Why Does The Turtle Cross The Road?

Narrow Bridge over the Ohio River

Seen from the Kentucky side

May 31

Madison, IN to Dry Ridge, KY

60 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,069

I don't have the answer to that question. But, when I saw a small turtle on the road today, I wondered, where in the world is it going? And, why are they always on the road when I am on an uphill, eliminating a great photo-op? 

We left (right off the top of my head I cannot remember where we were last night) - oh, yeah, Madison, IN. So - we left Madison by 7:00 and arrived in Dry Ridge, KY at 12:30. Most of the ride was flat with rollers. At mile 23.4 we began a wonderful 1-mile climb. Wonderful because it was softly graded and so easy to complete. There was a sweet creek running along side, and since I was alone there were times when the only sound was the gentle movement of water over rocks as it moved downstream. Birds continue to be in abundance and their songs are music for the soul. 

Sag break with Bo-Peep at Mile 40

The past couple of days we have dealt, once again, with dogs. Our second major climb of the day, at mile 50.3, was 1/2 mile long (seemed a lot longer), but the grade was very steep, and there were three barking dogs waiting at the top. Holly rode the entire length, Mary walked part way and then got back on the bike. Me, I rode possibly one-quarter of the distance, then got off and walked to the top - nearly. Just near the top I got back on the bike - and three dogs came out at me, two large and one small "yippee" thing. As if often the case, the owner was right there, calling them back (they never go back) and yelling out "they don't bite" (tell that to Chris). We know that most of these dogs just want to say, "Hello". However, there is always the chance of being bitten, and other than being bitten, the a real concern is finding one or all of them tangled up in a wheel. 

Home for the night is the Holiday Inn Express at the intersection of I-75 and SR 467 (on the left and across many lanes of traffic). Holly and I took a walk to Wal-Mart (just across the bridge in "car talk"). Have you ever noticed what a HUGE parking lot Wal-Mart has?

I had a visit from Neil, Lisa, Victoria, and Joseph Starr - friends from Florida who made the move to Kentucky a couple of years ago. It was really fun spending time with them - and as you can see, Victoria was hoping to join the group. She is just the cutest 4-year old. 

 

Neil, Lisa, Victoria and Joseph - and Me

Victoria helping put away the dinner chairs.

Thanks for dropping by. Talk to you tomorrow. Judi a/k/a TheWanderingJu

Rollin' Along The River ...

May 30

Louisville, KY to Madison, IN

59 Miles

Total Miles To Date ~ 1,009

We rolled across the Ohio River and back into Indiana over the same bridge that brought us into Louisville two days ago. The day was a beautiful ride through the countryside as we traveled along gentle rolling hills most of the day. 

When we reached Madison we were back in civilization - traffic, stores, fast food restaurants, and a Dairy Queen (our first in quite a long time) only four miles from home for the night. We arrived at our motel, somewhere between noon and 1:00 but most of our rooms were not ready. Sue, Frankie, Holly, and I shared a cab into town. We were in search of safe-houses where slaves were hidden before being ferried across the Ohio River. It turns out that the houses in question are privately owned, unmarked, and unidentified. The town of Madison, however, is beautiful. The residents have taken care to renew and lovingly restore the buildings. Being there was a step back in time and it was easy to imagine how things must have looked 100 years ago. The riverfront is filled with areas where one may walk and sit; areas where families and businesses have contributed all or part of the cost to build and maintain areas filled with benches that look across the river at the Kentucky border.

 

A place to sit and relax along the Ohio River.

Dinner was delicious and we are ready to call it a night. Willie wakes us at 4:45 and breakfast is at 6:00 - waffles are on the menu. Thanks for stopping by. Judi :-}

A bumble bee doing his job in Madison, IN

"Follow The Drinking Gourd"

May 28

Brandenburg to Louisville, KY

51 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 950

Did I Mention Hills?? 

The green dot on the road (way up front) is Holly.

51 miles from Brandenburg to Louisville. A walk in the park? One would think. Our route took us across the Ohio River into Indiana (north), then along the Indiana/Kentucky border (east), and finally back across the Ohio River into Louisville (south). We spent 35-miles beating into a strong wind that was coming out of the northeast. It was hell! 

And, Did I Mention WIND?

Very close to the end of our 35-miles of headwinds on roads that offered no opportunities for a "personal" break, we came upon the Georgetown Township Fire Department. Why not? As good as, if not better than, the Mississippi National Guard. We were greeted with open arms by Captain Richard Bader and some of his crew. They were gracious and welcoming - showing us to the Ladies, offering us drinks, posing for the photo below, and gifting us with t-shirts from their house. It was a nice break that left us refreshed and ready to finish the day. 

There was a 1.25 mile downhill just ahead (Richard told us to NOT wipe out since we would be in his district and he did not want to come out after us). We had been concerned about this downhill, and as is often the case, it was far from our most treacherous. In fact, other than some railroad tracks at the end that were at a bad angle, slightly uphill, and had a bump in the road ahead of them, this was really a very nice way to head to the river valley.

Captain Richard Bader and the men of

Georgetown Township Fire Protection District

The bookends - Mary and Holly

We stopped at The Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany, IN to see their newest permanent exhibit - "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage ~ The Men and Women of the Underground Railroad" - telling the story of ordinary people from New Albany and Southern Indiana, whose courageous acts helped overthrow the institution of slavery. We are FINALLY seeing signs of what we have been in search of - the Underground Railway. From there we - Holly, Mary, Frankie, Sue, and me -  continued south through Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Downtown Bridge and into Louisville, KY. We have arrived for a rest day. Laurie will be leaving us and will return when we arrive in Cincinnati in four or five days. Michelle, our cook from last year's ride, will be our guide until Laurie returns, after which she will take on the cooking duties when Patty leaves us. 

Talk to you in a couple of days. Judi a/k/a TheWanderingJu

The Fog Comes On Little Cat Feet

It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. Carl Sandberg   

              

This Morning's View From Our Room

May 27

Lewisport to Brandenburg, KY

50 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 899

"What if?" So, what if we rode US 60 the entire time? I'll tell you "what if". It would only be 17-miles between motels - that's what. When we had ridden 40-miles and reached the left turn onto State Road 259, we were only 37-miles from Owensboro, a town that we passed through 66 cycling miles ago. And so I ask you once again, "What if?" Yeah, to those of you who were not on last year's Mississippi River Ride this sounds odd. To those of us who shared that adventure, "What if?" makes us smile. According to Mapquest, Niagara Falls, NY is 1,175 miles and 18 1/2 driving hours from Mobile, AL. We will travel nearly 2,000 miles in 38 days on the back roads of this beautiful country to reach our destination - and some of us will ask "What if?" during our map meetings just to share a laugh. 

With some yoga stretches and ice my back was feeling better by morning. My knee discomfort is ongoing and off and on, but it felt good as well. We knew that the early part of the ride would be fairly flat with just a few rollers thrown in. We had one significant climb that was long and had a 19% grade in a couple of parts. It still astounds me to find myself so much stronger, but I am never strong enough to keep up with Holly. Still, we had a really nice day, riding 50 of the 91 miles on today's route. We had Patty and the van (already Mary and Judy Norris were on board) pick us up in the parking lot of a Mennonite Church at the 49.9 mile turn. On the ride to our Motel, Super 8 of Brandenburg, we passed a large group of our riders at a strawberry stand on the front lawn of a Mennonite home. What a beautiful sight, and such a contrast - our brightly colored spandex and their muted cottons, our cycling sandals and their bare feet. Patty bought strawberries for tonight's dinner. 

Fresh Picked Strawberries For Sale

FLORA AND FAUNA UPDATE:

Frogs and rabbits in the road - dead.

Daisies! I keep forget to mention the daisies that are along the road. They are BEAUTIFUL!

A goat.

A Shetland pony.

Cattle and horses.

The continued fragrance of honeysuckle.

Today we went from the fog shrouded countryside to the fog shrouded Ohio River. It was there, right over our left shoulder - but not easy to see. By the time the fog lifted there were photo-ops, but my little point-n-shoot camera decided to run out of power, my replacement batteries were safely in my luggage, and my Canon was in the van. 

We are a day's ride from Louisville (Lulville) and a rest day. Tomorrow we cross from Kentucky to Indiana to Kentucky. Margaritas for everybody!

Thanks for dropping by. Judi and Holly 

Rain Drops Were Fallin' On Our Heads

May 26

Henderson to Lewisport, KY

66 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 849

Kentucky Countryside

6:30! We were out of the hotel by 6:30 -  first out, first at the 20 miles SAG stop, and we stayed pretty much at the head of the group most of the day. Lois, Marilyn, and Marilee arrived in Lewisport before we did - but we expect nothing less from them.

Decked out in our rain gear we three members of the Class of '98 headed out onto Tamiami Trail (Just another name for US 41 in South Florida) and .6 miles later we began a day of twisting and turning our way to Lewisport, following the Ohio River and crossing the Green River at one point. Our longest run without a turn was at 57.5 miles when we rode for 7.7 miles on the same road. Otherwise, it was a lot of distances from less than one mile to 3+ miles,  with 5.3 miles on SR 405 North. We crossed a lot of railroad tracks today - perhaps ten sets. Always a risky move, but more so in the rain. On the third day of our 1998 X-country ride I went down on tracks when I lost my concentration - breaking four ribs in the process. Since that time, I have not been a fan of crossing tracks, always giving a big "thank-you" to G-d when I cross over safely. Today, two of our riders went down on some tracks in Owensboro. They and their bikes are a bit banged up, but once again helmets saved lives, and both Judy and Joan seem pretty OK. 

It rained most of the day, but after we left Owensboro the sky opened and we peddled in a downpour. Just as Holly said, "All things considered, not too bad.", there was a huge clap of thunder followed by some lightening. We headed for a house with a large veranda and were given refuge by a lovely couple (did not get their names). It was nice to get out of the cold rain for a while. When things seemed to quiet down, we headed out again. By 54.9 it was pouring and there was thunder. We pulled into a gas station/store and I called the van to pick us up. Cold, wet, not wanting to ride in the rain anymore, and fearing more thunder and lightening, I had had it - as had Mary. Holly was not happy. The van was at the hospital with our fallen women, and as we waited the rain let up, my spirits picked up, and I said we should ride in. And we did - 12+ miles. We are at a Best Western that sits in front of a huge field, as if it had been dropped in the middle of this farm land, with no other signs of civilization. I guess we are on the outskirts of town. 

FLORA AND FAUNA UPDATE:

Did I mention the Appaloosa pony we saw a few days ago? A beauty!

Saw a couple of small turtles crossing the road, and one that didn't make it.

More road kill - including skunks, birds, raccoons, and one opossum.

Birds flying across the road - birds I cannot identify but wish I could.

Freshly mown hay rolled into bales dot the fields. On a day when the sky is Caribbean blue and dotted with cottony clouds these bales shine in the sun. It is so beautiful - reminiscent of Idaho.

Irises - blue, purple, pink, yellow, white - they are so lovely.

All sorts of wild flowers along the road.

Those white cows again - Brahmans?

Drying out our gear after today's ride.

The terrain has flattened out, with rollers, and some small climbs. This my kind of riding and I am happier, although tomorrow may be filled with climbing. It seems that from here on out our accommodations should be the usual - this morning we even had waffles and eggs at the hotel's breakfast. Dinner in an hour or so, and I am headed out to the lobby to visit and find out how the rest of the group managed through the day. The skies are dark - tomorrow looks iffy.

Thanks so much for dropping by. Judi and Holly

Short And Sweet

Morganfield to Henderson, KY

27 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 783

We slept in - no Willie Nelson crooning On The Road Again to wake us up at 4:45. Breakfast would not be until 8:30. Most of us meandered across the road to get an early morning coffee and/or something to eat before breakfast was served. Today's ride was pretty, fairly traffic-free, and full of beautiful vistas - mostly farms. 

Lunch Time On The Road

Bo-Peep met us at mile 15 - in the parking lot Geneva Baptist Church. The minister invited us to use the necessary room - even the men's room. How nice was that? 

We arrived in Henderson around noon, stopped at Bridgewater Coffee for a break, and went our separate ways - Frankie and Sue to the Audubon Gardens, Georgia, Holly and I to the hotel. The weather has turned very warm. However, there are storms moving this way and we may have rain tomorrow. The heaviest part - hail and strong winds - forecast to be north of us.

Dinner was - as always - delicious. 66-miles tomorrow. We're in for the night and thank you for stopping by. Until tomorrow. 

TheWanderingJu and Holly :-]

Into The Wind

May 24

Kentucky Dam to Morganfield, KY

72 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 756

Today's ride was 91 miles, the first 60 of which were directly into the wind. We worked hard for every mile. There were two significant climbs, the first hill with a grade of 18 to 20%. I walked part of each, as did Holly and Mary (they did not walk quite as much as I). Holly continues to be a much stronger climber than I - or possibly it is just that she has more determination. 

We have left the hills of Tennessee behind us, and even those constant hills of Kentucky, and are riding along the southern shore of the Ohio River. The next few days will be odd as far as mileage goes. Today was 91, tomorrow 27, the following day close to 70, and the last day another 90+ day. Those middle two days were broken up according to where lodging could be found, and because WomanTours felt three high mileage days in a row would be a lot to ask. Boy, were they right.

FLORA AND FAUNA UPDATE:

Shorn sheep - and one fluffy male.

Swans in a pond.

Swallows crossing the road.

A jay. Not what we have at home. Not what Holly has at home in Connecticut. I am going to check the Internet to get a name.

More Horses.

Beautiful cattle. Some solid white. Some black with black and white faces.

Fields that have been prepared for summer's planting.

Fields that will most likely lie fallow.

Fields of yellow surrounded by deep green grasses. Mustard? Golden rod? We are not sure what it is, but it is pretty.

Ticks. One fell off of me, and one of the women found two on her body. We think we picked them up at the 70 mile rest stop. 

When we got to town - in the van - we passed the cyclists' ice cream of choice, Diary Queen. Patty, our cook/guide, wanted to stop, but we could not. There were riders at our motel waiting for their luggage. However, after another delicious dinner, we were surprised with a DQ cake and some Dilly Bars for dessert. Did I tell you that our heating coil, the one we use for making hot water when we are in a room with no coffee maker, broke? Well, it did and we are in a room with NO coffee maker. So, after dinner when we came up to our room and I suggested a cup of tea - oops! We walked to Rite Aide, Dollar General, and Wal-Mart. No coil! No tea! 

Our room smells like the inside of an ashtray. Georgia, who is next to us, told us she has three ashtrays in her room. We have become spoiled. Out here in small town USA there are often NO motels and when they are non-smoking rooms are a luxury, the major department store is Dollar General, and gas stations/convenience stores are few and far between. The hotel has free WiFi, with a password. My computer will not connect - and on a morning when we have so much time to kill (breakfast is not until 8:30) - we cannot Google Kevin Bacon, check out the next town on our route, or check our e-mails. Ah, spoiled!

TWJ and Holly

As Promised ... A Few Fotos

We are on our rest day at Kentucky Dam. Laurie drove a group of us to the nearby town of Draffenville, KY - to a laundromat. Most of us had ONLY dirty clothing. Holly waited back at the resort for the arrival of our three massage therapists. Our masseuse was Trevor Hawk and we were Trevor's first clients. What a nice young man, and what a good massage therapist. We are just hanging out doing nothing. Headed back to Grand Rivers for dinner at Patti's 1880's Settlement, the sort of a restaurant that is an experience as well as a place to eat. Tomorrow is a 90+ mile day. We have been promised a smoother ride.

Time to get ready for dinner. TWJ and Holly 

Trevor Hawk

Tattooed Ladies

Clark visiting with us in Columbus, MS

No More Hills!!!!!!!

Beautiful Tennessee Walkers

The Mighty Mississippi Ladies of 2007

Sue, Laurie (our guide), Me, Chris, Holly, Marni, Judy, Georgia, Lois, Frankie, and Marilyn

Forward Ever; Backward Never

Thursday, May 22

 Dover, TN to Grand Rivers, KY

55 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 684

We spent most of the day riding through Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area and crossed into Kentucky at 17.6 miles. The roads were rolling most of the day, with a lot of climbing - I think I may have hit my maximum speed for the trip, 36 MPH, on one downhill. The roads were shaded roads a big part of the day; a lovely ride, but hard, hard, hard. It was the usual, Holly, Mary and me, most of the day. Marni joined us at mile 40 and the four of us rode the final fifteen together

Just before arriving at Kentucky Dam Village, where we will spend our rest day, we stopped at a bike shop in Grand Rivers. I bought a pair of shorts to replace the ones I was wearing. Cycling shorts I wore on our 1998 X-Country. Cycling shorts with little to no padding where padding is important. Cycling shorts that should have been tossed in the trash long ago, and will now join the LOST & FOUND list. Next to the bike shop was a muffin shop where we found Ben and Jerry's ice cream in teeny tiny cups. Mary had a sandwich. From the quiet roads of The Trace that runs through Land Between The Lakes, we found ourselves on top of Kentucky Dam - a narrow two lane road with a shoulder that is in need of repair. And traffic! A bus-sized motor home was close enough that Marni reached out and punched it as it drove by. We spent what felt like one-mile on that road and did not like it. It was frightening. Our room is nice, overlooking a lake that was created by the damming of the Tennessee River. 

There has not been a lot to see on this ride (I am not the only one on the ride to feel this way). We ride from point A to point B, but there is nothing of note in between - nothing that tells us we are riding along the "official" route of the Underground Railroad. The best part, for me, about being out here is that Holly and I are together. 

FLORA AND FAUNA REPORT:

Commode - Found on signs in various rest rooms, "please do not throw paper in the 'commode' ". We ARE in the south.

Red wing blackbirds

Deer along the road - seen by Mary

Birds, birds, birds

Sorry this was posted late. Judi 

 

Boola Boola !!

Wednesday, May 21

Waverly to Dover, TN

43 Miles. 

Total Miles to Date ~ 631

We spent 6-hours on the road today - a day that was advertised as "worse than today" at last night's map meeting. "Worse than today", meaning a lot more climbing. Holly, Mary, and I pulled out of the motel parking lot at 7:30. It was cool this morning, in the 50s. Because we were climbing almost immediately, at grades between 10 and 12 percent, I was overdressed within miles - wearing arm warmers under a windbreaker, tights, socks, and my light weight balaclava. The roads we rode along, those two lane country back roads, were beautiful and partially shaded with dappled sunlight. It was difficult to appreciate the beauty while we traveled downhill at speeds somewhere between 20 and 35 MPH - always on the lookout for holes and other obstacles in the road that were difficult to see where the trees were casting shadows. Interestingly, the early hours of the day were the most difficult for me - I walked part of two or three climbs (must be losing my short term memory from the heat and exertion). 

Bo-Peep was waiting for us at 18+ miles, and again at 35 miles. At 30 miles we stopped at The Cotton Patch Market for a break from the heat (although, not as bad as yesterday's), some water, some chips, and company as the other women came along. Most of them ordered burgers or some other sandwiches. We ate our PBJs. There is no way climbing and a full stomach would work for me. 

When we turned onto US 79 at 40.8 miles (with less than five to go) we found ourselves on a repeat of yesterday's road - the one with a wide clean shoulder. Our final climb was a long easy grade to our motel, The Dover Inn. We passed the hotel (located at the top of a steeeeeeep hill) to hit a McDonald's for a McFlurry. What can I tell you? There are just no DQs in the deep south.

Today is Patty's birthday (our cook/guide) so we ate out at a local restaurant, Sue's Catfish Palace. Great salad and food bar. The pie was not anything that Clark would approve of. 

Tomorrow we ride right through the middle of Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area along The Trace. We finish at the north end at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park and will be there until Saturday morning. Friday is a rest day. Good thing. We've got nothing by dirty clothes in our suitcases. 

Cannot post this tonight - Wednesday. No WiFi at this motel. Just dial-up. According to John, Holly's husband, Apple stopped putting a connection for a telephone line in their computers ten years ago. Dial-up! Who'da thunk it? Happy birthday, Pam. I love you.

This Was A Hill Of A Day

Parsons to Waverly, TN

63 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 588

We pulled out of the parking lot at last night's motel at 7:00 this morning - and into tonight's at 2:30. The 7 1/2 hours we spent on the road were a mix of beauty and pain. The beauty was most of the roads we were on - two lane, quiet, country roads with very little traffic. The pain - the Tennessee Hills. As we rode, we passed farms and homes of all ilk, from trailers that were in need of a lot of attention to McMansions that looked almost out of place. The homes that fell in between these two extremes were lovely. 

In the beginning the air was cool on our skins. By noon we were hot and "sucking wind". There were a number of major climbs in the early miles. We handled those quite well, and I am feeling so good about myself when it comes to climbing. Still, as the day wore down, so did I - and Holly and Mary. We hit major climbs up until the last three miles of the day, when we stood in the shade - at the top of what turned out to be our last climb - and wondered how long those last three miles would take us. Fortunately, we had a great downhill to our turn onto Main Street and could see our motel just down the road on the right. 

I continue to deal with my fear of the downhill. There is such a mix within my psyche when we are on a downhill. Some work for me and I am confident. Some scare the heck out of me and I find myself using the rear brake and feathering the front, slowing myself down to 14MPH when I could be flying at something in the 20s or 30s. Shadows, the inability to see around the curve, being on the edge of a mountain road where I can see into a valley. Just an example of some of the things that frighten me. 

Flora and Fauna Update:

The chirping of cardinals.

Those blackish/purplish birds I have been seeing and could not figure out what they were - Purple Martins, of course. They flit back and forth across the road. There are Purple Martin houses all over the countryside.

More cattle.

More horse.

A few dogs - but, thankfully, all contained. (We found out just before dinner that one of the women was bitten, twice, by a loose dog. The Sheriff's office was called. They went back to the house and found, to everybody's relief, that the dog's shots are all up to date. Chris is fine - she finished the day on her bike and will be riding tomorrow.)

NOTE TO SELF: At the top of a hill, or in the middle of a hill, when you are leaning on your handle bars and barely breathing DO NOT lean on the reset button of your cyclometer as you try to regain your breath.  

We just came in from dinner, followed by our map meeting. Tomorrow is only 43 miles - but all uphill. Will post a batch of photos on our off day - Friday. 

Good night. TWJ and Holly

Hot and Hilly

We left at 7:00 and arrived at 2:00. During the 7-hours we were on the road we whistled off more dogs than we did on the entire Southern Tier - at least that is how it seemed. We have noticed that nobody has one dog. Each dog seems to have their own dog - usually a smaller breed. Often it is those small dogs that are the most trouble. Today, a little brown and white dog (or, possibly he was black and white) ran at Holly's wheel. He was such a surprise that we barely had enough time to get those wonderful whistles to our mouths. We did. He backed off.

Mary rode with us the entire day, and the three of us were the first riders into the 20-mile rest stop - Georgia was our Mother Goose today. That was the last time we saw Georgia and Bo-Peep. A number of the women stopped at Shiloh so the SAG had to wait on them. At 40-miles we ate lunch sitting on the car stops at a closed gas station in a town that was nothing more than a four-way stop, then stopped at the local candy/grocery/you-need-it-we-got-it-MAYBE store named Angie's,  to refill our water bottles. They were kind enough to allow us to use the bathroom - remarking that it was not in very good shape. I assured them that we were sure it was better than along the road.

The last twenty miles we stopped every five miles to rest our bodies, get out of the heat, take a long drink and eat. We were given the gift of a beautiful four lane highway with wide, clean shoulders for the last five miles (but hills, always hills). Our motel is a small mom and pop place, but clean and pleasant. Dinner was delicious. Patty is a very good cook, and our veggie selection is ALWAYS wonderful. 

LOST/tossed in the trash AND FOUND/new purchase:

Lost - WWF backpack

Found - Great new pack from Lands' End with "Bubbi" written on it

Lost - One pair of riding gloves (another pair ready to join 'em)

Lost - Leg warmers

Lost - Grey sports bra from 1998 Southern Tier ride

Found - Black sports bra from Sears in Columbus, MS

Flora and Fauna Update:

Yesterday, as I cycled down the road, a butterfly lighted on my hand. It felt as if I was being touched by an angel.

A couple of days ago, as we rode along, Holly and I saw a deer leap across the road and into the woods. At least we think we saw a deer leap across the road and into the woods.

There is always the sound of birds, filling our days with the beauty and presence of their songs. I wish I knew their names and could give you a full report. 

Road kill continues to be abundant - less armadillos though. A few baby skunks - whew! skunk!, some raccoons, a cat, and a beautiful little bird (grey with a yellow neck).

Time for bed. Thanks for stopping by. TheWanderingJu and Holly

"Jackets On. Jackets Off" ...

Fulton, MS to Pickwick Dam, TN

77.3 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 457

... That's the sort of day it was.  However, before I tell you about the "ups" and "downs" of our day, let me tell you about an average day in our lives while on the road.

Wake-up call, 4:45 (4:15 if it's a long day with a REALLY early start). We use the alarm on my cell phone and are awakened by Willie Nelson singing "On The Road Again". Our first comments to one another, "I'm not riding today." followed by totally illogical reasons why we won't be riding. Truth is, we ride, but it's so much fun to begin the day with a laugh. We lie around talking while the tea is brewing (I microwave mugs of hot water), repack our bags and try to figure out what we need to carry on the bike and what to leave behind ~ the weather helps makes these choices for us. Out to the trailer for a great breakfast of oatmeal and scrambled eggs and to pack our lunches - I make our PBJs and Holly makes our trail mix. Back to the room for last minute things, take our vitamins, the final pee, schlep our luggage out to the trailer, and bring our bikes out. By 7:30, we head out. Throughout the day we ride off and on with others, but prefer to ride alone together in order to talk our talk and laugh at ourselves. We laugh A LOT! 

When we get to our motel we check in, take our bikes to our room, go to the trailer and grab a beer, get our luggage out of the trailer and bring it up to our room. Then, the reward. We get ice, make ice packs and put them on our knees. While we are sitting in our beds and icing we eat our trail mix, drink a beer and watch a little TV. Holly showers, I shower, we eat dinner at the trailer, come back to our room and go to sleep. 

I know this sounds romantic and you are thinking this is something you would like to do for four or five weeks. I can tell you this. Next year a number of the women we have ridden with are doing a four week ride called the Northwest Loop - beginning and ending in Portland, Oregon. Holly and I are definitely considering joining them ~ waving good-bye to them on the first day and welcoming them back to Portland on the last day, with a month at a yoga center in between. No hills, no heat, no bikes, no PBJ, no Willie Nelson. That being said, we are having a great time because we are together.

TODAY'S RIDE:  Loads of climbing. Most were doable and a lot of them were long but felt comfortable - no heavy shallow breathing and we could easily carry on a conversation while climbing. Am I getting stronger? Yes. The roads were two lane country roads, traffic was not bad (Sunday), the sky remained overcast most of the day, the temps were in the 70s, and the humidity was low. It drizzled a little - very little - throughout the day. Thus the Subject Line. We are in Tennessee - a new state - at Pickwick Dam (Unfortunately, we are not near the Dam). Our riding days shorten by approximately ten miles each day until our next rest day ~ Friday, May 23 ~ when we will be in a new state, and at Kentucky Dam State Park. Time for dinner. Will try to add some photos later. Otherwise, not until our rest day.

TheWanderingJu and Holly

Every Day Should Be So Wonderful

Columbus to Fulton, MS

Miles ~ 85

Total Miles to Date ~ 380 

Flora and Fauna Update ...

Red-bellied woodpecker

Blue Heron

Snake in the water (we think)

Lots of dogs - most of them behind fences. We saved Frankie and Sue's lives when four dogs charged out at them. We were behind them but blew our WONDERFUL whistles which stopped those dogs, and a few others throughout the day, dead in their tracks. 

We left Holiday Inn at 7:30, arriving at our new "home" at 3:00. What an incredible day. The breeze on our skin was cool throughout the day, the baby blue sky was streaked with high white cirrus clouds. We rode on two lane country roads with very little traffic. When there was traffic, we found the drivers to be kind and courteous for the most part. During a great part of the ride we were in an area where there were no public restrooms. Holly and I  stopped at the National Guard Armory in West Point, MS and asked to use their "facilities". We were greeted by Amanda Williams, a member of the Guard. In conversation, we found out that their unit had been in Iraq a number of years ago. The photo below is not Amanda - she was out on maneuvers by the time we finished up. Our thanks go out to Amanda and all of her fellow Guard members for their generosity - and for serving our Nation without question.

West Point, Mississippi

When we rode the Southern Tier, Holly and I often spoke of getting tattoos - just a little something to remind us of our ride. Well, on our off day in Columbus we finally did it. What do you think? 

Dinner was incredible. Patty outdid herself. There are ten women on this ride who did the Mississippi River Ride last year. We took a photo, with Laurie, our guide, to commemorate our reunion. I will post it tomorrow - which, by the way, will be shorter by 8 or so miles, but a lot hillier. Bed time.

Thanks for stopping by. TheWanderingJu and Company

A Rest Day and A Visit From An Old Friend

Columbus, MS

Clark Taylor rode the Meandering Mississippi with us last year. This afternoon,  just as we were about to relax, the phone in our room rang - . "Do you know who this is?" crooned the soft southern voice on the other end of the phone. "Of course I do. This is Sondra." I was wrong. "It's Clark, and I'm in the lobby. Can I come down to your room?" This began a rolling reunion as we called to the other women who were with us last year and are with us again on this year's ride. For two hours we chatted and laughed - a lot - and reminisced and took photos. Two weeks ago Clark finished the Southern Tier. She is still on the high that comes with touching the Pacific Ocean on day and the Atlantic Ocean 7 weeks later - while riding your bicycle from town to town. She has gotten stronger, leaner, more confident, and, if possible, more beautiful. Columbus is Clark's home town. Her father was Mayor when she was a small child. Her brother lives nearby, just across the Alabama state line, and she had come for a couple of days to visit. While here, she was headed to check out her girlhood home, make a stop at the cemetery, and all of the other things we do when we return to our roots. When she spotted a group of cyclists she had to stop and find out if there was a new bike club in town. That was when she was Marni and Chris, sisters who rode with us last year, and that is how she found us at the Holiday Inn. I will add photos later. 

Other than the wonderful reunion, we spent a leisurely day. Massages, a walk into town with Mary, lunch at a wonderful little restaurant, and back to our home for the day. After Mary finishes her massage we will answer that old age question, "Why do the cyclists cross the road? when we head to Chili's for dinner. 

Tomorrow is an 80-mile day. We need to lube our chains. Until tomorrow. Holly & Judi 

A stroll In the Countryside

Wednesday, May 14

Demopolis to Eutaw, AL

59 Miles ~ Total Miles 295

The TennTom Waterway

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was opened on December 12, 1984, after 12 years of consruction. It is a navigation link between the eastern Gulf of Mexico and mid-America - running from Florence, AL to Demopolis, AL. To learn more you may go to www.tenntom.org.

Additional Flora and Fauna:

Pigs in a pen with ...

Donkeys

Purple straw flowers

Honeysuckle

Short day today - only 59 miles. It was as if we were given the option of riding to lunch and no further,  except that at that point we were actually done fo

r the day rather than eating lunch along the road. Eutaw, Alabama! The town was cute. A step back in time as so many of the small towns we have visited during many of our rides. A large group of women stopped at a restaurant for bar-b-que. Holly, Mary (Mary Callesen was one of the 19 who rode the Southern Tier with us in 1998) and I went to a less glamorous place - Piggly Wiggly - and bought ice cream for a snack. We stopped at one of the many old buildings in Eutaw thinking it was the visitor's center. Here is a photo of the inside - original books from when it was the Property Assessor's Office. Fun to touch the past - always fun. 

Our hotel, America's Best, was not. Mary and Sandra changed rooms four times before they finally stayed put. These changes were not because they were asking for anything special - hot water, air conditioning that blew cool, etc. Laurie had told us at the map meeting to lower our expectations in order to not be disappointed. It worked. We were happy with fresh paint - even if it was only on one or two of the walls in our room, and new carpeting. Our a/c blew warm - but was soon replaced with one that blew cold, along with the faint scent of cigarette smoke. 

By the time dinner was ready it was pouring down rain - which continued into the morning (see my earlier post on the next day's ride). We sidled along the edge of the motel to avoid the rain as we went for our food. Some of us ate outside, others (including Holly and myself) ate in our rooms. This is one of the wonders of these rides. We just go with the flow and do what we need to do in order to get done what needs to be accomplished. After dinner, we set Willie for 4:45, put our gear out for the next day's ride (the one that never happened) and headed to bed. 

Riding In The Van

Thursday, May 15

Eutaw, AL to Columbus, MS

Zero Miles ~ Total Miles to Date 295

8:00 AM ~ The first five head out in the rain

Today's route took us down two lane country roads with very little traffic, mostly, with easy climbs. Unfortunately, for most of us, we rode the route in the van and/or Bo-Peep, the Subaru that serves as our SAG. We awoke to a downpour which continued until we reached Mississippi, when it slowed to a drizzle. There was thunder and lightening off and on. This was not a day for being on the road. A dozen hardy souls donned their rain gear and rode the distance. Lois and Marilyn got in the van after Marilyn's THIRD flat. We stopped in Aliceville to regroup with some of the riders who were out on the road, and with Bo-Peep, and found a The Plantation House Restaurant. It was built 1903 to 1905 and housed a family of 10. One of the rooms was left untouched. The wood was incredible. I do not know all of the details, and there is nothing on the Net to help, but this home was apparently moved in the 60s or 80s to its present location, and had to be cut in half in order to make the move. Places such as Plantation House are the prizes we win while peddling our bikes.

Entering Mississippi

Our hotel is an incredibly beautiful Holiday Inn, located only one mile from the historic downtown. Holly and I were the first to get rooms - we arrived just around noon - did our laundry and are ready to ramble - but are relaxing instead. Tomorrow is a rest day - massages and a walk into town. 

Thanks for stopping by. TheWanderingJu & Company (that would be Holly)

Jackson to Demopolis, AL

98 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 235

Breakfast at the trailer at 6:15, with a short map meeting ~ then we were off at 6:30. The day was filled with climbing, not as high or difficult as our 102 mile day, but challenging nonetheless. We had the weather on our side. It was cool as we pulled out of our hotel and temps never got higher than into the 70s. Most of the day was overcast. That element saved us from the exhaustion that comes with riding in a hot and sunny day. Our roads were rural with very little traffic. We did not have a lot of traffic to deal with until late in the ride, and then it was constant. There were logging trucks coming in both directions. Those that were behind us were surprisingly kind, waiting behind has we pulled ourselves up a hill at 4 or 5 MPH. When it was clear ahead, Holly would signal to them that they could pass. 

Lunch was at 60 miles, with loads of sag breaks with Bo Peep and Jennifer. Toward the end, Holly and I would touch down at five-mile intervals in order to give our bodies a short rest (especially the part of our body that meets the saddle). 

We are at a Holiday Inn Express ~ a very nice hotel ~ in Demopolis. Pizza and salad for dinner with home made brownies, ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert. Tomorrow is a short day, 57 miles, so we are able to sleep in. Our usual wake-up time is 4:45 (4:15 on these long/early days)

We are beat. Even with a rest day, we have ridden back-to-back Centuries in the rolling hills of Alabama. It's wonderful to be on the road with Holly - and especially wonderful now that I am lying in bed and off the bike for the day.

Thanks for stopping day. No pix. This was not that sort of day. Judi and Holly

Flora and Fauna

Bamboo growing along the road. (Somebody must have tossed out a single plant. That's all it takes with bamboo)

The fragrance of jasmine as we ride along.

Buzzards - nature's street cleaners - dining on road kill.

Dogs, dogs, dogs - some behind fences, some inside of homes, some running at us and barking - until we blow those great whistles that stops them in their tracks. Today, there was one dog who got too close for comfort. He was growling, and near enough to dine on my ankle. Once again, saved by the whistle!

Dainty lavender and white flowers growing among the grasses.

Something that looks like cotton - probably white thistle.

Singing birds.

Cardinals flying across the road.

The distant sound of woodpeckers.

Horses, some with foals.

Cattle.

Goats.

3 Dead Snakes, Dozens of Dead Armadillos & Raccoons, and 102 Hot & Hilly Miles

102 Miles

Bay Minette to Jackson, AL

We were on the road for 11 hours (actual riding time 9 hours plus). At 85 miles I wanted to throw in the proverbial towel - but a good rest at a gas station/convenience store, a huge bottle of water, a bag of salty chips, a package of Access (some sort of goo that helps muscles to recover), and on-going nagging from Holly got me back on the bike. 

Our first 60 miles were a mix of great and good. The last 40 were hell - head winds until those last 15 miles. Long steep hills were a constant. However, we are here and this is a rest day. Tomorrow is a 98-mile day. We are in search of a good massage therapist for our aching bodies.

Thanks for visiting. Judi and Holly

Mobile to Bay Minette, AL

36 miles

Time on the Road ~ Approximately 4 hours

Short day - later than usual start. At 8:30 took a group photo at a park near the hotel. The woman standing behind me is the wife of the man who was using my camera, as well as many others. All she could say was "He doesn't know anything about cameras." I think he did just fine. 

Before we left the trailer where we had packed our lunches and snacks and eaten our breakfast, Holly noticed that her cyclometer was not working. Not a problem - we had mine to work with. As we rode over to the park, I noticed that my cyclometer was not working either. Since it was a short day, with all of us in matching jerseys, we decided it would be easy enough to get to our destination - and it was. We crossed a number of bridges, one of which was 1.6 miles long, and near the end of our 36 miles, we were in rolling hills. The wind we encountered as we drove from Pensacola to Mobile is still around, but less so - fortunately - but with a lot of it being in our face. Half of us are in the Holiday Inn and the other women are at the Windwood Inn just down the road a bit. Since there are vacancies at this motel, we believe the reasoning behind this was to give all of us non-smoking rooms. Apparently, we will be dealing with "smoking" rooms off and on during the first week. 

Some long-distance rides have a significant beginning point and end point. Some do not. When we left New Orleans, there was nothing that told us we were at the end of the Mississippi River, other than the fact that we were. However, when we arrived at Lake Itasca there were many significant things that told us we were at the spot where the Mississippi River is born. In 1998 our beginning and end points were the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. For this ride, the best we can use as a significant starting point would be the plaque in the photo I have attached. 

Tomorrow is a long one - 102 miles. We'd better get our bikes in order. It's good to be back on the road, to be laughing and struggling all at the same time. 

My turn in the shower. Thanks for stopping by. Holly and Judi

Mobile At Last ~ Holly and Judi

Lunch at the Atlanta Airport

Felice got me to FLL in such good time, despite the fact that it was rush hour, that, for the modest fee of $5 I was able to get onto an earlier flight to Atlanta. Holly and I arrived nearly the same time. Flights were good, Pensacola airport small and easy to move through, full size rental car was a dream - total cost, including gas at the end of the drive, $36, Mapquest right on the money getting us to Cadence 120 Bicycle Works, Mobile airport, where we dropped the car, was a NIGHTMARE to get out of. We waited more than an hour for a taxi to take us back into town. We shared the taxi with two other women from the group and are at the historic Battle House Hotel in downtown. It is beautiful and our room is huge. We walked down to a small cafe for a light dinner, ran into our guide, Laurie, as well as Lois, one of the riders from last year's Mississippi River ride. We are beat. It is 10PM Central Time - which means 11PM at home. Holly has been up since 4:00 and I since 3:30. Time to rest. Thanks for visiting. 

We stopped along the highway to take this photo.

Our First State Line Sign

Happy 90th Daddy!!!

Left to Right ~ Alan Deutsch, Harold Deutsch, Richard Deutsch

on the family farm in Ohio.

Today is my Dad's 90th birthday. We celebrated early because Janet, his wife of nearly 25-years, has four children, numerous grandchildren and two great-granchildren, many of whom live in distant states. However, every year they all come to South Florida for spring break, generally having one day when they are all in town. My Dad's party was planned to coordinate with that one day ~ and thankfully it was not a mid-week day.

So, today's the day that Richard Deutsch, the remaining child of Morris and Gertrude Deutsch, is 90. His parents and most of his siblings reached well into their 90s, and I hope to surpass all of them, reaching 104 (and still riding my bicycle). My wish for all of you reading this ~ long and healthy years.

Happy Birthday, Daddy. I love you.

Your baby girl, Judi a/k/a TheWanderingJu

Mobile At Last ~ The Bike

Elisabeth is on the DHL van and out for delivery. She arrived early this morning at the DHL center in Mobile, was scanned and put onto a delivery truck within 5-minutes. Life is good.

"Round On The Ends & High In the Middle" ~ That's Ohio"

Somehow, my bicycle ended up back in Ohio at the DHL sorting center, departing just past midnight this morning. Hopefully, she is on a plane and headed DIRECTLY to Mobile. As for me, this is my last day to pull my act together. No more excuses, no more "I'll do that tomorrow" (for tomorrow we fly), no more procrastinating. This is it, P-day (that's "P" for "packing"). Will write a note when Elisabeth gets to her final DHL destination - Cadence 120 Bicycle Works. Until then it's back to work for me. I am feeling strong and ready - as is Holly. And, considering we never have more than a 10-mile ride in front of us at one time, we are confident. See ya! :-]

Where In The World is My Bike?????

Elisabeth left Fort Lauderdale on April 29 and, according to the tracking record on the DHL website, traveled a direct route to Mobile ~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Wilmington, Ohio to Orlando, Florida, to Atlanta, Georgia. Let's map that on MapQuest, shall we? She arrived at the Atlanta Hub one day and 8 hours after I dropped her off at DHL office and promptly disappearing into "shipping hell".

Don't you just love customer service? - although, I must say, each and every person I spoke with at DHL was helpful and pleasant, and I fully realized that while speaking with them I was to keep in mind the old saying "don't shoot the messenger". What I dislike is the final answer they give to you (do they learn this at customer service school?). "Somebody will get back to you by 4:30 tomorrow afternoon" 4:30! Tomorrow! Are they kidding? Between the initial discussion with DHL last night, and my final discussion (the fourth) early this afternoon, I was passed further up the line of searchers - those unreachable people who are supposed to find your missing items and "get back to you" - but never do. My last contact, Stephen Stafford, found her because he took a little more time than the rest and, after listening to me go through the "what ifs" about buying a new bicycle when I arrived in Mobile, he knew I was frantic. He found her - back in Ohio, where her shipping box had been opened and she had been photographed and put on the DHL "lost items" internal website (I made that up for lack of a real title). While speaking with me, Stephen was looking at a photo of a red, white and blue bicycle with a water bottle in its cage - and load of other stuff in the box. Apparently, the shipping label had come off somewhere along the line. The mystery is over. Elisabeth has been found and should be delivered to The Cadence 120 Bicycle Works no later than Thursday.

Meanwhile, I am getting closer to being nearly packed and practically ready to go. So much to do and the clock is running out of time ~ and I feel frantic. Felice is taking me to the airport Thursday morning for my 10:30 flight. Holly and I will meet in Atlanta and fly together to Pensacola (What's more direct than Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta to Pensacola?) where we will pick up a rental car ($15 for the day) and drive the 45-minutes to Mobile. Since we are both doing only carry-ons, we'll stop at CVS or Rite-Aid or Walgreens for a few items that would not make it through security, stop at Cadence 120 to make arrangements for our cases to be shipped to the bike shop in Williamsville, NY that will be shipping our bikes home at the end of the ride, drop the car at the airport, and take the shuttle to our hotel. I'm tired just writing about the day. Back to packing.

Talk to you from Mobile. :-]