June 29 Day 43 ATLANTIC OCEAN!

We did it! After a leisurely 19 mile ride from the Boston hotel to Revere Beach, we had a ceremonial wheel dip in the Atlantic Ocean. It was a crowning morning for 43 days of biking across this magnificent land of America. Mission complete!! Rode every rideable inch (EFI)!

Sandra was there at the beach to participate, which was great since she saw me off from the Pacific almost two months ago.

Tonight is a tough farewell dinner, where we say goodbye to near and dear friends. We have already been talking about possible new challenges..biking the Orient Express, hiking in Tibet, riding the Rockies, etc. Not many of us feel the need to repeat the cross country, but will cherish the memories. Kim awarded me the puffer fish helmet cover that she wore during part of the race. See picture of group.

We had a weigh-in last night and the average person lost about 10 pounds. I managed to drop 12 pounds...my lowest weight since college. Terry lost 20 pounds. The trick now is to reduce the calorie intake from 5000 a day to about 2000. This may be tough.

Today's stats: 19 miles, 12 mph avg, 200' climbing, temp 65 deg, light winds.

Overall stats: 3500 miles ridden, 81,000' of climbing, 43 days on the bike, 12 pounds weight lost, ten centuries.

June 28 Day 42 Brattleboro to Boston, MA WE'RE HERE!

We made it to Boston!! Tomorrow is the ride down to the Atlantic for the tire dipping ceremony. I wasn't sure this day would ever come, but it did!

Today was great...hot, very humid, and very hilly. We had two state line crossings and a ride through marvelous New England forests and valleys, and a ride over a wooden bridge. It rained last night, so we broke the stifling hot temps, but humidity was 100% and we were all dripping wet after some early steep hill climbing. One hill was especially memorable...1/2 mile long and topped out at 14% grade. I had to go into the granny gear and stand on the pedals to make it up. The country side was wonderful riding, but within 30 miles of Boston there was lots of traffic on the the country roads, which are know for being 300 year old paved cow trails. We were relieved to get off those congested roads with no shoulder.

All but one made the 87 mile ride into Boston, and everyone felt strong. Fran, who fell yesterday and is recovering from bruises, plans on making the 18 mile group ride to Revere Beach for the final act.

Sandra and I are already making plans to visit our grandson on Sunday in Long Island and go to Niagara Falls for July 4th.

Stats: 87 miles, 16mph avg, 4100' climbing, light winds, 70 - 85 deg temps.

June 27 Day 41 Albany to Brattleboro, VT

Great day...very hot (a record 97 deg in Brattleboro), very humid, very hilly (Green Mountains), hazy, and buggy. I was dripping wet an hour out of the motel, and we hadn't even started climbing the mountains. It was another one of those unusual mornings where the air was dead still, the sun was obscured in haze, and humidity was out of sight. I did well and was the fourth into the motel. Some riders wilted under the heat and sun. One of the riders, Fran, got her wheel caught in a road crack and took a fall, hitting a guardrail. She is a little scraped and bruised.

This was our 11th state crossing! Vermont is quite scenic with dense national forests and mountains. The towns are vibrant and full of 200 year old stately homes...right out of a Hollywood movie set.

Tomorrow is our last long day to Boston. It should be a relaxed day.

Sandra made it to Albany yesterday and drove to Brattleboro today. Ride was scenic and slow - lots of curves in road, trucks on the road, and shops and antique shops along the way!

Stats: 80 miles, 15.4 mph avg, 41 mph max, 5500' climbing, winds light and variable, temps 72 - 97 deg.

June 26 Day 40 Little Falls to Albany, NY

Another hot, humid, and hilly day through Up State NY. Today we cruised the Mohawk River Valley, which also has the Barge Canal...quite picturesque. I had to wonder what part of the world I was in when I rode through Amsterdam and Schenectady.

We had a slight helping tail wind, so were able to make good time. I did arrived dripping wet with perspiration. Tomorrow will be a bigger test because we have to climb 5500, over the Allegheny Mountains into Vermont on another hot day. Rumor has it that tomorrow will be a race day.

The country side is starting to look like New England with rolling hills, forests, rock cliffs, and stone walls. The corn field I checked out was full of rocks up to 4" in diameter. I am sure it is tough plowing and planting here.

I'm looking forward to Sandra arriving latter from Pittsburgh.

Stats: 69 miles, 18 mph avg, 1300' climbing, 0 - 15 mph tail wind, 70 - 91 deg.

June 25 Day 39 Syracuse to Little Falls, NY

Another great ride through 78 miles of Up State NY country side...hot, humid, and hilly. We knew it was going to get hot, so most decided to ride hard and get in early. I rode fast, stopped only once, and arrived at noon.

Part of the ride today was along the old Erie Canal and the newer Barge Canal. The old canal has a great bike trail along it, and the Barge Canal is used primarily for pleasure boats. We saw many yachts plying the water ways.

The town of Little Falls is a great study of evolution. It was founded in the late 1700s and became a key part of the Erie Canal. The Mohawk river flows through town, so it was used for power generation. In the 1800s Little Falls had factories that lead the nation in cheese manufacturing, shoes, textiles, paper, and hammers. It is a beautiful town with stately stone buildings. Today the town is primarly restaurants, bars, banks, and gift shops...no manufacturing.

Tomorrow we're off to Albany where temps are forecast to top 96 deg. Sandra also joins me for the final leg into Boston! Yea!!

Stats: 78 miles, 17.4 mph avg, 1500' climbing, 70 - 90 deg temps, 0 - 10 mph crossing tail winds.

June 24 Day 38 Canandaigua to Syracuse, NY

Tour Day! It was a picture perfect day with a relatively short distance - 70 miles - so we got to sleep in an extra hour and have a leisurely sight seeing ride to Syracuse. NY has some of the best roads we have ridden with wide and well maintained shoulders. Sunday morning traffic can't be beat too.

First stop was the Finger Lake at Geneva, which looked like a Swiss resort. Then it was Waterloo, the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1866. Next the beautiful town of Seneca Falls, where we visited the birthplace of the Woman's Rights National Park (woman's rights started in 1840). Finally, we had a boat tour on the Erie Canal. Interestingly, the canal was built in 1824 and resulted in the industrialization of northern NY. The canal was a boom for 20 years, but then the railroads came in. By the 1850s the canal was in decline. Probably a lesson on how long a profitable industry lasts. Today the canal is being taken over by volunteers and the NY State Parks for biking, walking, and kayaking.

The ride was easy, today. I had some cords starting to show on my tires, so replaced them after 3600 miles and 10 flats. They were good to me. These northern roads seem to be much easier on the tires.

Tomorrow is a 77 mile ride to Little Falls.

Stats: 70 miles, 15.6 mph avg, 2200' climbing, winds 0 - 10 variable, 61 - 80 deg temps.

June 23 Day 37 Hamburg to Canandaigua, NY 3000 Miles!

We got up this morning to cold temps...we could see our breath for a while. It was a great day for riding through central NY country side...rolling hills, corn and hay fields, dairy farms, forests, and maple syrup for sale. Tonight we are at the Finger Lakes, a picturesque resort area of water activities and vacation homes. A big change from the mid-West is towns were founded in the late-1800's; in NY the the towns were founded in the late-1700's. The country towns we rode through appear to be prospering and have old stately mansions...the result of "old money".

Another milestone...we passed 3000 miles and have 400 to go! We are all starting to see the end!

Tomorrow we ride to Syracuse where we pass through more Finger Lakes, which are a series of glacier lakes about a mile wide and 20 miles long.

Stats: 95 miles, 17.1 mph avg, 3200' climbing, 55 - 67 deg temps, 10 -20 mph cross and crossing tail winds.

June 22 Day 36 Erie to Hamburg, NY

We cruised into NY today, our 11th state crossing. What a fabulous day! The sun was shining, it was cool and the route was all along Lake Erie. We had a brisk crossing head wind, but managed to push through it. The lake shore looked a lot like the Northern California coast line with trees, cliffs, and lots to vineyards (no corn)...quite spectacular. The locals say we picked a good day because it is often overcast and wet.

For lunch we got off the beaten path and stopped at Sunset Beach, which could pass for any ocean side beach park. The beach was full of college kids soaking up the sun and playing ball...not many in the cold water. For a little excitement, Terry decided to show the construction workers and college kids how his bike handles over soft beach sand. He crashed in front of a big crowd, all of which were thoroughly entertained after they determined only his pride was hurt. How embarrassing! I had the restaurant speciality, a seaweed steak sandwich and a regular coke...great! It powered us the 20 miles into town.

On a sad note, my friend Frank gave up the ride today. He was the one that hurt his knee on the cattle guard, had a root canal, and then saddle sores. He had not been riding the past week because of acute saddle sores...no skin. His back side wouldn't heal, so he decided to head home. Frank was a great guy and a strong rider. We'll miss him.

Tomorrow we have a hard day going 93 miles and climbing 3200' to Canandaigua.

Stats: 82 miles, 1600' climbing, 15.6 mph avg, 10 - 20 mph crossing head winds, 54 - 66 deg temps.

June 21 Erie, PA Rest Day

What a welcome rest day...our last one. This time next week we'll be pulling into Boston!

Erie, PA, is an interesting city. We are staying in an old hotel down town and today I got to do some exploring and research it's history. Erie was quite an industrial town in the late 1800's. It was the world's largest fresh water fishing port, the largest builder of rail road steam locomotives, one of the nation's largest electrical generation plants, and a ship builder. Today, this is all gone and many of the down town buildings are vacant and for sale. The population has gone from 140,000 to less than 100,000. This seems to be a standard story for these old rust belt industrial cities. The city does have lots of stately old homes, schools, and churches.

I included a picture of the bike Michael has been riding around the world. I picked it up and it must weigh 80+ pounds with all his gear. By comparison, my bike and gear is about 20 pounds.

We had a great tour of the rebuilt naval ship Niagara, that Admiral Perry use to win the 1812 battle of Lake Erie. It was amazing how technical the construction and rigging was. Fran, our woman biker from Salt Lake City, toured it with us and I learned she was a US Navy Captain and commanded a sub supply ship.

Tomorrow we are off to Hamburg, NY, and our 11th state line crossing.

June 20 Day 35 Niles to Erie, PA

We had a big storm pass through Niles last night and today it was cool with head winds. Our ride was all through remote country roads with lots of Amish farms and families. It great ride, but some work because of the winds. A real treat was stopping for lunch at an old time outdoor root beer stand for floats.

We had our tenth state line crossing, coming into Pennsylvania at Lake Erie, which looks like an ocean. We also crossed I-90, the most northern interstate, which goes from NY to Seattle.

Along the road we passed a biker that was touring the US by himself and loaded with self supporting camping gear. His name was Michael, a Frenchman in his mid-20s, who had spent the past two years traveling around the world. He is finishing in Montreal and flying back to France. His travels have taken him to Africa, India, Asia, Australia, South America, and the US. He said he has been chased by elephants, had malaria, and robbed in South America. But, he said people the world over have been very friendly and helpful. Even in poor countries, locals would invite him into their homes for a bite to eat and a place to sleep. What an adventure!

Tomorrow is our rest day. I'll report on Erie, a pretty city in decline.

Stats: 90 miles, 16 mph avg, 1400' climbing, 10 - 20 mph head/cross winds, 58 - 70 deg tems.

June 19 Day 34 Wooster to Niles, OH

Another day through the Ohio country side, and what the heck, might as well do three centuries in Ohio. This wasn't planned, but we had acue sheet with 74 mile marker instructions. Many of us missed one or more turns that added miles...just what we needed. When I got to the Niles Marriott I had 98 miles and figured I might as well ride around for two more miles. So, this makes century number ten...about one every three days on the tour, and three consecutive.

Everyone was tired today, but the weather broke and we dodged thunder storms. I got sprinkled on off and on during the day, but was able to avoid the rain. We are under a sever storm watch now. The farmers are hoping for rain.

The county side is impressive with big farm buildings, fields of corn and wheat, diary's, and huge stately homes. It looks like people are escaping from the cities and building estates in the country side. Interesting! Terry has been checking home prices and found one can purchase a nice country home for $30,000 to $100,000. A 3500+ SF large home on three acres can be had for $300,000. Deals to be had in Ohio.

We had a performance data point from yesterday. At our 75 mile rest stop, yesterday, a bunch of riders went in a convenience store and got large high energy Full Throttle/Monster Drinks...very high caffeine and sugar. I had my standard regular Coke. They all got revved up and flew up the hills. The problem for some was they couldn't revved down. Randy arrived with his heart racing and had trouble getting it down. Terry couldn't get to sleep last night. The docs think that one needs a good caffene tolerence to take those drinks that make your hair stand up.

Tomorrow we are off to Erie, PA, 89 miles, and our last rest day.

Stats: 100 miles, 16 mph avg, 2600' climbing, 10th century of trip, 0 -15 mph tail winds, 70 - 80 deg temps.

June 18 Day 33

Today was our last century of the trip...101 miles and number nine for me on the trip. It was also a four-H day...hot, humid, very hilly, and hazy. This was one of those amazing summer days where it is very still early in the morning and there is ground fog in the low valleys and a hazy sky. An hour down the road I was dripping wet from sweat...and it was not even hot! We also encountered clouds of gnats, occasionally ingesting them and getting covered on your arms and face. But the day was memorable going down country roads and checking out the old farms. This was also in the Amish country, so saw some primitive farm houses and farm operations. I didn't sense folks were as friendly on these back roads as most places had big barking dogs, and some even chased us.

Since this was forecast to be a very hot sultry day, with lots of hill climbing, a group of eight of us formed up and rode hard to finish early. We only had two stops over the 101 miles. At the second SAG, we had 25 miles to go and lots of steep hills, so the consensus seemed to be "let's race". It was fun, but hard, and we all arrived dripping wet. I was sixth of the eight...not bad for one of the older guys. We got in just after 1:00 and it was 90 deg. People were arriving at 3:00 and 4:00 when it was really hot, and they looked absolutely wilted. I'm glad I wasn't out on the road any longer baking in the sun! Terry was afraid he was going to melt down on the road, but found and river and went for a 20 minute swim with Tom H...hat got him through the afternoon.

Tomorrow the ride should be a little easier as we go 92 miles to Niles, OH, another Amish community.

Stats: 101 miles, century number 9, 17.3 mph avg, 2900' climbing, 0 - 10 mph tail winds, temps 70 - 90 deg.

June 17 Day 32 Richmond, IN to Marysville, OH Father's Day

This was a memorable Father's Day...a 110 mile hot, hilly, and humid century through picture post card Ohio farm land. The saving grace was that we did has a modest tail wind part of the way.

We were routed through farm roads with lots of corn fields, country churches, huge old barns, and an occasional Amish buggy. This was our 9th state line crossing and my 8th century of the trip. We finished up the ride in 91 deg temps on a bright sultry day. A bunch of the riders wilted on the road. I met Terry at the 77 mile SAG stop and he looked like a wet rag - soaked from head to toe. He carried on to the 91 mile point and when offered a ride into town, he jumped at it. It looks like many of the cold weather residents are at a disadvantage adjusting to this tropical weather.

And the bugs are out. Many of us have swallowed bugs and are learning that we can't ride fast and have one's mouth wide open. Yuck!

I managed to add six miles to my ride by missing three turns...just what I needed. Our cue sheet had instructions on 63 mile points. When riding fast or when tired, it is easy to miss a country road turn-especially when odometer is several miles off. It was an interesting day.

Tomorrow is another century with the forecast for an even hotter day and lots of steep hills.

Stats: 110 miles, 17.4 mph avg, 1900' climbing, 70 - 91 deg temps, 0 - 10 mph tail winds.

June 16 Day 31 Indianapolis to Richmond, IN

Finally...tail winds!! This has been a long time coming and it was wonderful today. Started riding at sunrise in still air for several hours and then got a gentle tail wind. Wonderful! 84 miles of country side just cruised by.

We were met again by ten members of Lisa's bike club, who rode with us for 25 miles. At the SAG stop she had gourmet pastries from her bakery for us. Yummy! On down the road we started seeing our first Amish farms and buggies on the road.

My body and bike have been holding up well, so I have been riding up front with the faster bikers. This morning I hit a railroad crossing hard had had a flat. I was honored when my group came back for me, and at the lunch stop I had a second flat and they waited again for me. It was a great day.

Tomorrow is a 103 mile century with lots of hills. Winds are forecast to be favorable.

Stats: 84 miles, 17.8 mph avg, 1600' climbing, 0 - 10 mph tail winds, 70 - 85 deg temps.