not as important to me as the fun of actually riding my bike, meeting people and just enjoying the journey. Unfortunately, towards the end of the first part of my trip and during my time since returning to the bike, I found that I was focusing too much on the end goal and only wanted to get it done so that I could say I'd done it. As a result, I was pushing myself far too hard, all the while not realizing that I was no longer enjoying the simple act of riding and meeting people. So, after much thought and soul searching over the past few days, and after riding over 2,700 miles, I have decided that I would prefer to finish this cross-country adventure at some point in the future when I can better enjoy the trip. It was an incredibly difficult decision, but I have now returned home to Philadelphia to reassemble the pieces of my life and move forward towards re-engaging in my career. I want to thank all of you who have posted comments to this blog or made a donation to the Livestrong Foundation - your support has been so important to me and I hope I can honor your confidence in me by reaching the east coast in the future. For now I look forward to getting back in touch with you personally and perhaps posting a few more pictures from the trip to a photo sharing site. I wouldn't trade these past few months for anything and I will take what I've learned from this journey and put it to the best use in my life.

Total mileage so far: 2,703

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

More southern charm

With apologies to the comedian Jeff Foxworthy, you know you're a redneck when you paint a number on the side of the car parked next to your trailer home. I suppose you're even more of a redneck if it's an actual racing stock car! Still, there were other beautiful vistas and scenery in the Mark Twain National Forest (I didn't even know he had one) which is actually a patchwork of different forest areas scattered around southeastern Missouri. So, although the heat and humidity continue, I'm still seeing interesting sights and meeting wonderful people. Outside of a motel in Doniphan, MO I met a couple with a tiny dog. It was a Rat Terrier who supposedly weighed about 3 pounds. The funniest part is that her name is Missy. My dad has a Mini Pinscher named Missy who weighs in at a heft 5 pounds! I guess it must be something about small dogs that draws people to that name. I'm next going to set out for Dexter, MO passing through Poplar Bluff but I'm concerned about the coming rain that's left over from hurricane Ike.

Total mileage so far: 2,665

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Ups and downs in the Ozarks

I'm now in Alton, MO and am starting to hear the familiar twang of of the "South" when speaking with folks (like at the Grandma's Kitchen cafe). I had to change my route since the shoulder along Rt. 60 was so torn up and rocky due to construction that I headed south along a back road and am now in a much more rural area. Also, I've been riding through the Ozark mountains for the past couple of days. Whereas other mountain ranges I've been through (the Cascades, Rockies, etc.) have had some long climbs up to very high elevation, the Ozarks seem to be more a series of rolling, and sometimes steep, hills. As you can see in the first picture the road rises and dips every quarter mile or so leading to lots of hill climbing but also some fun downhill coasting. In some cases, if I play it just right, I can pick up enough speed on the downhills to almost get me up to the crest of the next uphill! Still, it's been rather difficult handling all of these ups and downs so soon after getting back on the bike. In fact, the outer part of my right knee has been hurting and also my left Achilles tendon has started acting up. So, since the next town is 40 miles away, I only rode about 30 miles today and will try to take it easy tomorrow as well. Lots of Advil helps too! I hope to get back onto my planned route within the next 2 or 3 days and then head south through Tennessee. Thanks again for all of your supportive comments! They are especially welcome right now when I'm facing a number of challenges.

Total mileage so far: 2,588

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Back to the bike

So here I am. Back on the road! After flying into Kansas City on Sunday and spending a couple of fun days with Gary and RaeLynn I returned to their house in Springfield, MO and picked up my bike and all my gear. Wow! I'm amazed at how different it feels. I guess five weeks of vacation have made me soft and I'd almost forgotten how to ride this heavy beast! I also expected it to be hot and humid like it was when I left for the break but, instead, I was greeted by cloudy skies and a high today of only 70 degrees. Gary decided to do a morning ride and guide me out of town and so my time with him on this trip ended exactly as it had started (Gary had ridden out to meet us when we first arrived in Springfield). We then met up with his friend Greg and the three of us rode for about an hour until it was time for Gary and Greg to turn around and head home. This was quite a sad occasion but I knew I had to continue on, on my own to complete this trek. I don't know how I'll ever thank Gary and RaeLynn for all of their generosity. So I took off east along Rt. 60 and found both railroad tracks alongside the road as well as - what a surprise - Amish horse and buggies! There's even a small rut in the center of the road's shoulder where the horses' hooves have worn down the pavement. Despite my time off the bike, I managed to get in about 63 miles today and am now in the town of Mountain Grove, MO. Now that I'm back on the road I'll do my best to find libraries or other computers so that I can update this blog. So stay tuned for future installments!

Total mileage so far: 2,503

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

On the road again

Well, after a wonderful break and a trips to Prague and Montreal with Lucia, I'm heading back out on the road soon. This Sunday I fly to Kansas City where I'll hopefully get a lift down to Springfield and pick up my bike at Gary and RaeLynn's house. They have been so generous and helpful. I should be back on the road by next Tuesday and then will update this blog again once I have some new photos and stories and can find a library or other Internet connection. Then, with any luck and some help from the weather, I should be able to make it to my dad's house in W. Palm Beach, Florida by mid-October. That's another 1,500 miles or so. Wish me luck!

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Prague - Lucia and me, together again!

Here I am, taking a vacation from my vacation! What a great concept! Lucia and I arrived in Prague this past Saturday and have been on the move ever since. We've been having a lot of fun seeing the sights of the city and some of the surrounding areas. We've walked around the "old city" quite a bit and seen some of the famous town squares, churches and the large town clock which produces a display of the 12 apostles every hour. On Tuesday we went about 2 hours out of town to visit the hot springs area called Karlovy Vary (also called "Carlsbad" and named for King Charles IV who discovered the springs in the 14th century). This area is known mostly for the health benefits of drinking the water which contains lots of minerals. There are 12 different springs and you can actually visit a local doctor who will tell you which springs to drink from depending on your particular medical problem. Yesterday we had lunch with Lucia's cousin. Then, today, we took another tour and bicycled about 20 miles out of town to visit the castle of King Charles IV known as Karlstejn. After the ride we had to climb all the way up to the castle entrance at the top of a steep hill but the tour was worth it. The castle has been restored in fantastic detail and you can really get a sense of how it must have looked in the late 1300's. Once we were done with the tour and with all of the hundreds of gift shops which line the long road back down, we took a train back into the city. Now we're pretty exhausted but it's all been worth it. Tomorrow we hope to visit the Charles Bridge (have you noticed the pattern here regarding old Charles?) and perhaps Prague Castle. Lucia speaks fluent Czech and has been a fantastic tour guide even though she hasn't been back here for many years. This trip wouldn't have been half as rich otherwise.

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Old friends and new

Well, all good things must come to an end. A couple of days ago Brent (the fellow riding with his dog) announced to our group that he had decided to take a short break from his cross-country dream and fly out to visit a friend for a while. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to him after a fantastic lunch at Cookies Cafe in Golden City, MO, a place which is legendary amongst cyclists for its homemade pies. After Brent rode off directly for his flight from Springfield, me, Todd, Heather and Hazel continued on in the oppressive heat and humidity (it was especially bad that day) to a small town called Everton, MO where we found "The Dip", the only bar in town. Seems this place is used to having cyclists visit since they actually had a sign outside that read "Welcome Bikers." We met a number of local characters at the Dip and were treated like old friends with folks buying us drinks, jukebox songs and even a pizza! Thankfully, one of the folks there offered to let us use his shower since there were no facilities in the town park. We then headed over to the park to camp for the night but it was so humid and hot that it still felt like wearing a raincoat in a sauna! Somehow we managed to get some sleep and then head out around 6:00AM the next morning. At that point Todd announced that thought he had left his expensive sunglasses at the bar the night before. Since they didn't open again until 11:00AM he decided to stay behind and see if they were there. So I took off down the road with Heather and Hazel to the nearby town of Ash Creek. We had some fun chatting with a few cyclists there who had ridden out from Springfield as part of a training ride. I also called Gary Summers, a fellow I had met through the Warmshowers.org website, a site dedicated to hosting passing cyclists for the night. Seems Gary had actually ridden out towards where we were and, when we met him on the road, he turned around and lead us back to Springfield. Both he and his wife, RaeLynn, have been fantastic hosts and have taken us out for ice cream and a night on the town and have also been kind enough to give us a private yoga class (RaeLynn is a certified teacher!), take us to an art museum today and now dinner at a Mexican restaurant. I am awestruck by the generosity and kindness of these folks. Perhaps some day I can repay them or at least do the same for someone else. Tomorrow I head up to Kansas City and then on to Philly.

Total mileage so far: 2,440

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Pittsburg???

Well, another new state! Seems they use both numbers and letters for the roads out here. Crazy! But it never gets boring seeing that "Welcome To ...." sign! Kansas was longer and a bit tougher than I thought it would be, mostly due to the heat, but the people there were some of the most friendly I've seen anywhere on the trip. Yesterday we arrived at our last city in Kansas and it felt very strange since it's called Pittsburg! (without the "h"). They even have a university called Pitt State. Last night we treated ourselves to an air conditioned movie at the local theater and then we all had dinner together at a Mexican restaurant - margaritas and all! This has been such a great group of people to ride with and I'm sad since today is likely our last full day together. Unfortunately, after the movie and dinner we had to ride to the city park and find a place to camp in the dark. Fortunately, we came upon a police officer who lead us right to the spot. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were locked. Fortunately, the local YMCA was still open and had bathrooms and then opened again this morning at 5:00AM. Unfortunately, it was the most hot and humid night of the entire trip so far so we were all feeling terribly sweaty and couldn't sleep well. This trend continued today and we were all just dripping with sweat. When we're riding at least there's some breeze, but when we stop it feels like standing in a steam room! Ugh! Right now we're at a library in the town of Golden City and about to head over to Cookie's Cafe. I've been hearing about this place for the last three states from west-bound cyclists and the pies there are supposed to be fantastic. I can really use it right about now. I'm almost dreading riding on this afternoon but now I have a deadline to catch a Greyhound bus in Springfield, MO for my flight on Wednesday from Kansas City. Hopefully I won't melt away before then!

Total mileage so far: 2,388

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Well, I've already been through Ontario, OR so why not Toronto, KS? Only this one has a slightly smaller City Hall! We camped out last night under a sheltered picnic table area near the pool in the city park of Eureka, KS. Good thing, since it rained most of the night. I'm learning all sorts of new camping techniques out here and it's not always necessary to pitch your tent. If it's warm enough, the bugs aren't too bad and you have some sort of roof over your head (like a metal shelter with picnic tables) you can just unroll your sleeping bag and pad right on top of the table. I slept on the table that my bike is leaning against (notice my cool yellow rain covers!). I prefer to sleep on picnic tables so as to avoid any ground-crawling bugs. However, my buddy Brent and his dog don't mind being on the ground so that's another option. This all saves time and effort since I don't have to go through the trouble of setting up and then taking down my tent. No small thing when you wake up so early to beat the heat. Today was mostly cloudy so we slept a bit later and got going around 8:00AM. I rode with Heather and Hazel since Brent and Todd had to wait in Eureka for delivery of Todd's new wheel. Seems his rear wheel has developed many cracks to the point where some of the spokes were coming out! A friend back home has mailed him a new wheel by "general delivery" to the Eureka post office. They shouldn't be far behind us and we hope to see them here in Chanute, KS. Only a few more miles left in Kansas and then I'll be riding into Missouri, my next new state. I'll take a short detour and visit the city of Springfield where I plan to catch a Greyhound bus to Kansas City, MO for my flight back home to Philly. Then, on to Prague for my vacation with Lucia. Can't wait to see her. I've missed her terribly out here and, although we talk about twice each day and she's been amazingly helpful and supportive while I'm on this trip, it's still tough not seeing each other for 2 months. I hope this break will allow me to reconnect with her and other folks back home, and also recharge my emotional batteries so that I can come back out here after Labor Day and continue on to Florida with new determination.

Total mileage so far: 2,285

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

County Fair and Kansas Humudity

In the last week my travels have taken me through the town of Larned, KS where they were hosting a county fair complete with rodeo, 4-H exhibits and, of course, judging of the best rabbits, chickens, cows, hogs and horses. This was a relatively small fair but it was great to see how the whole community got together and showed off the best and finest in each category (there was even judging of best hay!). Me and my new friends (Heather, Hazel, Todd and Brent) decided to take a rest day in Larned and so we spent the better part of the next day hanging out at the local Pizza Hut since they had an all-you-can eat buffet and, just as importantly, it was air conditioned. In sharp contrast to the hot but dry climate in western Kansas, the eastern part of the state is much more humid. We've adopted the practice of getting up at 4:00AM so that we can get on the road by 5:00 and get 40-60 miles done before the heat of the day really kicks up. We then wind up finding someplace cool, like a library or cafe, to hang out in for a few hours before finding a place to camp for the night (and usually taking a nap). While I'm not exactly a "morning person" I've found this routine does have its benefits, even if it's a little strange riding in the dark for the first hour. A couple of days ago I was also given a new nickname by the group. We were riding along when suddenly we saw a thick swarm of gnats along the road. Brent and Todd were able to move out of the way but, all I could do was duck my head and try not to breath in as I went through. Once on the other side, I noticed that my arms and legs, which were very sticky from sweat and sunblock, were just covered in a black layer of bugs! So now my name in the group is "Flystrip" ;-) Cleaning off all those bugs at the next rest stop was not fun but I'm glad all those little critters never made it into my nose or mouth! Then, yesterday afternoon, we got into the town of Rosalia, KS where it was so hot all we could do was lay out under some shade trees near the main street. In a while, a woman stopped by and invited us all to her home for showers and also said we could sleep in a nearby air conditioned church building! We were so surprised and thankful! In addition, this wonderful lady baked us some cookies and also made us pancakes for breakfast this morning! Her neighbor also let us use his swimming pool. It's just amazing how generous some folks are and how, what seems like an awful situation can sometimes turn around into something really wonderful. We're now continuing on through Eureka, KS and should hit the Missouri border in another couple of days.

Total mileage so far: 2,220

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Hanging Out With New Friends

Well, I finally hit the 2,000 mile mark today! I think this is as close as I can predict to the half-way point of the trip. I also have made some new friends, Brent and Todd (who are brothers riding cross-country) and Heather and Hazel (two sisters who are friends with Bret and Todd and are also riding to the east coast). It's been great having some new people to talk to and hang out with at campgrounds each night. They are each fascinating and very supportive of one another. The ride today was particularly tough since it involved a 19 mile stretch which went due south. While that may not sound too bad to most of you, the fact is that, in western and central Kansas, the wind almost always blows out of the south. So, for this stretch, I had it in my face at about 15-20mph according to the Weather Channel! Still, I managed to make it through to the city of Larned, KS in one piece. I felt rather well prepared for the day, however, since we all stayed at a wonderful location last night called Elaine's Bicycle Oasis. This is actually the private home of Elaine and Dan who have graciously opened it up to cross-country cyclists for a number of years. They provided a home-cooked dinner and breakfast as well as the usual amenities such as a shower and laundry. What I wasn't really expecting was a tour through Dan's old record and CD collection! We got a real education in old songs by Bob Dylan, The Band and Marty Robinson who is famous for old "gunfighter" country songs. Then, to top off the evening, Elaine took a few of us out to see one of the local oil drilling rigs. We got a personal tour of the operation by Mike, one of the workers there, and learned that there is, in fact, oil in Kansas but that they must drill down over 4,000 feet to get it. What a fascinating bit of information on a local industry! Hope you're all still enjoying your summer and that it's not as hot as it is here in Kansas!

Total mileage so far: 2,035

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

No sign of Dorothy yet....

Well, as you can figure out from my last post I've now crossed over into Kansas, my fifth state on this trip. For those of you who have never been out here let me tell you that Kansas is very flat and there are really long stretches of empty road between towns. The picture above shows how the farmland just goes off to the horizon and how, there are so few vehicles on the road, that I was able to take the time to set my bike up right in the middle and get this shot! And, yes, I have passed corn fields that seem to go on forever. Luckily for me, no twisters have been spotted although it is very, very windy and hot out here. I try my best to start early when it's cool but, most days, I still end up riding when it gets really hot. Haven't seen Dorothy or Toto but I did come across a fella named Brent who is riding cross-country with his black Lab named Teyah! He's got a special trailer just for her and she happily jumps into it when he says "saddle up!" They've ridden all the way from Oregon, just like me, and both rider and passenger seem excited about the trip. Given the way the heat and the wind have been tiring me out, I've decided to take a couple of short days and rest up more. Today I only did about 24 miles and I expect to do about 40 tomorrow (getting close to that 2,000 mile mark!). After that, I'll start cranking out a few more longer days so that I can make it to the Kansas - Missouri border in time for my big break. When Lucia graduated with her Bachelors from Nursing School (with distinction ;-) I promised her a trip to Prague (in the Czech Republic) to visit her cousins and some friends. So, starting in early August, I'll take about a one-month break from cycling and will fly back to Philly to do this trip and also stick around for the annual Labor Day drive up to Montreal. So now, my goal is to get to the very western end of Missouri where I plan to catch a bus from Joplin, MO up to Kansas City for my flight home. After Labor Day, I'll do the reverse and then continue the bike trip and hopefully reach my destination in Florida by mid-October. Will keep you posted as the time approaches and may even be able to put in a blog entry from Europe! Till then, stay cool and stay tuned....

Total mileage so far: 1,938

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Mom's Birthday

Instead of my usual post about scenery, folks I've met and how tough or fun the riding has been, I'd like to devote today's post to my mom, Judi, since today is her birthday. I believe that my mom's influence is one of the reasons I'm out here doing this insane trip. Although I'm told that she had a rather conservative and protective upbringing, the woman I know as my mom evolved beyond that and reached out to explore her world as an adult. She developed an adventurous spirit and loved to travel, meet new people and try new foods. These are qualities I dearly value in myself and I thank her for passing them on to me. Even as she was battling lung, brain and bone cancer, she often talked about trips she'd like to take and things she'd like to do "after she got better." Sadly, she didn't have those opportunities but even this has served as a very real lesson to me to grab the most from life while you can. One of my mom's favorite things to "grab" was a Dairy Queen Blizzard. Since there wasn't one in Manhattan, where she lived for many years, she would insist on making multiple visits to the local DQ whenever she went down to see my aunts in Florida or she came to Philadelphia. Since her passing, it has become a family tradition to get together and go to a DQ for a Blizzard in her honor. Today I find myself in Scott City, KS and, much to my amazement, there's a DQ here! So, naturally, I got off the bike and walked up to the counter, hot, sweaty and gritty as can be, and proudly ordered a Blizzard to cool myself and honor my mom. While I'm sorry that I couldn't be at the annual family gathering for her birthday, at least I'm celebrating in my own way out here. Finally, as those of you following these blog posts have noticed, I've placed a link to the Lance Armstrong Foundation at the bottom of each post. I've received a number of donations to this worthy cause and I'd like to thank those of you who have contributed from the bottom of my heart. If you have been thinking about making a donation but just haven't gotten around to it yet, this is a perfect opportunity to do so for my mom's birthday. I'm not sure when I'll next have an opportunity to get to a library but, stay tuned, as I'll fill you in with more details of the trip at that point. Until then, Happy Birthday Mom - we love you and miss you awfully!

Total mileage so far: 1,914

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

Now that I'm down out of the mountains and into eastern Colorado, the road has flattened and the wind has picked up (sometimes at my back and sometimes in my face). In any case, though, it's gotten noticeably hotter. I'm now trying to wake up really early (like 5:30AM local) and get on the road by 6:30 or 7:00 so that I can get most of my miles in before the worst heat of the day. The scenery has also changed Since I'm back on the Adventure Cycling route I've also noticed that there are more places that welcome cyclists (see the restaurant where I had lunch today). In fact, one person welcomes cyclists so much that they've opened their home to us. Right now I'm sitting using a laptop all alone in the house of someone I haven't even met yet. Seems you can only learn about this house by word-of-mouth. I heard about this from westbound cyclists I passed last week (it's amazing the information that's exchanged between cyclists out here! Sort of like a hobo network). They gave me directions and said there would be a note on the back door. Sure enough! I found the note and the door was unlocked. It says "Welcome" and gives some instructions and guidelines on staying here. I have my own bedroom, bathroom and TV! I called the person at the number provided, just to let them know I'm here. They don't get home from work until 10:30PM so I most likely won't get to actually meet them until the morning. Seems a bit bizarre (especially to a paranoid city kid like me) but also incredibly generous. But I've almost come to expect rather strange experiences and adventures out here during my trip. One last thing - got a blog comment from another rider named Allan with whom I rode for a bit back in Oregon. We went our separate ways when I took my detour in southern Idaho. Now that I'm back on the Adventure Cycling route it seems he's just a couple of days behind me. Hopefully we'll catch up again soon. Just another strange but fun facet of this trip!

Total mileage so far: 1,745

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

The Man, The Legend

One of the must-stop places along the TransAmerica bicycle route is Guffey, CO. This is a truly tiny town but it has one major distinction. Bill, the owner of the Guffey Garage, was a host to the original TransAm group of cyclists back in 1976 (back then, the Adventure Cycling Association was known as "Bikecentenial"). Bill is about as unique an individual as you will ever find. When he's not hosting cyclists and regaling them with stories of past visitors, he seems to be in the odd antiques business. He's basically a pack-rat with a lot of land to support his habit! He collects and sells old bathtubs, wheelbarrows, old cars and also seems to have an interest in animal skulls and skeletons. Bill also built a number of "bunk rooms" which are essentially rustic sheds with fold-down bunks in them. I stayed in one and had a good night's sleep. Pictured with Bill are Daniel and Ashley who are cycling from Ohio to Yellowstone park in Wyoming. Of all the places I've stopped during this trip, Guffey takes the prize as most unique. Today I am in Pueblo, CO and it is HOT! The altitude here is about 4,500 ft so I've been doing a lot of downhill riding. Tomorrow I'll set out for eastern Colorado. Hope I can find libraries and computers to regularly update this blog.....

Total mileage so far: 1,691

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Continental Divide (for REAL this time!)

Well, Breckenridge was a great place for a rest day! It's basically a ski town but it's still lots of fun in the summer offering rafting, hiking and mountain biking. I, of course, did none of that. I mean, really! I'm out in the "fresh air and sunshine" every day on my bike so when I take a rest day all I really want to do is relax, eat and maybe watch some TV. This didn't stop me, however, from making some new friends at the Fireside B&B which also has some hostel style bunk rooms for travelers like me. While there I met Ben, an Outward Bound instructor who is hiking the Colorado trail (seated center in the above picture), Hazel, who is taking a week to hike around the Brekenridge area before starting a job in Denver teaching English as a second language, and Martin, who is a Swedish truck driver visiting Colorado and taking in all of the wonderful natural scenery. These were fun folks to hang out with and Andy, a retired British military man who is the owner of the Fireside, added to the fun with his generosity and great sense of humor. The next day I took off for the final push up into the mountains. Within about 10 miles south of Breckenridge I arrived at Hoosier Pass which is another point on the Continental Divide and the highest point on my trip. I just had to stand there for a moment and ponder the fact that, in addition to the many miles I've ridden my bike so far, I've also gained the equivalent of over TWO MILES of altitude! While I was excited to see the Divide the first time, this one was really special and it marks the transition from a very mountainous part of my trip into the flatter country of eastern Colorado and Kansas. While it's not really "all downhill from here", it does feel like I've made it past a huge milestone.

Total mileage so far: 1,650

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Breckenridge

As I climb higher into the Rocky Mountains I find that the air is getting drier and thinner. The mild grades that I used to do easily now take the breath out of me. Right now, I'm in Breckenridge, the famous ski town west of Denver, and it sits at about 9,600 feet above sea level! (Sorry, Neely, just can't do a detour to Denver right now...) Despite this, I still somehow managed to churn out 58 miles yesterday and got to ride along a special bicycle path that runs about 16 miles from Silverthorn, CO to Breckenridge (see photo along the Dillon dam). I find that if I just take plenty of rest breaks and get enough to eat (and a cold ice cream doesn't hurt either) I can slowly get through quite a few miles. Also, for some reason I keep running into people out here who have some sort of connection to the tri-state Philadelphia area. Yesterday I met three! One is Cara, a woman who runs a tiny bait & tackle shop in the tiny town of Heeny, CO on the edge of a small lake. She grew up in Ocean City, NJ! Next I met Drew who was also riding along the bike path to Breckenridge and who grew up in central NJ (see picture). Riding the last few miles up into town was a lot easier thanks to hanging and chatting with Drew. Finally, I met Ben who is an Outward Bound instructor and lives in the Philly suburbs! Just crazy. Anyway, this is a fun town, even in the summer. It has some really interesting restaurants (last night's dinner was a Jamaican curry served over penne pasta) and a fun ski-bum sort of vibe. Also got to hear some live music in one of the pubs last night and met some of the locals. I'm taking a rest day today but tomorrow I head up and over Hoosier pass for the last big mountain climb for a long time. After this I head into eastern Colorado and across flat, flat Kansas.

Total mileage so far: 1,550


Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Rockies II

Well, I find myself heading back towards the Rockies. Despite avoiding the Montana Rockies by going through southern Idaho, I decided that I'm in better shape now and can take one last crack at them before heading east. So today I crossed from Wyoming to Colorado and continued to head south. Passed many ranches and, as in the picture, most of them really do have their own "brand" and big entrance signs. Some of them can reach into the thousands of acres! As expected, the road got more steep but, unexpectedly, the wind also picked up dramatically. When you're riding on a long bicycle tour you will almost always hit hills and wind. The difference is that after a long uphill, you usually get a long downhill as a reward. With wind, unless it's a tailwind pushing you along, it's just wind. It slows you down and saps your energy with no reward at the end. Still, I managed to ride 50 miles today and I feel pretty good. Last night I camped at the Lazy Acres campsite in Riverside, WY and, about 8:45PM, Cody (pictured), another eastbound cross-country cyclist rolled into camp. He's 23, just finished his masters in civil engineering, and decided to do this trip before he starts work. We decided to ride together today. However, Cody is travelling "ultralight" and only carrying about half the weight in gear that I am. He's also much faster than me and typically covers almost 100 miles each day (!!!). Still, he was kind enough to wait for me at the tops of big hills and certain other rest stops. He's a really good guy and I really enjoyed having some company on this long trip. We thought there would be no services along the 50 miles from Riverside to Walden, CO but, much to our surprise, in Cowdrey, CO, we ran into Charlie and Tammy who were having a garage sale and also selling cold bottled water and the absolutely fattest hot dogs I've ever seen. This was a nice break and helped make the wind and hills easier to take. Tonight I'll camp in the town park here in Walden (and they let cyclists use the showers at the local pool!). Tomorrow, and for the next few days, it's more mountains until I hit that last, huge downhill that will take me towards Pueblo, CO.

Total mileage so far: 1,429

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Well, after crossing half of the state of Wyoming, I decided to take a rest day in the town of Rawlins, WY. In addition to having a very good Thai restaurant (who'd have thought I'd find one in the middle of Wyoming?) and lots of wonderful old architecture, it is also the site of the first penitentiary in what was in the late 1800's the "territory" of Wyoming. For a few dollars I took a tour of "the old Pen" and saw lots of fascinating artifacts from the pioneer penal system at the turn of the century. On the tour were the cell blocks (very basic and cold), the cafeteria (more cheerful but still very institutional), the exercise yards, infirmary and, of course, the gallows! Only 12 men were hanged here - all for murder - and they actually have small sections of the rope used for each on display (rather gruesome). The other thing I noticed is that there were usually only a few months or, at most, a year between the sentence of hanging and the actual carrying out of the sentence. I guess the appeals system was a lot shorter back then. This morning I finally got off the interstate and headed south towards Colorado, which I expect to hit tomorrow. I've noticed the terrain is getting steeper again and the elevation of towns higher. The town I'm in right now, Encampment, WY, sits at just over 7,300 feet. Over the next week or so I'll be heading over a couple of rather high passes, one of which again crosses the Continental Divide at over 11,000 feet! Stay tuned. Finally, in response to one of the comments I received, I've attached a photo of my left calf muscle. More so than any other part of my leg, this seems to have really developed definition and details I've never seen before. Good thing, since I'll need that extra umph to get me through the next week. Doubt these muscles will last very long after I complete my trip but I'll use 'em while I've got 'em!

Total mileage so far: 1,378

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike

Conquer The Divide!

Although I believe the term "big sky" is used more to refer to Montana, it applies equally to Wyoming. There are vast stretches of beautifully colored rock and buttes and lots and lots of blue sky. It's just amazing how wide open it is out here! And the colors of the rocks change depending on just how the sun is hitting them. Also along the road are many small prairie dogs. These little furry creatures stand up and search around while making a sort of chirping noise. Of course, they scurry back to their burrows as soon as they see my bicycle approaching. There was another nice surprise yesterday when I came across the "Continental Divide" sign. This line which runs generally north-south through the western part of the country is the true dividing line between the west and east. It's said that if a raindrop falls on the west side of the divide it eventually winds up in the Pacific Ocean and if it falls on the east side, it winds up in either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico! While 6,930 feet is not the highest point on the Continental Divide (it goes up at least into the 12,000 foot range) it still felt like a major milestone in my trip. Seeing that sign made me feel that I'd actually accomplished something big, even though my trip is only about one-quarter done. My next big decision is whether to continue east through Wyoming and part of Nebraska, or head south through the Colorado Rockies and then east through Kansas. I'll mull it over tonight and decide whether my knees are up to the task or whether I've just had enough of big rigs and RVs on the interstate. In any case, thanks for checking on my blog. I don't know when I'll have my next opportunity to post since I'll be going through some backroads rural areas again. Hope to write to you again soon!

Total mileage so far: 1,315

Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike