Summer 2015, Cross-Country Trip: Washington State to Washington D.C.

My bicycle is waiting for me in Seattle. I had the bike partially disassembeled, boxed, and shipped to a bicycle shop near Seatlle-Tacoma Airport (Seatac). The bike shop will reassemble my bike, and then I'll ride home. I will take the bags in the pics above with me on my flight to Seattle. The black bag is a duffle bag with wheels that I picked up at WalMart for $14.00. The panniers that I will strap to my bicycle are inside the black duffle. Rather than carry the duffle over three-thousand miles, I'll just leave it in Seattle. It's a one-trip piece of disposable luggage as far as my needs are concerned. The yellow duffle is a fully waterproof bag and it's going with me along with the red handlebar bag. 

Onward to New Jersey and New York

Assateaugue Island to New Jersey

July 3rd- (60 Miles)

From the Delmarva Penninsula, the shortest route, in terms of mileage, to New Jersey is to take the Lewes-Cape May Ferry in Lewes, DE. It's about a 75 minute ride across the Deleware Bay to Cape May, NJ.

No Problem

Boarding the Lewes-Cape May Ferry

I had an enjoyable morning of riding. As my good luck would have it, I had a tailwind for most of the morning, and I was very grateful. I boarded the ferry to Cape May at around 1:30. By 3:00 I was in Cape May. 

My cousin, Lisa, and her husband, Daryl, live in Manahawkin, NJ. They were expecting my visit within the next couple of days. I called Lisa to let her know that I would be arriving in Manahawkin the following evening since it was about a 75 mile ride from Cape May to Manahawkin. Many on the ferry had been talking about a severe storm that was predicted to hit South Jersey. Lisa expressed some concern and worry about my getting trapped in a storm as I pedaled north to her home, so she gracioulsy volunteered to come and get me. We decided that I would keep riding while she rode south toward me. We met about 15 miles north of Cape May on route 9. 

Daryl and Lisa

View of the Pool from Lisa and Daryl's 2nd story Deck

Lisa and Daryl and invited me to stay a few days with them. Since I hadn't taken a day off since leaving Richmond on June 28th, I accepted their generous invitation happily. I had a wonderful time staying with them. Lisa fed me well. She grilled every night. I got a chance to swim, but I mostly just caught-up with family news as I conversed with Lisa on her deck. We enjoyed a laid-back 4th of July. We ate, watched movies, drank some beer, and listended to classic rock. I found it very relaxing and much more gratifying than going to some big 4th of July picnic.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of being Lisa's and Daryl's guest on more than a few occasions. They have always been kind and generous hosts, and my latest stay with them was no exception. A good time was had by all.

Manahawkin, NJ-Lake Hopatcong, NJ

July 5th (51 miles)

Having had a great time visiting with my cousin, I said my good-byes. I began pedaling to see my brother, Chris, and his girlfriend, Gina. Chris and Gina have a home in Lake Hopatcong, NJ. I called my brother about 40 miles into my trek north, letting him know my expected arrival. Chris, much to the delight of my legs, offered to drive south about 50 miles to come and get me. (I hope I don't grow to accustomed to getting rides since I'll be running out of relatives and friends within a couple of hundred miles.)

I spent the night at my brother's house. We enjoyed a meal of sweet Italian sausage and London Broil. (My brother knows how to do a London Broil just right). My nephew, Josiah, came by to visit as well. I was glad to see him. I also had the opportunity to meet Gina's sons. I never had the pleasure of doing so. They were polite and engaging young men. Gina's son, Christopher, was a particuliarly interesting person, and I was happy to get a chance to spend some time with him. 

Those who are familiar with MTV's show, True Life, might know him as "Christopher" from the "I'm Deaf" episode from a few years ago. Since Christopher is deaf, and I don't know sign language, it took a little effort, but I was surprised at how well we managed to communicate with each other. (In the process, he did manage to teach me a few signs. It was fun learning the connections to objects and concepts that various signs represent. They have a certain intuitive logic.) 

I had a nice visit, and since I'll be seeing Chris, Gina and their children in a few weeks when we all take a beach week at Emerald Isle, NC, it was especially good to have a chance to meet them in advance. I'll be looking forward to enjoing the beach with everyone.

My brother, Chris, and Gina

Ron and Christopher

I would have liked to stay longer, but I had already spent most of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and my cousin, Lisa's home. I disn't want to feel like I needed to get in shape all over again. The next morning I left Lake Hopatcong and began pedaling north towards New York State. 

The Delmarva Peninsula and the Kindness of Strangers

Chesapeake, VA to Kiptopeke State Park

June 30th (45 miles)

The evening of the 29th I was forced to stealth camp; it was an unremarkable spot in a less-desirable part of town, so I left as soon as daylight arrived. 

Today I rode to the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel (CBBT). The CBBT is a 23 mile-long combination of bridges and tunnels connecting the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore of Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula. It is an engineering marvel. 

Since cycling is not permitted on the CBBT, I had to make other arrangements to cross the bay. The management of the CBBT is relatively accomodating towards cyclists as long as one is willing to be a little patient. In my own case, I had to wait about forty minutes for one of the CBBT employees to drive me across the bridge. 

Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel

When I arrived on the other side of the Bay, I began pedaling north toward Kiptopeke State Park, located just two miles from the CBBT. Kiptopeke State Park is located near Cape Charles, the first town one encounters heading north from the Delmarva side of the Bay. I was not able to shower the day before, and I desperately wanted to at least find a place to rinse off. I decided to take a swim in the bay at Kiptopeke. The water was refreshing.

View of Bay from Kiptopeke State Park

I had originally intended on making Kiptopeke an afternoon stop on my way. I ended up, however, staying the night. While I was relaxing in the salty water of the bay, I met a friendly couple from Lake Orion, Michigan, Dave and Marcy, who were vacationing on the Peninsula. They, as people so often are, were curious about my mode of travel. I had mentioned how much I liked cycling the Upper Penninsula of Michigan (UP), and they told me about some interesting spots to go should I ever revisit the UP. Dave and Marcy invited me to have dinner at their campsite to continue our conversation, and I quite happily accepted their invitation. I told them that I would be there as soon as I rinsed off and finished a small piece of bicycle maintenence. 

Dave is the propietor of a custom jewelry shop (http://www.diamonddavesjewelers.com) and Marcy is a school bus driver, about to complete her last and final 25th year of driving. Having been in business for 35 years, Dave explained that he has competent employees who are fully capable of running his business while they travel, and Marcy does not work in the summer. 

Dave and Marcy have an interesting method of travel. They drive their RV to an area they wish to explore and then rent a car. They use their RV as a base camp, and might even be away from the RV for a few days. When they are satisfied that they have experienced the surrounding location, they turn-in their car and move to another place. I am always fascinated by the various ways people approach travel and find the system that work best for themselves. 

Let me tell you about the meal Dave prepared, for it was truly special. As soon as I arrived at the campsite, Dave offered me a cold beer. It hit the spot. It didn't take long for Dave and me to realize that each of us were both foodies. It turns out that we appreciate the same cooking shows, and we share a philsophy on how food should be prepared. While I would have naturally shown the same gratitude had Dave told me that we were having Beanie-Weanie's and baked beans, Dave and Marcy's generous offer of dinner exceeded my expectations substantially. 

We began with homemade crab dip, folowed by grilled vegetables, squash, corn-on-the-cob, a wonderful Greek Salad. (Dave calls it "Just the Guts" Greek Salad. It's a Greek styled and flavored salad without the addition of lettuce. I plan on making it myself when I return home.), and steamed littleneck clams. For our entrees, we ate grilled shrimp and skirt steak (a very underappreciated cut in my opinion). Both the shrimp and the steak were marinated in a soy sauce-base marinade that complimented the meat rather than overpower it as is often times the case when people use either the wrong marinade or are too heavy-handed. It was the best campside meal I had ever had the pleasure to eat. Thank you, again, Dave and Marcy! :-) 

Dave Preparing the Evening Meal

Kiptopeke State Park to Chincoteaugue, VA

July 1st (78 miles)

I left Kiptopeake by 7:00 am. I wanted to make some mileage before it became too hot to pedal. For most the morning I had a good tailwind. By 11:00 am I had gone nearly 45 miles. As I of often do to avoid the midday heat, I took a break until about 2:30. 

Shortly after my break, I ran into Marcy and Dave on route 13. They had gone up to Chincoteague for the day and noticed me on their way back. Not content to having wined and dined me the night before, they stopped to chat for a few minutes and give me some fresh fruit for my trip. They were such generous and gracious people. 

I arrived at Chincoteague in the early evening. I camped at Maddox Family Campground. I was tired, so I cooked some ramien noodles on my alcohol stove and went straight to bed.

Had I to do over, I would have avoided Chincoteague. It's not that it isn't a pleasant place, for it is. It just wasn't a practical place to hang around. First, it's expensive for the type of travelling I'm doing. I paid $45.00 to take a proper shower and sling my hammock between a couple of trees. There are no state or national campgrounds on the island, which are generally more reasonably priced. Such expendetures aren't in my budget. Second, since it's a barrier island, I had to travel nearly 15 miles east across the marsh, against a headwind, to get to the island. I typically avoid deviating from my route unless I have solid reasons, and that reason is typically something that would cause me to stay a day or two. 

Chincoteaugue Island to Assateaugue State Park, MD

July 2nd (54 Miles)

I left Chincoteaugue at around 7:30 and began heading North to Assateaugue State Park in MD. I arrived around 2:00. Much to my dismay, both the State and Federal Campground on the island were filled. I was not surprised since it was a holiday weekend approaching. I was just being optimistic. I wanted to go ahead and take a swim in the ocean and the campgrounds are right next to the beach before going my way. Since it wasn't practical to take my bike and equipment on the beach, I needed to find some kind someone to watch my things while I swam. 

I came across a group of young people hanging out at their campsite. Ely, John, Henry, Maddie, Christina, and Mae. I talked with them for a bit, and they said they would be glad to watch my bike while I went for a quick dip. Upon my return, I thanked them and explained my dillema--no campsites available.They insisted that I just stay at their campsite. Once again, I benefited from the kindness of complete strangers.

All but one of the party had been graduated from high school this past Spring. As cooincidence would have it, Henry, the youngest of the group, was from the West End of Richmond. After a brief conversation, we realized that he knew one of my daughter's friends. They were a great group of kids, and I was greatful that they were kind enough to let me join them at their campsite.

We sat around a fire, and I answered questions about my travels. They told me about their plans after the summer. Ely and Maddie wil be atending college in Florida; Christina and Mae will be attending comunity college in Maryland; John is a pitcher and will attend college on a baseball scholarship. Henry will be returning to Godwin High School in Richmond. They were a great bunch of young adults. In the morning I thanked them and said my good-byes. 

Ely, Maddie, and Henry

Assateaugue State Park is home to a breed of wild ponies. They are not shy and will terrorize your campsite and eat your food if you allow them to get too close. We were not having very good luck shooing them away. I sent a text to my daughter, a young lady with familiarity with horses as a result of spending time with my mother's horses and years of attending horse camp. She instructed me to "shake and snap" a piece of nylon or tarp to scare the off. It worked like a charm.

Meeting Fun People Already

June 28th

Richmond to James City County (45 miles)

The first few days of a bicycle tour are, to me, the toughest. The enthusiasm and excitement of begining a new journey quickly diminishes when the reality of the physical discomfort of being in the saddle for four hours sets in. Yes, one can train before embarking on a trip (I never do), but there is no way to train one's butt not to hurt. The flesh that covers the seat bones becomes bruised, and only time heals them. Your shoulders and back must adjust to your posture, and that, too, takes time. A tenacious attitude and optimism that you will feel better, that the pain is temporary, goes a long way towards improving morale. Heck, I'm starting to feel better already (kind of). 

I got a late start and didn't leave Richmond until 11:00, June 28th. That evening I camped in James City at the Chickahominy Riverfront Campground. It was uneventful. I was dog-tired, so I set-up camp, read for about 30 minutes, and went to sleep. 

Crossing the James River on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

Seagull on the Ferry Dock

June 29th (66 miles)

James City County to Chesapeake, VA

Today was another rough day. I ought to have quit riding sooner. I have plenty of time (weeks), and there is no reason to be in a hurry, especially so early in the trip.

I want to talk about the high point of my day. In Windsor, VA, I began running very low on water. Since I was riding on very rural roads, there were few facilities. I was fortunate enough to run into two cyclists out for a Sunday ride. They directed me to the Garner Gliderport a few miles away (basically, an airport for gliders) and told me that the folks there were very friendly toward touring cyclists, and that they have nice cold water. The cyclists were nice enough to escort me right to the Gliderport since it was a bit off of my route.

I felt very welcome at the gliderport. While I was told that I was welcome to get as much tap water as I could carry, they offered to sell me cold bottled water for only fifty cents (I also bought a Pepsi--that hit the spot). 

I had the opportunity to meet two very interesting people, Frauke, a charming lady who is originally from Germany and, Marita, a social work case manager. While Frauke no longer flies (she recieved her pilot's license in 1962), she loves to talk about flying gliders. They invited me to sit down for a bit. I could  not resist the shade, the seat, and the company. Frauke has an interest in language as well as flying, we ended up discussing the Germanic origins of English and how so much of the English language is derrived from German. Before I knew it, Frauke, having studied French and Latin, as well as English, was educating me on some of the Anglo-French words that have worked there way into English (a result of the Norman invasion, as any of my more conscientious English 12 students would know.) She was an impressive woman. 

I certainly don't want to leave out Marita. While Frauke and I were talking, Marita was busy getting dressed and ready to go for a bike ride. Marita joined me for about 10 miles or so of riding. It was refreshing to have company. Since we were on roads with little traffic, we had a chance to talk while we road. Marita and her husband ride a tandem bicycle (a bike for two). I had some questions about how that feels in comparison to a standard bike. On flat land it is quite fast, but it is very sluggish on hills. All in all, she seemed to like riding her tandem. 

Check out their link: http://www.tidewatersoaring.org/

Frauke and Marita at Garner Gliderport

My cycling trips have always restored and strengthened my belief in the friendly nature of most people. People are generally kind and accomodating to strangers. When my sons were growing up, we travelled on bicycles as a family. Often times they would bring friends. I always felt that their experience of the good in random strangers we met along the way was good for their development; it gave them an optimism about people. (We still share stories of the friendly characters we have met on our tours.) 

Bicycle touring is not for everyone, but chance meeting with interesting people like Frauke and Marita are much more likely to happen at 12 mph than at 65 mph. 

Bicycle Adventure of Summer 2014

Richmond, Virginia  to Ghent, NY

Departure: June, 28th, 2014

Route: I will be travelling on back roads and use my GPS to navigate. From Richmond, I will pedal to Norfolk, VA. From Norfolk, I'll catch a ride across the Chesapeake on the Bay Bridge Tunnel  (no bicycles permitted, so I must improvise) and proceed up the Delmarva Peninsula to Lewes, DE. I will cross the Delaware Bay to NJ on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. I will travel north through NJ to NY.

Duration: 3 weeks (I'm a school teacher. While the monetary compensation is not excessive, the vacation time is nothing to complain about.)

Lodging: 

• Campgrounds with my Hennessy Hammock (It's like a tent, only better.)
• The cheap motel (Once a week and not so cheap that my Hennessy would be preferable accommodations.)
• Friends and Relatives (Don't worry. I won't pop in on you. If I plan on stopping by on my way north, I've either already talked to you or plan on doing so real soon.)
• Stealth Camping (Only when absolutely necessary.) 
• On the property of Complete Strangers (Seriously, I am always surprised by people who will stop and chat with me and then invite me to camp on their land. I've even been invited as a dinner guest on some occasions.)

Days 18-26, July 9th-17th (354 miles)

Northern Wisconsin/Michigan Upper Peninsula

Mural on the Upper Peninsula


I’ve had a difficult time staying current with my blog on this leg of the trip, so I’ve decided to forego my usual format and do something a little different. I’m going to summarize my last week and rather than write very much, I’ll post pics of my trip.

I spent the weekend of the July 9th and 10th resting up at my friend’s home in Milwaukee. To my sheer delight, my buddy, Chris, decided to take a week’s vacation and join me on the road. Chris’ father-in-law has a travel trailer in Fremont, WI. Chris’ wife, Sarah, drove us to Fremont on Sunday evening, and Chris and I left early the next morning on our trip.

Blue Velvet at Lake Michigan

We decided to ride up to Northern Wisconsin and make our way up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The weather was beautiful. It stayed in the low 70’s for almost our entire trip. We had no flat tires, and it never rained on us. Mote than that, it was so gratifying to have someone with whom to share the sights, especially after having ridden for 17 days solo.

We originally considered going around the entire lake. We soon realized that we simply would not have enough time. We decided to had south, but rather than cover previously traveled territory, we worked out something else. We hired a local sport fishing vessel to ferry us the 25 miles from Cedar River, MI to Door County, WI, a county above Green Bay, WI which forms it’s own peninsula into Lake Michigan. I feel accurate in describing it as the Cape Cod of the Midwest. We pedaled along the Green Bay side of the lake, passing charming little lakeside towns as we went. We ate well; we took lots of pictures; we had fun. Door County was the highlight of our trip.

I hope you enjoy the pics!

Blue Velvet at Cedar Creek Harbor (Where we hired the fishing boat to take us across the lake to Door County, WI)

Relaxing at the Winery

Mural on the Upper Penisula

Sometimes it's difficult to find two trees to sleep between!

Smoked Trout, Bread, Provalone, Wine, and Fresh Tomatoes (Some of the simpler campsite meals are the most enjoyable!)

Calming Scenery (This pic was taken by Chris. I like it.)

Blue Velvet on the Black Pearl (The boat that ferried us across the Green Bay to Door County.)

Capt. Dave (on the left) and Chris, posing with Blue Velvet

Wisconsin Farmland

Chris, loaded up and ready to go.

Riding down main street in one of the many towns I've passed through.

A nice bike path is always welcomed!

Day 17, July 8, 2011

Mural on Southside of Chicago
Dune State Park, IN to Highwood, IL (84 miles)

I had a long day of urban cycling. I rode through Gary, IN, the Eastside and Southside of Chicago, and right past downtown Chicago. Chicago has some good dedicated bike lanes, even in the less desirable parts of town. Of all the type of riding, I think I like urban cycling best of all. One would be tempted to think that biking in a highly urban environment is the more dangerous than pedaling in less concentrated population centers, but, in my experience, I have found it to be untrue for a few important reasons.

Firstly, in an urban environment, cars generally move more slowly when compared to less populated areas. There are more stop lights located at more frequent locations which serves to keep cars moving at lower speeds. The pedestrians, drivers, and other cyclist also seem to move more deliberately; they’re decisive. While one certainly has to keep his head about him, the fact that there’s so much going on, forces one to pay attention. I’ve noticed that drivers, for example, don’t typically text while driving in urban traffic. How could they? One must be engaged actively, not passively--as in the type of driving I witness in suburbia (the absolute worst environments for bike riding).

I stopped for lunch at the beach in Chicago. Chicago has a wonderful stretch along Lake Michigan where people can swim and eat at the various outdoor food vendors. There’s a nice bike path that runs for about 10 miles between the lake and Lakeshore Drive. I met a nice couple from Charlotte, N.C., Tom & Martha, who were spending a long weekend to enjoy the sights of Chicago. They had asked me to take a picture of them together. I, of course, obliged them. We got ourselves into a conversation, and they asked me about my trip. As we started talking, we found we had some things in common. Tom’s brother for instance, had taught high school English for 35 years. One of their sons had attended Hampden-Sydney College, my Alma mater, before transferring to another school.

Tom is a CEO of a software/technology company that assists large companies and corporations who deal with the public from inadvertently allowing terrorist or other illegitimate entities from using a service with the intent of committing a criminal act. I asked Tom some questions about his work. It was quite interesting. It is simply overwhelming when one stops to think of all the components and players enlisted in the war against terror. The less obvious organizations and people who’s jobs also protect us often go unrealized. Tom insisted on paying for my lunch. I thanked him and Martha and wished them well. I was still miles from Milwaukee and needed to get moving.
Later in the day, I arrived in Milwaukee! My old friend from my soldiering days at Ft. Ord, CA, Chris Robles, lives in Milwaukee. He’s been expecting my arrival.

When I got to Highland, IL, I called my buddy, Chris. Chris offered to drive the 50 miles or so from Milwaukee and take me to his house. As I had already ridden 84 miles, I welcomed his offer. We ate dinner when he came to pick me up. I hadn’t seen Chris is nearly 25 years. Aside from a slight bit of gray, he had aged very well, and still looked very much like the young guy I knew back at Ft Ord, CA. He weighed about the same as he did in 1985. After a few minutes of conversation, it was difficult for me to grasp the idea that it had been two and a half decades since we last talked face-to-face.

When we arrived at Chris’ home, he introduced me to his wife, Sarah, a very attractive woman with a pleasant smile and exceedingly friendly demeanor. I liked her immediately. We all chatted until midnight and went to bed.

I’m looking forward to just relaxing for a few days and catching up with my old friend.