2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 62 - San Francisco, CA

I only have a few moments to blog; today, like yesterday, is going to be a whirlwind.  I know that it should feel like I completed some big thing, a sense of accomplishment - and I do have that, yes, but I think I feel something even better and more useful, which is a real change.  A change in lifestyle, a change in attitude.  It doesn't feel like so much an ending as a beginning, or at least a middle part.  Today I will be back on my bike, just to get errands done in SF, and then drive up to Portland, where I have two days of interlude and then we get started all over again!  I will miss my TransAm crew so very much, but - and I know this sounds cheesy - I honestly feel like I am now carrying them all inside me somewhere as I ride.  It's a good feeling, and even more so I think it's a feeling I can build on as I remake my life around the things and people that I care about.  It was great to hang out with everybody yesterday and party and have dinner and eat Bob's Donuts and just see people interact in the "real world" as themselves.  I loved it, and I can't wait to see all of them again! 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 61 - Winters, CA

As we approach the finish line, a few things have begun to happen.  From a physical standpoint, the cycling itself has gotten a lot easier and a hell of a lot more fun.  Today we got to travel down the American River bike path and then the paths to David and Winters.  We spent the better part of a 70 mile day on bike paths.  As some of you probably know, Davis prides itself on being the bicycle capital of the country.  It's nice - and also weird - to be surrounded by so many people who cycle.  I know that we are so close to SF, to the finish and to civilization, but it still feels like we're out in the woods.   

On a different note, II have really started to enjoy and come to peace with the fact that this social group is coming to an end.  I've blogged about the fact that for me, I knew the big challenge wouldn't be the physical act of cycling but rather getting along with the group in close quarters.  Last night we did an activity where we all filled index cards with anonymous comments about each other.  Mine were very nice, and also had nothing to do with technology or computers!  Which were basically my two goals.  I'll have more to say about this later when we're done and I have time to think, but most of all what I'll miss is this great group of people.

 More pictures when I have better internet!

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 59 - Silver Lake, CA

This trip has had a lot of lessons for me, many of which I've already learned of course, but learning them again is always good.  Today was interesting because I learned/re-learned something I've been told so many times.  Over the last few weeks we've really been isolated.  I mean, Nevada desert isolated.  So this morning we woke up with California in our face, and some people wanted to go off route and swing by Lake Tahoe.  I thought this was a good idea so I volunteered.  The only down side was that the natural road path took us along the lake through the city of South Lake Tahoe.  I'd been to South Lake Tahoe several times, and I kind of hate it because it's really touristy and generic.  So you can only imagine the culture shock when, after weeks of the Utah and Nevada deserts, we suddenly found ourselves in the IHOP in the city of South Lake Tahoe, surrounded by tourists.  I knew this would be an issue - we all did - but I was still surprised by how strong, and visceral, the experience was.  We were all nervous to the point of visibly vibrating in our chairs.  And I realized two things: one, which is that in the immediate sense, when people who have been in the wild suddenly encounter civilization it's quite a shock.  But more importantly two, that there are other ways to live besides cities and tourists and civilization and that maybe, perhaps, I like those even more.  The thought of living in small towns or out in the wild has begun to appeal to me.  My biggest concern is finding a significant other to share my life and a job to keep me happy.  I do like people, believe it or not, and I like meeting new people, and I worry that being isolated would hurt that.  But today I also realized how nice it is to be apart from the world.  That's a lesson I will carry with me.

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 58 - Carson City, NV

Today I found myself, for the second time in my life, at the Fandango Rum Jungle Buffet in Carson City, NV.  So for this momentous occasion, if you will permit me, I would like to wax a bit philosophical about something that's been on my mind lately, which is Abundance.  The Buddhists have tried to teach me this lesson multiple times, and it seems like lately I might be in the mood to learn it.  The idea is this: there is always more.  More time, more love, more food, more friends.  Of course in some sense this is not strictly true.  Sometimes there is no more.  But if we act as though there is more, then - as a general rule - everything feels better.  When we act as though the food in front of us is all we'll get, we cram it in.  We get fearful.  We hoard.  We crave.  When there is plenty, we give it away freely.  Which is not to say that we don't value it, but we value it for what it brings us now, not for what it could bring us in the future.  And we don't grasp.  And, for most of us reading this, abundance is the natural state of things.  What do we have to fear from the future?  There will be more.  There will be more love, more friends, more food, more sleep.  There is no need to clutch.  Abundance surrounds us.  As this trip winds to a close, my natural tendency is to be afraid ; afraid I'll miss my new friends, afraid that I'll wish I'd done this or that on the trip.  As I leave each small town, a tiny voice in my head says "you'll never be back here, and you didn't take full advantage."  But that voice is misled.  I may or may not go back to Middlegate, or Ely, or Booneville, that's true.  But I will continue to ride my bike, to meet new people, to maybe meet old people once again, or perhaps not - but either way, there will be Abundance.  And so enjoy today; enjoy the sunshine, the grass, the friends that are here now.  Give freely to these last 4 or 5 days with the knowledge that there is more to come. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 57 - Fallon, NV

FInally civilization has arrived.  We crossed the long hot desert on a horse with no name, and then, magically, about 45 miles into today's ride, there it was: green fields, CVS, and a Value Inn.  It felt oddly like we had come back full circle to Kansas.  The terrain has begun to resemble Northern California and everyone's thoughts have started to turn to the end of our little escapade.  For today's blog I thought I would recap some of the best food with my Top 5 Meals Of The Trip: 

1. Home cooked food by the Kentucky Churchladies in Sebree, KY.  Fried chicken, green bean casserole, a full spread of cakes and pies, endless iced tea and lemonade.  It's exactly why we have KFC in the first place; this is the food of the heartland, and when it's made by real hands with love, it's the best you'll ever have. 

2.  The Bunkhouse General Store, Fowler, Colorado.  I had asked for us to take a brief detour off route because there weren't any services.  So we ended up in Fowler, Colorado, and randomly went to the Bunkhouse looking for coffee.  And boy did we find coffee.  Also lemon glazed blueberry cream cheese bread, and sandwiches as big as your face, and chicken pot pie, all served by a smiling lady for almost no money.  If I am ever anywhere near that place, I'm stopping.

3. The Monster, Middlegate, NV, Middlegate Station.  This was just yesterday of course, where I ate the 1 1/3 pound burger.  What was surprising perhaps, though, was that the burger was really, really good.  All the food at Middlegate Station was incredible, which is extremely unlikely but no less true. 

4. Hand-cooked breakfast by Olivia, outside Eureka, NV.  On almost no notice she prepared Cajun grits with meat, a berry bread pudding, and various quiches.  And everything was amazing. 

5. Full pig on a spit, Rising Silo Brewery, Blacksburg, VA.  At that point of the trip we weren't really prepared yet for the culinary wasteland we would face, so it was sort of wasted.  But they had prepared an entire roast pig, slaw, the works, along with handcrafted beers and a huge roaring fire on an outdoor patio.  A night to remember. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 56 - Middlegate, NV

Middlegate is one of those experiences that's difficult to describe.  It surrounds you.  It's not easily pulled apart.  The essence of the place is pure Nevada oasis.  It's somewhere between Eureka and Fallon along Route 50, rising out of the dust like a mirage or a Brigadoon.  The place is so remote that the state of Nevada has so far refused to run power lines out to it, so it's all run off a generator.  There's a motel (the windows were mostly duct tape), a bar (more on that later), places to pitch tents, an unused above ground swimming pool, dogs roaming about, and a bartender who ended up there because he was trying to survive in the mountains, got hungry, stumbled down for a cheeseburger and just never left.

Two specific awesome things happened in Middlegate: one, we had "from", our fake prom where we all dressed in thrift store clothing and just danced and got drunk.  Two, I ate a hamburger.  That might not sound like much of an accomplishment but then, you haven't seen this hamburger.  They called it "The Monster".  6 of us tried, but only Kip and I emerged successful.  It was truly an Odyssean journey.  1 1/3 pounds of meat, a full plate of fries, 3 buns, two olives and a pepperonicini.  So much hope on faces as we started, so much sadness as we stumbled near the finish line.  Like Middlegate itself, the burger rose up out of the plate, promising heaven but delivering only Hell. 

Anyway, yeah: Middlegate is amazing.  If you ever find yourself on Route 50, plan to stay here and eat a burger.  In fact, bring a whole car full of folks and just have yourself a damn good time. 

Oh, and Griffin is still wearing a dress. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 55 - Austin, NV

There are definitely things that I like about Nevada, no question about it.  The air is clean and crisp.  The people have been nice to us (when you can find one).  But today was the first day, in a long time, when Cranky Adam came out.  To be clear: I mean Cranky-While-Bicycling Adam.  I'm definitely cranky in general, but not usually on the bike.  But today got to me.  If ever there was a day when I might have gotten in the van, it would have been today.  I'm not even sure why; it wasn't a particularly hard day.  The first 40 miles I rode with Kip and Bryn and they flew by.  But the last climb into Austin crushed my soul.

| Normal Adam | Cranky Adam Time Until Stop Desired | 15 miles | 1.5 miles

of Times Thinking of a New Way To Kill Everybody | 0 times | twice per second

of Times Curse Words Used | rarely | frequently

Desire to Throw Bike Into Pacific Ocean | no | yes Having someone Cheer me On | encouraging | please stop Still Get on the Bike The Next Day | yes | yes

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 54 - Eureka, NV

It's just hot.  Hot and dry and nowhere.  I'd love to say that I'm getting something poetic out of this, but honestly I feel like I'm trapped in Groundhog Day.  Don't get me wrong; a bad day biking is better than a good day doing anything else.  But, yeah.  In my hours on the bike, I laid out the narrative arc of the trip so far: 

Act I The Beginning

  In which our heroes discover the truth

Act II Training

  In which our heroes take on the challenge

Act III The Disease

  In which our heroes remember the motivation

Act IV Cycling

  In which our heroes rejoice in creation

Act V The Suffering

  In which all our heroes fought for is threatened

Act VI Victory

  In which our heroes find the ocean, and peace

Of course right now we are in The Suffering.  I'll let you know when we reach the denouement. 

PS We met another awesome woman named Lisa with MS.  Mike, Shanon, Olivia and myself were at this store in Baker and she introduced herself.  Her and her family cooked us all dinner last night, and then her mom cooked us a big spaghetti dinner and left it for us at the church we're in tonight (as well as offering us the church).  People are awesome. 

PPS I took up Chess. 

PPPS I have my outfit for from mostly ready. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 53 - Ely, NV

The Nevada Tourism Board, quoting AAA from 1986, describing the road we're on: "It's totally empty', says a AAA counselor. 'There are no points of interest.  We don't recommend it.'" 

As we cycle through this not-to-be-recommended stretch of road, I think it seems like an appropriate time for a short recap of the Top 10 Things I Learned About Myself This Trip: 

1. I really enjoy distance cycling, or ultra cycling.  This is not a surprise, of course, but still, it's really confirmed it: I love this stuff.  I love getting up everyday and riding 80+ miles through random stretches of the world.  I love cycling. 

2. I still don't like coffee.  I tried.  Honest I did. 

3. My body is up for the challenge.  I am actually pretty good at this.  Nothing hurts.  I'm tired sometimes, but not especially so.  I honestly feel really good.  Even the altitude didn't get to me. 

4. My Achilles Heel is heat.  That's the one thing that will make me cranky and unhappy and want to quit.  I don't mind climbs, long distance is fine.  But heat does me in. 

5. I don't actually mind waking up at 5:30 AM when I have something to do. 

6. I can handle not having a shower once in a while.  This is a revelation.  Don't get it twisted, though: I still love showers. 

7.  I prefer mountains and rivers to dry open plains, even if it means doing more climbing. 

8. I'm still not terribly good at groups or at making friends, but at least nobody openly dislikes me or anything. 

9. I'm not gonna live in Utah or Nevada.  Just not gonna happen. 

10. If I eat garbage, then no matter how much I exercise, I won't lose weight.  I might get in better shape and even feel better, but my body shape really won't change. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 52 - Baker, NV

Rising up over the hill, we turn into the wind.  Navigating the pass, the basin opens before us.  It plays tricks on the mind.  For 20 miles you can see the thin snake of the road swinging down the bowl and up the other side.  They call it the Great Basin, and I can understand why.  Nothing physically out of the ordinary; a long even descent into an equally long climb.  But you can see the whole thing at once.  Like someone who is told the arc of the rest of their life, the result is intensely intimidating.  We all careen, open mouthed and open eyed into the nothing.  We distract each other with our little tricks; naming quotes from movies, talking about how we feel so small.  But the truth of what nature is doing to us is hard to avoid.  I've never had an experience like it.  I've driven through places like this, but on a bike it's even more incredible.  And here we are, on the other side.  Utah is gone; and for me, good riddance.  Certainly there were parts I liked, but I'm ready for Nevada. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 51 - Milford, UT

As we ride through this last gasp of Utah (State Motto: "We're sometimes kind of hot, we don't like booze and there are too many flies"), the primary thoughts I have are about the future.  Specifically, I've discovered that not only do I really enjoy randonneur (long distance cycling), I seem to be pretty good at it.  I'm under no delusions that I'm going to be world-class or anything, but still, I'm not bad at it.  So I've started really thinking about where I could go with this.  So I'm going to use this entry as a placeholder for some of the ultra cycling events I've found out about and have thoughts of doing in the future: 

RAGBRAI - Register Great Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa.  This one is a week long, the last week in July.  It costs $175.  Ragbrai.org
BRAN - Bike Ride Across Nebraska.  June 4-10.  Again, about a week and about $200.  bran-inc.org.
STP - Seattle to Portland.  207 miles, which you can do in one day.   July 16.  Www.cascade.org
Bike the US for MS Northern Tier - 4285 miles.  June and July and parts of May and August.
Bike the US for MS Pacific Coast - 1850 miles, roughly.  August.
Iceland Cyclothon.  Wowcyclothon.is.  About $250.  6/20-6/23.

There's undoubtedly going to be more, but this is a good start! 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 49/50 - Cedar City, UT

Today was a rest day after yesterday's short ride into Cedar City.  This is  nice place to take a break; the weather is pleasant and dry, the town is quirky and open.  Last night we did karaoke at a local bar.  It's our last full rest day and the trip is winding to  a close.  I spent  a good part of today going through my training for the Kaplan test prep job I'm going to start in September.  Learning how people learn and how they relate to each other is something I find fascinating so it's been fun to watch actually.  It's the primary reason I took the job; to learn more about how to teach.  So far, so good.

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 48 - Panguitch, UT

I thought a lot about what I wanted to write about today.  Honestly today started out tough.  I didn't sleep well last night, woke up a bit nauseous.  We had to get up super early (about 5:15) because we had 100 miles in front of us, and it looked like it might be bad.  I am struggling against heat exhaustion and sun exposure; Utah hasn't been kind to me, and I have a second degree sunburn on my lower lip which sounds hilarious but actually totally isn't.  Anyway, as I ill-temperedly drudged on through the morning, I was reminded of re-learning an essential truth about life that my Dad has tried to teach me before.  "We all come into this world alone and we leave it alone," he says.  There is something inside me that wants to fight that truth.  I've spent a lot of time in my life trying to join groups; getting married, going to college, grad school, yoga training, Mazamas - I always want to belong to something bigger, to the romantic notion of becoming part of something bigger.  But the truth is that, at the end of the day, this journey that I'm on is my own journey and nobody else's.  Nobody can really do this for me, or truly understand completely what I'm going through.  Now, some of you in the audience will immediately begin to boo and hiss.  And certainly my goal is not to in any way de-legitimize your experiences.  If you've felt intimacy on that level, then that's awesome.  But for me, the truth is that eventually I realize that other people have to live their own lives and I have to live mine.  For example, almost everyone on this trip loves coffee.  I've tried to drink it, but to me it tastes like a horse's patootie.  That's a simple and silly example, but there are many more.  I dislike the rain a lot more than most people.  On the other hand, I'm much more excited about cycling.  Of course everyone on this trip likes cycling to a greater or lesser degree, but I really love cycling; my love of cycling specifically is what's gotten me through some tougher moments.  I've had some hilarious conversations - and over heard others - where one person talks about how that day was their "favorite day so far", only to have the other person shake their head and say it was their least favorite.  The point is, we are each on our own journey.  Even though it's a team effort, we all face our own demons and our own angels.  Certainly we can help each other, but at the end of the day I don't really know what it's like to be Damien or Kip or Jeff, and they don't know what it's like to be me, and that's OK - that *has* to be OK, because it's the only truth we have.

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 47 - Boulder, UT

Some days resolve themselves nicely into a narrative.  The story has a beginning, middle, and end.  Today was not really one of those days.  A lot of things just kind of "happened".  There were some amazing moments.  I rode most of the day with Kip.  His daughter couldn't ride today because her knee is like a Pain Party and only she is invited, so we busted up this 5000 foot incline without her.  My favorite part of it was after cresting the ridge at the top, and thinking we were done, Mother Nature had other ideas - she blasted us with winds blowing so hard that even though we were technically going downhill we had to stay in the granny gear to make any progress.  Everything has started to shift again from the super dry red desert to something that feels more like an oasis.  But I know we're headed back to the desert; it's waiting.

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 45 - Caineville, UT

Dry

I wish I could tell you what it's like to be a raisin
Moisture squeezed from every spoke
It seems so cruel of Mother Nature
To flail the flesh from off my dry white bones
But does a forest mind the burning?
Does a mountain care to crumble to the sea?
The natives of this land long understood this
And as I ride their home
Their long and interloping roads
I feel myself take on their blood
It wells up through red stones and black, black tires

Yesterday I got to swim in Lake Powell.  It was a pretty transcendent and poetic experience.  It had been a long day; a good day, I rode a lot of the way with Shanon and had some interesting conversation.  We both faded at the end and the last 3 or 4 miles were pretty rough.  But on to the lake.  First there was a nice walk down over sandstone.  Then I changed into my swimming clothes and waded into ankle deep mud, thick and rich like for a mud bath.  There were trees that I was swimming on top of, kind of pokey and scratchy.  The water was muddy at first but then clear, and it was a perfect temperature, but colder deep down.  It felt very primal, as if I was very close to what nature intended.  There was a flock of small white birds that danced around me.  I felt as if if I were to die that night I would be perfectly OK with that.  The water flowed past me, the wind kicking up a set of small waves as I stood neck deep on top of trees.  There was a beautiful sunset and an arch in the distance of deep red rock.  It was just right.  Everything was just absolutely right.

2016 Trip Day 44 - Hite Recreational Park, UT

OK, my blog, my rules, and today I'm going to update the blog at the *beginning* of the day.  First of all because it's a beautiful sunrise.  Secondly because I think what's most interesting about today is the emotional state I'm in now, anticipating the ride.  Today is the first day we're really going to be in the middle of nowhere.  We had a group meeting last night because we're facing 74 miles of truly no civilization.  Not even houses.  Nothing.  So there's an air of anticipation. Things got a bit mixed up emotionally because we heard about a cyclist with a similar organization who was struck and killed by a driver.  She was only 22.  I personally feel perfectly safe out here.  We use very safe maps and ride defensively, and I have thousands of miles of experience.  Still, you never know.  I'm more concerned honestly about getting a bit lost and then running out of water; something more pedestrian like that.  I'll let you know on the other side!

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 43 - Blanding, UT

Utah!  Today was an interesting day.  As those of you who know me know, I am usually one of the ones that complains the most in any social situation.  So it was interesting today to find that all the folks I was riding with we're kind of grumpy and unhappy, and I was just having the best time of my life.  I think it's further confirmation that what we're doing now is what I really am meant to do - at least as a strong hobby if not as a profession.  I just love all of this - the wind, the climbs, the descents.  Today we had the chance to jump off rocks into a beautiful blue reservoir.  And the scenery is breathtaking. 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 42 - Dolores, CO

Yesterday I forgot to update the blog, but that's ok because through the miracle of modern technology I can update it here at 8:30 am in Pleasant View, CO and nobody need be the wiser!  I spent most of yesterday in a pace line with Mike and Mike and Shannon and Matt (yay Matt's back).  Pace lines are incredibly fun and the most social part of cycling where you trade off fighting the wind.  As a result I didn't take many pictures, so boo for that.  But the last evening in Telluride I got to go stand up paddle boarding at Alta Lakes with their local SUP club - for free! -  a really nice guy named Shaun runs it, he was about my age and had lived there 7 years.  It's interesting to get an insight into what life would be like if you lived in a place like that.  It's cool, but also limiting, I think.  For example he had basically given up on having a relationship - nobody really to date.  Anyway, the cycling is still amazing and today we'll hit the Utah state line. 

Oh!  I almost forgot to mention; I am having so much fun doing this I decided to sign up for another "tour of duty"!  This time I'll be route leader for the Pacific Coast.  More details later but if you can donate please do at http://tinyurl.com/AdamBikes

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 40/41 - Telluride, CO

Today is a rest day here in Telluride.  I knew Telluride would be beautiful and very pleasant, but I'm still struck but how gorgeous the terrain is here.  It's really a bit of cultural whiplash after being in some very poor parts of America to be here in this - let's face it - very white and very privileged part of the country.  Which is not to say I'm not enjoying myself.  The ride yesterday was once again just amazing and being here is nice and restful.  I hiked 5 miles up into the mountains to see a really epic waterfall, and soon I'll be going on a paddle boarding expedition. 

Rest days are proving to be difficult for me.  When I'm on the bike, everything makes sense and there is a sense of clarity, which my life often lacks.  But when I get off the bike and have to deal with the real world, I do get a bit melancholy.  Today was the first day where I really wished that I had someone by my side to experience this place with me.  Many years ago, in what seems like a different life, I got engaged in Vail, which is very similar to Telluride.  Yes, there is the team here with me, and that is awesome, but we mostly did our own thing today.  And that's OK; that's just what life is giving me right now.  I certainly can't complain.  And tomorrow we get back in the saddle.  Others on the team may disagree, but I can't wait! 

Oh, and P.S. - if you're ever in Telluride, go to the Cornerhouse Grille.  The only cheap restaurant in town, and amazingly delicious! 

2016 TransAm/Western Express Day 39 - Montrose, CO

Today was the best day of cycling I've ever experienced.  In my whole life.  If anyone from now on asks me "what was your favorite day on the bike", I now can say the stretch from Gunnison to Montrpse, CO.  Why did I get to that point?  Well, first of all it was a net downhill day.  I like climbing, but I don't think my favorite days are ever going to be all day climbs.  But there were two big hills to challenge us.  The first was a climb up a canyon along a narrow winding road.  The second was a broad flat climb with wide shoulders but a fierce headwind to challenge us.  The weather was amazing; about a high 70 or low 80s with a bright blue sky and brilliant sun, but not so hot that it sapped my energy. 

And did I mention it was drop-dead gorgeous?  Coming out of Gunnison we rode along the Blue Mesa reservoir.  The piercing blues of the lakes and streams were topped with the brilliant green of forest through which shone red rocks under a gorgeous blue sky with fluffy white clouds.  Halfway through we stopped at a quaint dumpy little shop and ran into two older Irish women who were riding west to east and had an awesome conversation.  And then at the end was a victory lap downhill into a strong crosswind for a bit of technical challenge, into the city of Montrose with all the comforts of a midsize town.  It was a challenging day but not too challenging.  Everything on my bike and my body worked perfectly. 

The perfect day.