Thanks all that followed me. Sorry I didn't make the entire trip. Maybe another time. It was fun while it lasted
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Last post
Made it to Portland a little after noon and went straight to Kaiser Sunnyside. The knee, as I feared, had blown into full cellulitis The doctor felt we had caught it just in time. Put me on strong antibiotics but didn't have to do intravenous It will be fine Now on to the future.
Inspiration (that gut feeling) works when we listen
On Friday as I was leaving the hotel, I thought "you should stay here and just rest a day". But I wanted to see my son Brett so pushed on. That was the day that I swerved to miss a garbage can, wasn't going fast, just ahead of a road construction site. All the cars were stopped. Hit a big bump and went air bound. Hard to land a bike with an old man and an extra 45 pounds of weight on it. But had I waited one day I would have missed garbage day so the can would not have been there and the construction would have been done.
But I did listen to inspiration yesterday to go home for multiple reasons. My knee was prett much ok yesterday morning. I biked an hour and a half on it. But last night it went crazy. Hurt so bad that 4 ibuprofen wouldn't begin to touch it. This morning it is not hurtin as much but is badly swollen
I will enjoy biking with my wife. Enough of cross country. And I will try harder to listen to inspiration
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Bill feels better
After getting used to ending the ride, I am feeling better. My daughter Jenna put it in perspective. I came on this ride not to just accomplish a goal. I came to enjoy the ride and to spend time alone and figure out post-retirement. I know now what I want to do. I have accomplished the goal. And seeing things with someone is so much better than seeing them alone. Really enjoyed Gettysburg with Brett. It feels lonely when you see it alone.
I proved to myself that I could do the entire trip. I have no doubt I could do it. It would have taken me longer than I had planned but that was not the concern. I just came to realize that it isn't as much fun alone. I sure will have good memories of the parts I have done. Even the hills. I pedaled them all but one. It was the first day and short but super steep. Yea! I can do it! But I did keep looking for that gear below low/low. The one I called "push me please". Never could find that gear.
On to the future!
Friday, May 29, 2015
Day four. What a day
Got up early to beat the heat. That was great but the GPS on my phone decided to give me one direction, tell me to proceed on that road and then promptly froze at the motel. After a little over 6 miles and 2 really bad hills I figured it out. I had to turn off the phone completely and reset it t get it going again. I had only lost about 4 miles. It sent me down a couple wrong way streets getting turned around but finally on my way. Oh them hills them hills. As beautiful as it is I am beginning to really hate Pennsylvania. Maybe in a car. And I wish I could figure out why all the cross streets with red lights have to be at the bottom of a hill with a steep hill facing you.
I had my bad crash today so that is out of the way. I hit the proverbial road construction. Cars way backed up with one Lane traffic and no edge to ride. So bright me decided to take the sidewalk would have been fine but the driveways were deep. I dropped down into it and then came back out, did ok on the first
One. The second one I had to swerve to miss a garbage can just as I was coming out of it and lost it. Fell and skidded on them sidewalk. Scraped and briused left knee and thumb. Bent the brake as it fell had to just take it off and just went with back brakes only until I could re-route to a bike shop about 20 miles or so away.
What a day. Really missing my wife
Tonite. They warned me that the hills would be bad, that I would get lonely and want to quit after the first week.
Well they were right. If there were an airport close by I would be on the next flight out. Lol
I will spend the week end at Gettysburg. Hoping that my son, Brett will be able to come visit me there.
I forgot to mention yesterday that I did see Valley Forge, the shuttle driver drove me thru It is beautiful. but was on the wrong side of the river to explore by Nike.
Happy trails.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Day 3. Them hills them ever rolling hills
They warned me that the hills of Pennsylvania would be killers an they certainly are. Late start today after finding my way back from the hotel. The bike trail was beautiful again but didn't last nearly long enough. Spent most of the day on Pennsylvania 23W. One hill
After another and the downs were short and the ups were long. Guess I have to climb away from sea level. The last third of the day through Amish country was better gentler up hills. Got a picture of an Amish guy with his buggy in the bike path ahead of me but it is on yes cool cam and haven't figured out yet how transfer those to my tablet or smart phone.
It was so hot and humid today. Tomorrow I am going to start early and see if that helps. Can't imagine biking here in July. When the temperature got down to 87 and the breeze kicked in it was a whole lot better.
Hoping to link up with my son Brett in Cumberlamd, Maryland tomorrow night.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Day two! yeah!
Made it to King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. It was a great day. Legs are tired but not aching tonight. I don't know when I crossed over into Pennsylvania. That is one of the things about using bike trails and back roads. I just suddenly noticed that all of the license plates were Pennsylvania. I didn't even know I was in Philadelphia until I stopped at a mini-Mart and asked where I was. That was a rush. So I pressed on through Philadelphia to the schuylkill River bike trail. It was a rush to find it. It is beautiful. The bike trails today have been beautiful. Ducks and baby geese and very tame. And tons of birds. Saw one beautiful red bird. I'll have to see what it is.
The last five miles was an adventure. I planned to stop at Norristown so calledy daughter Jenna to find me a hotel. The only one she could find was an expensive Beat Weatern that the reviews said Internet was horrible and no plugins in the room I have to charge everything every night so that wasn't going to work. So we decide i would press on to King of Prussia five miles further down the trail. At Norristown it started to rain. It was heavy winds and a down pour. I could barely see. It blew a tree down across the trail. Had to get off and carry the bike across. Then I got to where I was suppose to leave the trail and cross a bridge to the hotel and the bridge was out. Construction! Bane of my life multiple times today. The only way to get across was to go back always and take the freeway across. That was an adventure but went well. Not sure about in the morning.
But doing well.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
The first day story
I didn't sleep much. Too nervous but it was great to get started. Most of the first 10 miles was on Hudson Bike Trail and was beautiful. Had to cross streets and roads to stay on it but very peaceful and beautiful.
The one diversion to get under the freeway was challenging. I was to turn left on Center street I went past it twice asking 4 different people where it was before I spotted it. Who would expect Centrr street to be a narrow alley with a tiny sign. I had two more misses one mine and the other the directions left out one turn. Thanks to google maps I found my way on both but between them they cost me about 12 miles of extra riding. And yes, I did stop and ask the locals but Google maps saved the day. Buy what the heck I am just seeing the country anyway.
With the goofs I made it just barely over 50 miles today. But that's farther than I have biked in training so I will take it.
Thanks. Diane Hays for the quick recovery drinks! Tomorrow we start again. And hey, my legs are sore but my butt feels ok. Thanks other bloggers for the suggestion of Butt Butter. :-).
Monday, May 25, 2015
Here and ready
If the internet will stay connected at this Days Inn, I'll update what is going on. I arrived in Newark, no problems, everything made it and Vincent DeLaRosa met me...good friend from Portland. Helped me load everything in and headed to the hotel. What a friend. But I forgot to get a picture at the airport. I could not figure out how to re-attach the derailleur, (if spelling right) Today we took it to a cycle shop in Union City and the guy was great. Should have gotten his name...was able to sneak a picture, he didn't want one. He fixed everything in minutes and didn't want to be paid. I had to give him a tip....
Then we went over to the Spanish LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Church house and met my nephew, Nathan Cook who is serving a Spanish speaking mission for the church here and met with him and his companion. Spent sometime with him. He wanted us to go to lunch with all of the missionaries but we wanted to check out the starting point for tomorrow, and make sure it was going to be o.k. It will be great. Got a picture of me with my left foot in the ocean... I'm saving the right foot for the Pacific Ocean... Tomorrow the adventure begins. Pretty much everything packed into the paniers and ready to go...
I have to get smarter at this blog stuff. I have pictures but haven't figured out how to attach them here. I'll wait until I have a better connection.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)