GTD 2012 Day 6

I woke up early and got to say goodbye to Jason.  I think the baby kept Bethany up late so she hadn't risen yet.  I loaded my trailer, connected it to Ol' Blue and set off for MD.

Before departing Limerick I stopped at WaWa for some breakfast (protein shake and fruit).  WaWa has become a favorite, next to 7-11 of course, so I am happy to see that WaWa has come to several cities in FL.

The days ride was very scenic through the PA farmland.  At one point I saw a sign for Organic Strawberries and Home Made Root beer so I had to stop.  It was a small Amish store run by 2 young boys.  I bought a small container of strawberries and a bottle of root beer.  The strawberries were awesome and the root beer had a bit of a kick.  I continued my beautiful ride through PA farmland before entering MD.  At lunch in PA, a convenience store, I met a lady who was very interested in my ride because her son is a long distance biker.  She was excited to hear it was a fundraising ride for CCH and began to share with me about her church and her involvement.  It was a nice break and visit.

I finally entered MD and experienced a change of terrain and scenery.  I now had to transition into climbing mode.  At one point after several climbs I started to crave a cold Mtn. Dew in a can.  As I was about to get to the top of a climb I saw a country store so I excitedly stopped to fulfill my craving.  The cold Mtn. Dew in a can was delicious and refreshing!  This energized me for the final stretch to Street, MD and the Harkins' Homestead.  There were more ups and downs before arriving at the house but it was very enjoyable.  I finally arrived at the house and was greeted by dogs, Jared and Morgan.

I unloaded everything, got laundry going, ate some pizza and set out to watch The Avengers with Jared and Morgan.  It was a great night, but Morgan and I concluded that they could have cut an hour off of the movie and it would have been just as good.  After the movie I was ready to sleep! 

I was excited about the next day's ride through the countryside into Baltimore and then on to Cory and Casey Parkin's house.

GTD 2012 Day 5

There wasn't much sleep in the Hostel due to a chicken wire covering over my tiny, tiny room.  That allowed noise and lights to keep me awake.  After 1am I finally fell asleep for about 4 hrs.  5am came quick so I rushed to get up, get my stuff together and retrieve my bike and trailer from storage.  I was only 2-3 miles from the Wall St. Pier so I was amazed how hard it was to find, even with the directions of the locals and the police.

I finally found the Pier and as I pulled up the Ferry was pulling away, oh no!  Fortunately the Ferrys were running late so the 6:15am Ferry was 10 mins. away, PTL!  It arrived and a couple of us boarded.  I placed by bike and trailer in a secure place and went inside to settle in for the hour plus ride.  Along the way I checked email and double checked the route for the day.  I would be riding from Belford, NJ to Limerick, PA.

Since I was so rushed to get to the Ferry I didn't have any breakfast.  After unloading and leaving the Ferry I found a small store and bought some milk so I could mix up a protein shake.  I had my shake and a granola bar then set off.  As I was riding through a neighborhood I saw a momma duck and her ducklings walking down the sidewalk.  Had to stop and take a photo (can't find it now).  I got going for real and was really surprised by the quaint little NJ towns I rode through.  This day was going to be the first 100 plus mile day and I was going to leave NY, ride through NJ and end up in Limerick, PA at the home of Jason and Bethany Miller (UF CCH Gon4th). 

The ride went through quaint NJ towns until the outskirts of Trenton.  Traffic picked up and at one point in the afternoon I was led onto a busy 4 lane road that was headed to Philadelphia.  I wasn't comfortable with my directions so I pulled over and consulted Google Maps again.  I saw that there was an exit coming up that I could take and get back on back roads.  After NJ I entered PA and was back out in the countryside.  I met some sweet folks at the different places I stopped to eat or get a snack.  As the day got late I was getting tired due to the length of the day and the short sleep I had the night before.  I was excited to ride through the farm lands leading to their house.  My tired turned to enthusiasm as I entered their neighborhood and then met Jason in the driveway. 

It was a great night of sharing with Jason, Bethany and their new baby.  An added bonus was having Scott and Audrey Blewer join us for dinner.  It was so great to see them and hear about God's activity in their lives.  After dinner it was time to get a good night's rest.  The next day's ride would take me out of PA into MD.

GDT 2012 Day 4

Jason had to leave for the hospital (he's a doctor) by 5:30am so I got up just after 5am to shower, retrieve my laundry, see Jason off, pack up and set off for New York City.  The call was for rain and the weatherman hit it right on the head.  It was going to be a wet ride all the way to the City.  After leaving Jason's I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee and bagel.  I double checked my route for the day and set out.  I was looking forward to riding into the City.  My selfish prayer was that it would stop raining before I got there. 

Because of the rain I put my phone in my handlebar bag in a Ziploc baggie (I didn't yet have a Jersey Bin).  This made navigation a bit tricky and time consuming because I had to stop and find cover to check my phone.  It also made picture taking non existent. 

After leaving Starbucks I did find my way to NY State Bike Route 25.  This took me on a tour of small towns on Long Island.  Due to the rain it was hard to enjoy them because I had to keep an eye on drivers (the rain makes them crazy).  In one of the towns I noticed an interesting noise coming from my bike and I felt as though something was dragging so in the pouring rain I pulled into someone's front yard, took off my saddle bags, unloaded my B-O-B Bag and unhooked my B-O-B Trailer.  What a sight for passers by!

I then turned my bike upside down and pushed on the pedal to see if I could locate the sound.  Nothing in the chain or gears.  I checked the brakes and found that my rear brake was way too tight.  I got my multi tool out and let some tension off the brake.  I also cleared away some street crud that had gathered around the brake.  I pushed on the pedal again and as the tire spun around the noise was gone PTL! 

I reloaded and re-hooked everything and once again set off for the City.  This was to be a short, easy ride to the City but the conditions (weather, mechanics, navigation...) were making it more difficult than anticipated.  After several stops for food, the rest room and navigation I finally could see New York City off in the distance.  Very exciting!  It was also exciting that the rain had stopped!  I followed the signs to the Queensboro Bridge and started across.

   
The ride across the bridge was exhilarating.  The sounds, the sights, the walkers and runners, the cyclists....  After crossing the bridge I got my phone out and checked the route to Central Park.  It was only blocks away so I got in the bike lane and headed that way.  I crossed over one final street and entered Central Park.  So cool!  There were so many people from so many places.  There were also all types Vendors selling all types of items.  I rode by the Zoo and then to the Fountain.  I checked the time and realized that I needed to head to Times Square if I was to have any time there before meeting Natasha Husein at the Penn Station Starbucks.

Riding New York City is a blast!  Cyclists have their own lane and drivers are use to cyclists so navigating the City is easy.  I got to Time Square and saw all kinds of activity.  There were bleachers set up and they were full of people.  I saw a camera following a couple around, maybe a commercial?  Others were like myself, looking at the electronic extravaganza that Times Square is famous for.

I was really happy the rain had stopped!  I had promised the students from Shimane University in Japan that I would strike the Hiro Nakamura pose in Times Square that he made famous in the show "Heroes" many years ago.  The only question was, who would take my picture?  A few moments later a mother and daughter from France approached me to ask if I would use their camera to take pictures of them in Times Square.  Of course I would I told them.  Before giving me the camera the mom wanted to take of picture of her daughter with the Times Square Cyclist (I am sure that is what I am known by all over France).  I don't know that her daughter was thrilled with this but she consented to get it over with I am sure.  I took several photos of them and then asked if they would use my camera to take a picture of me.  They were more than glad to.

 

"Yatta, I love New York City!" was my exclamation.  I thanked them for taking my picture and then uploaded it to the Shimane University - CCH FB Page.  Shortly after doing so I saw that several students from Shimane "Liked" my photo.  Just before setting out for Penn Station 3 middle school age boys in a cab called out to me.  They said, "didn't we see you in Central Park?"  I said they had.  I asked them where they were from.  They said, "here".  What a gig.  Living in New York City and running around in the back of Taxi Cab.  I am sure mom and dad were footing that bill.

The ride to the Penn Station Starbucks was easy and it didn't take long.  Scaffolding was set up around the Starbucks so I pulled my bike and trailer up next to it and locked it with every lock that I had.  I also took off anything that could be taken and locked it in my saddle bags.  I went inside Starbucks and positioned myself to where I could keep an eye on my rig.  A few minutes later Natasha arrived and we had a nice 30 minute visit (she had to run to get ready for work related dinner).  It was awesome to hear that she was thriving spiritually in New York City.  I am sure that she and Tim Tebow will be hanging out this next year since they both are Christians and Gators.

After leaving Natasha I had to navigate my way to a Hostel in Lower Manhattan.  I found it and went inside to check in.  Very interesting.  There was a man at the counter screaming at the check in girl that the Hostel was being run illegally and that he was going to make sure they got shut down.  She was calm and took it all in stride.  When he finally quit screaming and left I asked her about him.  He stays upset and tries to get others upset.  It hasn't worked so that upsets him more.  She got me checked in and we secured my bike, trailer and bag in a storage closet.

I walked up to the 4th floor and found my tiny, tiny Individual Room.  There was enough room for a bed and for me to set my saddle bags on the floor next to the bed.  Did I mention that the Individual Room was tiny, tiny?  No worries.  It would work for the night and I was only 2-3 miles away from the Wall Street Pier.  I had to catch the 6:25am Ferry to New Jersey the next morning.  I took a cold shower (the girl swore that they had come and fixed the hot water heater) and then went out to find some dinner.  It was nice out so I took some time to chat with Celeste before deciding on where to go for dinner.  The restaurants looked good but were more than I wanted to pay so I went into a very nice 7-11 and bought a salad and some fruit.  I went back to the Hostel and ate dinner in the TV room.  I thought about doing laundry but decided that that would be a bit too much work.  My riding clothes would be fine till I got to the Miller's house in Limerick, PA the next day.

I settled in for the night but the lights and noise of the Hostel kept me awake till after midnight.  Just before midnight I went out in the hallway and turned off several lights. This helped. 

STATS - Mileage Today 67.0, Pace ---, Riding Time ---
Total GTD cumulative miles: 230.9

GTD 2012 Day 3

After dealing with a hamstring cramp I fell right to sleep and slept through the night.  Daylight comes earlier in the north than it does at home (Florida) so by 5am morning is breaking.  After showering I retrieved my laundry from the dryer and got everything organized (it's a daily thing) and packed up.  I came downstairs around 5:45am and Brother Richard was reading his devotional.  His backdrop was the Hudson River.  Simply beautiful! 

The on campus dining halls weren't open yet so we headed over to a Diner.  It was very good and the conversation with Brother Richard was awesome.  He is very insightful and had alot of great questions regarding campus ministry on a large secular campus.  If it were not for the ride ahead of me we could have talked for hours.  I hope that we can again one day continue our conversation.

We returned to his house and he helped me carry my gear out and load it up.  Brother Richard also helped me with directions from Marist to the route I needed to get into Connecticut.  After leaving the college I rode through the old part of downtown.  That is where I took the picture below.

Shortly after leaving downtown I connected with the Dutchess County Rail Trail.  This was an awesome ride all the way to Hopewell Junction.

After leaving Hopewell Junction the ride took me through the small town of East Fishkill.  After that the route took me through very rural, scenic neighborhoods.  It was this portion of the ride that introduced me to some long climbs.  I began to realize that road names that included Hill or Mountain were accurate descriptions of what was to come.  Several times I got off route because you would have to make a slight left or right to stay on that road.  You wouldn't have known that if it were not for a detailed map. 

Before crossing into Connecticut I started up a very steep climb.  After a minute or two I stopped to look at my map to see if I could get where I needed to go without climbing the monster hill before me.  I found that with a slight detour I could.  I wasn't sure what that detour entailed but I figured it was worth a shot.  I could also make my way back to this hill.  The gamble paid off!  I had an easy ride to get to where I need to go.  The road I was on went right along the State line for awhile.  Finally I made a left hand turn and I was in Connecticut.  For several hours I rode through scenic neighborhoods before reaching Danbury, CT. 

Danbury was a bit larger so I was now riding in city traffic.  It was a bit hectic so I decided to stop for a snack and some map time.  I found a route that would get me out of the city and back out into the country.  Along the way I saw some beautiful sights and an interesting sight.

 

After a scenic ride through farm land and mountain streams I encountered the Tonka Tree and a house that had various toy vehicles attached to its roof and many other places.  It was interesting to say the least.  In Nevada Ben and I encountered the Shoe Tree.  Now in Connecticut I found the Tonka Tree and House of Toy Vehicles.  Worth the ride!  As much as I enjoyed what I was seeing I needed to get on to Bridgeport to catch the Ferry.

I left the country setting and headed into Bridgeport.  I rode through many quaint neighborhoods before entering the city.  I crossed under the Interstate and worked my way to the Ferry Terminal.  I arrived in plenty of time to catch the 6pm Ferry to Port Jefferson, NY.  I had ridden in a light rain off and on for much of the afternoon so I took some time to clean up before boarding the Ferry.  The ride was over an hour so I had time to call Celeste and my mom to let them know a good portion of the day was over.  I was also able to have some internet time to catch up on email, Facebook and Twitter.
Before I knew it we were arriving in Port Jefferson.

After getting off the Ferry I hit Starbucks up for some hot coffee.  It was now 7:30pm so the daylight was fading.  After some warm coffee I turned on my lights and headed to Jason's house.  It took about 45 minutes to get from Port Jefferson to Stony Brook, NY.  I arrived in the dark.  Jason came out to meet me and we put my bike and trailer in the garage.  After a warm shower I threw my riding clothes in the washer and we went out to an Italian Restaurant.  The bread and pasta were awesome! We finished dinner around 9pm and returned to the house.  I threw my clothes in the dryer and did some map work for the next day.  Both Jason and I had to get up early so we called it a night. 

STATS - Mileage Today 78.5, Pace --- , Riding Time ----
Total GTD cumulative miles: 163.9

GTD 2012 Day 2

Monday, May 7th, 2012 was the day I had been anticipating and preparing for for 2 years.  After a good night's sleep I awoke at 5am.  I showered, ate breakfast, got my stuff together and loaded up Scott's car.  We then set off for the house I grew up in on Broadview Ct. in Troy, NY.  Since it was so early the traffic was light and the journey to Broadview Ct. much quicker than the day before.  We arrived at the house and unloaded my bike and trailer.  I connected my trailer to my bike and secured my saddle bags and B-O-B Bag.  Before leaving I took a moment to shoot a video.

 
After the videos and saying goodbye to Scott and Elizabeth I set out on North Lake Ave.  I was now riding the section of road that I dreamed of riding as a little boy.  I remember my first bike with training wheels.  I remember my first ride on Broadview Ct. that ended up with me falling over on to the gravel of Broadview Ct.  After learning to ride without crashing I remember the desire to leave Broadview Ct. for the next street over.  I can't remember if that happened before we moved to Orlando, FL.  Needless to say, it was happening today.  I rode down North Lake Ave. and cut through the Park I use to go snow sledding in.  If I told you this was not an emotional start to the ride I would be lying.

After navigating my way through downtown Troy I headed into Albany.  This was nice.  I've never spent much time in Albany so cycling through downtown was good.  I like statues so I stopped to take a picture with a former Mayor and his dog.

In the midst of the morning traffic I couldn't find my way to the bike trail that ran along the river.  By the time I realized I was past it it was too late.  This meant that I was going to have to ride through a not so nice Industrial area.  Once I got through this area though the ride became more scenic.

When I got to Coeymans, NY I first met up with my cousin Doug who was on his way to Albany for a job interview.  We took a few moments to chat then I had prayer for him before the interview.  A few miles down the road I then met up with Sue (Doug's wife) and the kids.  We had a great visit then I set off for an afternoon of riding along the Hudson River.

There were some nice ups and downs along the river but nothing drastic. I was riding down the west side of the river; it wouldn't be till Catskill that I would cross over to the east side. Before Catskill though I was excited to reach Coxsackie. I started out without a water bottle and now that I had been riding for several hours and the temperature was warming up a bit I was ready for a drink. I found a small convenience store that fulfilled this need. A little later on I had to shed my throw over and my long sleeve shirt. By this time I was starting to think about lunch but that wasn't going to be till I crossed over to the east side of the Hudson.

I finally crossed over and headed to Germantown, NY.  It was there I found a Stewart's!  I love Stewart's Root beer so I stopped in for a Chili Dog, Root beer and Ice Cream cone.  What a treat!  Especially since this was a later than normal lunch.  After lunch it was on to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY.  In preparation for the trip I had spent time on Google Earth so I was familiar with many of the sights before and around Marist and Poughkeepsie.  Once I began to see them I was excited that my first day of riding was about to be done and I was going to be introduced to some new Campus Ministry friends at Marist. 

I arrived on campus and asked a student how to get to the Campus Ministry building.  She gave me campus landmarks to look for so I set off across campus looking for the landmarks and the building.  I found the CM building and immediately met Brother Frank and Jill.  These were the two I had been corresponding with for several months.  They were very gracious and very glad that I had arrived.  We spent some time visiting and refreshing then Brother Frank had me follow him to Brother Richard's house on campus.  That is where I would be staying for the night.  Brother Richard was busy with end of the semester activities so Brother Frank got me situated at the house.  I moved my stuff in and got cleaned up.  Brother Richard stopped in for a few minutes so I got to meet him.  We determined that we would have breakfast at 6 the next morning before I set out.  Before he left for his dinner meeting he threw my riding clothes in the washer, what a blessing!  My plan was to only use one set of riding clothes for the trip since most nights I would have access to a washer and dryer.  After some organizing of my gear and reading I fell right asleep.  It was a great first day and I was thankful to God for all the blessings of the day and even the time leading up to the ride.  Tomorrow I will ride through Connecticut to Bridgeport where I will catch a Ferry to Stony Brook, NY.

STATS - Mileage Today 85.4, Pace 11.5, Riding Time 7:21
Total GTD cumulative miles: 85.4

GTD 2012 Day 1

I left out of Gainesville, FL early on the 6th so that I could arrive in Albany, NY by lunch time.  My flights to Atlanta and Albany went great so I was right on time to meet up with my cousins Elizabeth and Bill at the Albany Airport.  Elizabeth's boyfriend Scott brought his car so we had plenty of room for the 4 of us, my B-O-B Trailer and Bag and Camelbak.

We went to the house to drop my gear off.  I also wanted to check on my bike.  I had shipped it to a Bike Shop in Albany and they put it back together and checked it out.  I wanted to make sure that there weren't any other adjustments that needed to be done before setting out the next morning.  I also took time to reassemble my B-O-B Trailer so that it was ready to go.

After all this was done we went to pick up Aunt Marge for lunch.  Below is Elizabeth, Bill, Aunt Marge and me.  Thanks Scott for taking the picture.  After picking Aunt Marge up it was time for lunch at Ted's Fish Fry, my favorite!  We enjoyed Ted's, seeing Troy, stopping by the house and neighborhood I grew up in (the GTD 2012 starting point) and visiting with Aunt Marge. 

We returned to Elizabeth's house to relax outside since the temperature was much cooler than what I left in Florida.  She has a beautiful garden.

 

After a nice visit and chat about the ride to come we decided to order some Chinese food for dinner.  It was awesome!  After dinner I watched the final episode of The Amazing Race before bedtime.  It was a great first day of GTD 2012.

GTD 2012

In less than a week I will begin my 2012 Go The Distance Fundraising Bike Ride from Troy, NY back home to Gainesville, FL.  I am calling it my "Home Sweet Home" Ride.  "Home Sweet Home" because I will start where I was born and finish where I currently live my lovely wife Celeste.  It is also called my "Home Sweet Home" Ride because many of the nights will be spent with Family, UFCCH Gon4ths and Friends.  I am looking forward to seeing each and every one of them.

At this point my bike, Ol' Blue, has been shipped and most of my packing is done.  I will have to box up by B.O.B. Trailer and Bag on Friday to have it ready for the plane on Sunday.  Outside of a few meetings this week much of my time will be spent doing map work, training and and hanging out Celeste.  Once she drops me off at the airport Sunday morning I will not see her again until the later part of the journey except for when we Skype.

I am excited about the ride.  As I view the route on Google Earth I am looking forward to riding down country roads through quaint towns.  The first day I will be riding a Bike Trail along the Hudson River, how awesome is that!

I am so thankful for everyone who is supporting this Ride financially and prayerfully.  The finances will help UFCCH transition into a new Home this summer  and will provide mission scholarships to students desiring to serve in Haiti or South Florida or Costa Rica or Japan.  The prayers will sustain me day by day.

Looking forward to the Ride!   bob g.

Victoria BC

This week we are in Victoria BC visiting The Butchart Gardens. This is Celeste's "most favorite place in the world." It truly is beautiful even if we are a bit early in the blooming season for many flowers. We have enjoyed going in and out of the Gardens each day and will do so again today.

I rented a bike for 3 days so I have enjoyed cycling through Historic Victoria as well as the outlying countryside. The lush green grass, giant trees, soft rain (Wednesday only), great trail system, Starbucks...have been great. This morning I rode along the water to Sidney BC. Sidney is a quaint little town that is home to the Sidney to Anacortes Ferry Landing. I will reflect on the Ferry Crossing in my next post. Well, it's time to ride so we can go into the Gardens.

Until next post, Cheers!

Silverman 2010 - 11/05-09

Every other year I head to Henderson, NV for the Silverman Triathlon. In years past I have done the Full Distance course. This year I decided, based on the amount of training I was able to do, it was best to do the Half Distance course.

I flew out of Jacksonville, FL to Las Vegas. It took a couple of hours to retrieve my luggage and rent a car. After that it was off to the bike shop to pick up the bike I was renting for the race. The bike was a Cannondale Cadd9 and it was Petty blue. They put my pedals on the bike and adjusted it a bit. I test rode it and it felt good, I was excited.

Now that I had the bike it was time to check in at the Silverman Expo. It was still early so the Registration tent wasn't crowded at all. I picked up my packet and walked around the Expo a bit to enjoy the free samples and look at the different vendors. The Pre-Race Pasta Dinner was early that evening so I decided to utilize the daylight to get my camp set up at Lake Mead.

I found a great spot just up from where I camped several years ago. It was beautiful! I set up my tent, inflated my air mattress and unrolled my sleeping bag. Everything was set for my return after dinner.

The dinner was great. Lots of food! We also got to enjoy Ironman Champion Dave Scott and then meet the athletes representing CAF (Challenged Athletes Foundation). These athletes had been injured during military service. They were very inspirational, I looked forward to meeting them out on the course. I looked around the Banquet Hall for Travis and Arron but didn't spot them so I headed to my tent.

I climbed in my tent around 9pm and slept till 4am. I slept and felt great! I cleaned up and headed to the Starbucks in Boulder City. They opened at 4:30am hallelujah! I got all of my reading and podcasting done and then headed to the Expo for the Pancake Breakfast. Shortly after arriving I received a text from Travis, he and Arron were by the kids Jumpy Jump. We found each other and got in the long Breakfast line. We had good time to catch up before we got our food. After Breakfast was the Pre-Race Meeting.

Race Director Frank Lowrey led the meeting. He provided race and course information and took time to answer questions. There was also time for the USAT Official to remind us of all the important rules we needed to obey. If we failed to obey any of them we would be penalized. After the meeting Dave Scott returned to talk about the course and answer any triathlon related questions. We ducked out just before the meeting concluded.

The rest of the day was spent on packing transition bags, tweaking the bike then riding some of the hills around Lake Las Vegas. It helped me get a better feel for the bike. I rode the mile and a half climb out of Lake Las Vegas then rode out into the desert a bit. I love that portion of the bike course. I snapped a few pictures before riding past Lake Las Vegas to tackle the Bike Trail and the Three Sisters. This is a challenging section of the bike course that comes later in the ride for the Full and Half Distance athletes. I climbed Two of the Three Sisters and decided that all was good with the bike and my legs.

After returning to the car I grabbed my transition bags and headed to T1 to check my bike and bags in. After this was done I took a look at the swim course, it looked a bit long for both the 1.2 and 2.4. Others seemed to feel the same way about what they saw. We knew that we would all have to swim the same course so no worries. With the course being so narrow I was a bit concerned that 800 plus Half Distance triathletes would be fighting for space at the start. This concern made me think long and hard about where I wanted to start.

After picking up some dinner I returned to my tent to settle in. Generally the night before is a bit of a restless night. This night I was tired but was unable to fall asleep due to noisy neighbors. I finally did after midnight! 4:30am came early. I cleaned up and headed to Starbucks to read. After that I drove to Lake Las Vegas to go through body marking and take care of last minute details before the Full Distance race started at 7pm.

I met up with Arron and Rhonda as well as Travis and Kippy. We chatted a bit and spent some time in prayer and taking pictures. We all were a bit nervous about what was to come.

7am arrived and the Full Distance triathletes began their swim. We weren't starting till 8:30am so there was more than enough time to hydrate, stretch, pray.... Finally 8:15am arrived and they encouraged us to get into the water and work our way toward the start line. I lowered myself in the water, it was cold! I swam toward the start line and the side where I could stand up (I didn't want to tread water for 10 minutes). Final last minute instructions were given then the race started.

Just as I thought, the first half mile was full body contact swimming. It slowed me up a bit but it wasn't too bad. I checked my time at the turn, I was at 21 minutes. I was on target for the 45 minute swim I predicted. Shortly after the turn to head back in I was kicked in the goggle and it dislodged from my face long enough for water to pour in. I raised up for a moment to empty out my goggle and reposition it. Some time lost but not bad. I kept raising up to spot the buoys, it was difficult on the way back in due to the way they were positioned for the out and back swim. I lost a bit more time but stayed calm. Then with about 200 meters left I began to cramp in my hamstring. I popped my head out of the water and took deep breaths. I also stretched my leg, feet and ankle. I was so close. I swam the last 200 upper body only, ended up climbing out of the water at 49 minutes. As soon as I climbed out both Quads cramped. This was interesting, I never had cramped in my Quads before. I sat for a moment then was helped up. More deep breathing.

I got up and ran to the changing tent. Along the way there were wetsuit strippers who helped us get out of our wetsuits quickly. In the changing tent I focused on nutrition first (GU, Gatorade...) then changing. I finished and ran to my bike. Leaving the transition area we had a carpeted switchback we had to push our bike up. Once up top we could mount our bikes and begin a grueling 56 mile ride.

The climb out of Lake Las Vegas was consistent. After that the ride along Lake Mead was up and down with very fast sections. I rode well and passed quite a few. Just before the turnaround there was a slight upgrade that seemed to steal all of my speed. After the turnaround it was much of the same till we got to the right hand turn that sent us out into the desert. I love this section of the course though it is challenging. I wasn't quite sure where the turnaround was and I did not have a bike computer so I just had to relax and stay as consistent as possible. The rest of the ride was good. I rode the Three Sisters well and then did better than expected on the false flat on the desert trail. Once we got into town I was a bit confused because the course was a bit different than two years ago. I couldn't wait to get up on Horizon Ridge, I really enjoy how fast this section of the course is and how beautiful the view of downtown Las Vegas is. I got to the bike finish and felt good. I dismounted and headed to the changing tent. I grabbed a bit more nutrition and put on my running shoes. Now was the part of the race that I had to survive.

As expected the run was challenging, slow and consistent for me.  My knees were ok but the lack of run training due to knee pain was evident.  Everyone on the course was amazing.  One spectator jumped in alongside of me going up a long grade and encouraged me all the way, it was awesome.  I had several opportunities along the way to give praise to the Lord.  I crossed the finish line feeling ok.  After a some fluids I tried to eat, no good.  Eating would have to take place a bit later. 

Since I couldn't eat I retrieved my bike and and gear and caught the shuttle to my car.  I loaded everything in my car and returned to the race finish to see how the guys were doing, grab some food and a post race massage.  I accomplished all that I set out to do.  The food was great, the massage fantastic and I was updated on the guys.  Arron encountered some difficulties so he pulled out of the race.  Travis was making consistent headway and would be coming in several hours before the cutoff.  I visited with Arron, Rhonda and Kippy while we waited on Travis.  It was so awesome to see Travis coming down the shoot, he looked great.  We congratulated him and got a finish line video shot and waited for him to get some nutrition in his body.

After all the bikes and gear was collected we headed to the hotel for a great night of rest.  I crashed with Travis and Kippy, what a blessing!  The next morning I retrieved my tent and headed into Vegas so I could lodge close to the airport.  That night I got to visit The Verve, a church for those who don't like church.  It was awesome.  What a great way to finish this journey.  I look forward to a 2012 return if the Lord wills.

Day 17 - Point Mugu State Park - Woodland Hills, CA

This was it, the final day. We packed up camp and headed to Malibu to find a Starbucks. We had run out of matches so we were going to enjoy some breakfast and coffee at Starbucks. As we entered Malibu the terrain changed from flat to rolling. It was on one of the climbs that we found a Starbucks inside a store. We once again charged up our phones, caught up on some
e-mail and enjoyed some yogurt and iced coffee.

Today was only going to be about 42 miles so we didn't rush through our internet time. While at Starbucks several asked about our ride. When they found out we were finishing up in Woodland Hills they wanted to make sure we were not going to take Malibu Canyon Road to get there (it's a dangerous road for cyclists). Ben wasn't sure which road we would be taking but I think after their comments he was hoping it wouldn't be Malibu Canyon Road. I assured him that we were taking Topanga Canyon Road and not Malibu Canyon Road.

After finishing up we set out for Topanga Canyon Road. The northern part of Malibu continued to roll and provide some beautiful scenery. We did ride by Pepperdine University, very cool looking. It is set up on a hill. After awhile the rolling hills ceased and it became flat again. Malibu is very long, it seemed to take forever to get to Topanga Canyon Road. We even stopped once to check our maps program to make sure we were on the right track.

Finally, Topanga Canyon Road was just ahead. I stopped to take a picture of the sign because this was going to be our final climb and our longest climb. We started up the road, not too bad at first. Then after coming around a bend we saw the climb. For the next 2 miles we would grind our way up TCR. After conquering the steep section we were blessed with a section that was level or had a slight upgrade. This was great! Due to some road construction we had to stop, nice break. When our lane of traffic was waved on we continued on the level section that led to a section that provided a final slight upgrade to the top of Topanga Canyon. It was really warm by this time so I took a couple of shade breaks along the way. So good! The shade and iced coffee cooled me off.

It was so great to finally see the top of the Canyon. We pulled over and took a picture then set off down the Canyon to Woodland Hills. As we got toward the bottom of the Canyon we found a Starbucks. There we refilled on ice coffee, took care of e-mail and called Bren to let her know we were only 3 miles away from the house. After talking with Joe a bit we headed to the house. Jim and Bren came outside to greet us then opened the garage so we could pull our bikes in.

After chatting with them about the ride and catching up on some of their riding experiences we got showered and enjoyed a great dinner. By 9pm I was ready to call it a night. Tomorrow we will be breaking our bikes down, packing them up and shipping them back to FL. We will also have a chance to get laundry done before heading home on Saturday.

The final mileage for the ride was 1,137 miles. We lost 167 miles due to weather and sickness. I hope to have a mileage make up day sometime after returning home.

Day 16 - Refugio State Beach - Point Mugu State Park

Today was the day we officially were back in the city. After leaving the Beach we were in Goleta after a short bit. We found a McDonalds for breakfast, to charge up our phones and catch up on some e-mail.

After breakfast we rode into Santa Barbara and went to the Pier. This is the end of the Adventure Cycling Map that begins in San Francisco and ends in Santa Barbara. We rode through a neighborhood that led to the water. We found the water and turned toward the Pier. Once on the Pier we went out to take some photos. Once the photos were taken it was time to begin our journey through Santa Barbara. We didn't have a map for this section of the ride so we asked a cyclist for route info. He pointed us in the right direction and the signage for the Pacific Coast Trail was good.

We made it to Ventura and began to hunt for a cannister for the stove. We checked a couple of stores before locating one at High 5 Sports. It was in Ventura that we met Eileen who was interested in our ride. We chatted and she took some pictures. She shared with us about her upcoming climbing trip to Utah. Sounded cool.

Thanks to our maps programs we navigated our way out of Ventura, through Oxnard and back to the Pacific Coast Highway. By this time we were only about 10 miles from Point Mugu State Park. It was great to leave the city and ride through the fields once again. This led us back to the ocean! It was great to see the ocean again after so much city.

We spotted the brown state park sign that told us we were close to being home for the day. We found the park and a place to camp on the beach. After dinner and the noise of a party going on 2 sites down I drifted off to sleep knowing that this journey was about to come to a close.

I believe it was the prayers of the people today that directed us through the cities successfully. Tomorrow we will ride through Malibu to Topanga Canyon Road. TCR will then take us up over the mountain and down to Woodland Hills, CA. There we will meet up with cycling friends Jim and Bren Wagoner.

Day 15: San Luis Obispo - Refugio State Beach

The rain was to pass through and be gone by morning, it did and was. The streets were wet but that was fine. Today was going to be a long ride to Refugio State Beach near Goleta.

We hit Starbucks on the way out of town then we proceded to Pismo Beach. There were some ups and downs as usual but the ride to the coast was nice. We passed through Pismo and Grover Beach before arriving in Oceano. After riding through Oceano for a bit we had to check our map to make sure we were still on track. We were, just in a scenic round about way.

After a ride through more fields we turned toward Guadelupe. Along the way the smell of cedar trees was strong and sweet. Before Guadelupe there was a descent that took us past more strawberry fields, sweet smell there as well!

We took a break in Guadelupe and found an old time market that sold coconut water, good stuff. After shedding some extra clothing we turned our sights toward Lompoc. This stretch would take us over our next climb. It was a good climb and the descent down to Lompoc was fast. We stopped at McDonalds for lunch then prepared ourselves for the next climb to come before we turned south on 101 to go to Refugio.

The ride through the country past Orcutt was nice. The final climb of the day was like so many others in CA, not too bad. After the climb it was fast down to 101 then to Refugio. The sun was heading down as we set up camp and prepared some dinner. The cannister for my stove went empty so I made a fire in the grill to heat up my soup. It was so hot and so good.

After dinner Simeon, our neighbor, came out and offered us some strawberries, they were awesome. We had a good chat then I washed my dishes and settled in for the night. The crashing of the ocean waves lulled me to sleep.

Tomorrow the plan is to ride through Santa Barbara, Ventura and Oxnard before camping out at Point Mugu State Park.

As always, your prayers are appreciated and effective.

Day 14: San Simeon Village - San Luis Obispo

The forcast was for rain today. I poked my head out at 6:20 and no rain, only gray. After coffee, packing up and taking care of calls we set out. Shortly after setting out it began to spit rain. The first 20 miles to Cayucos included a few hills but for the most part it was a very nice ride. We even had a scenic bypass that was nice. In Cayucos we stopped to warm up with some coffee. After taking care of a few more calls we set out for Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

The through Morro Bay led us into the State Park, very nice. After exiting the Park we headed into hilly farm country. Once we made it to Las Osos Rd. the terrain leveled out a bit but the traffic picked up. Foothills Blvd. led us into town. There we got some lunch and found a Starbucks. Since we had knocked out 40 miles by lunch we had time to catch up on e-mail and blogging.

As we were doing this the heavens opened up and the promised steady rain was now here. We checked the hour by hour for Oceano and it was going to rain till 6am. After that, sunshine the rest of the week. With that info in hand we decided to find a dry place for the night and add today's final 15 on to tomorrow's ride to Refugio State Beach.

As always, thanks for taking the time to pray for and encourage us!

Day 13: Big Sur - San Simeon Village

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park was a beautiful place to wake up. We ate breakfast, packed up, charged up our phones and set out. The ride started as many have, uphill. I quit looking at riding time after 40 minutes of climbing. When we quit climbing the fog was so thick we could only hear the ocean below.

The first 40 miles included many challenging climbs and the only stop was Lucia which consisted of one store that overcharged for everything. It was hear that we knew we would stretch 3 days into 4. PTL that we had an extra day in the schedule. I tried to track down the Reserve America number via home, mom and directory assistance, no luck. I even spent 4 quarters in the payphone and got nowhere.

With no luck in Lucia it was time to head to Ragged Point. After the climbs, descents, rough road, road construction, and amazing sights we reached Ragged Point. We took a well deserved pie (blackberry & apple) and coffee break.

The gray weather stayed with us all the way to San Simeon Village. The ride down from Ragged Point was good despite the gray. There were ups and downs but the big, grinding climbs were behind us. Before San Simeon we stopped at the beach to check out the seals, they were everywhere and all over each other, I guess personal space is not an issue.

We finished the ride to the Village and found a Mini Mart. Across the street was a lodge, we decided to check in and get warm after riding in the gray, moist and cool weather.

After a salad and some tv the lights went out at 10. The plan is to be up by 6:15 and on the road by 7:30 so we can get to Oceano early.

Soon!

Day 12: Santa Cruz - Big Sur

Whenever we are near a larger city we are diverted off US 1 onto the scenic route. Today we rode through lots and lots of strawberry fields. Sometimes we were on good road and other times we wondered if we were still on route. We were. We finally got back on 1 and made our way to Seaside, CA.

Before Seaside we stopped to use the restroom. We had seen Sweet Cherries Ahead signs so Ben took a moment to score us some cherries, amazing!

Before Seaside we had to get back off 1 onto a road that led us to a bike trail. We met local cyclists Brick and Robert. My front brake had been dragging, they helped me with that problem PTL. We rode the ups and downs of the trail to the Chilis in Seaside where we met Darren and Sydni Murphy for lunch, it was awesome as were they.

After a Starbucks stop we got back on the bike trail to make our way through Monterrey and on to Big Sur. We knew there would be some climbs but we didn't realize they would be so steep on our way out of Monterrey. After finding the right road that would lead us to a trail we connected with the road that would put us back on 1. It always feels good to get back one 1 because it feels like the most direct route to where we are going.

The ride down to Carmel was fast with lots of traffic. After that we had alot of ups and downs all the way to Big Sur. The beauty of this section is second to none. From Carmel there were big yellow numbers painted on the shoulder every mile so we were able to count our way down to Big Sur, it was good. When I saw the 10K paint my guess that they ran a marathon along that route was confirmed.

Just before Big Sur the ride went from coastal to forest, very cool and beautiful. Before reaching the State Park we stopped at the grocery for some dinner supplies. When we got to the Park the Ranger said we could cancel our full site and stay for cheap in the hiker/biker section, we liked that. The hiker/biker section was secluded and awesome. Redwoods!

We showered, ate Ramen spaghetti with beans and then hit the Park store before it closed at 9. After this we headed to our tents for a good night's rest. Tomorrow we will continue our way down the coast toward Morrow Bay. Thanks to those of you praying, it works big time!

Day 11: San Francisco to Santa Cruz

The night in the Hostel was good. Great roommates and a comfortable bed. I woke at 6am and retrieved my bike and equipment at 6:30am. By 7am I had it all together. After breakfast we set out through the streets of San Francisco in search of the Golden Gate Bridge. We finally found it in the thick of the clouds.

The day was overcast and there was a mist in the air. Nonetheless it was an exhilarating experience to bike the bridge. On the return trip I asked another cyclist the best way to The Great Highway, the start of our route down the coast. We had to go up the hill...something we would do alot of over the next 3 hours. Around SF, Daily City and Pacifica it was very hilly.

After Pacifica the hills were very fair. Uphill but not forever or too steep. Good downhill with a great view of the ocean.

The CA coast has such a diverse landscape. Ragged cliffs, sandy beaches, fields of fruit, cows and lighthouses. It was awesome!

It was nice to be going through cities that had stores, McDonalds,
Starbucks...civilization!

Before Davenport I heard a loud blast, I knew Ben had had a blowout. It damaged the tire a bit so he had to move it to the front and run a lower pressure in it in hopes of making it to the bike shop in Santa Cruz before 6pm. Shortly after resuming our ride I heard the noise of metal falling to the road, the bolt that held Ben's seat together broke. What next we thought? Especially with the need to get to the bike shop. My prayer was for continued tailwinds and gentle terrain.

The prayer was answered and we pulled into Another Bike Shop at 5:45! The guys at the shop were great. Both Ben and I bought a new tire and I also purchased some sport/energy jelly beans. They are good and they work. Looking forward to snacking in them this next week. Ben had to go to a hardware store for a new bolt, he found one.

After all that we went to Safeway to purchase dinner, some supplies and an iced coffee at Starbucks (at 3:30 this afternoon the overcast turned to blue skies and sunshine). After Safeway we went to do laundry. Since it was going on 8:30pm I decided that we should get a room across from the laundromat. We finished up laundry just before 10 then we changed out our tires.

Tomorrow we will ride to Seaside, CA to have lunch with Darren & Sydni Murphy, Sydni is Celeste's cousin. After lunch we will ride to Big Sur, it will be amazing. We have a campsite reserved at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

For everyone praying for us, thanks and keep it up.

Day 10: Sightseeing in San Fran

No rush today since it was our rest/sightseeing day in San Francisco. We packed up,ate breakfast and pedaled to the Baylink Ferry. We caught the 8:45 Ferry and 1 hour later we were pulling into Port. It was cool to cruise by the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

We got off the Ferry and thanks to Google maps we pedaled right to our Hostel. What a differance it was riding in SF versus Highway 50 in NV. The traffic was crazy yet controled. They are very use to cyclists and we saw alot of them.

Once we checked in and settled in room 104 we walked the 2.5 miles to Fishermans Wharf. We had a great time seeing all that was there and experiencing the culture. We also experience some clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, lobster bisque and fish and chips. To top it off we bought a couple of truffles for dessert.

Since the walk to the Wharf was so up and down we decided to catch a cable car back. It was awesome! On the way to the Hostel we found a barbershop for Ben. He got his desired haircut and was very pleased.

We returned to the Hostel to take care of e-mail and blogging then went to dinner at a Vietnamiese restaurant, it was amazing! One of our roommates, Stanley, went with us. He is a recent Grad School Graduate from UCLA and a very nice guy.

After dinner was truffle time! Now it's time to go to bed, tomorrow begins the push down the CA coast. We will be camping in the Santa Cruz area.

We covet your prayers!

Day 9: Folsom - Vallejo

What would today bring re: Ben's stomach ailment? Slept till 6am then decided to check with him, he gave the thumbs up so today we ride!

Jerry was going to ride with us some so that was exciting. We ate breakfast, loaded up, took photos and said goodbye to Peggy. Jerry led us down the road to the American River Bike Trail, what a great ride and change of scenery. Jerry road about 23 miles with us then returned home. We continued on to the end of the Trail then into Old Sacramento, very cool. Since Ben hadn't eaten in awhile we stopped at a Subway so he could do soup and salad.

Our goal was to make the 5:30 Ferry in Vallejo, with 78 miles left it would be tight unless it was a super fast ride all the way. We left Old Sacramento and crossed the river to West Sacramento so we were in traffic and stop lights. After leaving West Sac (that's what the locals call it) we got on the Yolo Trail that led us to Davis, CA. It was nice to leave the busyness of Sacramento behind.

The Trail was parallel to 80 but to our north it was green fields. After awhile we got away from 80 so traffic noise disappeared. By this time we were approaching Davis, the home of UC Davis. It was cool to ride through a college town and around the college, very nice.

We continued on a Trail away from Davis out into an area that was beautiful. Not only was it filled with flowers, nut trees and fruit trees but it was also the route for one of the Stages of the Tour of California bike race that is coming up this weekend and next week. Because of that we saw lots of cyclists training.

We were making good time (13.1 mph) but as we headed to Fairfield the wind and hills kicked in a bit. Before Fairfield and later that day the ride was much like riding in the East Tennessee countryside. Green, hills and cows. I love to greet the cows with a ring of my bell, I think they like it.

Once we arrived in Fairfield we knew we had to get something cold to drink and we knew that we would not make the last Ferry without trying to kill ourselves. Therefore we took advantage of Frappachino Happy Hour at the Starbucks inside Safeway. I got a venti dark cherry mocha frappachino for $2.15, what a deal! I also enjoyed some cold and juicy Ruby Red grapefruit.

After our break we set off at a relaxed pace toward Vallejo. We passed by Winters and Rockville before entering Concordia. In Concordia I had my first flat tire. I changed it quick and we set off on our last two 10 mile segments. Lopes Road rolled up and down along the Interstate until we got to Lake Harmon Road. We took a quick break at a store before climbing the hills of Lake Harmon Road. It was challenging but pretty, especially Lake Harmon. We finally got to Columbus Parkway, this would lead us to where we would be staying for the night.

112 miles after Folsom we were at our resting place. We chose it because it was only 2.8 miles from the Baylink Ferry Terminal. We checked in, cleaned up, found some pizza, caught up on blogging then called it a night.

Tomorrow we will catch the Ferry to San Francisco and enjoy a day of seeing the sights. After that we start down the CA coast to LA.

Blessings!

Day 8: Reno, NV - Folsom, CALIFORNIA

After the interesting events of yesterday I was curious what today would bring. The day began at 7am. I grabbed a shower then went to check to see if the bus would be going to Sacramento. It was! The Pass was clear. I went and told Ben we needed to get our stuff together and head to the Station for the 9:30 bus.

We got everything together and got to the station by 8 so we could purchase our bike boxes and have plenty of time to break our bikes down and packed up. It took some time but we got bikes, trailer and gear in 3 boxes.

Now that we were ready we got word that our bus was delayed an hour. It actually was two hours but that gave me time to catch up on e-mail. Finally we boarded the bus and headed to Sacramento, CA. We drove through some beautiful snow covered mountains.

After a short stop before Sacramento we arrived at the Station and retrieved our boxes and bag. Ben was dealing with a stomach issue so Jerry and Peggy came to get us. They live in Folsom, CA which is about 30 miles from Sacramento. Our original plan was to ride to their house but Ben was not up to it.

We loaded everthing in and on their car and began the journey to their house. It was great to see them again. I met Peggy and Jerry in Alley Springs, MO during my 2008 ride. We chatted for about 20 minutes then continued our rides west and east. As I was planning this ride it worked out to stop in Folsom so Jerry and Peggy invited us to stay the night with them.

It was a great afternoon and night of chatting, eating and reassembling our bikes and my trailer. About 10 it was time to get to bed, 6am was going to come early.

We are looking forward to riding again tomorrow. The plan is to get to Vallejo, CA to catch the 5:30 Ferry to San Francisco.

Day 7: Fallon - Carson Plains, NV "SNOW" !!!

After a great nights sleep I woke up at 5am and got a warm shower. Shelby fixed us a great breakfast then Michael loaded us up and took us to Highway 50. We got some coffee at the store then began to pedal toward Silver Springs, NV. The first hour of riding was good then Michael's observation that the wind seemed to be picking up earlier this day became reality.

It was after a bathroom break at a manmade desert lake the we began riding into a strong wind. We finally made it down to Silver Springs and took a store break. I had a good signal so I cleaned up some email (it's been rare to have a good signal). After the break we began pedaling into the wind. We were only averaging 3-4 miles an hour when pedaling and 2.5 when pushing.

Outside of Dayton was the Carson Plains Market. We stopped to get a break from the grind of pedaling into the wind. Earlier when We were pushing I had prayed that one of God's people would stop and ask us if we needed a ride. That never happened but
after being in the store a bit and asking about bus info out of Carson City the store manager asked "do you need a ride?". She said 50 mile an hour winds and a rain/snow storm were called for. Since her specific question was an answer to prayer I said yes. Leann needed to wait for some else to come in so that gave me time to track down a cheap room in Reno, NV.

After that we ate a PB&J sandwich and loaded everything up. By that time Leann was readyto go. As we headed toward Carson City it began to rain. As we turned north toward Reno it began to snow hard. It was Ben's first time seeing snow so he was like a kid in a candy shop. It lightened up a bit as we arrived in Reno and at our hotel. We got checked in, unpacked, said goodbye to Leann and then moved in.

We cleaned up, checked with Grayhound re: a bus to Sacramento and asked what the procedure was for transporting bicycles. I was told our bikes would need to be broken down and boxed up. Fortunately Grayhound sells bike boxes. Everything was coming together.

I returned to pass on the info to Ben. After doing so we got some dinner then walked over to Starbucks to enjoy a dark cherry mocha and the use of their wifi. We stayed till they closed at 9. I was able to catch up on alot of my blog so it was a profitable trip to Starbucks. We returned to the hotel so we could consolidate our gear for the bus ride then get to bed.

It was a wild, crazy day but once again God provided. We are looking forward to what God is going to do in the day and days to come.

Peace!