vagabond

2009-03-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

I realize that I promised the complete trip diary several months ago; and although I expect absolutely no one to read this post now, here it is nonetheless:

Day 1 - Nick and I woke up about 6:45 AM and proceeded to pack up our belongings. It was my first time riding a loaded bike ever and so, after taking a few pictures of the scenic beach at Currituck, we rode precariously out of the campsite. The ground was still wet from the previous night's rain and since I was without fenders, within a few minutes my legs were already speckled brown from all the kicked up mud specks. Nevertheless, it felt great to be on a bike again and the two of us felt as though we were unstoppable.

About fifteen miles in, however, my front tire (not even my back one!) fell victim to a shard of glass in the road. After spending about fifteen minutes cursing, we were riding once again. After another five miles, a headwind slowly started to develop; and as Nick and I were both out of shape, we struggled to go 9 miles per hour. Suddenly aware of how dubious an 85 mile day was, Nick and I rode on, frustrated and worried. To sum the day's events, we rode through the Great Dismal Swamp, past Elizabeth City and eventually set up in a side field off the bike route. We had only done 60 miles.

Day 2 - We woke up in a puddle. Somehow (for the life of me, I can't figure it out) the water from the night's downpour seeped through the floor of our seemingly "waterproof tent." Now, I hate the rain more than anything. My friend Alex says that wind is worse; but, for me, nothing feels worse than being wet, especially when it takes forever to get dry. Frustrated once again, Nick and I passed through Gatesville, and eventually made our way into Murfreesboro where I met up with my friend Thomas. He kindly offered us asylum for a few hours which we spent gorging ourselves on his mother's wonderful cooking and laying our sleeping bags and tent out to dry. By this time the sun was shining brightly and, after a quick shower (we were filthy the entire time, really), we were off again. We passed through myriad cotton fields and saw our first hills, however small they were.

The roads were surrounded by verdant green fields and, although we almost passed into Virginia several times, we finally made it into Gaston, where we set up camp behind a high school. Hungry for more hot food, Nick and I rode into town and, consistent to our gluttonous natures, we ordered chili cheese fries smothered with bacon bits and four footlong subs. Let's just say that we had to open the vestibule that night.

Day 3 - After eating breakfast at Hardee's and grabbing some power snacks from Piggly Wiggly, we started riding towards Gaston Lake. As the terrain began to change we knew that we were leaving the coastal region and entering the Piedmont. Finally, we had to stand up to climb some hills and finally, we had the opportunity to kick it in the highest gear, speeding down descents long enough for us to remember that biking didn't suck completely. We took a break at Gaston Lake, where Nick said, "North Carolina is a pretty cool place." For some reason I suddenly felt all fuzzy inside and I was happy to finally be exploring the state that I had, for so long, known and yet not known.

Near Vaughn, North Carolina we got a little off from the bike route; thankfully, however, a nice man (I divined his accent to be one of Caribbean origin) put us back on track and after just a little more riding, we were on our way again. Some of you may know this about me: my mood is completely situational-dependent. Since the sun was shining and we were going fast, you might guess that I couldn't have been happier. For the last bit of the ride I felt as though I was in Wisconsin, riding at the top of a large and ever-reaching plateau.

As the sun began to set, Nick and I started looking for side fields to camp in. We ended up knocking on an old lady's door just to ask her if we could stay in her front yard. I can only imagine what fools we must have looked like - young boys with shaggy, unkempt hair, wearing tight shorts and riding bikes with 50 pounds of gear strapped on the back. Still though, she kindly acquiesced and Nick and I spent the rest of the night discussing Asperger's Syndrome.

Day 4 - Unbeknowst to both of us, this would be our last day of riding. Nick's ankle began to twerk and since I wanted him alive for the sacrifice (just kidding), we ended up turning south in Stovall. After passing through the beautiful small town of Oxford, we sped through Creedmoore and onto the Jefferson Davis Highway. After passing through farmland familiar to me (I trained for the Big Ride out here), we made it into Wake Country. Shortly thereafter, we were within Raleigh city limits and ultimately back at my house in good 'ole North Raleigh.

Total Count: 260 miles, 4 nights, 4 days

Riding a loaded touring bike is something everyone should experience. The ability to move over 100 miles in a day and at a slow enough pace to enjoy the surrounding scenery is a profound, moving and unique experience. Completely self sufficient, the bicycle tourist is the perfect vagabond. Seriously, go out and do it, you'll love it.

Oh, and do it in North Carolina, the best damn state in the entire Union. I've never encountered more friendly and helpful people in the entire world. Although we didn't make it all the way west to Piney Creek, it was beautiful nonetheless. Next time I tour North Carolina I'll make it all the way to the mountains and then I'll have even more to brag about. So until then, check back - I might have some more interesting weekend trips to write about.

Here It Goes Again!

2008-12-26T21:16:00.001-08:00

Well folks, thanks for being so patient. After a several month long hiatus here I am ready to wander once again.

Tomorrow, Nick will be driving down from the wonderful city of Catonsville, Maryland early early in the morning. After making sure that we are properly geared and that our bikes roll well, my parents (God bless them) will drive us to Currituck, North Carolina from which Nick and I will begin our week-long wayfaring adventure. We will be riding the North Carolina/Virginia border as far as it stays straight, ending in Piney Creek, North Carolina after a beautiful 400 miles. Copied from the great North Carolina Department of Transportation website: "You'll be able to explore areas such as Stone Mountain, Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock State Parks, Hyco Reservoir, Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston Recreation Areas, Merchants Millpond State Park, and the Dismal Swamp and Currituck Sound areas."

I am hesitant to say that I will have internet access, or even indoor shelter for that matter. Thus, please do not expect daily updates from me. I will carry a journal along with a camera and, upon arriving back home, I will post these entries complete with pictures in quick succession.

Have a great New Year's everyone!

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

2008-09-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

So my ride across the United States is complete; and yet, I am left unfufilled. While the ride was absolutely incredible, it instilled in me a newlyfound desire to see the world by bicycle. It seems to me that my glass will be perpetually half full.

I have resigned my self to a life of continuous travel and exploration. And I have decided that the only way to travel is by biking, whereby I become part of the scenery. The purpose of this blog here on is to document my travels as I see more and more of the world, inch by inch and mile by mile.

Later this month, my friend and fellow Big Rider, Rosie Browne, is going to send me her old Trek 520 made in the late 80s. This will become my treasured bicycle and faithful steed.

Already there are plans to ride to Wilmington, North Carolina in late October and then to bike from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Asheville in December. Eventually, I will take on larger projects such as biking Taiwan and perhaps even crossing Europe.

Posts will be sporadic, so do not expect anything regular. But please, do check in every now and then to follow my nomadic adventures. I promise pretty pictures and interesting anecdotes from what hopefully becomes a world wide trek.

Raleigh, North Carolina - Done

2008-08-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Day 47 - Since the day's ride was fairly short, we got to sleep in a little and leave a little later. The ride took a big group of us through Frederick, Maryland which has a beautiful historic district. After passing through and getting a quick lunch it was not that much farther to Clarksburg, Maryland where we set up camp for the night. Riding through Maryland offered some very nice rolling hills and wide open fields. For being such a small state, Maryland is incredibly diverse.

Dinner at camp that night was a little quiet. There was a general bittersweet vibe running through the entire group. I suspect that everyone was a little torn between having to leave such an incredible experience on one hand but also the feeling of relief on the other hand.

Most of us cleaned our bikes up that night as to look presentable for the ride into DC the next day and afterwards, around a big camp fire, a bunch of us stayed awake being loud and obnoxious and laughing at each other for the last night.

Day 48 - It was a strange feeling to pack up my tent for the last time. After a quick breakfast, a large group of us rode out together through the beautiful Maryland rolling hills. We were shaded by trees on both sides and big fields beyond them. I once again found myself riding with Noah and we rode in silence to our first rest stop.

After regrouping Noah and I set out for DC with a bunch of other riders. We rode through the busy streets and highways on the outskirts before finally getting on a very crowded path that took us right alongside the Potomac River before spitting us out just a little ways from the finish line near the Lincoln Memorial.

After getting lunch from the Greek restaurant of a past big rider, Ed, Austin, Greg, Chad, Noah, Simon, Catie, Rachel, Letty, and I rode together towards the finish line at the intersection of 23 and Constitution to conclude the 2008 Big Ride Across America.

The experience was all together too much fun and too incredible for me to be happy that it is done. I have learned so many things about myself and while I do not think that I will behave any differently, I definitely think much differently.

To all those that sponsored me, thank you for your financial backing.
To my fellow big riders, thank you for the good times.
To friends and family, thank you for your support.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you all enjoyed it.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - Day 46

2008-08-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Day 41 - After waking up late and hastily packing all my wet things I left with Reuben, Austin and Ed. The first stop was at Kent State University; which, for all you history buffs, was the setting for the Kent State protest shootings in 1970. However, being famously unaware of everything, I knew it as the part-time college of writer and Raleigh native, David Sedaris. The ride was short and relatively flat so most of us got in to our lakeside camp in New Waterford, Ohio with a lot of time to spare.

Day 42 - Today was another short day; however, crossing over into Pennsylvania we began our tour of the Appalachians. Thus, rolling hills turned into mountainous climbs and descents. The upside was that the scenery became much more beautiful and tall trees shaded us from the beating sun. Early on, just after crossing the state line, we passed by a nuclear power plant which was pretty awesome-looking and after a short breakfast stop we kept on going and eventually Ed, Austin, Reuben and I caught up with Chad and Greg and rolled into camp in Washington, Pennsylvania with them.

Instead of taking a shower that night, I opted to jump in the pool and swim around for a little bit with Noah and Simon. As I nonchalantly watched Noah toss in a pair of his freshly-used bike shorts and rinse and wring them out right in the pool, I realized that my mother is probably going to be disgusted by my new standards of hygiene when I get back home. That night, for the first time of the entire trip, we started a fire. Unfortunately, we did not have any s'more material, so shortly after some campfire chatter we dozed off.

Day 43 - Today's ride took us through some beautiful trails and back roads. In the densest part of the woods the canopy above us filtered the bright sun in through the tall trees and made the road speckle and dance with bright lights. Sadly, since there was very little light exposure during this part I was unable to take any clear pictures.

Eventually, we came to a small town and after taking a wrong turn up a monster hill and then back down we met up with the other riders on the Yough River Trail. Although the trail was mainly limestone, the riding was relatively smooth and the lack of traffic was refreshing. After a lunch stop thirty miles from camp, Reuben and I left together and finished out the rest of the day on the trail leading right into Confluence.

Day 44 - Today we had the options of riding along a flat bike trail or climbing Mount Davis, the highest peak in Pennsylvania.

Of course, the people I usually ride with and myself decided to do the climb. It was an incredibly rewarding experience. Still though, it worried me when I had to stand up and put weight forward on my bike for fear of popping a wheelie. The climb was beautiful and the foggy morning was a peaceful contrast to my ready-to-explode heart.

That rest of the day featured a few smaller climbs and rolling hills. We ended up in Bedford at a campground right next to the Cannondale factory. Dinner that night featured hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers and lots of salad. After a beautiful lakeside dinner a few of us stayed around just chatting and realized that going back to civilization is going to be so strange. I feel as though I have forgotten about nearly all social conventions. Forgive the awkwardness, please.

Day 45 - Our ride leaders described this day as the hardest day on the ride - the "final exam" if you will. The first forty miles featured several big climbs and quick descents. The last sixty miles consisted mainly of rolling hills and one last ridge to climb and descend over before we arrived in Gettysburg.

As per usual, I rode with Ed, Austin and Reuben. However, Patty's friend Chappy joined us today and she told him to ride fast. Being the idiot that I am, I tried to stick with him and thirty miles left to camp I just could not sustain his pace, so I found Chuck and Reuben who hauled me into camp past all the battlefields.

After showering and settling down, a bunch of us went out to dinner in downtown Gettysburg. Afterwards, Simon and I walked through the battlefields checking out the attractions and making our own tour in the extremely creepy nighttime.

Day 46 - Doug, Nick, James, Stephanie, Ed, Austin and I went to town for a spot of breakfast and afterwards Doug, Nick, James and I rode our bikes through the battlefields and stopped every now and then to read the plaques set up where important scrimmages and battles took place.

A dramatic interpretation of the Union destroying the Confederacy
(Note: Doug wearing a Team USA Jersey)

I am only two days away from completion and as I have said before, this trip has been incredible and I do not want it to end. Tomorrow I will end up in Clarksburg, Maryland and the next day I will be in Washington DC. Expect my last update complete with final thoughts sometime after I get back to North Carolina.

Burton, Ohio - Day 40

2008-08-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Day 36 - Our last full riding day in Indiana provided for some nice, long and flat riding. We passed by some very nice sunflower fields and although the day was fairly sweltering the ride was still enjoyable.

We ended up in Kendallville, Indiana that night and the mayor met us that night along with a group of friendly locals who cooked us a hearty portion of hamburgers. The reigning debate at dinner that night was "Would you rather fight an orangutan or a tiger?" After we bickered for about an hour, we decided that the only way to answer the question would be to acquire one of each. Shortly after coming to this conclusion we terminated the argument.

Day 37 - The same locals who catered to us the previous night provided a delicious breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs. Apparently they did not realize how much we eat though because one kind sir was sent to buy more eggs for pancake batter. I rode in a large group today and we crossed over into Ohio not too far into the day's ride.

Austin (dangerous...), Rueben, Doug and Chad

We ended up at the local fairgrounds that night in Napoleon, Ohio. After going to the pool and enjoying a beautiful summer day reminiscent to those of my middle school days everyone enjoyed a delicious meal of chicken and vegetable kebabs. Shortly before turning in to bed we also enjoyed a domestic disturbance across the street that involved a police car and bright flashing lights. You have to love small-town Ohio.

Day 38 - I did not feel fast today so I rode by myself. On the other hand, in slowing down I got to enjoy a lot of the beautiful Ohio countryside scenery. So far, I think that Ohio has the best small towns. They all look beautiful with houses similar to those in the Olde Raleigh historic district. That night we stayed at a KOA campground in Sandusky, Ohio and a bunch of people went to the Cedar Point amusement park while those of us who do not enjoy large crowds stayed behind in camp to relax.

Poor bird had a broken wing

Day 39 - Today took us through Cleveland on the way to Burton, Ohio. My sister Carolyn went to Case Western, so when I got to the university I got off my bike and wandered around the campus that I had visited once when I was only ten. Cleveland is a really great city right next to Lake Erie. There are a lot of great places to get lost in downtown and around the university. It is just such a big city that you really could not get bored. There is a small street called Coventry that is very similar to Franklin Street in Chapel Hill: a lot of college students and faculty sitting outside drinking coffee and exploring book shops.

Lake Erie

After leaving Cleveland and its suburbs, there were lots of hills to climb and descend. I feel as though as I approach the East Coast I am seeing more diverse landscapes and more trees. After getting into Burton and settling down Sharon cooked us a delicious meal of curry chicken with rice and naan. Following a short Beatles listening party everyone dozed off quickly while Nick and I dreamed about biking Europe next summer.

Day 40 - After an early wakeup a small group of us went out to breakfast and in exchange for a good bike cleaning Austin paid for my meal of biscuits and gravy, pancakes, eggs, and sausage. I then did some souvenir shopping and then got a haircut at a small barber shop.

Before our next rest day we will leave the state of Ohio and enter Pennsylvania. There are only eight more days left in this trip and already I have begun to dread the end. Expect my penultimate update August 7.

If you want to be there to commiserate/celebrate with me in DC, then plan on being there around noon on August 9. The finish is going to be at the intersection of 23 Street and Constitution Avenue. Give me a call if you plan on it and I can give you an updated ETA the night before.

Valparaiso, Indiana - Day 35

2008-07-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Right now I am actually in Sandusky, Ohio. I meant to provide this post the last rest day, but as I mentioned last post, I went to Chicago to spend time with my sister Alison and as a result, I did not have too much time for the internet. Anyway, on to the good stuff.

Day 28 - After a quick breakfast at the Martin Luther College dining hall, I left by myself. I rode through the streets of New Ulm and left the city. The day was overcast and foggy which made for a nice and cool ride. I went at my own leisurely pace today and took in all of the green that Minnesota had to offer.

The day's ride concluded in Owatonna, Minnesota. A few of Reuben's friends came and brought musical instruments which entertained a few of us for a while. Shortly thereafter, Chad and I paid tribute to the founding fathers of butt-rock (Nickelback and Creed) by singing along to a few of their greater hits. Eventually, a massage train began to form and I found myself trying to crack Patty's back. Apparently, I was pushing too hard though because she farted.

Day 29 - After another simple breakfast of oatmeal, cereal, and bananas, I left on my own again. Eventually though, I caught up with Noah and in passing him, he mistakenly thought that I was challenging his riding. So for the next seven or so miles, we stupidly raced up and down hills and beat our tired bodies up even more. The races concluded at a breakfast stop a few of the riders from last year had set up.

After a bit of more riding Noah and I found ourselves about twenty miles away from camp and completely worn out. Luckily we ran into Chuck who pulled us and a few other riders along all the way into Winona and to Winona State University where we stayed that night. After a short nap and an episode of That 70's Show, I ate dinner and then talked to my friend Travis who actually just finished his own cross country biking excursion. Shortly thereafter, it was time to sleep.

Day 30 - The day was pretty hazy as we crawled out of the Mississippi Valley. About seventeen miles into the ride we met the Meyer Family who provided an incredible breakfast stop complete with home baked goods and freshly brewed coffee. Leaving by myself again I made into the state of Wisconsin, through the city of Lacrosse, and began the climb up to Amish Country.

Wisconsin is an amazing state. The entire state is filled with beautiful rolling hills, wide green fields, plenty of running water, beautiful old farmhouses and trees everywhere. It was everything I expected it to be and more. I only got to see a few Amish people, but they were quite friendly and waved at me even though I was so sweaty and disgusting.

We stayed at the fairgrounds in Viroqua, Wisconsin and since it was Doug's birthday, we all celebrated with some locally brewed beers and lots and lots of delicious chocolate cake. A bunch of us spent a good portion of the night talking about bikes we wanted and such and after an interesting discussion of the group shower social dynamic we all fell asleep.

Day 31 - It was very foggy in the morning which posed for some uncertain riding. However, the sun shone through eventually and we were able to see more of the beautiful Wisconsin landscape. It was an long day scheduled to be about 109 miles, but after getting lost about ten miles outside of Madison we made it even longer of a day. We managed to get back on track however and within a little bit we had made it successfully to our group campsite way outside of Madison.

The campground was amazing. It was completely secluded from everything. We were in between a forest and a crop field and despite the killer mosquitoes we had a fun time.

Day 32 - The day took us into Illinois; however, I managed to get lost somehow. After a while though, I found my way back to the route after a few friendly locals pointed me in the right direction. At the last rest stop, Nick told us that the directions on our cue sheets were wrong, so Noah, Letty, Rachel, Simon and I went into a small town and got some delicious Mexican food.

After a while, we got pointed in the right direction and after making it to camp in Belvidere, Illinois, we all spent time playing basketball, ping-pong, guitar and watching the last little bit of the Tour de France.

Day 33 - I left with Reuben, Ed, and Austin and we cruised along at a decent pace all the way through very pastoral countryside. We passed a lot of cornfields, soybean crops, and farms along with a lot of roadkill and hog farms.

After we arrived at camp in Coal City, Illinois, the four of us went down to the beach on the lake to go swimming and get some food at the concession stands. We had a great dinner catered by some locals which included spaghetti with meat sauce and some of the best garlic bread I have ever had. Afterwards, Austin told us the legendary story of Ed's first marathon he ran. Apparently, he did not train at all for it, but still managed to complete it. Sadly though, he could not walk for a week afterwards. Still though... good man.

Day 34 - I wanted to get into Valparaiso early so I could have more time to spend with my sister in Chicago, so I stayed on Reuben's wheel for most of the ride and he hauled us in to Valparaiso University in good time. We passed into Indiana and I really must say that roads there are pretty awful.

After packing up a backpack with the essentials Joe's friends picked the two of us up and drove us to Chicago, where I met up with Alison. After settling down, we went out to burgers at Kuma's where I ordered the Kuma Burger: a burger topped with bacon and a fried egg. Delicious. I meant to see more of Chicago at nighttime, but after we got back to her apartment, I laid down on the couch and literally passed out.

Day 35 - After a late (8 o' clock) wake up. Alison and I walked to meet her fiancée Geoff for brunch. Alison got a gigantic and delicious German pancake which I ate a good portion of. The night before, Geoff was on call at his hospital at Northwestern and sadly he did not get much sleep. So after breakfast, my sister and I walked around downtown Chicago to do some shopping and sightseeing while he went back to their apartment to sleep.

Before it was time to go back to the Valparaiso, the three of us went to get some incredible Mexican food in Chicago before driving back to Indiana.

Our next rest day is in Burton, Ohio. We get there tomorrow and I promise that I will update on time Friday.

New Ulm, Minnesota - Day 27

2008-07-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Day 21 - After breakfast everyone left Rapid City, South Dakota in a pretty large group and since the roads were narrow we established what was an informal pace line for the first leg of the ride. At one point, after my pull, I stepped out to the side to let everyone else pull up and I was astonished to see about eighteen people riding in single file within six inches of the next person's wheel. After the first rest stop, the groups began to break up and by the time we entered the Badlands, everyone was kind of riding on their own and quietly taking in the scenery.

Being in the Badlands is like being on the moon because of all the craters and just how beautifully desolate it all is. Tony described the formations as looking like giant sandcastles. Different layers have different colors and it was cool to see lime green and magenta splayed along the sides of these buttes.

Kadoka is yet another small town across America. The entire place looks like a city park and the people are all very friendly. We had a catered dinner of fried chicken and roast beef at a local restaurant and then after some chatting, everyone dozed off one by one.

Day 22 - The same restaurant that catered to us the previous night provided a delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy. I rode by myself today to let my thoughts wander free, but the ride was so quiet and the yellow-green fields, open blue sky and rolling hills occupied my mind enough. I stayed alone until Tony caught me with 20 miles to go into Pierre. We rode together for the last little bit and stopped to take a picture before we crossed over the Missouri River into the eastern half of the country.

Camp was in a really nice park right along the Missouri River. Since there were some bootleggers and homeless people in the park, most of the group stuck around in the park to make sure that nobody went rummaging through our stuff. Noah, Simon, and I watched the sunset from a small dock and after writing some postcards (which I have still not sent out) I went to bed.

Day 23 - The scenery on this day was extremely boring. I took a total of two pictures: one of a gigantic farm-machinery contraption on wheels and another of a water tower. Reuben and I rode quickly to get to Miller so we could at least sit down on a comfortable chair in an air-conditioned high school auditorium.

That night we celebrated Chad and Janet's birthdays. Chad turned 21 so we stuck around the bar after dinner to buy him drinks. The locals were really friendly and seemed genuinely interested in what we were doing. It is nice to know that we are doing seems to be having a small effect.

Day 24 - Again, the day's ride was very boring but early on when the sun was still low and the roads were clear, I felt very relaxed and at peace. Today we crossed the halfway point for our journey, so hopefully we will get some more of "Oh, you're almost there then" rather than "Well, you've got a long way to go." The ride finished in De Smet, the childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder. De Smet is a perfectly quaint town with lots of beautiful green lawns and tall rows of trees everywhere. Our campsite was in a beautiful park, something you might find in a secluded part of Paris along the Seine River. We had a filling dinner at a Catholic church and afterwards the sun was still up at 9 o' clock. A bunch of people were working on their bikes while I laid in my tent enjoying the sunlight and some music.

Day 25 - We woke up to a nice little thunderstorm and pouring rain. After hastily packing everything up in the rain I left with Dewayne. Poor guy had half his stuff packed and his stakes just pulled up when the rain started pouring and the wind started blowing. We got breakfast in town and then chased the storm that just hit us and ran from a new storm that had formed behind us. Halfway done with the ride, we had arrived in Brookings, South Dakota and the storms had dissolved. Doug, Ed, Austin, Reuben, and I messed around town for a long time before setting out again.

About sixteen miles to camp we crossed over into Minnesota. I was pleasantly surprised at all the green lushness in the state. There are a lot of trees and lakes in Minnesota and so far I have not seen anything to call boring. I saw a lot of windmills in the middle of crop fields. The whole idea of windmills is quite genius actually. They are aesthetically pleasing and a good source of natural energy.

I arrived in Tyler, Minnesota and after setting up my tent and taking a shower, a few of us walked over to a pizza buffet for dinner. It was Ed's 28th birthday so we stuffed him silly with pizza and then fed him ice cream cake. After dinner, a few of us threw around a frisbee and then went to bed.

Day 26 - There was a thick fog hanging low over the air. It was very dark and ominous, but surprisingly peaceful. Nobody said anything for the first part of the ride. The air was cool and chilly as we rode mile after mile into the hazy unknown laying before us.

Eventually, the fog lifted and the sun burned through the clouds. Puffy and pearl white clouds stayed behind over a bright and deep blue sky. There were huge fields of grain, corn, and soy growing right alongside the road on the way to New Ulm. As we approached the outskirts of the city, there was a sudden increase in trees and I was immediately reminded of being back home.

We arrived at the Martin Luther College just in time to unload and choose rooms. After cleaning up and taking a nap, we had a simple dinner of rice and chicken teriyaki at the dining hall. After dinner, a few of us walked over the movie theater and watched the premier of the new Batman movie, The Dark Night. Afterwards it was 1 o' clock in the morning, and not being accustomed to staying up so late, after we got back to the dorm we passed out very quickly.

Day 27 - Chad, Austin and I got breakfast at a small breakfast diner in downtown New Ulm. I got two eggs, hash browns, sausage links, two pancakes, and a biscuit and gravy platter. Against my own expectations, I finished everything without a stomach ache. Afterwards, we went to the laundromat to wash our filthy clothes and while waiting for everything to dry, the three of us joined Greg and his fiancee Sarah for a game of Life.

The trip is over halfway done now and now there are "days left" rather than "days done." Each morning I wake up, I know that I get to do something incredible. To be honest with you, I am having too much the time of my life to even think about returning to civilization. My parents are going to kill me for saying this, but as soon as I get back I want to buy an actual touring bike so I can start doing my own unsupported rides all around North Carolina and elsewhere.

The next rest day is in Valparaiso, Indiana on July 27. I think that I am going to visit my sister Alison in Chicago that day and possibly the night before as well. You can expect an update on one of those two days.

Rapid City, South Dakota - Day 20

2008-07-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Day 15 - The day's ride was only 54 miles so a few people stayed in Billings to explore the city and visit museums. However, I just wanted to get going so I left with Tracy. The entire ride was very colorful and highlights included yellow flowers, a wide and open powder blue sky, and gigantic killer dandelions the size of my palm.

After making it into Hardin, Montana and setting up my tent I got lunch with a few of the other early riders. We ate some tasty Indian (Native American) Tacos at a local establishment. Later, just before dinner, a few of us went to the community center to go swimming. Following a phone conversation with my sister Carolyn I fell asleep to the Beatles.

Day 16 - Today I finally got chased by dogs. Apparently, this is an issue that a lot of bikers run into frequently. I have never been so blessed to experience such a rush. Noah, Simon, and I took some lewd pictures at a Native American Memorial park we ran into a few miles later. Later on, after lunch, a friendly stray dog started tagging along after us for a few miles. Being dog owners, Noah and Simon turned around and led the dog to the nearest inhabited building while I went on. I made it into the state of Wyoming and after a very hot last thirty miles I arrived at camp in Sheridan, Wyoming. I know that state borders are invisible lines but I must say that crossing the border into Wyoming was a sigh of relief; mainly because Montana is just so freaking big.

We stayed at a luxurious KOA campground that night, so there was no real reason to leave. A few people went into town to watch the Tour de France but I stayed at camp and ate a lot of ice cream before passing out due to the lactose overload.

Day 17 - Today was an extremely long day. The ride was about 112 miles and though I felt good for the first half of the ride, by the second half of the ride I was barely paying attention to anything but the road directly in front of me. I just wanted to make it into camp and take a shower. Part of the ride was extremely green with lots of tall trees but part of the ride was extremely brown with never ending climbs.

I rode into Gillette, Wyoming with Tony. About five miles outside of the campground we both saw a car pull up behind us and just stay on our tails. I tried to wave them on but then a girl poked her head out of the passenger side window and started taking pictures of us. We were a little disheveled and sloppy from being so tired, but after we made it into camp we found out that the pictures were for a story that the city newspaper was doing about us. Check out the article they did on us here. Sadly, they did not use the pictures they took of Tony and me. Maybe it was because I was shirtless and disgusting.

Day 18 - Unluckily, I woke up to a pretty awful tension headache which put me in a bad mood for the entire ride. In order to not put every one else in a bad mood I was pretty silent. Because of this, I did not really care to take in my surroundings. All I really recall was a bunch of rolling hills and a lot of green and wide open spaces. But at one point, Noah and I raced an antelope running along the side of the road. We clocked the antelope at around 25 mph.

We ended up staying at a Senior Center that night in Newcastle, Wyoming. After dinner, about ten of us played a T-shirt trading game and I ended up with Liz's Starbucks shirt and water bottle while Nick ended up with my UNC Crew shirt.

Day 19 - I left with Noah and within twelve miles we hit the South Dakota state line. The scenery was awesome. There were deep green fields and rising hills on both sides of the road. After a little bit of more riding we made it into the Black Hills National Forest. The climb to the peak was refreshing and quiet. There were a lot of tall evergreens that casted much needed shadows on to the road. Speeding down the road right next to the cliffs was pretty exhilarating. I wanted to take a video of it but I figured that might be a little dangerous.

Eventually, we made it into Custer, where Noah and I messed around for two hours before setting out again. We entered Custer State Park and began to climb up towards the top. This park is absolutely incredible. There are magnificently tall dark green trees and sparkling blue streams that seem to whisper a quiet peace. There is a lot of camping in this park and I would love to come back one day and just get lost here.

After leaving the park, we had to battle some ferocious crosswinds to make it to the checkpoint just before our final turn. After reaching the checkpoint and turning onto highway 79 we had to battle a steady headwind of 35-40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph for eighteen miles. It was pretty miserable and we were forced to break up our groups. After gritting my teeth and yelling at the wind (I was kind of going nuts) for about two hours I finally arrived at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and checked into a nice dorm room.

Day 20 - Simon and I got breakfast at a place called Tally's this morning where I ordered steak and eggs with hash browns and a pancake. After getting back to campus, Janet drove Letty, Rachel, Chad, Simon, Noah and myself to the Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments to do a little bit of sight seeing.

These guys did a few things for the USA I guess

Tomorrow we have a century to ride to Kadoka, South Dakota. We have six days of riding through the rest of South Dakota and then into Minnesota and then a rest day on July 19 in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Some reflections of the trip so far:

- The USA is really big
- Bargaining is really easy
- Rednecks do not have to be from the South
- Native Americans have extremely interesting stories. Do a little bit of research and you will be surprised with the diversity among the different groups
- You are only as old as you think you are
- There is absolutely nothing you cannot do

Billings, Montana - Day 14

2008-07-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Day 10 - The morning was dark and fog hung low over the hills and mountains as we left Missoula. Although some people might call the weather miserable, the air was cool and a nice change from the usual heat and dryness. As the day progressed the air got lighter, but puffy clouds remained blotting the wide sky.

As Noah and I approached the campsite in Avon, Montana, we stopped at a restaurant known widely for their incredible pie. Eventually, we finished up the last three miles of the ride and set up camp in a building at a campground intended for elementary schoolers. Needless to say, it was quite cramped that night.

Day 11 - We left the campground early in the morning after a light breakfast and began a climb that started out gradual and progressed to steep near the crest. After eleven miles, we were at the top of MacDonald Pass (elevation 6325 feet). This is the highest point for the entire trip and it was a rush to finally be at the top. The scenery was much the same as the past few days, but beautiful still. Shortly after catching my breath, I began a long and steady descent into Townsend, Montana where we set up camp at a high school.

After dinner we went swimming for a while at a local pool. Following that, eight of us played a pretty sorry game of ultimate frisbee before falling asleep. Funnily enough, I feel like the more exercise I do, the lazier I get.

Day 12 - The day began with a beautiful climb through Helena National Forest. Right on the side of the road there was a babbling stream and as the sun filtered through the trees the light speckled the water amazingly. The road was still wet from the night before and everything seemed to shine.

We passed through White Sulpher Springs where the town held a parade for July 4. One of the more interesting floats included Confederate Flags with posters boasting, "The South will rise again." Hmm... Montana.

After making it to camp in Harlowton, Montana, seven of us had a hot dog eating competition. Noah won by eating six hot dogs in about five minutes. Montana has almost no rules about fireworks and so Doug bought fireworks powerfully equivalent to what the city of Raleigh might set off for the show at Meredith College for dirt cheap. All of us played with fire late into the night (11 o' clock) to celebrate the birth of our country.

Day 13 - Howling winds woke me up early and after taking everything down I discovered that half the people had left early already and so there was no organized breakfast. Luckily, there was a diner not too far away and on the way to Billings. After finishing breakfast, we set out at 8:30 AM, about two hours later then we normally would. The wind was at our backs most of the day so the ride went by very quickly considering our late start.

Apparently Meth is a big problem in Montana
Joe, Reuben, and Noah agree

Billings, Montana is the largest city in Montana and after settling into the dorms at Montana State University, we had an incredible dinner that most notably included over-sized pieces of steak. Later that night before bedtime, a few of us rode our bikes to watch Hancock.

Day 14 - Late this morning a group of us got breakfast at a place called Stella's. Chad tried to eat four monster pancakes for the grand prize of one free cinnamon roll. He got through two and then bonked. After a painful walk back to the dorms, we mostly lounged around and did a lot of nothing. Rest days tend to be like that. Before July 12 (our next rest day in Rapid City, South Dakota), we will leave Montana, enter Wyoming and arrive in South Dakota. Expect an update then.

Missoula, Montana - Day 9

2008-07-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today is a rest day in Missoula, Montana and seeing as I have internet access today, here is another update!

Day 6 - A small group of us left the Gonzaga campus from the Centennial Trail and rode across some very nice rolling hills until we got to a small town hosting some sort of festival. There were Lion King floats and people dressed up as old Scottish soldiers marching through a small downtown area. We rested here and then made our way into the state of Idaho. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Idaho is not all like Napoleon Dynamite.

We arrived in Sandpoint after a little while. It is a really nice city with a cool downtown and lots to do and lots to see. The buildings kind of remind me of the East Village in New York City. A group of us went to the beach and cooled off in the water before dinner back at the high school where we stayed.

Day 7 - Leaving Idaho was incredible. This section of the trip has been the most breathtaking so far. Everywhere as far as the eye can see, there are high mountains, deep blue lakes, and amazing evergreen trees. I rode with Noah for most of the day and we just kept our mouths shut as we tried to soak everything in.

Eventually, everyone crossed into Montana and we stopped to take pictures. After the second rest stop about halfway in, I set out with Nick, our mechanic (also a very strong rider who I probably should not have been riding with), for about twenty more miles until we saw a lake that we wanted to jump in. A lot of places in Montana have huge bodies of water surrounded by about a quarter mile of fields with white and purple flowers followed by immediate hills speckled with evergreens. So, about one hundred feet from the last rest stop, we pulled over onto a dock and dove in. The cold water was refreshing to our tired legs, and after refilling our water bottles at the rest stop we rode the last twenty miles into Thompson Falls. We had a catered dinner from a restaurant called Minnie's. I ate until I was almost comatose and went to bed shortly thereafter.

Day 8 - Minnie's allowed us to come in for breakfast. I thought that I was going to eat a small plate of something light; but, after they brought out four biscuits smothered with gravy, with a side of two huge scrambled eggs and a tall glass of milk, I began to think otherwise. Being the idiot that I am, I finished everything on my plate and made the first twenty five miles of my ride miserable. After digesting, I felt a lot better and then set out by myself and went through some incredible hills, lakes, fields and mountains. The day began early so the shadows playing through the thick forest of trees as the sun rose were nice and cool.

After a quick climb to our halfway point, I set out by myself again and made it into Missoula County. The heat was beginning to get to me so I resolved to make it to camp as quickly as I could. The day's ride was just over a hundred miles and with twenty left to go I put up my camera and sprinted to Missoula before I could pass out. The picture above is the view behind me as I rode towards my destination. It was curious to see how far I have gone in so little time.

The heat was getting to a lot of people, so after unloading all the gear, our rider leader Daniel had to make a few calls to organize how to pick the struggling riders up. In the meantime, I took a shower and then Reuben, Tony, Chuck, and I went to a sports bar for a snack. After we got back, we immediately went to dinner and ate even more. And by the way, I have decided to do the Burger Tour de America and try a cheeseburger (or two) every single day.

We stayed at a dormitory at the University of Montana and there was a piano there. After some songs and singing, it was time to sleep.

Today, I woke up and went grocery shopping. After coming back I printed out some sheet music for piano and Noah and I rehearsed Ben Folds Five's Brick, which we plan on performing to perfection later on in the trip. After walking around town for a little bit, I cleaned my bike and now I am just waiting to go to dinner. The University of Montana has a very nice layout with some beautiful green lawns reminiscent of Polk Place back at UNC.

Tomorrow, I will be in Avon, Montana. Our next rest day is in Billings, Montana July 6, so you can expect another update then.

Spokane, Washington - Day 5

2008-06-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

I know that I promised daily posts, but coming across internet access has been very difficult. However, I will try to capture as much as I can whenever I can. So I will do a few day by day recaps while including pictures I have taken.

Day 1 - Jaime drove me over to the University of Washington campus and dropped me off. Seeing as I did not know anyone at this point, I was pretty uneasy and felt very awkward while everyone else was surrounded by their family and friends cheering them on as they left. The ride started out on the Burke-Gilman Trail and after our first rest stop I joined up with two guys from Maine (Noah and Simon) and we rode together up through some hills towards Snoqualmie.

The climb into Snoqualmie

We were on and off I-90 for a while, which really sucked, but eventually we began a climb to Snoqualmie Pass (the lowest pass in the Cascades). By this point, my phone (which was incidentally my camera as well), had fallen out of my rack bag. There was snow still on the ground and what looked like white water rapids rushing by just feet below the edge of the road. Sorry, but I do not have photos of this amazing part. After this, we started a long descent into Easton, where we stayed that night.

Day 2 - Within two miles from the start, I got a flat. And then twenty feet after replacing it, I got another. So I was pretty upset at this point, but two guys from California, Austin and Ed stayed with me while I fixed it and eventually we sped through and caught up with the pack at the next rest stop. During this stretch, there were some seriously beautiful countryside farms with mountains in the background and while everyone stopped to take pictures I kind of just kicked myself. After the rest stop, the ride into Vantage was pretty simple. The land along this section was pretty much just light brown dirt and walls. There was a long and steady uphill followed by a fun 11 mile descent into the campground. A few of us got burgers at a place called Blustery's. Wonderfully, Stephanie, another girl from North Carolina, found my phone and returned it to me. During dinner, the ride leaders brought me out a birthday cake which was very nice.

The view across Vantage

Day 3 - We began the day with a quick climb out of Vantage. After that, there were a lot of steady hills and beautiful countryside. I met up with Joe, from Chicago who works for Orbitz, and we rode together for the entire day. Although most of the day was fairly monotonous, it was beautiful still. Joe and I stopped a few times to take pictures of anything sticking out, and it was curious to hear near complete silence. The climb into Odessa was pretty much never ending. There was a whole lot of nothing on either side of the only road. We kept on thinking that after the crest of the next hill we would see the town. We met up with Barbara, who used to row and works for Intel, and we all rode the last two miles into Odessa together. After making it to camp, the three of us went into town and got a burger. After some ultimate frisbee post-dinner, it was time for sleep.

Day 4 - There was a huge group of us that set out together from the start. Before the first checkpoint I was riding with Noah, Joe, Reuben (from Minnesota, enrolled at Lewis and Clark), Ed, Austin, Tracy (strangely enough, also from Raleigh, and works at Ligon!), Dewayne, Greg and Chad (both from Omaha, Nebraska). There was a vicious tailwind and speeding along at 22 miles per hour, we sang Lion King, Queen, Tenacious D and bunch of other fun songs under a great big blue sky.

(left to right) Noah, Austin, Ed, Dewayne, and Tracy

After the first rest stop, we regrouped a little differently and set out again. We stopped in Davenport for breakfast/burgers at a small restaurant and then started riding again. I started out with Reuben and Joe, but when they stopped to take a picture, I sped off and caught up with Dewayne and Doug and we bolted up a long hill at 22-26 miles per hour, mainly due to the screaming tailwind through some more farmland. After the next rest stop it was into Spokane and to Gonzaga through some sticky traffic.

Almost into downtown Spokane

Currently, I am in a library at Gonzaga University. Today is a rest day and we have the luxury of staying in a dormitory for two nights. Spokane is a pretty nice place and parts of the Gonzaga University campus are really beautiful. Tomorrow, I will be in Sandpoint, Idaho. The trip has been amazing so far and I can honestly say that I have never seen so many beautiful places and I hope that it will only get better.

I miss everyone to death and I will update as soon as I can.

Before the Ride - Day 0

2008-06-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

Leaving home made me a little bit uneasy. This is my first time traveling with no one I know personally and saying good bye to my parents was somewhat strange.

Creedmoor, NC

However, I have been in Seattle for two days and two nights now and I am staying with my friend from high school Jaime which is good because I spent time with him early on in high school, so there is some good familiarity there. He is here working as a conceptual artist for the video game company Bungie (based in Kirkland) and was willing to take me in for the weekend to provide free shelter and show me around. Check out some of his work here.

Seattle is a really great place. Aside from the fact that it is generally overcast and drizzling for ten months out of the year there is a lot to see and do. Plus, when the clouds do part for those two month it is quite breath-taking.

Puget Sound

Orientation was tonight and it was really awesome to meet a lot of different people from everywhere. I find it funny how people's ranges for "acceptable temperatures" range so differently. For example, there was a couple I met from around the Seattle area and they are comfortable in 50-70 degree weather. Apparently, 80 degrees is a bit too warm for them. As for myself and Stephanie, the other girl from North Carolina, our comfort range is 70-90 degrees.

All that aside, I start riding tomorrow morning at 7 AM (10 AM for all of you on the East Coast) and by the end of the day tomorrow I will be in Easton, Washington wondering what I have gotten myself into.

Training around the Triangle

2008-06-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I flew back into Raleigh and since then I have not been doing too much except for training, eating, and sleeping. While this may seem to be boring, being back in North Carolina has its rewards too. About to touch down in the airplane, I peeked out of the window and saw green everywhere. Trees, farms and not a single large building were in sight. Leaving New York, all I saw were buildings and more buildings. But please, do not get me wrong: I am not saying that buildings are terrible things, or that big cities do not have trees. All I mean to say is that it is nice to be back home.

When riding in the past, I usually took my bike out towards Apex and Cary after passing through downtown Raleigh. Recently however, I have been exploring the areas more north of Raleigh. I have ridden into Creedmore, Oxford, and Wake Forest. The roads to and from these places have some of the most spectacular and pristine views and it feels great to be part of the scene. Needless to say, I have been experiencing this state, where I have always lived, in a much different way. I think Alex would appreciate all the true rednecks that I have come across.

And now on to accounting some of my reunions with old friends and other recent developments:

Sunday, I ate three dinners: one at home with my parents, one with Michael and his family, and another one later that night at Cook-Out ($3.99 a tray, how can you resist?)

Monday night, after chatting for a while in Fred Fletcher Park about the "good old days" back in high school, Travis, Dylan, Matt, and I decided that we all had the munchies. At the suggestion of Dylan, we went to Mo Joe's at the intersection of Glenwood and Peace. After 11 PM they sell burgers for $1.00 and all you have to pay for are the toppings. Quite incredible I must say.

Today, I woke up early (8 o' clock) and set out on my weekly long ride. From North Raleigh, I went through Chapel Hill and into Hillsborough before turning around. Counting everything up: I drank two camelbaks and six 24 ounce bottles of water, ate two Nature Valley bars, a peanut butter sandwich and a few slices of a mango, shed three pounds and lost what once was a horrible watch tan that some of you were familiar with.

And now I will leave you with some pictures I have taken on my sweet new camera phone.

One of many fields along Dairyland

Seemingly unused silos

The road back to Chapel Hill

An abandoned house somewhere between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough

Headed Back to North Carolina

2008-05-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

As my days in New York City draw to a close, I reflect on my past few weeks here. As my last post indicated, everyday is pretty much the same. However, every now and then (especially on weekends) my schedule deviates and something new and exciting comes up. So, I have decided to highlight my time spent here by doing a few "Top Three" lists. All the pictures accompanying these superlatives are not my own. I stole them off the internet because I did not bring a camera.

WARNING: This is going to be a long post, so please do not feel obliged to read everything. It is pretty difficult to sum up more than three weeks in one post.

The Three Prettiest Places:

1. Haverstraw, NY - Haverstraw is small village I encountered on a very long bike ride along Highway 9W. The entire place seems to be one big marina dotted with beautiful houses reminiscent of Victorian England.

One of the many Marinas

2. Piermont, NY - Piermont is also a village along Highway 9W. I pass through here everyday while riding and it still has not lost its charm. It is just a twenty five minute drive outside Manhattan; and yet, you would not know it. The people are friendly and the pace is very relaxed.

The inviting look of nearly all the houses in Piermont

3. Nyack, NY - Yet another village along Highway 9W, Nyack runs right alongside the Hudson River. The farther north you go along the Hudson, the bluer it is and the more it shimmers. Nyack is lucky to be one of the more developed suburbs along the Hudson. It bustles with activity and early architecture.

Downtown Nyack

The Best Three Meals:

1. Oriental Garden - Last weekend, my cousin Julie and her friend Amy visited for a few days from Baltimore. They were craving dim sum because apparently, there are two dim sum places in Baltimore that are both bad. The meal was delicious, especially the seafood. Try the Shu Mai, a steamed dumpling filled with shrimp, beef, and hard boiled egg.

2. Grimaldi's Pizzeria - I went to Grimaldi's for the second time tonight and it did not disappoint. Get the Margherita Pizza with extra basil. The mozzarella is snow white and perfectly creamy and the basil leaves taste spicy, like they were just picked in a garden out back.

3. Siam Square Thai Restaurant - I would never have found out about this place if Carolyn had not lived in the Bronx for three years. The Penang Chicken Curry is delicious. I ordered it with three stars of "hotness" and it was hot enough to make me cry and turn my face red, but still tasty enough to experience all of the flavors and spices. Get the sweet sticky rice and mango desert. Words can not describe it.

Top Three Songs:

I listen to a lot of music on bike rides and since I only have an iPod Nano, I have become very familiar with my limited amount of music. The following three songs are my favorite only at this time and are likely to change within the next month.

1. Neko Case - Deep Red Bells - Neko Case is incredible singer with lots of talent. Just listening to a recording of this song I get an image in my head of her on a dark stage, with her eyes closed, deeply belting out these beautiful words. This song is just too complex to describe, you will have to listen to it yourself.

2. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Contrary to Neko Case, Jeff Mangum does not have an amazing voice. However, his voice does resonate incredibly from deep within his soul. The song is simple (4 chords anyone could play on a guitar: G, E minor, C, and D) and yet, it is still such a beautiful and melodious song.

3. Arcade Fire - No Cars Go - I saw these guys play in Carrboro after my last exam this past semester, and they put on the best concert I had ever been to. As soon as they step on stage, they all seem to become possessed by something celestial. My favorite part of this song is the outro. I feel like I am about to blast off the Earth in a spaceship.

The Arcade Fire

Three Strange Things:

1. Sunglasses in the Subway - People walk into the station wearing their sunglasses and do not take them off. It makes little to no sense to me. But then again, I do not have the best sense of fashion.

2. Mean Bikers - Back home, when biking, 9 out of 10 cyclists will wave or nod their head to you as soon as the two of you make eye contact. Here, 9 out of 10 cyclists will see you, stare at you for a few seconds, and then look back at the road ahead of them without acknowledging you as though you were an oddly colored and slow moving object.

3. Black Squirrels - So, this is not really strange but, I have never seen one before. Fascinating!

Three Hilarious Things:

Unfortunately, as we all know, things are much funnier in person. But please, use your imagination.

1. Carolyn and I drove down into the city to go to her gym on the Upper West Side. She found a parking spot and as she begins to back into it, this disheveled guy, with teeth at least half a centimeter apart from each other and pointing out at all angles, runs up to the car and starts dancing. He is wearing a beanie with Jamaican colors on it and I think that perhaps he is just really high. But then he puts his finger up in the air and starts to twirl it in the clockwise direction, exactly the direction Carolyn needs to turn the steering wheel. And as she finishes up parking, he continues dancing out these instructions for her (to which she pays no attention) and then finally with some heavy pelvic thrusting he points towards the sidewalk. We get out of the car and hand this man a dollar for making our day.

2. This past Sunday Carolyn and I saw Julie and Amy off at the Chinatown bus stop and then walked to Soho to buy some things. As we make the transition from Chinatown to Soho, we get stopped at an intersection and while waiting for the walk signal, we see this very old Chinese lady (4'10", hunched over, with a full head of white hair, and a walking cane) making her way down the street. As a group of people approach her on the same sidewalk from the opposite direction, she suddenly picks up her walking cane and waves it circles in front of her with quite some ferocity with the simple, but powerful, message of "Get out of my way."

3. Last night, Carolyn, Jim, his friend, Dave, and I went to Chinatown to get some vegetarian friendly dim sum (Jim and Dave are both vegetarians). Afterwards, we decide to get some bubble tea at a Chinese bakery. We ask the man behind the counter if they have any taro buns. Taro is a root vegetable commonly used in Chinese baked goods and sounds like it is spelled. The man behind the counter thinks pensively for about thirty seconds before my sister says "ta - ro" in the best Mandarin she can muster up. He thinks for another ten seconds and then picks up a box of strawberries and points to them while raising his eyebrows curiously. Carolyn smiles and shakes her head and we leave after I get my bubble tea. We then call our parents and ask what the Mandarin word for strawberry is. My dad tells us that it pronounced "si do be lei."

That is all until I get back to North Carolina on Sunday. I promise that future posts will not be this long. Hopefully, on the ride, I will update daily and not wait until the last minute to give updates on everything. Goodnight.

In New York Right Now

2008-05-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

It is now exactly one month until I fly out to Seattle. I am getting quite excited as the day of departure for my ride across the States (Seattle, WA to Washington, DC) draws near. As for right now, I am spending a few weeks in New York City with my sister Carolyn, just relaxing for a little bit.

Somewhere on the Upper West Side

Everyday is pretty much the same. I wake up around 11 AM, eat a breakfast of bread and olive oil, cheese, cereal, frozen grapes, and some chocolate. After breakfast I usually set out on Jim's bike for a long ride. After all, I still need to get in shape for the ride.

They live in way upper Manhattan, so I usually hop on the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey and then ride along Bike Route 9 for an hour or just a little more, and then turn around and come back. Contrary to popular belief, New Jersey is actually not entirely the horrible place we have all come to think it is. Aside from the awful cities we know about (Trenton, Camden, Atlantic City, Newark, the list goes on...) New Jersey is actually quite a nice state, almost like any other. On these rides, I usually make it into New York state again around the Lamont Campus of Columbia, and then into Piermont and then over past Saint Thomas Aquinas College before I turn around.

After I am done riding I take a shower and then head to Frank's Market just around the corner and buy myself another French baguette, some more chocolate, and other goodies. Then, I spend a few hours reading (right now I am reading Ernest Hemingway's Complete Short Stories) and then head to the hospital Carolyn works at after getting dinner with Jim. By the way, big cities have a lot of restaurants. From there, my sister and I meet up again and then I follow her around while she runs errands and then somehow we end up back at her apartment. By this time I am usually tired enough to fall asleep after a little bit of more reading and chocolate.

Anyway, that is it for now. I will probably update again as soon as I get back to North Carolina at the end of May, or maybe sooner, if something exciting happens.

Central Park in the Summer