Day 44-(83 Miles)- Tuesday, July 31, 2007- Niagara Falls, NY to Henrietta, NY
Ride Update: I have now completed my cross country ride of 3,217 miles and have climbed 90,502' through eight states and one Canadian province. As a sidebar, I logged 2,300 miles in July which included seven centuries (+100 miles) and five additional rides over 90 miles.
The ride today went by at light speed. I was joined by the Millers for the entire ride, but saw many of the group along the way. Today's ride itself was pretty boring, but throughout the ride I experienced strong emotions about this incredible experience coming to an end. Do I wish I was going through to New Hampshire with my friends? Of course. I'd give anything to be able to do that. But it is not to be and I've made peace with that. So, I am glad to have finished what I set out to do.
I have enjoyed myself beyond all expectations. The ride has been more than I expected- harder, longer, prettier, and way more fun. Way, way more fun.
I have commented many times about the nearly perfect weather. Today was another day that you'd kill for. I make no apologies for doing this ride in wonderful weather. None whatsoever. And thanks to whomever was responsible.
This group of riders has been extraordinary. I hope I've made friends for life with some of these folks. Maybe we'll meet up again on our bicycles and we'll ride some more. However, I seriously doubt that any other encounter we might have will top this one. I've read people's journals from other rides in which they refer to fellow riders as "family". I thought that was hokey and overly sentimental- and I was sure that I would not feel that way. But I do. We have done things that families do together- we've eaten together, some have shared bedrooms, we've washed clothes together, laughed and fussed at each other, we've done chores as a team, and we've protected each other. If this isn't how families behave, then I don't understand what they do.
So, I'm happy to be at the end of my ride and I'm proud of what I've done. I look forward to reuniting with Sherry on Friday. It's the longest we've ever been apart and I have missed you. I am excited about spending time this week with Ron, Jack, Susie, Sara and Mom. And I also can't wait to see Kelly and meet Rizzy for the first time. And I hope that Erin, Nora, Patrick, Thomas and Courtney will all be ready to have some fun. Finally, I look forward to soon being with Nick and Jon- it's been a while, and I appreciate you guys taking care of the farm while I've been gone.
I want to say a special thanks to the following friends:
Joe, Brian and Brody at Habersham Bikes- thanks for your help in getting me ready for this adventure and for following along through the blog. I'll see you soon. And thanks for keeping Matthew away from the Cervelo.
Danny Short and Keith Campbell- I had lot's of comments from you guys and though a couple were real smart ass comments, you guys helped me to get through some of the tough days. Thanks a bunch and I look forward to seeing you soon.
The Miller Family- Thanks for taking me in and making me "Uncle Bob". I enjoyed the hours we spent together. Michael- keep killing people and eating them- it's the right thing to do.
Derek Miller- You get special thanks for sharing your food/gum, pulling me when I was beat, pushing me up hills, making me laugh, laughing at my stupid jokes and not getting pissed when I said "yeah?". Keep Ole B-1 running and watch out for chain deformities.
Joel and Allison- I really enjoyed riding with you. You guys saved me a couple of times and I appreciate it. And thanks again for lunch at Wolfgang's!! Good luck to Allison- you'll be Dr. Paine in no time.
Ralph- Learned some things from you, man. Thanks again for the book and it's lessons. I enjoyed riding with you and Gerard (gulp!!). September- Six Gaps?? Let me know. Hope Mariah treats you right.
The Three D's- Brett, Jen and Russell- I enjoyed your company so much. You are neat folks and I hope our paths cross again soon. Good luck to you. Love you Jen.
Gary- I wish I'd have gotten to know you sooner, cause you are one funny dude. We'll do some fly fishing in Madison, OK?
Rich- You were the class of the group Rich. One cool dude, for sure. Sorry about stealing Sarah from you a time or two- but what can I say? She was just a sucker for a guy with a faster bike. Take good care of Peaches.
Will - You showed me what a man with infinite patience looks like. Thank you.
Badger Bill- I will never feel guilty again eating donuts or ice cream. And I have you to thank for this. I still dream about the donuts your wife brought. Is there a cure for this?
Marianne- Thanks for making me laugh so many times. But do be careful on the rest of the trip- I don't want you to poke your eye out.
Marilyn- Thanks for showing me what courage looks like. My hat is off to you- nobody on this trip could compare to you.
Ernst - To the Governator- FOUR MORE YEARS!!! I enjoyed riding with you and thanks for making me laugh.
John and Janet- Drafting behind your tandem was a blast. Thanks so much!!
Daco, Bud and Cindy- Though we didn't ride together often, you guys graciously allowed me to suck wheel a couple times- thanks for letting me run with the big dogs!!
Max and Mark- I had some enjoyable times with you guys, but the best was the Google argument. Enjoy the rest of your ride. Max- keep the rubber side down.
And to the ABB staff- I really appreciate the work you did. This was my first supported tour, but I give you high marks for your organization and attention to detail. Thanks for making my trip a reality.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Day Forty Three-Preparing to Dismount
Day 43- (0 Miles)- Monday, July 30, 2007- Niagara Falls, NY- Rest Day
Up at 4:30 AM, polished off my laundry by 5:15AM, early breakfast, cleaned the bike by 10:00AM. It's now 10:17 AM and I'm bored, but the tourist things hold no interest for me. Guess I'm really ready to dismount and stick a landing in Henrietta tomorrow.
I wandered around the falls with my dinner partners last night 'til about 10:30PM. While it was still light out we walked along the river, upstream from the falls and I was in awe of the power of the river.
After a cool and refreshing ice cream treat, we ambled on over to the falls. As dutiful tourists, we ooh'ed and ahh'ed at the lighted up falls and at the fireworks display, 
but a little of that goes an incredibly long way. Just prior to that I captured a photo of Mike releasing a helium balloon-his gift to the visitors at Niagara Falls- he's generous in that way.
It's now after 8:00PM and bedtime is not far off. The day was a real bore and I'm really ready to blow this pop stand. Bring on the final verse- I'm ready to sing.
Up at 4:30 AM, polished off my laundry by 5:15AM, early breakfast, cleaned the bike by 10:00AM. It's now 10:17 AM and I'm bored, but the tourist things hold no interest for me. Guess I'm really ready to dismount and stick a landing in Henrietta tomorrow.
I wandered around the falls with my dinner partners last night 'til about 10:30PM. While it was still light out we walked along the river, upstream from the falls and I was in awe of the power of the river.
After a cool and refreshing ice cream treat, we ambled on over to the falls. As dutiful tourists, we ooh'ed and ahh'ed at the lighted up falls and at the fireworks display, 
but a little of that goes an incredibly long way. Just prior to that I captured a photo of Mike releasing a helium balloon-his gift to the visitors at Niagara Falls- he's generous in that way. 
It's now after 8:00PM and bedtime is not far off. The day was a real bore and I'm really ready to blow this pop stand. Bring on the final verse- I'm ready to sing.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Day Forty Two-Back in the US of A
Day 42- (72 Miles)- Sunday, July 29, 2007- Brantford, ONT to Niagara Falls, NY (571')
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,137 miles (97% of the total) and climbed 87,852'. I have one day/80 miles remaining.
Note: My email is back up. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Interesting day. After a fitful night's sleep (I was awake from 1:30-3:00AM), and a relatively late start, I departed from breakfast alone. The morning was cool and clear and the day held that way until mid afternoon, when things finally warmed up- but not uncomfortably so. Within a few miles from the Echo Restaurant's breakfast buffet,
I heard riders approaching me and I turned to see Big Ralph and Gerard coming by. I decided to play with the big boys (these two are among the elite riders on our tour and have some impressive cycling accomplishments to their credit) and stomped on the gas, quickly falling in behind Gerard. I have ridden with both of these fine guys before and enjoy their company, but I had serious doubts as to how long I could even draft behind them. I knew full well that getting in front to pull would lead to a catastrophic melt down, so I dutifully paid homage by staying in the slipstream. That turned out to take a heroic effort on my part.
In a mile or so we were joined by John from Minnesota, who is a strong rider, but still not in the same league as our big boys. With John aboard, Ralph and Gerard taxied down the country road and in short order, lifted off-two abreast- into a brisk headwind. The wind blew the rest of the day and in spite of being in the draft, the boys hammered me into the ground- cruising along at 19 up the hills, 20-24 on the flats and who knows how fast downhill. For 35 miles, I scrapped to stay on Gerard's wheel. The hardest part came early on, as I struggled to get warmed up (I find this can take an hour or more). The middle part of the ride was the easiest for me as I finally warmed up and got reasonably comfortable. Then my comfort level began to decay, and by the sag at mile 35, I was crying "Uncle". With no real regrets, I tendered my resignation and waited for a more moderate group to join.
While waiting for a group to materialize, I was standing next to my bike, talking to a staffer and we both heard a hissing sound. In two shakes of a lambs tail, we had the noise pinned down to the Habersham Bicycle TCR Giant, that I call mine. It was my second flat of the day and with some fine help from Mike Miller, we stripped that boy down to the essentials, and had it roadworthy lickety split.
My group finally appeared-and a familiar group it was- the Millers, Gary, Max and Mark, and the Paines. Unfortunately, within a few miles we had trouble holding the group together and quickly began to lose people off the front and back.
After Derek's chain disintegrated, Joel, Allison and I formed an alliance and held that formation all the way to the Falls. Just before crossing back into the US, Joel announced that he was buying my lunch- and not just any lunch. We got a patio table at Wolfgang Pucks- for some "real food", as Allison called it. After a wonderful lunch, we jooked our way through the traffic, 
stopped for the obligatory pics at the falls- always a treat- and then inched our way across the Rainbow Bridge- our re-entry to the U.S.
Today marks the end of our fifth leg- a modest one by previous standards with only six days, 495 miles and 7300' of climbing. And with the close of this leg, we found ourselves saying goodbye to six riders- several of whom I have had the pleasure of spending a fair amount of time. We are losing Topper, Lois, Bud, Sarah, Allison, and Dave. I will miss all of them, but some have become good buds and I wish they'd have postponed this for a couple of days. I especially want to wish Allison Paine good fortunes as she starts medical school at UC Irvine in a couple of weeks. This is a really smart young lady with unlimited potential who, so far, has always been right. Good Luck Allison-I'll miss riding with you!!
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,137 miles (97% of the total) and climbed 87,852'. I have one day/80 miles remaining.
Note: My email is back up. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Interesting day. After a fitful night's sleep (I was awake from 1:30-3:00AM), and a relatively late start, I departed from breakfast alone. The morning was cool and clear and the day held that way until mid afternoon, when things finally warmed up- but not uncomfortably so. Within a few miles from the Echo Restaurant's breakfast buffet,
I heard riders approaching me and I turned to see Big Ralph and Gerard coming by. I decided to play with the big boys (these two are among the elite riders on our tour and have some impressive cycling accomplishments to their credit) and stomped on the gas, quickly falling in behind Gerard. I have ridden with both of these fine guys before and enjoy their company, but I had serious doubts as to how long I could even draft behind them. I knew full well that getting in front to pull would lead to a catastrophic melt down, so I dutifully paid homage by staying in the slipstream. That turned out to take a heroic effort on my part.In a mile or so we were joined by John from Minnesota, who is a strong rider, but still not in the same league as our big boys. With John aboard, Ralph and Gerard taxied down the country road and in short order, lifted off-two abreast- into a brisk headwind. The wind blew the rest of the day and in spite of being in the draft, the boys hammered me into the ground- cruising along at 19 up the hills, 20-24 on the flats and who knows how fast downhill. For 35 miles, I scrapped to stay on Gerard's wheel. The hardest part came early on, as I struggled to get warmed up (I find this can take an hour or more). The middle part of the ride was the easiest for me as I finally warmed up and got reasonably comfortable. Then my comfort level began to decay, and by the sag at mile 35, I was crying "Uncle". With no real regrets, I tendered my resignation and waited for a more moderate group to join.
While waiting for a group to materialize, I was standing next to my bike, talking to a staffer and we both heard a hissing sound. In two shakes of a lambs tail, we had the noise pinned down to the Habersham Bicycle TCR Giant, that I call mine. It was my second flat of the day and with some fine help from Mike Miller, we stripped that boy down to the essentials, and had it roadworthy lickety split.
My group finally appeared-and a familiar group it was- the Millers, Gary, Max and Mark, and the Paines. Unfortunately, within a few miles we had trouble holding the group together and quickly began to lose people off the front and back.
After Derek's chain disintegrated, Joel, Allison and I formed an alliance and held that formation all the way to the Falls. Just before crossing back into the US, Joel announced that he was buying my lunch- and not just any lunch. We got a patio table at Wolfgang Pucks- for some "real food", as Allison called it. After a wonderful lunch, we jooked our way through the traffic, 
stopped for the obligatory pics at the falls- always a treat- and then inched our way across the Rainbow Bridge- our re-entry to the U.S.Today marks the end of our fifth leg- a modest one by previous standards with only six days, 495 miles and 7300' of climbing. And with the close of this leg, we found ourselves saying goodbye to six riders- several of whom I have had the pleasure of spending a fair amount of time. We are losing Topper, Lois, Bud, Sarah, Allison, and Dave. I will miss all of them, but some have become good buds and I wish they'd have postponed this for a couple of days. I especially want to wish Allison Paine good fortunes as she starts medical school at UC Irvine in a couple of weeks. This is a really smart young lady with unlimited potential who, so far, has always been right. Good Luck Allison-I'll miss riding with you!!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Day Forty One-Cruisin' Through Ontario
Day 41- (64 Miles)- Saturday, July 28, 2007- London, ONT to Brantford, ONT (692')
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,065 miles (95% of the total) and climbed 86,202'. I have 152 miles/2 days remaining.
I can hear the sand running through the hour glass. With three days remaining (two ride days and a rest day in Niagara Falls), I am beginning to think about returning to LBTR - Life Before The Ride. And, as I expected, there are lots of emotions running round my head. I miss my family, Buck (our sweetheart Golden Retriever) and having a truck to run around in.
I look forward to home cooked meals that do not require a coupon, sign-in sheet or any LS (Line Standing). On the other hand, riding every day has become "what I do" and, as much as I thought otherwise, I have grown attached to my "family" on the road. Not all of them, but quite a few, are pretty cool cats, and I will miss being with them, facing the challenges of the road. This has been an incredible experience and I recommend it to anyone who's ever thought about it. It ain't perfect by a mile, but it has been a very special experience for me.
Today's route was not so special- the scenery was more rolling hills through Ontario farm country- corn, tobacco and ginseng appear to be the crops of choice. However, the group I joined worked together well and we formed a nice pace line, double when we could do so safely, and we motored along at a smart clip. The mood was light and we all worked hard to keep the chuckle factor high. We played well together.
As we have come to expect, the weather pattern did not fail to delight. Highs in the low 80's, clear skies, just a bit of humidity and very tolerable winds. I think our ride leader feels as though we should only get partial credit for our ride across country, since we've not faced the worst that's possible. I say- pound sand- rather be lucky than good. By the way, there's another America By Bicycle tour going cross country along a more central route and we hear they're getting pounded by rain. Better them.
Yesterday I got a lesson in Canadian money. They have one dollar pieces that have a picture of a Loon (a bird) on them. They're referred to as "Loonies". The two dollar pieces, which are a bit larger are referred to as....anyone?...anyone?.....they're called "Toonies". So you've got your loonies and you've got your toonies. Canadians apparently have the time to do things like this. Aren't they just cute as hell?
Speaking of all things Canadian, I've got another one. How about "Live Bait Vending Machines"? I didn't think so either, but I have by God seen one-picture submitted for your approval. Let's just pray they never lose power, shall we? This is a picture of Michael Miller who's pointing out that they dispense, not just worms, but "SPAWN" also. Got yer chilled spawn right here people. Life is good, eh?
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,065 miles (95% of the total) and climbed 86,202'. I have 152 miles/2 days remaining.
I can hear the sand running through the hour glass. With three days remaining (two ride days and a rest day in Niagara Falls), I am beginning to think about returning to LBTR - Life Before The Ride. And, as I expected, there are lots of emotions running round my head. I miss my family, Buck (our sweetheart Golden Retriever) and having a truck to run around in.
I look forward to home cooked meals that do not require a coupon, sign-in sheet or any LS (Line Standing). On the other hand, riding every day has become "what I do" and, as much as I thought otherwise, I have grown attached to my "family" on the road. Not all of them, but quite a few, are pretty cool cats, and I will miss being with them, facing the challenges of the road. This has been an incredible experience and I recommend it to anyone who's ever thought about it. It ain't perfect by a mile, but it has been a very special experience for me.Today's route was not so special- the scenery was more rolling hills through Ontario farm country- corn, tobacco and ginseng appear to be the crops of choice. However, the group I joined worked together well and we formed a nice pace line, double when we could do so safely, and we motored along at a smart clip. The mood was light and we all worked hard to keep the chuckle factor high. We played well together.
As we have come to expect, the weather pattern did not fail to delight. Highs in the low 80's, clear skies, just a bit of humidity and very tolerable winds. I think our ride leader feels as though we should only get partial credit for our ride across country, since we've not faced the worst that's possible. I say- pound sand- rather be lucky than good. By the way, there's another America By Bicycle tour going cross country along a more central route and we hear they're getting pounded by rain. Better them.
Yesterday I got a lesson in Canadian money. They have one dollar pieces that have a picture of a Loon (a bird) on them. They're referred to as "Loonies". The two dollar pieces, which are a bit larger are referred to as....anyone?...anyone?.....they're called "Toonies". So you've got your loonies and you've got your toonies. Canadians apparently have the time to do things like this. Aren't they just cute as hell?
Speaking of all things Canadian, I've got another one. How about "Live Bait Vending Machines"? I didn't think so either, but I have by God seen one-picture submitted for your approval. Let's just pray they never lose power, shall we? This is a picture of Michael Miller who's pointing out that they dispense, not just worms, but "SPAWN" also. Got yer chilled spawn right here people. Life is good, eh?
Friday, July 27, 2007
Day Forty- Oh Canada!
Day 40- (80 Miles) Friday, July 27, 2007- Port Huron, Mi to London, ONT, Canada
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,001 miles (93% of the total) and climbed 84,852'. As of today I have ridden 2,078 miles and have completed 7 centuries plus 5 rides over 90 miles in the month of July. Needless to say, this is a personal record for me. I have three more riding days left and will complete 216 more miles. I hope.
The start of today's ride was the most unusual and fun start to any ride I've ever been involved in. Following load, the riders assembled behind the motel and at 8:00AM we pulled out of the parking lot in the following sequence: Silver van, box truck, 75 riders occupying a lane and a half and all dressed in our ABB jerseys and finally, the white van. We rode slowly towards the bridge which crosses the Detroit River (connecting Lake Huron and Lake Erie) and separates the US and Canada. Once we'd cleared the toll booth, we regrouped and moments later we took control of the entire bridge which had been closed to vehicular traffic.
For about five minutes our entourage was all that moved on the bridge and it was a blast to be a rider in this group. We stopped twice and dismounted to cross the "king pins"- expansion joints big enough to swallow a bike tire-and then coasted into Canadian Customs.
We'd been warned that joking was not a laughing matter here and I had every intention of playing things totally serious. However, when it was my turn, the customs person asked "Do you plan to leave anything in Canada?" Without thinking, I answered, "Just sweat". Guess I may have made a mistake, but she smiled, laughed a bit and replied, "Have a nice stay". Mister Wisenheimer dodges a bullet.
Following customs, we were free to leave and I happened to be near Bud, Cindy, Daco and Sarah again, so I grabbed a wheel and hung on. Daco was pulling like a madman- 20-22MPH- and after about 20 miles, I thought about bailing out, but hung on. I revisited the notion of dropping off about every 5 miles, but finally made it to the sag at mile 35. I
officially resigned from that group at this sag.
The Charles Schwab cookies were a hit- with several riders bitching that they weren't getting a fair share. I, on the other hand, got a fair share. Thanks again Eric!!
Sarah and I finished the ride, which was flat and windy, and I was pleased that we dodged the thunderstorms that had been in the area. I thought the ride was tough- probably harder than some of the centuries we've done. Sometimes these "little" rides can get pretty bitchy-and I am really starting to dislike flat rides- there's just no rest- just keep on pedaling.
Post Script: Tonight when I returned to the hotel from dinner, Rich asked me if I had checked the front desk for any packages. I hadn't and he suggested that I do so. The front desk had a box full of gift packages for the riders and I collected mine. Turns out that they were from Ralph Antolino and the gift was a copy of his book, "The Nine Secrets of the Ultra-Happy People". Ralph wrote a very nice, personal note in mine. I thought that this was extraordinarily nice and very classy. Thank you Ralph. Very Much.
Ride Update: I have ridden 3,001 miles (93% of the total) and climbed 84,852'. As of today I have ridden 2,078 miles and have completed 7 centuries plus 5 rides over 90 miles in the month of July. Needless to say, this is a personal record for me. I have three more riding days left and will complete 216 more miles. I hope.
The start of today's ride was the most unusual and fun start to any ride I've ever been involved in. Following load, the riders assembled behind the motel and at 8:00AM we pulled out of the parking lot in the following sequence: Silver van, box truck, 75 riders occupying a lane and a half and all dressed in our ABB jerseys and finally, the white van. We rode slowly towards the bridge which crosses the Detroit River (connecting Lake Huron and Lake Erie) and separates the US and Canada. Once we'd cleared the toll booth, we regrouped and moments later we took control of the entire bridge which had been closed to vehicular traffic.
For about five minutes our entourage was all that moved on the bridge and it was a blast to be a rider in this group. We stopped twice and dismounted to cross the "king pins"- expansion joints big enough to swallow a bike tire-and then coasted into Canadian Customs.We'd been warned that joking was not a laughing matter here and I had every intention of playing things totally serious. However, when it was my turn, the customs person asked "Do you plan to leave anything in Canada?" Without thinking, I answered, "Just sweat". Guess I may have made a mistake, but she smiled, laughed a bit and replied, "Have a nice stay". Mister Wisenheimer dodges a bullet.
Following customs, we were free to leave and I happened to be near Bud, Cindy, Daco and Sarah again, so I grabbed a wheel and hung on. Daco was pulling like a madman- 20-22MPH- and after about 20 miles, I thought about bailing out, but hung on. I revisited the notion of dropping off about every 5 miles, but finally made it to the sag at mile 35. I
officially resigned from that group at this sag.The Charles Schwab cookies were a hit- with several riders bitching that they weren't getting a fair share. I, on the other hand, got a fair share. Thanks again Eric!!
Sarah and I finished the ride, which was flat and windy, and I was pleased that we dodged the thunderstorms that had been in the area. I thought the ride was tough- probably harder than some of the centuries we've done. Sometimes these "little" rides can get pretty bitchy-and I am really starting to dislike flat rides- there's just no rest- just keep on pedaling.
Post Script: Tonight when I returned to the hotel from dinner, Rich asked me if I had checked the front desk for any packages. I hadn't and he suggested that I do so. The front desk had a box full of gift packages for the riders and I collected mine. Turns out that they were from Ralph Antolino and the gift was a copy of his book, "The Nine Secrets of the Ultra-Happy People". Ralph wrote a very nice, personal note in mine. I thought that this was extraordinarily nice and very classy. Thank you Ralph. Very Much.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Day Thirty Nine-God Bless Charles Schwab
Day 39- (90 Miles)- Thursday, July 26, 2007- Birch Run, MI to Port Huron, MI (596')
Ride Update: I have ridden 2,920 miles (91% of the total). I have 4 days/295 miles remaining.
Today I received a nice surprise from Eric Cramer, my financial advisor from Charles Schwab. Eric, an accomplished bicycle racer, knew just what to send. Thanks for the cookies Eric- you da man!!
(To Ron Lau: I have noticed a dramatic change in how I feel riding long distances. And it did begin to occur after 2-3 weeks, but in my case, after 4 weeks I noticed the biggest difference. Today's ride was nearly 90 miles and it was not a big deal at all. While I was training for the ride I would have needed a day to recover from a ride like today's. But I was a girly man then.)
On Monday we put Lake Michigan at our backs and pushed off to the east-in the direction of Lake Huron, so beginning our three day march across Michigan. Today that push finally paid off, as we cruised along Lake Shore Blvd in the city of Port Huron with Lake Huron and some pretty impressive "cottages" along it's western shore to our left.
A couple of us rode through a small lakeside park and down to a public beach on Huron, where we were able see just why they call these the "Great Lakes". Might just as well been the Atlantic- these boys are mucho grande. (The picture of the lighthouse was taken from the Badger as we finished crossing Lake Michigan.)
I am still suffering from a nearly total electronic meltdown- my email stopped working about 4 days ago and the guys in New Delhi don't seem to have any answers- at least none that make sense to me. The Holiday Inn in Manitowoc seems to have permanently disposed of all of my chargers and cables that I managed to leave behind. I am powerless to do anything about either situation. Actually, I may take a cab to a Radio Shack this afternoon and try to replicate some of the battery/charger/cables that I lost.
I'm now back from Radio Shack and I did replace some, but not all of my cables. Still don't have a way to charge my camera, so I'll have to use it judiciously and hope I can find one. Also, I think I have solved my email problem, so I should be back in business.
The ride today was quite flat again and the weather was another sweetheart- temps mild, wind manageable, skies pretty much clear. The morning was foggy and humid, but we don't expect perfection. I started today's ride alone and after a few miles hopped on with Joel and Allison when they came by.
Joel complained somewhat that I was riding too fast and I guess I dropped them some- I think Allison wasn't 100% today. At the first sag, Sarah and I left together as Bud, Daco and Cindy were pulling out. So by happen chance, the five of us ended up riding together. Now I have always thought that the three of them were a bit out of my league, but maybe they were holding back today. Whatever the reason, I was able to hang on with them for the next 60 miles- and actually enjoyed the ride.
Tomorrow will be interesting- we will ride, as a group, across the bridge into Canada. They tell us that they'll close the bridge for us- that's going to be cool. Following that, we'll spend the next three days in Ontario and then cross back into the US at Niagara Falls. After that, one day to Henrietta and then I get off the Peace Train and re-enter reality. Too bad.
Ride Update: I have ridden 2,920 miles (91% of the total). I have 4 days/295 miles remaining.
Today I received a nice surprise from Eric Cramer, my financial advisor from Charles Schwab. Eric, an accomplished bicycle racer, knew just what to send. Thanks for the cookies Eric- you da man!!
(To Ron Lau: I have noticed a dramatic change in how I feel riding long distances. And it did begin to occur after 2-3 weeks, but in my case, after 4 weeks I noticed the biggest difference. Today's ride was nearly 90 miles and it was not a big deal at all. While I was training for the ride I would have needed a day to recover from a ride like today's. But I was a girly man then.)
On Monday we put Lake Michigan at our backs and pushed off to the east-in the direction of Lake Huron, so beginning our three day march across Michigan. Today that push finally paid off, as we cruised along Lake Shore Blvd in the city of Port Huron with Lake Huron and some pretty impressive "cottages" along it's western shore to our left.
A couple of us rode through a small lakeside park and down to a public beach on Huron, where we were able see just why they call these the "Great Lakes". Might just as well been the Atlantic- these boys are mucho grande. (The picture of the lighthouse was taken from the Badger as we finished crossing Lake Michigan.)I am still suffering from a nearly total electronic meltdown- my email stopped working about 4 days ago and the guys in New Delhi don't seem to have any answers- at least none that make sense to me. The Holiday Inn in Manitowoc seems to have permanently disposed of all of my chargers and cables that I managed to leave behind. I am powerless to do anything about either situation. Actually, I may take a cab to a Radio Shack this afternoon and try to replicate some of the battery/charger/cables that I lost.
I'm now back from Radio Shack and I did replace some, but not all of my cables. Still don't have a way to charge my camera, so I'll have to use it judiciously and hope I can find one. Also, I think I have solved my email problem, so I should be back in business.
The ride today was quite flat again and the weather was another sweetheart- temps mild, wind manageable, skies pretty much clear. The morning was foggy and humid, but we don't expect perfection. I started today's ride alone and after a few miles hopped on with Joel and Allison when they came by.
Joel complained somewhat that I was riding too fast and I guess I dropped them some- I think Allison wasn't 100% today. At the first sag, Sarah and I left together as Bud, Daco and Cindy were pulling out. So by happen chance, the five of us ended up riding together. Now I have always thought that the three of them were a bit out of my league, but maybe they were holding back today. Whatever the reason, I was able to hang on with them for the next 60 miles- and actually enjoyed the ride.Tomorrow will be interesting- we will ride, as a group, across the bridge into Canada. They tell us that they'll close the bridge for us- that's going to be cool. Following that, we'll spend the next three days in Ontario and then cross back into the US at Niagara Falls. After that, one day to Henrietta and then I get off the Peace Train and re-enter reality. Too bad.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Day Thirty Eight- The World is Flat
Day 38- (75 Miles)- Wednesday, July 25, 2007- Mt. Pleasant, MI to Birch Run, MI (635')
Ride Update: I have ridden 2,832 miles which is 88% of the total. I have 382 miles/5 days remaining.
In Tom Friedman's book, "The World is Flat" he talks about how the process off globalization is leveling the playing field between first world and second world countries, like India and China, allowing them to become serious players in global supply chains. When I say the world is flat, I mean that it's really flat. At least that's what I found today as we rode through central Michigan- there ain't a hill out there.
I find that in order for an area to be considered scenic, it's very tough to do that when things are flat. So, in my humble opinion, what we're dealing with here in good old central Michigan is an area that is the plain Jane of the ride across the US. Not butt ugly, but not much going for it either.
Today we covered about 75 miles and got a late start. I decided to accompany Gary today and tried to give him a hand easing back into riding. He bailed out yesterday after 30 miles and was diagnosed with some kind of asthma. Joel checked him out and wrote him a script for some kind of drug, which Gary took last night. He thought he was at about 80% today and he rode pretty well. We put the cruise control on a medium setting and really took our time, stopping for donuts in Alma, MI and again for sandwiches in some little burg at about 11:00AM. We stopped for water at about mile 62 and spent a half hour watching some ants deal with a WD-40 roadblock that Jim made. Wow- easily amused/distracted or what?
I still haven't recovered my chargers and cables, even though I called the hotel again. My friend Ralph recovered a lost article from the same hotel, so I know they can do it- but I don't think I talked to the same person and finding someone who gives a crap about solving somebody's problem is so hard to do.
Speaking of people who are incapable of doing the right thing- I am sure my email is hosed up agaim. I swear- when I get back I am changing email providers because HUGHES SUCKS.
Sorry to not have pictures again today- but that's the problem with losing those cables and not having a car to get new ones.
Ride Update: I have ridden 2,832 miles which is 88% of the total. I have 382 miles/5 days remaining.
In Tom Friedman's book, "The World is Flat" he talks about how the process off globalization is leveling the playing field between first world and second world countries, like India and China, allowing them to become serious players in global supply chains. When I say the world is flat, I mean that it's really flat. At least that's what I found today as we rode through central Michigan- there ain't a hill out there.
I find that in order for an area to be considered scenic, it's very tough to do that when things are flat. So, in my humble opinion, what we're dealing with here in good old central Michigan is an area that is the plain Jane of the ride across the US. Not butt ugly, but not much going for it either.
Today we covered about 75 miles and got a late start. I decided to accompany Gary today and tried to give him a hand easing back into riding. He bailed out yesterday after 30 miles and was diagnosed with some kind of asthma. Joel checked him out and wrote him a script for some kind of drug, which Gary took last night. He thought he was at about 80% today and he rode pretty well. We put the cruise control on a medium setting and really took our time, stopping for donuts in Alma, MI and again for sandwiches in some little burg at about 11:00AM. We stopped for water at about mile 62 and spent a half hour watching some ants deal with a WD-40 roadblock that Jim made. Wow- easily amused/distracted or what?
I still haven't recovered my chargers and cables, even though I called the hotel again. My friend Ralph recovered a lost article from the same hotel, so I know they can do it- but I don't think I talked to the same person and finding someone who gives a crap about solving somebody's problem is so hard to do.
Speaking of people who are incapable of doing the right thing- I am sure my email is hosed up agaim. I swear- when I get back I am changing email providers because HUGHES SUCKS.
Sorry to not have pictures again today- but that's the problem with losing those cables and not having a car to get new ones.
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