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