I rode the van today and there wasn’t much to really talk about. The first part of the day was a bit challenging because the cyclists took a bike path, which of course means that I couldn’t follow them. The standard procedure in that case is to follow them as closely as I could, but that often results in getting lost, so I ended up using Google directions. We got to the volunteer fire station pretty early. We were only about 25-30 minutes drive from where I went to graduate school in Baltimore, but it wasn’t worth it to go all the way there. It ended up being a moot point because the grocery store next door - Santino’s - was amazing and had all the food I miss from the Maryland area. Most important was Black and White cookies, which are actually a cupcake top flattened in the form of. cookie and then frosted half with chocolate and half with vanilla. I also left the gun and took a hand-made canoli. It’s quite possible that I eat too much!
Today might as well be called “Washington, DC” because that’s basically what it was. We had a short day on purpose - only 20 official miles - so we had plenty of time to sightsee in the capital. I still maintain that a bicycle is a great way to be a tourist; you can get a lot of places in a short period of time. Even though we weren’t in a hurry, we managed to visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House, the Capital, various buildings of the Smithsonian, and the Mall, and also have time to ride around town. We stopped at a food cart run by a very nice Vietnamese lady within sight of the White House and had a great conversation and also the worst hot dog I’ve ever eaten. In the morning we went to Arlington National Cemetery and saw JFK’s grave as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. As a theater geek, I approved of the ceremony.
It was a beautiful sunny day. I was very impressed with D.C. generally and would like to go back some time; I had always heard it was kind of crappy but that wasn’t true at all. It was clean and beautiful and I was particularly impressed with all the crazy architecture. One building that stood out was the Smithsonian Castle, which apparently was the first Smithsonian building and was designed to be Gothic Revival. It looks cool, like it came from Norway or something. Anyway it was a fun day riding, if a bit exhausting in its own way.
Today…was hard. TransAm hard. Rolling hills hard. 95 miles hard. By the end of the day my rear tire was shot, my Garmin was dead, my backup battery was dead, my phone was dying, my butt hurt, my legs were exhausted. We rode rolling hills in the country for the first 50 miles then I got a flat, and after that was suburban Virginia with a lot of traffic and stop lights. After that was the Mount Vernon trail which was theoretically nice but very choppy and busy. The Potomac was very high and flooded out parts of the bike trail. By the time we got to the church we were all done for, but we quickly rallied for some alumni bbq dinner and then drinks at a brewery of course. It ended up being a good and memorable day even though I didn’t take many photos,
Today was definitely a throw back ride to the TransAm. Riding through the rural roads of Virginia you get a lot of solitude, with a lot of green jungle. The wrinkle this time was that it was very cold all day. But we stayed mostly dry. The rolling hills have started and the ride was challenging but good. I rode with the “fast team” and we were done by 2pm. There wasn’t much to do or much to take pictures of and things were grey anyway - sorry!
Ahh…we have finally arrived at the second rest day. Yesterday I did get to ride, and it was an interesting eperience waking up from camping; it’s the first time we did that this trip and everything was harder and soggier than I remembered. But we did get going, and after a short and very nice ferry ride we got to ride about 50 miles of the nicest and smoothest bike path I have ever been on. It’s called the Virginia Capitol Trail and it was gorgeous. They were having some sort of cycling event this weekend actually and so there were more than the usual number of cyclists. Usually with a bike path they seem nice in theory but are actually kind of frustrating to cycle on because of the number of walkers, the number of road intersections and/or the quality of the surface. But in this case it was a blissful dream. Bad weather has been chasing us for the last 3 or 4 days and I raced the rain all day - but I won! Then we got into camp and immediately headed to a great restaurant, then a shower at the local YMCA, a Church dinner and a trip to the local brewery, all of which were fantastic (can you tell my life revolves around food?). I didn’t honestly get to see much of Richmond but that’s OK; I’ve been here before and I’m actually just not all that fascinated by the Civil War, if I’m honest.
Another cool thing about today is that we overlapped the trail for the TransAm. It did bring back memories of that trip, though I did not specifically remember the bike path. But that was 6 years ago. You’ll see a picture below of me next to a route 76 sign; that’s the TransAm.
Also, I had the most amazing fish sandwich from a gas station.
The most notable thing about today is that it is the first and only time that we will truly be camping. It was an easy ride through the rural areas of Virginia which reminded me a lot of the first few weeks of the TransAm and brought back some pleasant memories. I drove the van today so I didn’t get to ride; I did a short jog at the campground instead. An unremarkable today but still a pleasant one and it’s nice to camp once in a while.
Some days on these trips are like yesterday; beautiful journeys complete with togetherness, learning, good and sun. Others are like today: a challenge for the ages. 3 rainstorms, 5 flat tires in my group, 84 miles only to be caught by a tornado 8 miles from camp. And yes I do mean a tornado. We sat on the porch, Wizard of Oz style, and watched shingles come off the man’s roof and a tree lose branches in a driving wind. I came into camp at 6:30 pm with Carla and two other cyclists: filthy, wet, exhausted but happy to be done. Both kinds of days can be fun in their own way; it’s all part of the adventure. But I’m ok if there are no more tornadoes.
Today was my favorite day of the trip so far. A lot of nice things happened today. We got to stop at a number of interesting destinations, eat some delicious food and have really nice ride. The ride was very easy and slated for only 53 miles so we knew we had plenty of time to stop at different places and so we did. We saw several lighthouses and rode a bit past our destination to see the Wright brothers museum at Kitty Hawk, which was very interesting. I did not know, for example, that after their first flight of 12 seconds they almost immediately performed 3 more the longest of which was 59 seconds. Makes it seem a lot cooler. They also had a replica of the original flyer and a lot more details such ad the story of them building a wind tunnel. We also had Duck Donuts for the first time - amazing. Fresh donuts. And then we had tropical drinks at a tiki bar overlooking the beach. All in all, a very awesome day. Tomorrow I ride another 93 miles.
Today we are really, seriously on the Outer Banks. I drove the Rest Stop Van today and it was an interesting chopped-up day because we took two different ferries. We spent about 4 hours total on ferries and the cyclists only did about 40 miles. The Outer Banks is very interesting; it’s basically a set of low sand bars with not much in between, connected by ferry services. In a sense it reminded me of Hawaii. Also, randomly, they have wild ponies. Okracoke is the sandbar in the middle and it’s really a very remote-feeling place, like Molokai. I did the obligatory dipping of the toes in the ocean and got some work done and generally had a lazy day. The day started out stressful because it turned out that due to Covid we needed reservations for the first ferry (and we didn’t have any) so for a moment it looked like I or Sean might be driving 5 hours all the way around the cape; but then they got us on. We ate seafood for lunch and dinner and it was expensive and sort of good but not nearly as tasty as the seafood I get back in Jacksonville. It’s always nice to know that what you already have was the best all along. :)
Today we approached the Outer Banks; actually, technically we are already in them but we’re still on the mainland and in the southern portion which isn’t very touristy yet and still feels quite rural. There’s not much here. It’s starting to remind me of the Trans Am route from 2016 and also a little bit of where I grew up. The front yards (and side and back yards) for example are really huge and very green and grassy, which is something you really only see in this area. I saw my first and only confederate flag today; I was pleasantly surprised at how long it took to see one. The ride was a bit dull but really nice and easy with a tailwind. Tonight is one of our rare rural group dinners of necessity because there just isn’t anything here! The wind is soft and beautiful and the birds chirruping is so pleasant. I could sit outside here forever. Oh also I shaved. :)
Some days on these trips all kinds of exciting and emotionally groundbreaking things happen. Then there are days like today. I drove the rest stop van today and we did about 70 miles through some reasonably easy and fairly normal riding into the pretty boring town of Jacksonville, notable only to me for sharing a name with the city where i grew up. It’s a military town and it looks like it. I had a very good Irish breakfast at the local pub, and an adventure trying to buy beer where an IT guy with no teeth at the gas station was trying to fix the credit card reader and a woman busking on the street got arrested. Also I spent a bunch of time on Duolingo trying to learn Ukrainian. That’s about it. Tomorrow I get to ride the Outer Banks and I’m excited.
Today was the prelude to our first rest day, so we were anticipating that all day. I rode again today, which made 3 in a row, so I really felt like a rider. I was supposed to do the rest stop van today but Sean got a little bit sick. The highlight of the day was a ferry from Southport to Port Fisher. We crossed over into North Carolina today; the temperature has gotten very pleasant, I even took off my sleeves and promptly got a burn there. We are once again in a church; it’s quite nice because we have access to washer/dryer, a shower, and even private rooms - all of them very primitive but still, it’s better to have it than not have it.
The trip is ticking along nicely. I have a huge todo list for tomorrow. I’d love to see some of Wilmington but honestly there’s a lot of little things to do.
Today was a 68 mile ride through Golf Town. I’ve never seen more golf courses per capita in my life. It was a very pleasant ride, with a number of bike paths sandwiched around some US-17. It’s a very wealthy area; at one point I rode past a set of houses near the beach, one of which had a private tennis court and was next door to one with a private water slide. One of the areas just south of Myrtle reminded me a lot of Jacksonville Beach, except a bit more upscale. I dipped my toes in the water and rode my bike on the beach for a while. It was a very pleasant day.
Today I rode 94 miles to have a homemade chicken taco dinner at Wayne United Methodist Church. And i also get a couch to sleep on, and had a beer out on the street. The ride itself was calm and flat with good pavement through forests which were logged and are now national forests. I rode with Carla a good part of the day and we rode in silence punctuated by my terrible stories. It was a good day.
It’s always interesting, and a bit of a deviation from our rhythm, when we come to a large city. We try not to do it actually as a matter of logistics because it always means a hassle. Cities by and large are not meant for long distance bike travel, and housing is always a problem. Plus there’s the traffic. Charleston is no exception, and we searched long and hard for accomodations before finding, all of things, a high-end gym/spa, where we are sleeping in the yoga room and using their 5-star showers and saunas. It’s especially odd to the vibe of the trip to be walking around with all the beautiful people in their Lululemon and their 2% body fat. It feels like a little slice of LA.
I did the rest stop van again today and, I won’t lie, it’s taking its tool on me, mentally. It’s just not something I’m well-suited for; there’s a lot of waiting around, occasionally some stress, and a good bit of being nice to people randomly. Also some driving, a good bit of heat and some biting insects. But it’s for a good cause and I will soldier on.
South Carolina has a particular kind of beauty. It’s not honestly my thing, but even I had to pull over this morning as a particularly beautiful sunrise came up over the marshes. I stopped the van and got out and in 30 seconds or less I heard at least a dozen different bird calls. I have to say it was a magical moment and one that will stick with me. Charleston itself is what you would think it is: Southern plantation architecture, huge vistas of water, and a lot of hospitality. It’s not my thing, but it is a nice place. And I had an amazing hot fudge sundae from Republic Ice Cream. Top 25 in my life, maybe.
That said, I won’t be sad to leave.
P.S. I ate a boiled peanut for the first and last time in my life.
Welp, here we are in beautiful South Carolina. The sunset over the marsh was quite excellent, and my meal was exquisite - they called it a “Low Country Stir-Fry” and it was basically sausage, shrimp and cabbage over cajun rice with cajun seasonings, accompanied by some cheesy grits. Sublime. I was in the Rest Stop van again today; it’s seriously a long day of work, what with all the lifting and carrying of boxes and waiting around for cyclists in the hot sun. But I know that the group appreciates it so I soldier on; we are the grease that makes the machinery run. I am reminded of my youth in Florida, and not neccessarily in the best way; I have to say I don’t miss the baking sun, the sand, the grass that I’m allergic to, the stinging insects. I acknowledge that other people might enjoy the sun, the open space, the warmth, the hospitality. But I’m happy where I am on the West Coast. Nice sunsets, though.
We also went through downtown Savannah, GA. Amazing houses and beautiful trees. Exactly what I always pictured; stately and elegant and southern.
Today was not the most exciting day. We rode 79 miles through southern Georgia, mostly on US-17 or directly off of it. From one church to another. I rode today so it was nice to put on some miles. They were more easygoing flat miles, part of it even with a tailwind. Spirits seem high in the group. Little flying bugs are becoming a nuisance. We stopped at a Piggly Wiggly; I didn’t even know those existed anymore. Tomorrow I’m back in the Rest Stop van. I did get to go in a hot tub for a while; that was great.
Today I did my duty driving the “Rest Stop Van”, which basically means that I have to take charge of providing the rest stops for all the cyclists along the route (and which also means that I didn’t ride). It’s an interesting way to see the ride; you get to speak with the folks along the way that allow us to sit in their parking lots or under their oak trees. As we start to ride north we get into what I would loosely call the Genteel south, where it’s not uncommon to use the word “plantation” unironically. The little bugs - noseeums and the like- are starting to creep in, and it was a pretty hot day. When we got to the church - which is big and nice - I wenton a little bit of a jog because I felt like I hadn’t done anything today (I hadn’t), and I was reminded of why it’s so hard to jog in the south and why I hated jogging when I lived in Texas. That unique, I’m-about-to-die feeling from jogging in the heat; I don’t miss it. Anyway, it was actually a very uneventful day which makes it a bit hard to blog about, but is really a good thing, especially for the cyclists. We stopped at Club Ponderosa, which was hilarious because it totally was a dance club but like the most southern, middle-of-nowhere-est dance club you’ve ever seen. And I ate at a Waffle House, hashbrowns smothered and covered and peppered.
Yep, the South.
On the road again! Today I got to ride; 73 miles. Some of the flattest, nicest and easiest riding you will ever do. We rode right past my parents’ house - and I do mean right past - so they showed up with Mega Stuff Oreos and oranges and bananas, and then i got to have lunch with them at the wings place, which may. not have been wise before I rode another 40 miles. It was great to get out on the road and stretch my legs. The rhythm of these trips is so unique, not least of which is the preponderance of churches we stay in. People often wonder “how do you stay in a church?” but the truth is that most churches have these large outreach/overflow/community centers, many of which even have kitchens and laundry and showers (including this one).
The ride started in St. Augustine but we quickly rode past all the mansions of Ponte Vedra and then into my childhood home of Jacksonville/Neptune/Atlantic Beach. After hanging out with my parents we took the ferry at Mayport and then rode 30 more miles of Amelia Island. As riding goes, it wasn’t particularly interesting I suppose, but it was flat, easy and safe.
And so it begins! After 3 long years, we are ready to roll out on another ride! It’s been a challenging journey to get here. For example: my bicycle is still on the tarmac in Dallas Fort Worth. :(. The best thing, though, is that I stuck an AirTag on it, so at least I know exactly where it is! (A: Fort Worth). St Augustine, at least the part we are in, looks a lot like Jacksonville: flat, hot, and perhaps a bit dull. But we are all bristling with excitement to get on with things and start our long journey. Unlike in past years, I don’t feel like I’m running away from anything; I enjoy my life in California and I can’t wait to get back. But this will be a nice relaxing break. I say “will be”; it isn’t yet because of all the logistical challenges. Carla’s bike arrived on time, but in about a million pieces, and with one very important piece (one of the headset sealed bearings) completely missing. So we had to drive around to 3 shops before we found one. So, yes, a day of logistics and of things-yet-to-come.
