I made it! First destination reached. Exactly 4 weeks after rolling out of my house in Knoxville, I pulled into the driveway of my aunt and uncle in Coventry, Rhode Island. It was a tough, but beautiful finish to the first leg of this trip. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me out along the way so far, whether it be some food, a place to sleep, or just good conversation. I have met and visited some great people along the way, and I am so grateful for that. I wish that I had more to give back to everyone. It’s such a wonderful feeling to come across so many friendly and generous people, people who choose compassion over fear, and bestow some love and trust to a lonely traveler. To anyone and everyone who would like one, I would like to offer a painting in gratitude for any and all hospitality. So if you would like one, or a poem, just email me your address, and I will send something out as soon as I can. My email is otis@crestlinestudios.com.

On early Monday afternoon, after a a good sleep in and a quick stop at Trader Joes to pick up enough food to get me to Rhode Island, I left the big city. Seems like it took me almost all day just to get out of New York because of all the traffic and so many traffic lights. It’s fun biking in the city, but the constant stopping and starting and need for undivided attention to everything can be too much. I longed for the simple country roads again. Coming out of the state of New York there was a bike path, which was nice, but Connecticut put me back on city roads, and busy ones, at that.

The first night found me at a very welcoming church just past Stamford, in a town called Darien. The pastor was friendly as was the maintenance crew working. I was able to get a shower and cook and was given some donuts and cookies. I had a good conversation with one of the maintenance workers, Tony, about his native Italy and working two jobs in America. I spent the night sleeping on the playground, on a wooden bridge. In the morning I awoke feeling slightly under the weather, not entirely ready to get up, but having to go to the bathroom, as always. I got ready and rode out.

Later in the day I felt better, as riding usually does for me. The first half of the day was spent on highway 1, which is the old post road stretching all the way to Boston. It’s busy, has no shoulder, and winds through all the coastal cities. Not too fun. After that I began cutting more north toward Rhode Island and finally got back to the country roads. Very scenic with thick forest, farms, and some water. It felt good to have shade and quiet and less traffic. That made for a more relaxing ride. As the sun was beginning to set to the west, I was a bit worried about finding a place to stay, as churches were not so common, but in the town of Deep River, I found a potential one-night home.

When I pulled up, people were arriving for an AA meeting. Everyone was friendly, and I was offered some cookies and lemonade. As they met inside, I cooked my dinner and ate. Afterwards, I had some conversation with a few of them. The sleep was alright, laying out in the grass. It was cool and comfortable, but the mosquitoes were pesky. I had to roll over on my side and pull the sleeping bag over my head to find peace. That, of course, made it pretty warm. Sleep found me in the end, however.

This morning I was awoken oh so much earlier than I wanted by a man who was at the meeting last night, Bob. I think he works for the church or runs the meetings. He offered to cook me some grits and toast there. I got up and accepted. After that I packed up and got a decent start at 9am. The ride today was very pretty. More than any day I can remember, I was completely relaxed as I rode through the morning. All around were trees and water and the occasional small town. The weather was nice, warm, but not hot, and plenty of shade. Ideal, you might say. The only snag was the hills. There were plenty, and some were long, and some were steep. Still, I pressed on without hesitation. I felt good.

At 1:14pm today, I suffered my first flat tire of this trip so far. Pretty good, considering I’ve done around one thousand miles. I knew it was going to happen today, too. I knew it last night when I was telling some people I haven’t had one yet, and I knew this morning as I told Bob that I had had no mechanical problems yet. I knew right when I hit a big rock, with a shuddering thud, what was to come of it. Patching the tube was no problem, it just took some time. I have to remove the bags, then the wheel, then the tube, patch it, replace everything. I made no haste, and it took me 45 minutes. I’m sure I could do it in ten minutes if I really tried, but it was hot and sunny, and I was beginning to feel tired.

Soon after the flat, I found myself at the state line and my spirits were soaring (see pics below). Even though I still had around ten miles or so to go to my final destination, just reaching that ‘Welcome to Rhode Island’ sign seemed like such an important milestone. All smiles on this guy. Once in Rhode Island, I faced some of the toughest hills in a long time. There were two particularly long and steep ones. The first had an excellent downhill following, a just reward, but the second was not so generous in its payoff: a few small slopes followed by more uphill. At this point a serious road biker had come up behind me. We started talking and riding together. He’s an ex-racer, but I managed to keep up as we rode over rolling hills in the hot afternoon sun. I felt proud of myself for being able to keep up with this guy, who didn’t seem to be slowing down too much for me. Looking back now, I should have just dropped off and let him go on his own. Damn ego. I overworked myself a bit.

So you want the arrival to this destination that one month ago seemed so far away to be magical. You want there to be a big celebration, or at least just to be celebrating privately, feeling good. Unfortunately for me, I spent the first half hour on the toilet. I don’t know if it was something I ate (maybe the pesto last night that has been opened and unrefridgerated for a month now) or maybe I just lack fiber, plus a combo of the sun and working too hard, etc., but I had some gnarly stomach cramps as I pulled up. After that break, however, I felt better and able to eat.

Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bill cooked a delicious dinner and I had a feast. Veggies and chicken- perfect food after a tough, long ride. Now I am thoroughly exhausted, ready to pass out for the next 20 hours or so, and excited about seeing my grandparents tomorrow. It has been a great trip so far. I’m so glad to be up here with my family.

rolling through NYC. too cool for school

crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to meet Lee and Cherell

Prospect Park in Brooklyn

back over into Manhattan on Saturday to meet up with Max and Rachel

out of New York

quaint bike path

a bit small, but it works

time for a happy pic. beginning the second day in Connecticut, just after some grits

catching bugs on a sweet downhill

lovely pit-stop for a moment

great framing

i could use some shampoo.

oh man, here it comes…

can you feel the excitement!?

I wanted to go for a swim, but there were tons of signs prohibiting, so I dunked my head in the cool Rhode Island water instead

bliss

pictures never do hills justice

65 miles later

Friday afternoon found me boarding a train out of New Jersey into the big city of New York. Taking a train turned out to be the cheapest, most practical route, since most of the bridges are not ridable, and the ferries are ridiculously expensive. I thought I was going to be able to stay with my friends Max and Rachel, but I didn’t get a hold of Max until Friday morning, and both were busy with work and unable to have me that night. So I stopped at the next library to get on the internet and frantically search for a couch to surf. After messaging a dozen people or so, I packed up to set out towards a train station, not really sure what I would do if no one could host me. Luckily, before I even left the library, I had a call and a confirmed place to stay in Brooklyn. I have only been to New York City once before, but that was spent as a tourist, seeing the sights: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, walking through Soho and Central Park. I didn’t get a real feel for the city. Coming in on the train and biking through Manhattan and across to Brooklyn was a much better introduction to the city.

I came up out of Penn station in Manhattan not really knowing where I was and how to get to Brooklyn. Luckily there were some pedicab (bike taxi) drivers hanging out on the street waiting for rides. Having personal experience as a pedicab driver, I figured that was a good place to start for directions. The guy I asked, Pete, was incredibly friendly and helpful. We talked for a while about my trip and money and Buddhism. That was refreshing. I studied and was very turned on by Buddhism in college, with its message of compassion and interconnectivity of all beings and “middle path,” and Pete happens to be a practicing Buddhist. Also, I am reading a book by a Vietnamese monk named Thich Nhat Hanh, which has been a refreshing reminder of why I was so drawn to Buddhism before and why its ideas are very pertinent to my current situation. The book is called Cultivating the Mind of Love. Pete practices a different branch of Buddhism than Thich Nhat Hanh, but the basic ideas are all the same; the differences mainly lie in the form of practice. I left Penn Station with good direction, in more ways than one. And off I went, into the city streets.
Now biking on flat country roads is fantastic, with minimal traffic and beautiful natural scenery, and nothing beats soaring down a curvy mountain road at speeds over 30 or 40 miles per hour, but there is something about the rush of biking through a big city with heavy traffic that I absolutely love, that I miss at times. Whether in a bike lane or splitting traffic lanes packed with autos and buses, city riding is exciting. Even with 100 pounds of extra weight limiting my maneuverability, I had a blast making my way south through Manhattan and then across the Brooklyn bridge and through part of Brooklyn, including around Prospect park, with hoards of other cyclists and joggers and rollerskaters. I think one of the main differences for me is a matter of control. When I am biking down some state or US highway, with traffic zooming past at speeds in excess of 50mph, or even a rural country road with just two lanes and occasional passing cars and trucks, I really have to just keep my eyes focused to the front and have faith that those coming up from behind see me and have the competence and ability to not plow into me. It’s great for being able to focus on the scenery. In the city, among the traffic and confusion, it becomes more of a game or a challenge, and it’s all about the biking. Do I sit and wait behind a long line of cars at a red light, or do I split lanes, ride to the front of the line, and sometimes cross the intersection on the red, if there are no cars coming? Easy. I think it is also a matter of stimulation. Mostly it’s not just following one road for miles and miles, never turning, never straying far from that solid white line. The city is all about weaving and stopping and accelerating, avoiding cars and pedestrians and other bikers. It’s fun.

While enjoying my trek through the city, I did manage to get off course and get myself lost and a bit disoriented, but everyone I asked for directions, which was usually fellow bikers, was so friendly and helpful. One girl even gave me her NYC biking map with all the bike lanes and routes and paths. The couple I stayed with, Lee and Chenell, were really great. We shared some good conversation and some ginger wine. I’m so glad to have met them. Also surfing with them were twin German girls. They were cute, friendly and polite. Funny, though- at first Lee and Chenell told me they were Swedish twins. Of course one can imagine that all sorts of generic fantasies immediately came to mind.

Saturday afternoon I left Brooklyn and headed back over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan to find some good Mediterranean food and eventually to meet up with Max and Rachel. I had been told about a tasty and cheap place to get falafel somewhere around Soho, but I didn’t know exactly where, other than near a Trader Joes. So I set off in that direction and decided to just ask about the Trader Joes as I went. The first guy I asked had no idea what I was talking about; the next girl had no idea where it was; the third, a guy riding on a nifty, triangular-shaped folding bike, was right on. He started to give me directions, then just said ‘follow me.’ So we rode a few blocks and stopped in front of the store and talked a while. His name is Graham, and he is the founder of treehugger.com, a successful green-advocacy website. I was very interested in what he does, and he seemed just as interested in what I was doing. He suggested I write a post on treehugger.com about what I’m doing and about how environmentally friendly this form of traveling can be. I’m going to put something together once I get to Rhode Island. Graham also had a very interesting folding bicycle made by a company called Strida. While we were chatting, several people came up and asked him about it. I was very pleased to see that he wasn’t afraid to let one inquisitive man ride it around. It was a really great interaction.

After eating some tasty falafel nearby (I didn’t go into Trader Joes because I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my fully-loaded bike outside on the sidewalk while I browsed inside), I met up with Max and Rachel. We got a drink, had some delicious pizza with vodka sauce, and hopped on the subway to Prospect Park for a free show. The show was alright. I wasn’t terribly impressed with the music, but it was accompanied by a laser light show, which, shining through the dark onto the foliage, was entertaining enough.

Today we slept in late, a much needed first on this trip so far. Then it was a late breakfast and a walk back to Brooklyn for another free show. I was excited about this one as it was a band I know and like, but unfortunately they are a bit too popular and we got there a tad bit too late. After waiting in line for over a half hour, we were informed the outdoor venue had reached capacity. We caught the subway back to Soho to their apartment. Max and I finished a movie we had started last night and cooked some delicious burritos.

Tomorrow I continue on my bike trip, now only a few days out of Rhode Island. I have to say that this stay here in New York has been one of the most energizing and enjoyable stops on my trip so far. So many friendly encounters, wonderful (but expensive) food, and lively surroundings. To me, this is the best way to see a city, not by visiting the famous landmarks. Unfortunately, this stay has also been the most financially taxing stop so far. With the train ride in and eating out so much and having a few drinks at bars, I have just about exhausted my limited financial resources at the moment. I should be able to stretch what I have left until I get to Rhode Island, and hopefully I have some income coming my way once I get there. As this trip has taught and retaught me so far: stay positive, erase expectations, and have faith.

Sleeping outside the church was alright, although it was hard to fall asleep, it being so hot. Ideally I would have slept with no shirt on, but I kept a long-sleeve on to keep the skeeters off. I got about seven hours in. Then I took my time getting ready and packing my bags. I was able to shower at the church, which was nice. I talked to a man who worked at the church, Ken, with whom I had talked the night before, and he suggested taking the ferry to Jersey just a few miles up the road. I had seen the ferry before on the map, but I dismissed the idea because I knew it cost money, and I hadn’t really looked at the map too thoroughly to see that it made so much sense. We looked up the cost, and it was nine fifty. Not too bad.

Taking the ferry instead of going all the way up the Delaware coast into New Jersey cuts out a lot of unnecessary miles. I figured it was worth the ten bucks, although I did have some slight concern about not spending that money on food. Well, that problem happened to solve itself. As I was finishing up packing outside the front of the church, a man (Dennis) walked up with a flat tire on his bike. I asked if he needed a patch, and he replied that a friend was coming. He said he would have me do it, but he had no way to get a hold of his friend now, who was already on his way. We got to talking, about my trip and about a backpacking trip he did through Europe a while ago. After a bit, I said I would go ahead and patch it. So I set to work pulling the rear wheel off. Of course, just as I was getting the tire and tube off, his friend pulled up in a van. I continued working anyway. I finished and put it all back together. Now, even though I couldn’t see him doing it, I knew that while I was patching, Dennis was getting some money to give to me. Don’t ask me how I knew, it was just a gut feeling. I was right. He handed me a ten dollar bill. I told him I didn’t need it, but he insisted, said he wished he had more to give me. I accepted, and off he went in the van. So, the ferry ride was covered.

Boarding the ferry was nice. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. The ride itself was relaxing but not steady. Good reading and writing time for me, though. On the Jersey side: not so friendly. I was walking my bike in the ticket office to find out if they had any maps, and two women yelled at me to get my bike out. They didn’t walk up to me and kindly inform me that bikes are not allowed inside; just yelled, “hey! No bikes in here. Take it outside,” three or four times, even as I was turning around trying to get back outside. Jerks.

The first day riding up through New Jersey was okay. It was really hot again, and the winds got bad at times, often changing directions. I took a few wrong turns that sent me a couple miles out of the way, which didn’t help with morale. Still, I kept my spirits pretty high. As the evening came about and began transitioning to night, I decided I was going to sleep outside a church again. I looked around in the town I was in. The first few seemed pretty uninviting. I generally like some space with a good overhang for shelter and some privacy from the streets and neighbors. I found a Baptist church with little overhang but some people going inside for something. I inquired about camping outside. There was a little picnic spot with tables and some woods right in back. The pastor said it would be fine. He told me it was supposed to storm that night as well: heavy rains, high winds, lightning, flood warning. Well, I hope the rain fly on my hammock is up to par, I thought to myself. Really, I was hoping that someone was going to invite me into their home for a nice sheltered place to sleep. Despite the fact that I talked to the pastor a few times, and he even called the weather service and played the forecast on speaker phone for me: Flash flood warning, sever thunderstorms, heavy rain all night, 15mph winds with gusts up to 30mph or so- he never once mentioned inviting me in, neither to his home or even inside the church. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised, but I wasn’t going to ask. That’s one thing I really don’t do: ask people for any hospitality. If someone invites me in, gives me a place to stay, I may ask to use an amenity, such as a shower or laundry, but I don’t ask people for anything to eat, for money, or for a place to sleep in their home (unless it’s on couchsurfing.com, but that’s a different story).

So I set up my hammock between two trees by the picnic tables. When the sun went down at 9:30, I went to bed. It wasn’t raining then, just really windy. After a bit I fell asleep, but around 11 I was awoken to the beginning of the thunderstorms. Oh man, did it pour. There was lightning as well, but nothing that seemed too close. I wanted to stay up for a bit to make sure that the rain fly on the hammock was going to protect me from the elements. It seemed to be working. As I sought sleep again, however, it did not come. It was just too damn muggy inside that hammock. With the fly on there, it traps all of my body heat and adds it to all the heat and humidity already present. It gets terribly stuffy, as air doesn’t move too freely through. I felt difficulty taking really deep breaths even. But, I was stuck in there; pouring rain outside and beastly hot inside. So I just lay for a while until I could get back to sleep. Every now and again the wind would kick up and blow some cooler air under the rain fly. I got back to sleep, and slept decent, despite a few wake ups later on from the weather.

When I woke up around 8, it was still raining a bit, so I just lay in the hammock for a bit. It let up shortly, just as I was getting to the point of absolute necessity of urination. Perfect timing. Got up and started packing, which always takes much longer post-rain. The pastor showed up again, and we talked a bit. Said there was wireless internet at the church, so I decided to get on and try to find a place to stay for tonight. The forecast the day before called for more rain throughout today, and I knew that I wanted to be in dry place tonight, where I could hopefully do laundry.

It worked out, and tonight I’m staying with a family in Freehold, New Jersey. I’m so very grateful. The ride today wasn’t horrible, with tailwinds most of the time and nice weather. Not nearly as hot today as it has been. Towards the end of the day, however, traffic did get pretty squirrelly. I am finding here, as I move north, there is more of the ‘I, me, mine’ mentality; no one has the patience or compassion to wait for a cyclist to pass by. So I got cut off a few times by people making left turns from the other side and people making right turns as well. Pretty frustrating after the first few times. I’m thinking about setting up a little bin of rocks on my handlebars so I can throw some at cars that cut me off from now on. It’s the only way I have to really get their attention and hopefully make them realize that they nearly killed me.

Tomorrow I may head into Manhattan. I’m a bit weary of going over there, but my friend Max lives there, and I would love to visit him, and it also cuts out a lot of miles, as opposed to going around the city. I’ll figure it out tomorrow, I guess.

looking and feeling a bit rough after sleeping outside. looking at it now, I think I was feeling worse than the picture conveys.

a worldly pirate ship

thanks, i guess

camping outside of church

a nice view this morning

So I have an ipod that I carry with me, but I have only used it twice or so. For the first two weeks, I think the battery was dead; plus, I have been staying with people so much and haven’t had much time to myself to listen to music. I never listen while I am riding. It’s so dangerous, not being able to hear approaching cars; and then I would miss out on all the wonderful ambiance surrounding me. What’s the point of riding a bike then? While I ride, though, I almost always have a song or two on repeat in my head. Most of the time it’s a good thing; sometimes I want to get it out of my head.

I thought I would share some songs I have been singing the last few days. They have been mood stabilizers and put a smile on my face as I sing them aloud, heading down the sometimes-lonely road.

The first is a song by my favorite artist, Mason Jennings. I was introduced to his music about a year and a half ago and instantly fell in love. Since then I have never found myself tired of listening, despite the fact I listen to him all the time. I think, more than any other artist, I really connect with his lyrics. He seems to be a man on a broad path of self-discovery, and he articulates his views so simply and passionately. I also love his lack of production. He follows his heart and puts so much into his music, while keeping the product so simple. This song is titled “Southern Cross.” I think it has resonated so much for me on this trip just because of the lyrics, ‘have some faith.’ This focus of this trip has unexpectedly but fortuitously become about finding faith and maintaining it through all times, from good to bad, happy to sad. So many of my encounters and circumstances have reiterated this idea. I’m very thankful for that.

Then, of course, there are the lyrics: ‘I don’t know what I want, but I know where I want to be. And, everywhere I go, I wish you were here with me… Once, everything made sense, now I get so alone that I can’t sleep. Somebody please tell me if this is where I’m supposed to be.’ Expresses how I feel at the moment so precisely. Most places I go, taking in the beauty of this country and the wonderful nature of so many friendly people, I so often wish I had someone to share it all with. Sure, I can write pages and pages about it, snap pictures even, but nothing compares to being there. I used to foolishly think my ex-girlfriend and I were going to have the opportunity to travel together. On my last trip up the Pacific coast, when I first fell in love with her, before we started dating, I often thought about how much I wished she were there with me to see all the amazing sights. On this trip, however, those thoughts have to be pushed aside. On both trips I have wished my brother Josh could be here with me as well. And sometimes I do wish that someone would tell me that this is where I’m supposed to be. It seems I have constant affirmation of it throughout most days, but those days when it’s not there, when self-doubt takes hold, times can be rough. But that’s the never-ending cycle, it seems. I’m just grateful to have found music that can so perfectly express how I feel. I think that is such an important asset and the most important aspect of any art.

So here it is, a link to the song. I couldn’t find a video or anything to post, but you can listen to the whole thing for free here.

Southern Cross by Mason Jennings

This next one is a song I have been singing aloud very joyously for the last few days, despite the fact I only know the words to the first verse. I don’t know anything about the movie this is a trailer for, but the two singing are my good friends Dre and Eddie from Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. Such a beautiful song and catchy melody; it’s hard not to keep singing over and over.

Okay, there’s more, but this will do for now. I hope y’all enjoy. Now it’s time for me to go snuggle up with the giant spiders and crickets. The gnats and beetle-looking things are friendly as well, it seems.

Temperature’s have been in the 90’s the last few days with humidity in accompaniment: a scorching duo. Yesterday I put in around 70 miles to make it up to couchsurf Salisbury, Maryland, tallying as the second Salisbury I have stayed in thus far. I was utterly exhausted by the time I got there. While I got an early start, around 8am, it wasn’t by choice. Everyone at the dorms had to leave by eight to make it to their programs, so I was given the boot. I definitely could have used another three hours of sleep. With the heat and my fatigue, I took a few long breaks through the day to rest up. Also, half the day was spent on a busy highway; the added stress of that equals more exhaustion. But at Mike’s place, we had some delicious food, great beer and some fantastic homemade ice cream.

This morning I had a bit more energy upon setting out, although I didn’t get much more sleep than the night before. I set out around 9:30, and it was already blazing. Just standing outside and packing my bags up on my bike left my shirt nearly drenched. So muggy. It was a nice ride to the beach, where I was welcomed by a billion tourists in Ocean City. I sat on the boardwalk and enjoyed a lunch of Wheat Thins with a fresh tomato and cucumber. Delicious. Then the storm clouds rolled in and I decided to ride on as long as possible until it started raining. It never really came, no more than a light shower for about 20 minutes. I spent that in the Delaware welcome center planning my route through the state.

So far it has been great being out on the coast. I stopped twice to jump in the ocean. The first time, however, it was still overcast, so not as warm, and the water was a bit rough. I decided it wasn’t worth it. A few hours later I stopped to cook some dinner at another state park beach, and after sitting in the sun over my stove cooking pasta, I couldn’t resist a little dip in the cool water. Just a quick in and out, but it felt great. I didn’t even need a towel; the sun dries you off in a matter of minutes.

Tonight I sleep outside of a Methodist church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It’s a big place, so they have wireless and even a shower I can use in the morning. I could really use one tonight. When I got here there were a bunch of Russian kids sitting outside. I guess the church sponsors some program for students to come here and work and travel for the summer, and they were having a dinner at the church tonight. So I came in to inquire about sleeping out here, and of course I was offered food. Despite the fact I had already eaten pasta just a few hours earlier, I couldn’t decline. I eat a lot. I ate and talked with a couple Russian guys. They were friendly and very interested in my trip. Now I’m sitting outside, watching all the bugs crawling around with such haste and no apparent purpose. A giant spider just scurried past to the door, under the door, then back out again a few minutes later. Hopefully he will keep to himself tonight. My sleeping bag isn’t big enough for the both of us.

quaint sight in Virginia

not an ideal beach for me

Three days off in Virginia Beach was a great break. I got to swim in the bay, throw a frisbee and play bocce on the beach, and eat some tasty food. And seeing a college friend, hanging out with someone that I know for a change, is nice. I love meeting new people and keeping the experiences fresh, but remembering shared past experiences is great as well. It was an fun and relaxing stay.

Today I continued on my journey, heading north up the Eastern Shore. Graham’s brother gave me a ride over the bridge/tunnel that crosses the bay, as you can’t ride a bike across evidently. I think it would have been fun, but definitely stressful. Getting started again after such a long and relaxing break is really tough. I was tired anyway, as I didn’t get quite enough sleep last night, but going from a comfy, air-conditioned condo right by the beach to riding 50 miles in some brutal heat and humidity is not an easy transition. I think it will take a few days to really get back to the mindset I had before the break.

The ride today was really nice. There is only one main highway that runs up the peninsula, but there are smaller highways that parallel. I took highway 600, Seaside Rd. Completely flat, mostly straight, passing through farmland, forest, tiny towns, and sometimes close to the shore, but not often. The best part is that there is no traffic. A car might pass on average, once every half hour. It was peaceful, maybe a bit lonely.

Tonight I’m staying in a small coastal town, Wachapreague. I rolled into town looking for a church to settle down at, but the ones I passed on the way in were not too promising. Everything is really close together, so there is not much land around the churches, just houses. I rode through town and was on my way out when I passed a marine sciences division of William and Mary University. There was a building that looked like housing and a girl laying on a bench outside. I rode past once, thinking maybe I should inquire about sleeping outside. I kept going a bit to look for another church first. After a couple blocks, though, I thought better of looking for a church before at least inquiring at the school. So back I went and asked. The girl said it was fine and that I could probably just stay in one of the dorm rooms, as there were only three people there and plenty of rooms. So here I am now, watching a soccer game on TV, on the internet, about ready to go sleep on a tiny dorm bed. Pretty nice how that worked out.

Tomorrow I head up to Salisbury, Maryland, where I’ll be couchsurfing. From there I’m not sure what my route will be, but I will probably be increasing my mileage a bit from now on. I don’t want to overdue it or rush, but I am also thinking about the possibility of heading west after spending some time in Rhode Island, and I don’t want to be getting to the Rocky Mountains too late in the year. It’s all up in the air, but biking to Oregon is a strong possibility. We’ll see.

sunflowers. unfortunately, they were all facing the wrong way. i tried to get their attention, but they were too focused on something.

finally got some new sunglasses, courtesy of Graham. thank you kindly.

Wachapreague

With less than 100 miles to Virginia Beach and two days to get there, I decided to take it slow yesterday. Also, having my earliest start thus far, I had plenty of time on my hands. I took a stop at a library to get on the internet, write the last post, and check some things. Then, after a few hours of riding into headwinds, I stopped to cook some lunch, something I haven’t done yet. I picked up a can of tomatoes, corn, and okra a few days back, and I had been looking forward to eating that over a bowl of rice. So that’s what I cooked up and enjoyed it with an orange and a delicious nectarine.

Then it was off again down a very dangerous road. Two days ago I thought I was on a scary road- four lane divided highway with absolutely no shoulder and cars speeding by at over 60 mph. At least on that road there were two lanes so that cars could change lanes to go around me. The road yesterday certainly had the last road beat as far as peril is concerned. Two lanes, speeds around 50 mph or so, no shoulder, and plenty of trucks. And, following suit with what seems to be the theme of traveling so often: everything comes in waves. Rarely does just one car approach and pass; most often at least two cars, if not six or twelve, pass by, from both sides. Multiple occasions found me pulling off into the grass, often mowed, sometimes not, and waiting a minute or so as dump trucks and garbage trucks and tractor trailers sped by. It’s very tiring to have to constantly monitor every aspect of approaching traffic, gaging speeds and timing, and all while battling headwind. Good thing I wasn’t in a rush.

Soon enough, however, I made it to the ferry stop to catch the boat to Knotts Island- a peninsula really. I had no plan once I got there, but the man at the station told me there was a campground over there. I thought it would be nice to stay at a campground for a change, maybe meet some people there. As the ferry pulled in, I talked to a man who was heading over with his car. (I was the only one boarding the ferry not traveling by auto.) I guess you could say he was friendly enough, but not terribly sociable. To the point is what he was. I told him I was going to the campground and asked him some questions about the area. After about 40 minutes on the ferry, as we were about to pull up to the dock at Knotts Island, the man offered to give me a ride in his truck to the campground. Said he was going that way as well and I might as well ride with him as it was a few miles and dangerous roads. We put the bike in the back of his pickup, and I took the ride. He was right about the roads being bad. Same as earlier- narrow, no shoulder, and crazy drivers. The drive wasn’t too long, but it could have taken a while to bike.

The man drove us to the camp, where it turns out he stays on a semi-permanent basis. I asked if I could just throw-down my gear and sleep on his site. Said I couldn’t; they wouldn’t allow it. So I went into the camp store to get a site for myself. Twenty-six dollars they wanted for a site, even from a simple cyclist. While I do have that much money on me, I don’t have a whole lot more, and that certainly doesn’t fit into my ideal 5-dollar-a-day budget. I decided to ride on and find somewhere else to sleep. Plus, by this point I was right at the Virginia border, which I found out basically put me just outside of Virginia Beach.

I was planning on getting into town on Thursday, and I had told my friend from college, Graham, that was when I would arrive. Knowing that he was working and not going to be off until after ten, I still thought I would see if I could make that work a day earlier. Otherwise, I was prepared to find anywhere to lay my head I could. As I made my way down country roads toward town, I asked a few people about campgrounds in the area. A serious cyclist, and ex-racer, told me of a place and even offered to ride me into town. Even slowing down a bit to let me keep up, his pace was quick. I managed, though. He took me into the burbs and directed me toward a camp ground. It was pretty much dark at this point.
I headed down the street a ways and found a KOA. Stopped in to find out the price, but there was no one there at the booth. I looked around for a sign and found nothing. A couple stopped and asked if I needed help, and I asked them. Said it was over 40 bucks. What the hell?! I guess places like that offer amenities: laundry and a pool and the like, but who needs that fancy stuff. They told me about another site just down the road a piece; said it was cheaper. Well, not by much. The guard at the gate quoted 32 or something. I pleaded with him to help me out; told him all I needed was a spot to throw down my sleeping bag and get some sleep; I’d be out early in the morning. It was obvious he wanted to help, but felt like he couldn’t. He didn’t run the place, just watched over at night, and the owners were gone for the day. Time to find a church or some random spot, I figured.

I set out down the road to see what I could find. Being dark already, finding a good spot seemed tough. There were a few schools and a park and even behind the sign to the campground seemed a decent spot. Unfortunately, it’s really tough to know what spots would be obvious as off-limits sites if seen in the light. So I cruised around for a while. Things were beginning to look grim around 11, and I was getting to a desperate point. Places I had passed earlier with scrutiny were beginning to look more promising. As I was headed back to settle behind the campground sign, I got a call from Graham. He was finally off work, got my message, and I was cool to stay at his place. After figuring out that I was on the complete southern end of town, and that he lived on the northern end, he said he could come pick me up. We managed to get my bike and all my bags into a 5-series Beamer and headed out.

So instead of sleeping outside on the ground, possibly hiding behind the sign to an overpriced campground, I got a warm shower, a dip in a hot tub, and a very comfy bed to sleep in. I’m very grateful. Unfortunately, though, I did get some bad news last night. While taking a shower, scrubbing very thoroughly, I found another unfriendly bugger on my leg. On the back of my thigh, in a spot that was difficult to see, I found another tick, this one much smaller than the first one. It looked like a scab at first. When I got out of the shower, the tick came off fairly easy. Maybe it was because of all the hot water. I’m not sure. I put my friend in the alcohol with his companion. Now I have two buggers to get tested. I think I’ll do that when I get to Rhode Island.

Tonight now, I’m exhausted after spending a lot of time out in the sun. I finally got to go in the water and have a swim, though. I had forgotten how good the warm Atlantic water feels. Tomorrow I’m gonna take a look at my bike and see if it needs any work. It could definitely use a little bath. From riding in the rain, the thing is covered in dirt and grime. Time for bed now.

suck! and my butt hurts. But hey, I’m still going strong and I’m basically at the ocean. Today I’m hopping on a ferry to Knotts Island. Tomorrow I’ll be in Virginia Beach.

Last night I spent the night sleeping outside a church, this time for real- no one invited me in. I did get some free food though from an association meeting going on inside. Sleeping outside wasn’t bad at all. I actually enjoyed it. At first I kept freaking out when I felt anything possibly crawling on my face, but I was overreacting. I slept really well and woke up a little after 6am, my earliest start yet. Last night I enjoyed a beautiful sunset over some water, I guess part of the Albemarle Sound. It would have been a good chance to do some fishing, as they were all over the place and jumping about, but I had already eaten and didn’t feel like cleaning and cooking a fish.

Yesterday was tough, with headwinds the whole day, but I pushed through and got some good thinking time in. I feel so much more relaxed than a few days ago. I think I’m really doing well in erasing my expectations.

Well, this is just a quick post to check in. I’m going to go cook some lunch now; my tummy is growling. I will post a bunch of pictures once I get to Virginia Beach. I’m off to fight the wind.

Yesterday the clouds proved to be more than just a facade. From just after my post yesterday, around 1pm, until I stopped for the night at a church in Everetts, NC, around 7pm, the rain did not let up. It varied from light to moderate, but it didn’t stop until just before the sun went down. To be honest, it wasn’t that bad, and I enjoyed it. I just threw my rain gear on (not waterproof) and rode on, and I think it really helped to offer some perspective and calm me down.

I stopped to spend the night at a little Baptist church in town, to sleep under a little overhang that would keep me dry should the rain pick up again. I was just about all set up when a woman came around to practice some music at the church. I think I startled her when I came around the corner to ask if it was alright if I slept there for the night. She said it was fine and went inside. When she was done with her music, she came back out and talked to me a bit. She let me fill my water bladder up inside. Then off she went.

Just a little bit later an older man came around, said the woman, Becky, had told him about me and he said I could use his bathroom in the morning if I wanted, as he just lived around the corner. His name is Richard, and we talked for a bit. Then it got completely dark, and he left me to get to bed. Less than two minutes after he left, Becky and her son Cory came around and invited me over to have a hot shower and some fresh-made peach cobbler. Well, I don’t know how one could turn down that offer, so I accepted. We walked to their house. Not more than two minutes after stepping into their house, the phone rang. Wouldn’t you know, it was Richard calling Becky to let her know that I was welcome to sleep on his couch for the night, instead of sleeping on the sidewalk outside the church. So I got my shower in and enjoyed some wonderful cobbler while Becky was so kind to wash and dry some of my clothes that were completely soaked. Watched a bit of the homerun derby with Cory and his dad Mack, and the other son Matt came home a bit later. Then it was off to Richard’s place for a comfy couch to sleep on.

Now, feeling well-rested and much more relaxed than yesterday morning, I’m about to head out in hopes of reaching the salty water today. Hopefully the rain is done for now, and maybe I can enjoy a nice swim today. We’ll see.

I have been fortunate and grateful to have meet and spent time with some really great people so far on this trip. So many planned and unplanned encounters have kept my spirits high and a smile on my face. At the same time, lately I have been longing for some alone time, which is funny, considering that I spend hours a day alone on my bike. But I have wanted to spend a night alone, to camp and cook my food and live a bit more simply, if only for a night or two. It can be exhausting spending so much time with people you have just met, no matter how friendly they are.

So yesterday I decided that I was going to camp somewhere by myself, no matter what. Before I left Durham, though, Kevin and Kathy Jo were so kind and took me out to breakfast. Then they gave me a bicycle tour of the city and even rode with me a bit of the way out of town on their tandem. It was a wonderful end to such a great stay with them. Thank you for that. After they had to turn around due to an unfortunate flat tire, I set off on my own, continuing to the east. At first my spirits were high, passing forests and lakes, with a blue sky and puffy clouds. After a few hours, when I took my first break to eat some lunch, exhaustion set in. I knew it was coming, and I think that was why I took so long to take a break. I knew that as soon as I stopped pedaling, I wouldn’t want to start up again.

By this point I was going through some tiny little towns that weren’t too comforting to be in. I forced myself on, much slower than before. Even before this physical exhaustion set in, before I stopped, a mental tiredness had taken over me. My mood had sunk, and I was feeling down, but I couldn’t figure out why. The sky was still blue, the weather nice, but a mixed feeling of anger and sadness had come over me. I figured I would just pedal it out. At one point I started writing a poem, and that worked to cheer me up for a while. I would just write a bit at a time and say it out loud as I rode.

Ped’ling out on my bike one day,

stroke by stroke I made my way,

past forest pines and kudzu vines

and asked a cloud to come and play.

but as the cloud was saying ‘hi’,

a butterfly had caught my eye.

she swooped and swirled, danced and twirled

and gave a wink as she passed by

i thought to stop and dance along

take a minute, learn her song

forgetting the cloud, i sang out loud,

never thinking it was wrong

That’s as far as I got, then i got a bit sad again and lost my drive to continue composing. This mood stayed with me the rest of the ride, as I made my way down the highway looking for a place to spend the night. It took me a while to find a place to set up camp, as I seem to be pretty particular about where I stop. I would rather not pay, so I generally avoid campgrounds, not that I passed any lately. I like to have a nice wooded area with plenty of cover from the surrounding civilization but without being too dense with trees and brush. I probably passed a dozen spots that would have worked fine, but I didn’t feel like stopping yet. Finally I came upon a spot that is going to become a subdivision. The streets are already paved, but none of the lots have been cleared yet. I figured that would be ideal. Unfortunately, most of the lots were full of dense brush and tons of poison ivy. The two lots that were not like this had an eerie vibe to them. Most of the underbrush was thorny, and lots of it was dead. It looked as if maybe a fire had run through there a while ago. It would have to work.

I set up my hammock and started cooking my rice out on the street. The sun was just setting, but I had plenty of light to cook and clean up by. After all that, I decided I would just go to bed with the sun around 9:30 and try to get some good sleep. Sleep didn’t come too easily, however. It was still beastly hot outside and so humid. I think I was awake for about an hour before dozing in and out of sleep for a while. Sometime around 1am I was awoken to the sound of a police radio. On the street I was camped off of, about 200 yards from me, there was what looked like an unmarked cop car with the driver door open and a man standing between the door and the car. There were a few street lamps on the street already, so I could make all that out okay, but I wasn’t sure if he could see me through all the shadows in the trees. I also didn’t know if his reason for being there had anything to do with me. I didn’t want to chance anything, and I didn’t want to have to fully wake up or get out of my hammock, so I lay as still as possible and hoped he would leave soon. He left about 15 or 20 minutes after I first noticed him, and I went back to sleep.

I awoke this morning around 8 to the sound of traffic on the highway. I didn’t want to get up, but I had to go to the bathroom, and it was already getting really warm again. I did my duty and started packing up. I tell you, I did not wake up in a good mood. Everything was setting me off. Spiders had taken over my bags and bike, and they were stubborn. Now I have pretty much gotten over my fear of spiders, but for some reason these things had me freaked out. Most of them were just daddy long-legs, which have never really bothered my, but there were a few that were huge- like 1″ long body and a 3″ or so leg-span. They weren’t aggressive at all; I just wasn’t in the mood to deal with them. There were tons of other bugs as well. I pressed on, just thinking about getting everything together so I could get the hell out of this creepy place.

Once I got everything out on to the street, I took my time a bit packing up, trying to consolidate some things and leaving a few articles of clothing behind that I don’t need. I’m finally to the point where I can start dropping items that are just weighing me down and taking up space. Still, I was anxious and in a terrible mood. Funny enough, I just didn’t want to be alone this morning. I looked forward to that so much the day before. As I packed up, I was still getting frustrated over the number of bugs and pests around. They were really doing a number on my nerves. At one point I stood up, possibly to move something or grab something, looked down and saw a bug on my calf. I reached down and tried to brush it off quickly. It didn’t budge. I tried again, a little frantic. No dice. This thing was on there. Shit! No mistaking what this bugger was: a tick, and it had already sunk it’s damn little head into me. Luckily I was a cub scout when I was younger, growing up in Tennessee, where ticks are always present, so I knew what to do about it. I scrambled into my just-packed bags for my matches. I pushed the sleeve open, pulled one out and struck it against the side. It fired up right away, unlike last night, when it took me about 5 matches to finally get one to light. I blew it out and touched the hot match head to the rear end of the tick. He backed his little head out of my leg in a hurry, and I quickly flicked him off my leg. The thing wasn’t really bloated, so I figure he mustn’t have been in there long, but he definitely got started, because there was a bit of blood where he came out. Another thing I was taught from scouts or somewhere when I was younger, is that ticks can be carriers of lyme disease, an infection that can have mild to serious effects. I have been told that you should try to preserve the tick in alcohol and have it tested for lyme disease. Luckily I just happen to carry alcohol with me for my stove. So again I scrambled to find my flask of Everclear and one of my small plastic containers to put some in. I poured a bit and got the tick to crawl onto the match and tossed it into the small bottle of alcohol. Once I get to Virginia Beach I think I’m going to see what I can do about getting tested.

Having that bugger burrowed into my skin did nothing to help my already jittery nerves. I felt so violated by that little thing. I started freaking out and checking my whole body for more ticks. Not a good feeling. Finally I decided I just needed to get the hell out of there and back on the bike. I packed up the rest quickly and mounted the bags on the bike and set out.

Now it’s a few hours later. I’ve biked into the next decent sized town, Rocky Mount, and I’m sitting in the entrance to their library. I’ve calmed down a bit, but my nerves still feel a bit fragile, and writing about the tick again has stirred me up a bit. I’m trying to keep myself calm and move past this morning and last night, but the foreboding gray sky is not helping my mood. Plus, this town isn’t so nice. It has an almost deserted feeling, and it doesn’t feel safe. I’m keeping a close eye on my bike, just outside the entrance, as I write all this. I need a friend.

Now I’m gonna set back out and ride some more. Hopefully the exercise will help calm me down. I need to do some breathing exercises and try to meditate. Hopefully these clouds don’t follow through with their apparent intentions.

Last night Chela’s friend Jason and I checked out a show at a local venue, Cat’s Cradle, in Chapel Hill. The act was Langhorne Slim. Three talented musicians and an amped crowd made for an awesome show. I left with satisfaction and clarity. The singer has a great voice, and I really liked a lot of his lyrics: simple, but with good sentiment. It made me want to write more, especially poetry.

After the show I got a good night’s rest. This morning I was treated to a wonderfully filling breakfast at the hotel, courtesy of my host Chela. I took my time eating and getting out of town this morning, planning only to go about 25 miles today and camp around a state park outside Durham on a lake. Funny enough, I didn’t even make it the 25 miles. I maybe got ten in before finding my final destination for the day.

I stopped at one point to talk to a homeless man working an intersection for handouts. He was friendly, seemed a bit unstable, but able to hold a good conversation. He told me the circumstances that led him to his current state- almost everyone in his family had died, the ones left screwed him over on the inheritance money. When he threatened to kill them, they had him committed to a mental institution. I asked him if he had anything he was working towards. He didn’t. An interesting tidbit, though, if it’s true: said he hitchhiked around the country when he was younger and got picked up by Ted Bundy in Colorado and Jeffrey Dahmer, maybe in Wisconsin at some point. Tough to believe, but he insisted it was true.

Soon after that I was in or near downtown Durham. I stopped to make a couple phone calls and ultimately got a slice of pizza. On the way out a woman asked me the obligatory questions required to someone clearly on a bike tour: where you coming from, where you going, the like. She and her husband had done a tandem tour across the country for their honeymoon years back. Well, wanting to pay forward the great hospitality she and her husband received on their tour, Kathy Jo, invited me to stay the night at their place. I told her I wasn’t opposed, but that I was probably going to camp a ways down at a state park. She gave me her number and told me where she lived and we talked a bit. As we talked, some friends of hers passed by, and eventually she told me I should come back to their place so her husband, Kevin, could tell me a good route to get to the park, as the directions I had were not so good. Their friend Mark, whom they are trying to convince to do a bike tour, as he has recently been laid off from his job and has the time and desire to do something like that and expressed interest before but just needs a good kick in the butt to actually do it, came back as well. It turned into some great conversation and a lunch with more pizza and after a few hours it just made sense to stay there for the night.

I worked hard to convince Mark to get on his bike and do a tour and invited him to join me for part of mine. I don’t think he’s going to do it, but maybe I helped give him a bit of a kick to actually getting out there. Kevin and Kathy Jo have been great conversation. They even invited me to dinner at their friends’ house. So what a day! Rode ten miles or so to have lots of great food and to meet some awesome people.

Tomorrow I have no set destination. I figure I’ll just ride as long as I feel like it. While I’m not in any huge rush, I do want to travel more than ten miles tomorrow, and I may just push on to my initial destination, which is about 70 miles. It just depends what time I get started and how I feel.

It has been a few days since my last post, an exhausting few days. Allow me to recap:

I left Ridgecrest on Tuesday afternoon after a good meal and some good-byes to all the wonderful people I met during my stay. Again I want to thank everyone so much for being so kind to me. I had some really great conversations. In the end, however, I had to press on. The experience was incredible, exactly what I needed, but my path right now is to move on, keep pedaling to another destination. I hope to keep in touch and return again sometime soon to spend more time.

As I pedaled away, the sky was foreboding. The beginning of the ride took me down a closed off section of old highway 70. The road is blocked off, clearly says it’s private property, no trespassing. Someone at Ridgecrest told me, however, that the signs aren’t accurate. It is a public road with public utilities running underneath, just surrounded by private property. The signs haven’t been updated. I had to take my rear bags off in order to lift my bike over the gate. The road itself was in a state of disrepair- cracked, broken, overgrown with vegetation. The dense canopy of trees created a dark shade. To be honest, it was a bit creepy but very exciting. I was sure that I was going to come across a bear. All I saw was a wild turkey. Luckily this whole section was downhill, so I just had to coast, cautiously avoiding major breaks in pavement and harsh potholes.

After a few miles the deserted section rejoined the main road. I was worried for a bit that it wouldn’t connect. As soon as I got back on the highway the sky followed through with its promise and completely opened up. Heavy, heavy rain and plenty of lightning. It was a fierce storm. With at least 60 miles to go that day, however, I had no choice but to press on through. I put on my rain gear (not waterproof) and hoped that my homemade bags were sufficient to keep my clothes dry. They weren’t. Water soaked in through the seams and dampened all of my clothing. It was a tough and exhausting ride. The rain cleared up for about an hour, I think, then continued off and on again, but not as heavily as earlier. A friendly woman working at a gas station I stopped in was kind enough to give me some extra food- a muffin, some Combos, and a Snickers energy bar. Later on I exchanged waves with a group of people sitting on a porch. They yelled to ask if I wanted a hotdog. Hell yeah! So I stopped in and had a nice chat with these folks. The offered me a beer and a hotdog and chips and some fruit. It was a great little break, but I had to press on to make it to Hickory before dark.

I made it as the sun was going down. I stayed with a gay couple in a beautiful home. They let me dry all of my clothing and sleeping bag, which also got wet. From Hickory I planned to get to Chapel Hill, which is about 150 miles away, in two days. That means trying to do 75 miles a day. I can do it, but it’s not easy. I had a place to stay lined up in Chapel Hill, but nothing along the way, so I thought I would just wing it. I set a marker at around 75 miles to try to reach the first day. More rain had other plans for me. It started light in the early afternoon and continually got worse as time went on, sometimes with heavy winds. I ended up stopping at a Lutheran church to seek shelter for a bit around 5 or so. The rain picked up and continued for about an hour as I waited, and I decided I would probably just stay there. By 6:30 it was all cleared up and I could have ridden on, but the forecast was for more scattered thunderstorms, and I figured I should take advantage of the place I had.

It was a hard, narrow bench I spent the night on. It left a bruise on my hip from trying to sleep on my side. Being pretty tired, though, I was able to get a decent amount of sleep. I awoke early, knowing I needed an early start to make the 100 or so miles to Chapel Hill before dark. I left around 9am. After 10 long hours of pedaling I finally made it to my destination. I was exhausted in every way, but somehow after a cold shower I was ready to go out and have some drinks with my lovely host and her friends. I really am amazed what I am able to push my body through. Last night I stayed up until almost 4am, had at least 4 beers, all after biking around 100 miles. This a few days after staying up at a party in Asheville until 4:30am after about 50 miles of biking. This after spending the night before on a hard church bench.

Today I am functional, but definitely very tired. Luckily it’s a planned day off here in Chapel Hill. So far I really like this city. It’s definitely a college town, but being summer now, most of the students are not around. I’ve had a great time with my host Chela and her friends from work and eaten some great food so far. Also, they have Trader Joe’s, my favorite grocery store, here so I can finally stock up on some more good, cheap snacks. I’ve completely run out of snack food now.

So it has been just over a week now on this journey. So far it has been mostly very enjoyable. I’ve met some great people, seen the beautiful mountains and rural farm land out here. The cities have been okay. I have had some really rewarding experiences and encounters, and I’m finally really relaxing and beginning to let go of everything. I’m working on erasing all of my expectations and worries and truly taking this all as it comes.

For now, I have a rough plan for the next two days. I should make it to the coast in about three or four days. I’ve decided I don’t really want to do many more days over 50 miles. Any more than that, and my entire day becomes focused on getting to the destination before dark, and I don’t feel I have time to allow myself to explore and stop and relax along the way. Also, I brought supplies with me to be creative along the way. I have some fabric and sewing supplies as well as paints and some canvas. I want to read more and write more and take in more of the small stops along the way. So from now on, shorter riding distances to allow more down time.

Today is a day of changed plans, unexpected destinations, and overwhelming experiences. I left Asheville this morning at 11am with the full intention of riding 80 miles to Hickory, North Carolina. I had a place to sleep all lined up, a phone number to call when I was getting close. After an hour and a half of riding, however, when I was just getting well out of the city/suburbs, just about ready to take my first break for the day, I came across a sign.

Now when I left today, and even yesterday during my day off, I was feeling anxious. I had all of a sudden developed this desire to hasten my pace, to reach the coast soon, to travel more miles per day. I’m not sure where it came from, but it was strong. As I rode today I thought about needing something to calm me down, remind me to take things slower and take my time. I thought about the various ways this readjustment could come to me. Often a change of that nature requires loss or an event which at first seems negative, such as a flat tire, or even being struck by a car. Obviously I would choose a flat tire over being hit, but I considered that as an occurrence that would change my priorities. I surely did not expect what came my way instead.

In the summer of 2003 and for part of summer 2004, my brother Josh worked at a Christian camp in the mountains of North Carolina called Ridgecrest. I knew he really liked it the first year, working in an ice cream shop called the Nibble Nook, but he left early the next year because of his depression. It was only a few months later that he killed himself. He had talked about the place plenty, I had seen pictures and even met some of his friends from there, but I had never been. I knew it was close to Asheville, but for some reason I had the idea it was to the northwest. Well, today as I trucked along old highway 70, paralleling interstate 40, just as I was thinking that I needed to take a break, I came upon a sign that said Ridgecrest. At first I figured that it must be something different, could have been anything. A minute later I was right in front of the entrance, and it was clear that this was the same place.

I decided that I would take a short break and see if anyone still worked there that would have known him. I asked at the entry gate where the Nibble Nook was. They told me it was closed. I told them about my brother to see if they knew him. It’s a huge place, and they have lots of young kids coming through working there every summer, so they didn’t know him personally. But they did start me on a search to find people that would. After a bit of searching and asking around, I was finally introduced to an older couple, Patty and Ken, who had known Josh well in the time he was there.

It was very emotional. They had been very fond of my brother and took his death hard. Just meeting these people who had known my brother brought tears to my eyes. Patty brought me up to the prayer garden where they have placed a memorial stone in his name. It was tough being there, looking at that stone in the ground bearing his name. “In Memory Of Joshua R. Allen.” It’s not something I see very often. It’s very rare that I see his name written at all. To see it there suddenly made everything real in my mind. Often it’s easy to think about events and people in abstraction. The thought is in your head, but there is nothing physical to substantiate this thought, so it may not have as strong of an effect. Seeing that stone in that garden at this camp that my brother had spent a summer of his life at, that I had never visited before but had heard all about, that took months of abstract thoughts and memories about Josh and made them an undeniable reality: He’s gone.

Patty and I talked and cried a lot. She said a very emotional prayer. It was very comforting to be in the presence of someone so compassionate, talking very fondly of my brother. Then she lead me to an office to talk to a woman who also knew Josh, who I guess is in charge of recruiting summer staff. Melissa had talked to my brother plenty and was aware of his depression. She said she could tell when he wasn’t taking his medication. She had tried to get him to talk more, but there was a lot of darkness in my brother that he wouldn’t talk about. It has been a long time since I have talked to someone about my brother who knew about his issues. It brought me completely back down to earth, grounded by the grave reality of my present surroundings.

Melissa started telling me about other people around who knew Josh and would want to talk to me. By this point I had been there nearly two hours and was thinking about getting back on the road, still trying to make it to Hickory. I had arrangements of where to stay, after all. Melissa and Patty asked if I wanted to stay at Ridgecrest a night. They could put me up in the staff dorms. I knew then that there was no other option. I had to stay, to talk to more people, to be in this place that Josh had stayed, to fully take this all in. These amazingly gracious people set me up with a dorm room to sleep in, brought me a lunch because I hadn’t eaten any yet, got me three meal tickets to the cafeteria for tonight and tomorrow. These people loved Josh and showed me amazing compassion because I’m his brother. I’m still in awe.

I didn’t know what time dinner ended, and I ended up missing it. I went to the cafeteria anyway to try to find Patty and Ken to see how I could get food. I asked a group of older volunteers where they were, and one asked me if I was Josh’s brother. He had heard I was around and recognized me by resemblance. It’s funny, when I was younger, I used to hate when people said I looked like my brother. I didn’t like being constantly compared to someone else. I wanted to be completely my own person. Today when some people told me I look like Josh, it brought tears to my eyes, and I felt honored to be compared to someone that I, among many others, admired so much.

The older man’s name is Dick; his wife Veda sat down moments later. They had worked with Josh at the Nibble Nook and became his sort of grandparents. They loved him very much. Dick arranged for me to get some food, and both talked with me for a while in the cafeteria. Such wonderful people. They expressed so much love towards me. I was so overwhelmed by sadness and joy. Dick and Veda also tried hard to convince me to stay a while longer, volunteer at the camp, maybe even try to get some paying work. I couldn’t believe it, but my mind was strongly considering the option. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, nestled in the mountains, but I think it was the prospect of spending more time with these compassionate, loving people that had me turned on to the idea. I want to talk about my brother so much, to learn more about him in those final years and months before he killed himself, and to hear people talk so lovingly about him. I have felt so warm and welcome here.

In the end, however, I don’t think I’m going to stay past tomorrow morning for a few reasons. First of all, I do want to continue on with my trip, if for no other reason than to get up to Rhode Island to see my family. Second, the people I have talked to about Josh have made me feel so good, and I have enjoyed every moment of their company, but this is a Christian camp, and I’m not a Christian, and that has made the rest of my time here a bit uncomfortable. I have no problem with what this place is, with anyone’s beliefs here, I just don’t share them, and that makes me an outsider in a camp dedicated to furthering and developing those beliefs. I have no desire to convert or have anyone talk to me about converting. And third, despite the warmth of the personal company I have found here, it has been very difficult for me to be here. I am overwhelmed with emotion, and I don’t know if I can take another day of that. I think I need a day of riding to put into perspective everything that has transpired today. This has been such an amazing experience. I have cried so many times, smiled just as much, and felt as human as one possibly can, I think. Right now, I want to take this day, these events and emotions and move forward with them. I told Dick and Veda I would sleep on the idea just in case I do want to stay, if only for another day.

Writing now, I wish I could convey everything I have felt today. I wish there was a phrase I could use that would hopefully make everyone understand. All that comes to mind is that I feel human. I feel my heart. I see myself, and I see where I fit in to my present situation. It’s a satisfying feeling, but not necessarily an easy one to handle, if that makes sense. I no longer feel anxious, as I did before.

Experience confirms: ask and ye shall receive.

a memorial stone in the prayer garden

Patty and I in the prayer garden

A fairly accurate map of my route so far:

Google Map

I made it over the mountains, and I’m currently in Sylva, North Carolina, couchsurfing. My hosts brought me along with them to a friend’s barbeque. I’m very grateful.

These past two days have been rough. “The Dragon” kicked my ass! I had almost no energy by the time I stopped to camp, which was just outside a little campground. The place was full, so I set up camp down the road a piece. There were picnic tables and it was right by a creek. Nice and quiet. No bears, although an old man warned me about them. Traffic wasn’t too bad over the mountains, but it picked up as the day wore on. No major incidents to speak of. Mostly motorcycles on joy rides. The climbs, though, that was really hard. I think it was about 1200ft in elevation gain, but you basically do it twice, then go downhill, then climb some more, and just keep rolling along like that. I wasn’t ready for it.

Today wasn’t as bad. Plenty of climbs, mostly rolling though. At one point I was completely drained. I stopped at the top of a hill at an underpass to rest. I couldn’t make it much further. The sun was brutal as well. After two bananas, an orange, and a kiwi, however, my strength was increased ten-fold. No joke. That fruit saved me.

Anyway, I’m going to get back to the barbeque. I’ll post more really soon, hopefully from Asheville. I have plenty of pictures. Just wanted to let everyone know I made it over the mountains.

Happy Fourth of July!!

It has begun, and that cannot be undone.

I made it out, finally. I left on Wednesday afternoon, around 3:30. It was a 40-mile ride through some nice rural areas, over a dam, and by plenty of water. Leaving was a bit surreal; biking out of my house, it just didn’t feel like I was beginning some big adventure. It felt like any other departure, but maybe that’s because this has been such a long process to get this thing going. There hasn’t been much buildup of excitement.

Now it’s time to get ready for the next leg. Today I’m heading over the mountains on a road they call “the dragon.” It is very curvy as it winds over the mountains into North Carolina. I need to get an early start to avoid as much traffic as possible. This road is frequented by many dumb-ass racers who try to complete the curvy course in as little time as possible. It’s two lanes with no shoulder.

Off we go. Tonight is probably going to be camping out in the boonies, so no post for a day or two. Pictures to come soon.

Well, I can’t really say it’s procrastination, but this trip just keeps getting pushed back. Today was slated to be the day of departure, but a few minor setbacks came up to change that. For one, I just wasn’t ready. I hadn’t packed completely before this morning, and when I made my first attempt, it was painfully obvious that I still had some work to do in getting everything together and figuring out what exactly I’m bringing. There was no chance of everything fitting in my bags. On top of that, my destination for the first night, my friend Adam’s house, would not be occupied until around 10 at night. That means I would have either a lot of dead time sitting on their porch for hours, or I would be biking down some curvy rural roads in the dark. It wasn’t meant to be.

Now, just into the morning hours, I feel slightly more ready to leave. I have packed my bags, but I feel I still need to ditch some weight. These things are monstrously heavy. I just took a ride around the block, and it was strenuous. My first thought was, ‘this is ridiculous.’ It’s definitely a heavier load than last trip. Now the fun of guessing what I won’t need in a week begins.

I haven’t left home, but the adventure has already begun. I think I’m finally starting to feel the excitement about this upcoming journey. The last month has transformed into a head-down, drill-turning construction job. Focus was lost on the upcoming trip as trying to get ready for the upcoming trip took center stage. Now that I’m just about ready, I can return to thinking about the adventure, the exploration, the mountains and the water and the trees that await. Not to mention the friendly people.

So my clothes are clean, my bags mostly packed, I’ve cut my hair and trimmed my beard, and planned a route for the next few days. What comes next is all to be discovered when I get there. Now it’s time to get some rest for what hopefully will be the official day one of the trip.