Holly and Judi Go Underground

Home Again

2008-06-17T08:01:00.002-04:00

There is so much more to write about the last two days of our adventure - and I shall do so. However, before that happens, there is laundry to be washed (or burned), grocery shopping, errands, appointments, 5-weeks worth of mail to sort through, and finding my way back into the real world - the most difficult part, re-entry.

My folks picked me up at the airport, after which we headed to Lester's Diner for a Father's Day dinner - my sister, Barb, her husband, Danny, and son, Lucas met us. It was nice to be with all of them - and how fortunate am I at age 65 to be able to celebrate Father's Day with my Dad? Home by 8:00 and asleep within minutes.

Monday was a lost day. After running out to the library and grocery store I came home to sleep away the entire afternoon - waking up around 6:00. Interestingly, while we are on the road, waking up anywhere between 4:15 and 4:45, and getting on our bicycles to ride through the day, other than the exhaustion that comes with the ride, our bodies don't seem to realize they are being drained of strength. We are all like the Energizer bunny (some of us stronger and more energized than others) pushing through each day and doing what we are doing because we love it or are crazy (or a combination of both). Take away our bikes and take us off the road, and our bodies begin to find a new level. It is a process - and I am in the midst.

So, speaking of appointments - time to get ready for my 9:30. Will write again in the next couple of days. You must hear about the last two days. They were INCREDIBLE!

Please check back. Judi a/k/a TheWanderingJu

Question: When Does 88 become 50?

2008-06-12T16:04:00.006-04:00

June 12

Erie, PA to Hamburg, NY

50 Miles (out of 88)

Total Miles To Date ~ 1,530

Answer: When the wind blows in a cyclists face for the entire 50-miles and she no longer has the strength or desire to go on.

For the first time, breakfast was at 6:00 (something our trio had requested on very long days) and we were outta there by 6:30. Erie has great bike paths making it fairly pleasant getting out of town. Today's terrain was rolling and beautiful - we rode through one of New York State's wine areas with Lake Erie on our shoulder most of the day. It was nice to peer over our left shoulder and see glimpses large and small of the water. We traveled through a number of small communities and passed magnificent homes, modest cottages, farms, and the aforementioned vineyards. Early on the temps were cool to the skin (high 60s) and the sky was overcast. Perfect riding. But that wind in the face. My nemesis! I know it disappoints Holly, and I feel less than happy about it myself. However, when I am in the midst of all of it I holler "uncle" and want out of the moment.

Vineyard overlooking Lake Erie

Half of us were at the 20-mile SAG stop and the New York State Line was only a mile up the road. Frankie suggested a group shot - and we got one over and over again. There are two professional photographers who have been traveling with us since yesterday and they did the honors - 16 times over - shooting the group with each of our cameras.

We are in the outskirts of Buffalo. Tomorrow we are headed across the border - passports at the ready. I have not been to Niagara Falls since age 12. It frightened me then. Wonder what my reaction will be now that I'm all grown up. Check in tomorrow to get the answer to that question.

Judi a/k/a TheWanderingJu and Holly

Reaching Land's End

2008-06-11T20:07:00.003-04:00

At Lake Erie's Shore ~ Land's End

June 11

Austinburg, OH to Erie, PA

60 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,485

Today was glorious from the weather to the roads. Sure, there were those moments - a rough road on a downhill where we found ourselves breaking rather than charging the hill, two flats that made no sense, drivers to whom we are invisible and those who see us but think we belong on the sidewalk. But, overall, beauty was the word of the day.

Despite the fact that our final destination is north of the border as we follow the footsteps of slaves escaping to Canada, seeing Lake Erie from Lake Avenue was filled with more emotion than I could have anticipated. At first we were just stopping to take a picture. However, when we got off the bikes and crossed the road we all - Holly, Mary, and I - found ourselves choked up and nearly simultaneously we reached for our cell phones to call people who are most important in our lives (I called my Dad). We have peddled our bicycles from Mobile Bay at the south to the shores of Lake Erie at the north and that is a remarkable statement to be able to make. In the middle of it all, while we are in Kentucky or Tennessee, we are just on the road. Here, on the shores of Lake Erie, we have reached Land's End.

Entering Pennsylvania

Photo taken from the seat of my bike

Tomorrow we ride or last long day, 88-miles, and cross into New York. We are nearly at our final destination. Glad you are along for the ride.

TheWanderingJu a/k/a Judi :-]

What A Difference A Day Makes ~ Again

2008-06-10T16:32:00.009-04:00

Corn In A Crib

(I've wanted this photo since Iowa)

June 10

Hudson to Austinburg, OH

65 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,425

We left in a drizzle. Seven hours later, we arrived in the rain. In between we rode under overcast skies, sunny skies, and threatening skies. It was glorious! The temperature dropped into the 70s, the humidity was, for the most part, gone, and the wind gods decided to give us a break, sending tail winds for most of the day.

After a brief sojourn on two busy roads, we were back on country roads. Roads! They were a mix of bumpy to awful, and some of the time smooth and wonderful. We went through the town of Burton and I thought of my family - my aunt, her sister, my cousins - all going out to "Burton" for the annual antique market. All of them have brought home beautiful pieces of furniture that I love to look at and would not mind owning. Ah, well, it is nice to dream the dream. Perhaps one day, in an alternate universe, when I am much younger and just starting out I will go to Burton and find something special. In the universe where I am at this time, the one where we sleep in a different hotel or motel each night and rides our bicycles each day, I have no need for furniture - just my bicycle, a small duffle and my tote bag with Bubbi written over the pocket, and my dear friend, Holly.

Our travels took us through Amish country where we shared the road with buggies filled with families. We even had one occasion to pass a buggy on the road ("on your left"). There we were, two alternative forms of transportation on a quiet country road. These are the photos that must be taken with the eye and stored in the mind and heart.

Following is a brief history of the Amish.

The Amish people "are" Amish because of their religion, not because of the way they dress. This comes directly from the Bible:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one

loves the world, love for the Father is not in him." I John 2:15 RSV

The Amish live in homes without electricity or telephones, ride in buggies and other horse drawn vehicles, and wear very plain, home-made clothing. That’s why they have been called the "plain people". They have chosen to live this way because of not wanting to conform to the rest of the world.

The Amish came to the United States in search of religious freedom, as did many people. In Europe, in the 16th century, there was an Anabaptist movement. They were called Anabaptists because they did not baptize infants as the Catholics did. They were seen as the radicals of the Swiss Protestant Reformation. "Anabaptist" means to re-baptize.

The first adult baptism recorded was in 1525. A Catholic priest by the name of Menno Simons left the priesthood during this period and his followers became known as the Mennonites. In 1693, Jacob Amman had a conflict with the Swiss Anabaptists because of what he saw as a lack of discipline in the church. His followers eventually became known as the "Amish".

In the 1700s, between 50 and 100 Amish families arrived in America, settling mostly in Pennsylvania. Many others followed in the 19th century. Over the years, various orders of Amish spread into Ohio.

There are several orders of the Amish faith found in Ohio. They are the Old Order, New Order, Swartzentruber, Beachy, Andy Weaver, and the conservative Mennonites and the Amish Mennonites. Most of the orders hold church services in their homes. The Mennonites usually have services in church buildings.

The Amish live side by side with the English, but maintain the lifestyle of their 16th century European ancestors. Although most still live on the farm, it is getting more and more difficult to earn a living from farming, so there are many who have other occupations, such as woodworking, cabinetry and carpentry, while others are blacksmiths, buggy and carriage makers, and own repair shops. Others run different types of businesses that appeal to the many tourists, such as quilt shops, hand made baskets, etc.

My cousins, Harriet, Lyndsey, Jillian, and Evan came down from Cleveland for a visit and dinner with the group. It was wonderful to see them, if only for such a brief time. The best part - I got to meet Jillian and Evan (ages 5 months and 3 1/2 months).

The weather and terrain should be favorable tomorrow - we are headed to Erie, Pennsylvania.

Thanks for stopping by. It's nice to have you with us. Judi :-]

Photos ~ June 9

2008-06-09T21:07:00.004-04:00

Judy Norris telling us at a SAG stop how she

pushed herself up those d*^% hills.

Mary Callesen ~ Another Class of '98 member

Everett Road Covered Bridge

Back In The Saddle Again

2008-06-09T20:33:00.004-04:00

June 9

Oberlin to Hudson, OH

68 Miles

Total Miles To Date ~ 1,360

From the first peddle stroke this ride was hell - for me. Wind in the face to start with, bad roads, worse drivers, climbs that should not have been as difficult as they were (see aforementioned head winds and bad roads - and bad drivers). However, our main enemy was the heat. Temperatures climbed quickly into the 90s and stayed there. Ninety degrees bouncing off of the road is more than likely over 100. We always seemed to be running out of water and out of shade. I always seemed to be falling back because I am not as strong at climbing as Holly and Mary. All of this being said, we miraculously finished the day, pulling into our home for the night 9+ hours after we left The Oberlin Inn.

Storms are predicted for tonight, possible rain tomorrow - and cooler temperatures. Oh yes, flatter terrain.

FLORA AND FAUNA UPDATE:
Two minks or ferrets, or beavers ran across the road right in front of Holly's bike. We are not sure what they were - but they were long and fluffy.
Saw a number of Canadian geese the other day - with goslings. Cute!
A herd of goats.

We took a break in Medina for cool drinks at a coffee shop, crossed a covered bridge, ate lunch at Hudson's in Hudson, and stopped along the road to eat our PBJs while standing next to our bicycles.

NOTE:
Changed both tires and one tube yesterday. Thanks to the coaching of a good friend, Claudine Simpson, I tried another method for changing my rear tire. How easy it was. One, two, six, and the tire was seated back in place.

We are beat - all of us - from today's ride. That being said, I am looking forward to tomorrow. We have been promised flat, cooler, and 7-miles on a Rail Trail at the end of our 60-mile day.

Until then - thanks for stopping by. Judi and Holly :-]

Staying Over In Oberlin

2008-06-08T11:10:00.008-04:00

Just a few photos from this beautiful and historic town. Enjoy!

At the Underground Railroad Healing Garden

Holly and Me

Holly and Mary arrive at the Oberlin Inn with their "guides". Click HERE to see a story on their arrival in Oberlin.

Good and Lousy All At The Same Time

2008-06-07T15:04:00.005-04:00

Bottom to top ~ Mary, Beverly, and Holly

June 7

Mt. Vernon to Oberlin

0 Miles (Holly and Mary rode 68)

Total Miles to Date ~ Same as yesterday :-]

Woke up feeling unwell - nauseous, as if I was coming down with the flu (but not). When I went down to breakfast and just the sight of food made me ill, I made the decision to SAG. I think it was a good decision and a lousy decision all at the same time. Good because what's the point of being out on the road and feeling unwell? Lousy because SAGing means one is off the bike and in the van. Such a difference for many reasons. Still the "good" outweighed the "lousy", it was the right choice, and I am feeling better now. So, while Michelle went shopping I slept, after taking a couple of Tylenol, and then we got on the road. More than likely all of this was because of yesterday's heat. A couple of the women did not feel well last night (ah, but they rode today). I am sure I hydrated and ate enough, but who can figure the human body's reaction to different situations?

The roads were typical country - narrow and, for the most part, filled with potholes, rough spots, and gravel. We went through amish areas where there were wagon ruts in the road. Most of the day was climbing - and most of the women rode all of the miles. Some, including Mary and Holly, sagged a few miles in the middle in order to end the day on their bikes. In fact, Holly and Mary met a couple from the local Visitors' Bureau that took them into town via a bike path (adding 4-miles to the day).

We are in Oberlin for a rest day. Cute college town, founded in 1833, with a lot of history. Tonight a speaker is coming by to tell us some of the history of the Underground Railway in Oberlin. Holly and Mary met a nice couple while they were on the home stretch and got a lot of information about places to see and where we can go for food and snacks.

I will post some photos later. I may not have ridden, but I still need a shower.

Thanks for dropping by. TWJ

110 In The Shade

2008-06-06T16:03:00.008-04:00

6:00 Shadow

June 6

Dublin to Mt. Vernon, OH

61 Miles (out of 75)

Total Miles To Date ~ 1,353

OK, not really that hot - but it felt that way. Because of the length of the day - 75 miles - and the heat and humidity, we were out of the motel around 6:30. The winds were favorable, but not friendly and I struggled most of the day. Perhaps it was not the elements alone, but perhaps my body has chosen today for a mini-break down. We came upon Bo-Peep for the third time at 61-miles where Mary and I threw in the proverbial towel - bringing Holly along for the ride (something she does not like to do - quit).

Church at 61-miles

Near mile 35 we heard what sounded like a BB gun shot. It was my rear tire - which even sent some "shrapnel" at my legs. A rear tire! We hate flats, and we ESPECIALLY hate flats on rear tires. There was a large hole in the tire with pieces of tread coming out of it. The tube had a puncture that was not worth repairing, and I tossed it when we got to our motel.

A step back in time right now. While pumping my tires at our motel in Eutaw, I broke the stem on the rear tube. After everything was put back together on the rim, I could not get the wheel back on the bike. Marilyn! She knows everything about bikes (see my flat on the Mississippi River Ride). I asked her to coach me through the process - and she did. First, and most important, turn the bike upside down. Turns out that makes it easier getting the chain back on the cassette. Another "Marilyn" is that when she fixed my flat on the 2007 ride, she used a product from Park, an adhesive backed boot, that is not easy to find. In one of the many bike shops we visited on this ride I found a package. What a blessing! Total time to change the flat - 20-minutes according to Holly. Thanks again, Marilyn. You may not be here in body, but in spirit you continue to help me along the way.

Leslie catching a rest before continuing on

We are in Mt. Vernon - and have yet to see anything outside of our room. We are hot and beat. Ah, tomorrow - only 84-miles to Oberlin and our last rest day of this adventure. We arrive in Canada one week from today.

Thanks for visiting. Talk to you soon. TWJ and Holly :-]

What A Difference A Day Makes

2008-06-05T16:01:00.010-04:00

June 5

Xenia to Dublin, OH

69 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,292

Clear blue sky streaked by a few wisps of white. The promise of hot and humid temps that did not come to fruition before we finished the day. So different than yesterday's beginning.

Today’s start was late - breakfast not until 7:30 (eggs and oatmeal and all the rest) with snacks and lunch stuff being put out at 7:15. We three were the first ones out and stayed up there most of the day. There was a museum 6 miles from Xenia that opened at 9:00 and many of the women were going to stop there. Our plan was to beat the heat and enjoy the cooler temps of the early part of the day. We met up with BoPeep near mile 20 and never saw her again. Mary dropped off at mile 37 to wait for the van and SAG in to the hotel. I think she would have enjoyed the rest of the day - I know it - but she was anticipating heat that would have made the riding much more difficult than it turned out to be.

We had a wonderful southerly breeze that pushed us along most of the morning. Our terrain as mostly flat with some rollers and a few minimal climbs. Around 45 or 50 miles, after failing to find a town to stop in, we chose a shady spot on some freshly mown grass - directly along the road - sat down and had a relaxing lunch of PBJ, water, and whatever else we could find in our packs. By early afternoon (we arrived in Dublin at 2:00) the winds had shifted more westerly and pushed at us, trying to hold us back as we rode along. Looking from our motel window I can see that the breeze has picked up and may be making the riding that much more difficult for any of the women still on the road. I’m happy we are here.

FLORA AND FAUNA UPDATE:

Yesterday it was squirrels. One brave soul jumped right at my bike and miraculously did not take me down or end up as squirrel stew.

Today a weasel carrying a dead mouse in its mouth (dinner for the kids?) ran directly in front of Holly while we were on a Rail Trail.

Rabbits.

A few dogs that required whistle therapy.

Beautiful flowers and different trees than in the south.

Flooded fields of corn and soybeans - we hope the will dry out enough to be saved. It was sad to see all of the damage from the storms.

High water and fast running rivers and creeks.

Horses - many with foals.

Many types of cattle.

A doe in one of the many fields of newly planted corn.

Not much longer and we will be at the end of our adventure. Seems difficult to believe we have pushed ourselves along for so many miles under our own power - one revolution at a time. When I go home it will be time for me to get back to work on a project that began as a casual remark - "Perhaps I will write a book about it." ~ "It" being my 1998 cross country bicycle journey. I promised myself more than ten years ago and I know I have the talent. These are two very good reasons to get back to writing. Even if I am never published, I want to complete yet another journey - putting words and thoughts to paper and telling myself, "This is good."

Thanks for coming along on the ride. Talk to you tomorrow. Judi :-]

June 4 Photos ~ Headed to Xenia

2008-06-05T15:18:00.006-04:00

Why, you may ask, did we choose to SAG?

Bonnie and me at Al's Diner in South Lebanon

Holly and Michelle in background

Tree and debris in the road

Holly, Me, and Mary on the Rail Trail

Kathy and Company coming through a

downed tree just after we had passed by

High Water at our SAG stop

Tornadoes and Floods and Hail - Oh, my!

2008-06-04T21:03:00.011-04:00

Will add photos and total mileage from Dublin. We didn't have Internet in our room so I am sitting on the floor in front of the elevators. J :-]

June 4

Milford to Xenia, OH

35 Miles (out of 55)

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,223

Somehow, we got a late start (forgot to fill my water bottles - "Two days wasn't enough time?" was Holly's comment, needed to use the WC just one more time, and just moving slowly for a change). Georgia decided to SAG. We walked out to the parking lot of our motel and heard thunder and lightening. Next! Put our bikes up on the van 'cause we are not riding in this weather. There had been tornado warnings and watches, flood warnings and watches, hail warnings, and just general bad weather abounded. Most of the women were out on the road already. As our bikes were being put up top - Michelle and Laurie soaked to the skin in minutes - Sue and Frankie returned. This was not a day to ride. Much too dangerous. So, in the van we went - two guides and five riders.

By the time we got to the SAG stop at mile 20 Laurie had received a number of calls from different groups of riders who had found shelter in various locations, or had not yet found the entrance to the Rail Trail. We picked Lois up at the SAG stop and all of us were taken to Al's Diner in South Lebanon. Meanwhile, my cousin, Bonnie, had planned to ride with us, and she and I were playing telephone tag about what to do about riding, so she came to the diner as well. The van went back to Milford to pick up the rest of the group. Laurie and Michelle decided to take all of us off the road - much too dangerous. An hour later back they came - without riders and bikes. The weather had cleared (it cleared in South Lebanon too) and we were OK to go for the last 35-miles - all on a Rail Trail.

Last night's storms had done a lot of damage. There were trees down and a lot of debris across the path, the Little Miami River was over flowing its banks in places, and fields of newly planted corn (and other crops) were flooded and most likely lost. All in all, it was a great adventure - climbing over, under, and through downed trees, serpentining around debris, and being together on the road - always the best part of the day.

We had just left the trail and were finally in town - less than one mile from the hotel - when I felt a flat and at the same time Mary told me I had a flat. The three of us walked to the hotel. Better to change it in the comfort of my motel room than out on the street. If it had to happen, better in town than out on the trail. Changed the flat - remembering a number of Marilyn’s lessons - and we cleaned our bikes - removing large piles of dirt and debris from every surface and nook. Those bikes were REALLY dirty. Dinner was delicious - Michelle is cooking now. We ate inside the hotel because a storm was on the horizon and coming through at a fast clip. Breakfast will be late tomorrow because there is a museum down the road that does not open until 9:00. Even though the day is only 69-miles we wanted to be on the road by 6:30 because it is going to be in the upper 80s and humid. Guess that won’t be happening.

LOST AND FOUND:

Tossed old gloves with nearly “see-through” palm/Bought hot pink gloves - when did they get so expensive?
Tossed red/white/blue Giro helmet with a small hole in the back and numerous small cracks/Bought white Bell helmet - no cracks, no sweat, all padding present.
After carrying it nearly the entire ride, finally tossed my mini-pump that really never worked and should have been tossed after last year’s ride when I realized it was a piece of junk.

Thanks for dropping by. Talk to you from Dublin. Judi :-]

People We Meet Along The Way

2008-06-02T17:00:00.018-04:00

Another Border Crossed ~ Into a New State

June 2

Maysville, KY to Milford, OH

69 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,188

Holly, Thomas, and Mary

It is never about the destination, but always about the journey. During our first two weeks on the road we were not riding any sort of ride we would have chosen. Yes, there were some beautiful roads, but that was not enough, and the roads were not so beautiful most of the time. The missing element - people. Today we found that missing element at mile 25.2 in Wahlsburg, Ohio. We met Thomas "High Pockets" Turner. What a joy! 92-years young, handshake of a 35-year old, face of a 45-year old, still driving, memory better than mine, and a smile that could melt butter. Considering we had just left a part of the country where Rosemary Clooney and George Clooney are hometown heroes, where we rode on Clooney Highway - in honor of Rosemary Clooney (she grew up in Maysville) - meeting Thomas was much more exciting. He is a part of history, part of the history this ride is about. Thomas's wife was born in Ripley, OH - directly across the river from Maysville. Ripley was an extremely important part of the Underground Railroad, called Freedom's Landing. I hope you will take the time to check out the town's site. There is a lot of information on Rankin House and Parker House, two very important sites. This morning we had the opportunity to say "hello" and "good-bye" to Marilyn. We had finished breakfast when Jennifer told us that Marilyn was accepting visitors. She looked great - those pain meds are a blessing. Michelle used Bo-Peep to take her to the Cincinnati Airport for an afternoon flight. Our SAG for the day was the van, with Georgia and Patty at the helm.

Georgia Marking The Roads

Here's A Woman Who Stops Traffic

We crossed the Ohio River by foot - no bicycles allowed on the narrow roadway. Walking is always a good opportunity for photos - and we took advantage of that opportunity. We are in Ohio - my home state, Mary's home state. There is a feeling of excitement knowing I am in Ohio - even though I am only "passing through".

Most of the day was flat to rolling with a couple of significant climbs in the early morning - and two moderate climbs that took us to our motel at day's end. Dogs were problematic - our whistles made quick work of them. We had one chocolate lab that followed us for quite a while. Mary yelled out, "On your left" and I got confused, thinking she was coming up on my left. What she had actually said was, "It's on your left" (the dog). Eventually she tired of the run and went home (the dog, not Mary). We stopped in Williamsburg for pseudo-blizzards (delicious!) and moved on - only 27 miles from here.

We made a couple of stops in Milford - a bike shop and CVS. This morning I had noticed a number of small cracks in my helmet and decided to get a new one. Not so easy for me to make a decision that quickly. However, I did and got one at the shop in Milford - and what a cute little town it is. Then it was time. We were tired and wanted out of our gear and into a comfortable room with air conditioning. Three miles and two climbs later we arrived, and after crossing a busy intersection just off an Interstate junction, we were home - Holiday Inn Express in Milford.

Dinner was across the road at a very good Mexican restaurant - "Table for 30, please." We said "hello" to five new riders and "good-bye" to Patty, our cook/guide. She will be headed home to Utah and her husband early tomorrow morning. Laurie returns tomorrow to resume her duties as guide and Michelle begins as cook/guide.

Will send loads of photos and a bit about our day in Cincinnati another time. Thanks for dropping by. TWJ :-]

Serpentine! Serpentine!

2008-06-01T20:14:00.009-04:00

The Kentucky Countryside

June 1

Dry Ridge to Maysville, TN

50 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 1,119

Does anybody out there remember a movie with Peter Falk where he played a dentist and was drawn into something illegal with his daughter's future father-in-law? While they were being shot at in some Central American country the FFIL told him "serpentine, serpentine" while they were being shot at. Why am I bringing this up and what does it have to do with a bicycle ride? I'll explain. Today's ride was a series of climbs and downhills. Many of the climbs were long and difficult or short and difficult. Either way, the best method to get up these climbs (Holly just taught me about this earlier in the tour) is to serpentine up the hill. It has something to do with the angle of the road rather than going at it straight on. Physics? I don't know. What I do know is this - it works and it helps. My climbing continues to improve. All of that being said, and with great (some frightening) downhills, I threw in the towel at 50 miles on this 75-mile day. The sun was out, we had been on the road for 6 hours, and my legs screamed "No more!".

SAG stop at mile 40

We had not been in the van very long when, at mile 60.5, we saw one of our riders walking up the hill in front of us. Another of the riders had taken a sharp turn at a high speed and lost control of her bicycle, was unconscious, and rescue was on the way. During our dinner hour the injured rider came back from the hospital. She has a fractured pelvis, a number of bruises, possible shoulder issues, and is generally miserable - but alive. Tomorrow she will head for home and a full recovery. This could have been so much worse. Her helmet broke in at least five places - saving her life for sure. We are so thankful that she is alive, and well enough to have told the nurses at the hospital that they could NOT cut off her expensive cycling shorts in order to remove them. This is one feisty woman and we will miss her presence on the road and in the group. Today, as she passed by, she constantly told me how well I was doing - and I always answered "At least I'm still upright".

Maysville is a very cute riverfront town that is on the route some of the riverboats that ply the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. There are numerous places to stop and see things pertinent to the Underground Railroad. We had lunch at a small cafe that serves wonderful food and the owner told us that the sites in this town, and nearby Washington, are manned by volunteers and not opened all the time, making it very difficult to see what we are in search of. Now that the Adventure Cycling route is a reality, perhaps that will change.

We had dinner in the parking lot next to beautiful murals that were painted on the flood gates. Tomorrow is another long day with some early climbs followed by flatter and rolling terrain.

We leave Kentucky tomorrow and cross the Ohio River on this beautiful bridge. One of the locals told me that it was a prototype for the Golden Gate Bridge. I've got to check that out - it doesn't sound legit.

Thanks for visiting. Talk to you from Cincinnati. Judi and Holly

Why Does The Turtle Cross The Road?

2008-05-31T15:07:00.012-04:00

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 ...

2008-05-30T21:16:00.006-04:00

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"

2008-05-28T05:46:00.009-04:00

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

2008-05-27T16:12:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-26T15:20:00.008-04:00

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

2008-05-25T18:30:00.009-04:00

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

2008-05-25T16:00:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-23T16:18:00.012-04:00

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

2008-05-22T17:59:00.005-04:00

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 !!

2008-05-22T17:03:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-20T18:21:00.007-04:00

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

2008-05-19T16:03:00.014-04:00

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" ...

2008-05-18T17:57:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-17T18:40:00.010-04:00

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

2008-05-16T18:36:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-16T11:18:00.015-04:00

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

2008-05-15T16:00:00.009-04:00

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

2008-05-13T21:30:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-13T18:29:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-12T07:48:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-10T15:13:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-09T07:29:00.004-04:00

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!!!

2008-05-08T00:01:00.007-04:00

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

2008-05-07T10:44:00.001-04:00

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"

2008-05-07T07:30:00.003-04:00

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?????

2008-05-06T20:24:00.004-04:00

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. :-]

One Week Minus One Day

2008-05-02T08:55:00.008-04:00

That's it! Elisabeth has been tuned up, spruced up, taken apart and sent on her way to Mobile. She should have arrived yesterday to be reassembled by the mechanics at Cadence 120 Bicycle Works.

Kath and Dave returned to England on Wednesday, I put in a 10-hour day at work yesterday (my last until June), and.... the party that celebrated my Dad's 90th birthday was a HUGE success - with 50+ attendees, 15 of which made up the "surprise" part of the party. It was a beautiful day in many ways.

Holly and I are taking spin classes - she is far more dedicated than I - to be in the best possible shape. That being said, there is nothing like being on the road - the feel of a breeze on our skin, the heat beating us nearly into submission (not always), the friendship that comes with loads of laughter, the 4:45 wake-ups, the routine that has become so familiar. We are nearly there, and I am filled with the nervous excitement that comes with a journey into the unknown. We will be in touch from Mobile and are looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

Judi and Holly

Learning about the Underground Railroad

2008-04-23T20:18:00.012-04:00

Two weeks from tomorrow we head for Mobile. So much to do ~ my bike is still with her mechanic, but I hope to bring her home over the weekend. Plans have changed - I am thinking of taking her on the plane rather than shipping her to the bike shop in Mobile. Not sure, but I know doing it that way would give me time to do some riding before leaving home. When I know, you'll know.

Here are a few links to sites with information about the Underground Railroad. Study - There's going to be a test!!!! :-] (Only kidding)

www.americancivilwar.com/underground_railroad.html

www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2944.html

www.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground

Until the next time ...

Judi

One Month & One Day...

2008-04-07T13:30:00.004-04:00

... That's how much longer until we head to Mobile, AL (via Atlanta, GA and Pensacola, FL) to begin our next adventure. While I am at home in Florida going through my gear, Holly is at home in Connecticut doing the same with her gear. Throw it all into a box, allow it to rest for a few weeks, then make choices - what to bring and what to leave behind. Since we are never going to be far from a store we plan to travel light - especially when it comes to clothing.

Attached is a photo taken during our ride along the Mississippi River - New Orleans to Lake Itasca, MN (Where the Mighty Mississippi begins as a trickle). A lot happening around here that keeps me from posting to the Blog - company arriving from England in ten days, my Dad's 90th birthday party in three weeks. But, May 1 is D-Day - Decision-Day. That's when it begins for real - the packing of suitcases and getting Elisabeth (my bike) ready to be shipped to Mobile.

Until then - thanks for your interest. We are happy to have you join us as we ride the trail of the Underground Railroad. Holly and Judi (a/k/a TheWanderingJu)