Galveston

I was in Galveston, Texas for Christmas with my sister, Susan, and mom. They both flew in to Houston on December 22 and i met them at a beach
house that Susan had arranged. Weather was not perfect but it was a helluva lot warmer than anywhere else we would be. The week with family was great and it was relaxing to have our own house to hang out in and eat. We found a great fish market on the docks in old Galveston and ate our weight in seafood - mostly raw oysters and red snapper. Other than that we walked on the beach, checked out Houston's museum district (very nice), checked out some birding sites, and i took some time to give my bike a little tlc. All in all it was fantastic to see family.

Louisiana Coast pt. 1

The world has been a wet place - by mid December the Louisiana coast received over 22 inches of rain for the month of December. My route options became more limited in a place with already few roads and camping became out of the question in many places.
I continued out 90 west until getting onto Louisiana scenic byway 182 passing countless plantation homes, oil field services, and sugar cane fields in the Bayou Teche. The home pictured below is aptly called the steamboat house. The federal and greek revival architecture is well
preserved throughout the region. The area was one of the wealthiest agricultural regions in the first half of the 1800's. The main street of Franklin, LA still has turn of century cast iron streetlights underneath an arcade of live oaks and over 420 homes on the National Historic Register (in a town of 8000 people). The smell of carmelized sugar blankets the region and the endless flow of trucks from the cane fields littered the road with stalks. Hard to see the sugar
cane factory for all the smoke. But sugar is not so profitable today, reflected in my motel choice on a 40 degree rainy day but the chickens are friendly, and eventually the heat works.

two thousand miles

. . . and i am in texas . . .



and soon to meet family.

Is this adventure?

I remembered a rock climbing t-shirt that I owned, the shirt read, "the spirit of adventure," featuring a blocky stick figure blowing its brains out with a hand gun. I wore the shirt on test days when i proctored at SUNY-Binghamton, some people found it shocking, eventually i outgrew the shirt. Today, i thought there might be something to that shirt. I was stomping on my pedals for 20 miles late in the day with trucks roaring by 4 feet away while i dodged grass hummocks, truck tires and road kill. I exited into a place on the map but nothing is there but water, i realize i must reenter the highway and flip a u turn across four lanes of traffic, so i scream fuck at the top of lungs several times before i climb the ramp. Funny thing 4 feet feels secure, all things relative, but the darkening foggy night did not feel secure, the excessive debris did not feel secure, the four lane volume of traffic, the thought of drunk drivers. I stopped at a gas station after full dark to inquire about a campground but the clerks recommended continuing on 90 west, shiiiiit really?, but within a mile were services and hotels. The young man did it all the time to see his girlfriend working at the next exit. I briefly considered the things young males will do to see chicks . . . but it was a known quantity versus a sans shoulder two lane secondary road in the pitch rainy dark. Intuitively, i know i can ride the distance, but what about the rainy dark, road debris, drunks, the things i do not control. Back to the on ramp with one cheap ass AutoZone flash light in one hand and another wedged into the back pannier with a couple beers stashed. I know i will want a beer after this little adventure and i can control that.

Into and Outta New Orleans

The day was warm and muted by fog, last night 7 inches of rain fell, water languishes on the landscape. Reminds me of the Taoist saying, "the highest good is like water for it benefits the myriad creatures without causing contention and settles in the lowest place," . . . perhaps in moderation. I pedaled down the road looking at the endless swamp for alligators, just 'cause, Tom Waits stuck in my head, again.

Later in the day, after miles of bayou and coast line, Tom was replaced by Billy Joel's "Piano Man," in french blaring from truck speakers in a trailer's front yard. Interesting take on a catchy tune but ultimately disappointing because i really do not like Billy Joel.


Route 90 West is a rough two lane as it approaches New Orleans with lots of wrecked boats, concrete pads, and pilings pointing to the sky without purpose. I got my first flat of the trip from a nail, no big deal, a five minute job, but the mosquitoes are fierce.

Technically, all of the bridges in New Orleans are closed to bicycles . . . this can make New Orleans by bike difficult if you are a law abiding type or just a little pain in the ass. I got my NYCycle-tude on and rode like a Mack truck - to be honest traffic was pretty light.



I have been to New Orleans numerous times over the decades, and it has changed, i have changed, but it felt like a shell with too many empty buildings. The french quarter remains intact, tacky at times, but charming with an explosion of art galleries - however, tourism is no excuse for a real economy.

New Orleans is still a busy port, though, and as i rode out along the west bank levee i whiffed everything from methane to molasses to perfume and petroleum.

I spent the night in the hostel "India" in midtown - had some pleasant conversation with Hoon from S. Korea and Morgan from France but the bed sucked with its plastic cover sheet and saggy springs. Otherwise, i ate and talked! BBQ with a friend of a friend from Binghamton and pastries in the morning before boarding the ferry at the end of Canal St. and heading out of town along the west bank of the Mississippi River.

Mobile and the Mississippi Coast

I enjoy working water fronts, they have an honesty of purpose that i appreciate and they make me think of Steinbeck. Route 90 West passes through the heart of Mobile, Alabama, an industrial port city, on a series of causeways and bridges that made for a really interesting ride. And was not too terrifying with great views at 10 to 20 mph. The city of Mobile was a pleasant surprise with moss and vine draped trees overhanging boulevards and beautiful homes from a wide variety of architectural periods. While sitting in a Krispy Kreme horking down a couple chocolate glazed donuts, a local cyclist found me to ask where i was going. He was helpful with route information but also answered my questions about Mobile. I remarked how beautiful it was and he lamented that Mobile had never promoted itself as a destination city, like New Orleans or Savannah, yet it is a city begun in the 1500's by the Spaniards. Consequently, it has some great real estate opportunities for the industrious - sub 50's for bungalows in the city and potential loft space abounds - but it is hindered by the perception of being dangerous and white flight to dull strip mall suburban hell on the east side of the bay.
After 4 hours of passing through Mobile my route is very straight forward, 90 west to New Orleans, along the Gulf coast of Mississippi.
The day was rainy, then rained, then thundered but was a fantastic day of riding along a white sand beach on a board walk for over 20 miles with a stiff tailwind. I knew nothing of the Mississippi coast and it was beautiful - a great place for a beach vacation and if you like to gamble you can lose all your money in the casinos. The weather improved the riding - imagine this beach on a bright sunny saturday.

Camping in Florida

I spent the night in Florida at the Lake Stone campground and it was my warmest night of camping yet. While, i was setting up camp at dusk a gentleman approached me and asked if i was Greg (i was) and he wanted to meet a fellow adventurer. Neil is a long distance canoeist that traveled all over North America and he was from Whitney Point, NY with two sons that taught in neighboring school districts to Binghamton. Needless to say, we had plenty to talk about, so much for getting an early start the next morning. Neil and I sat in the sun in front of his vintage rv drank hot brewed coffee, no instant for a change, and chatted! He was an inspirational 70 year old (looked like he was in his 50's) with some damn good stories. People like Neil make me think that i am not too crazy or at least not alone.
Even the ducks were friendly or maybe pushy is a better description.

Raining on the Gulf Coast

Well, it is raining some more with added thunderstorm action thrown in but what are you gonna do? I won't melt and New Orleans is an easy two day ride away. However, i am really enjoying a heartfelt conversation about Elvis and his final days between some seniors and a local Elvis impersonator (done good - he is building a new house) in the hotel lobby.

Welcome Jackson James Miner

Congratulations to Amy, Josh, Torie and Jenna on your new family member.

Route

Here it is navigation central, when in doubt i ring the bell and head southwest. While i do not have the exact roads chosen my route from this point to the Mexico border is pretty straight forward. I will head directly south and should be on Gulf Coast below Mobile, AL in two days. Then i will stay along the Gulf Coast passing New Orleans, Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi and finally Brownsville where i will cross into Mexico! I anticipate a great ride along national seashore passing along the lower edge of most cities and its gotta be warmer! I am really looking forward to the coast between New Orleans and Houston, i passed through there once on a motorcycle nearly 17 years ago and have always wanted to return. Cajun seafood and raw oysters here i come!

Rest day in Evergreen Alabama.

Holed up in south central Alabama within shooting distance of the coast below Mobile, Alabama. Rain is coming down to beat the band and i should get some work done . . .
I am pretty beat after six days of riding (i think . . . kinda lost track) combined with a little snow and rain and cold - time to carbo up and wash that wool. . .

i know i might wanna be wary of beef jerky sold by a bass pro shop (diversify diversify) but i am pretty positive that Jesus would not endorse fried pork skins, never mind the rebel Jew he was.

In the land of fried pies . . . jus' sayin' i noticed

Snowed on in Alabama!

Well, North Georgia is beautiful - some of the most beautiful country in the U.S. - but it is still cold and often raining. I am getting used to being outside though - just the other day i was reveling in the sunshine and warmth until i passed a bank thermometer reading 46 degrees . . . As the terrain moderates i have a greater variety of back roads to choose from, and rode my first dirt roads, which is pleasant. Riding next to heavy traffic, without a break down lane or shoulder, leaves me completely frazzled - you are always listening for that one vehicle. . . though I must say that Georgia and Alabama drivers are most considerate, however waving to everyone is taxing for a northern New Englander.
People are friendly and the greatest impediment to making progress is talking - not that i have a problem with talking. I asked everyone for directions in Piedmont, AL( when you are in Piedmont, AL check out my photo next to all the deer hunters at Ingram's One Stop). Eventually, i found a bike path passing through town that went from Atlanta to Birmingham . . . and not one person mentioned the bike path - until i asked,

"where does that bike path go?"
"oh the that goes from Atlanta to Anniston,"
" really," i say, "how far is Anniston?"
"25 miles."
"well, i guess i will take that."

The Chief Ladiga Trail was wonderful in all its flat traffic-less glory and for 20 miles all i heard were dogs and the dry swish of leaves in my wake. http://www.chiefladiga.com/. The trail ends just outside Birmingham but it was approaching dusk in two hours - a terrible time to ride through cities. I approached a cyclist at the trail head and
asked for some direction. John, was a local 5000 mile a year cyclist, and my savior for getting me through Birmingham. John gave me a ride to the top of Mt. Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama and beautiful state park in the middle of Talladega National Forest. The weather had been chilly and snow was in the forecast but snow in Alabama?! It was only a dusting but i woke up at 3:30am covered in that dusting - i almost just went back to sleep because i wasn't cold but decided it was best to move to a more sheltered location - then i got really cold, briefly started a fire to warm up and went back to sleep by 4:30am.
I woke up to a 22 degree blustery morn - sat in my bag and drank hot coffee until i was motivated to ride. But, what the hell, i could sit and be cold or ride and be cold and i knew i was riding into a clearing day.
Lucky for me John felt bad about dropping me on Mt Cheaha when he saw the weather that morning and he drove up to meet me and show me out of the mtns and set me on my way to the coast. I was tempted by his offer to stay a day in the area but i knew i had couple days of clearing weather to make time south and hell i ride all winter in upstate NY so whats a little cold and snow. John set me on my way with a great route to the coast that has been very nice. Thank you John H - people like yourself are what makes a trip like this worthwhile.

Goergia Sweet Georgia

Georgia was wet and beautiful and wet and chilly - as much as i love north Georgia i am resolved to get south to the warm coast as fast as possible. However, i was able to ride alot of back roads including some nice dirt!

Outta Asheville and My Tire Blew!

So i made lots of coffee and got wired off my ass, and repacked, and tightened everything down, and did a little writing, and laundry then Ian woke up and he made breakfast! It was great to ride out of Asheville with Ian along the French Broad River onto the Blue Ridge and it made me want to stick around if it wasn't late November. Asheville is pretty liveable with fantastic mtns and social scene and staying with Ian made an easy good time. Using a shop stand at Biowheels was a perk and made me re-appreciate strong cycling communities but DAMN! i miss shoulders and bike lanes! . . . anyhow we climbed on the parkway for nearly 16 miles to Mt. Pisgah. The parkway is never steep but it can be steady for miles and i usually occupy myself by watching environmental changes at 6mph . . . i see lots . . . mostly roadkill and bottles. This time it was nice to chat with Ian and check the ice flows. At the top of Mt. Pisgah I discovered that my rear tire was failing - the first layer of the outer casing had failed along the bead seam causing the the casing to bulge. (a Specialized Armadillo Elite no less after only 1200miles!) Worst case the tire fails and the tube blows suddenly - but it is the rear tire which is far easier to control than the front. So after saying our goodbyes i eased off the Blue Ridge at an easy 20mph (coulda been 35+) into Brevard, NC and got hooked at Sycamore Cycles with a tire upon the recommendation of Ian (cheers Justin). Spent the night at a local motel and checked out the town. . . more on that later. Sunday morning i cruised by an auto parts store and picked up some new bungies for my rig and headed out on state route 64 thru WNC towards the peach state. I feel totally psyched to ride!

Counter Added

Figured i would add a counter to see if anyone was looking . . . crap people are watching gonna have to watch what i say! (actually i am pleased people are enjoying the blog) added Nov 28 early in the morning because i was up and jonzing to ride. This is one of the better repent signs - makes you want to go church doesn't it!? . . . think of the children. Religious signs are everywhere but none of the porn of "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania" . . . and i am running into "dry" communities which are easy to spot because of all the liquor store around them.

As a side note, i am including music that is running thru my head while i ride in the form of youtube videos because it is a convenient format - you don't have to watch them - just listen.

Asheville NC

Asheville is lovely with its 8 plus microbreweries - last night i had a flight of barleywines when was the last opportunity you had for that?! Asheville is an eclectic little city of life style transplants that do everything from outdoor pursuits to belly dancing - check out www.lisazahiya.com. Ian was a great host and i had a charming Thanksgiving at a cabin in mountains sandwiched between two good lookin' single women. I had a chance to rest up, refuel - including filling my stove tank from lisa's stash of white gas used for . . . fire breathing - and i replaced my shredded and thinning Sugoi knickers with another pair from Biowheels (www.biowheels.com) . Ian is joining me this morning to labor up Mt. Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway then i am catching route 215 to 64 heading south and west. I should be in Georgia/Alabama by tomorrow! Time for us to tighten things up and roll.

Happy Thanksgiving from Asheville

Left the lovely community of Boone NC November 23 in a light drizzle that gradually progressed to a cold rain as i climbed back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway regaining it in about 25 miles. As i started out the $29/night Boone trail Motel was looking mighty inviting for one more night but i knew the pattern was clearing . . . the next day. After about 50 miles i was done, hands frozen into handlebar claws, really damp, and i knew Asheville was within 60 miles so i stopped at Crab Tree Gardens to camp. When i pulled in a guy stood along a fence line with a rifle who obviously just walked out of the campground - granted there are a lot of deer in the campgrounds (saw a 10 pointer that i could have brained with a rock) but i was pretty damn sure it was not legal. However, he was just as casual as could be talking on his cell to his wife lamenting the 8 pointer he missed. I was pleased to see him off and went into the campground to find the rangers cabin because they have a deep porch to camp on. Twenty minutes later two ranger vehicles drive into the campground and i approach them because i figure they are going to see me anyhow and i wanted to mention the hunter . . . well someone had already called them about a guy with a rifle and a bike on the parkway. Suspicious law men with high powered weapons make me nervous especially if they think i am the guy with a gun! But we established i was just a guy on a bike, i helped out with a vehicle description, established that he was just hunting, and not a crazy shooter on the parkway on a cold damp late November day. Also, found out camping is illegal . . . oops figured but pled ignorance and they were nice enough to leave me be after running my license.
I chowed, read, and fell asleep in the moonlight to a cacophony of coyotes that sounded like they were on the porch with me - they are eerie. The next day dawned bright and beautiful. I got my climbing legs on for the final bit of parkway into Asheville that rolled along between 3500' and nearly 6000' - passing Mt. Mitchell (6684) highest point east of the Mississippi. The valley below was hidden in a dense sea of fog that made be glad to be high for a change. The only problem was i had only a half bottle of water, a bag of coconut caramel tips(3 tips/180 calories!), and two tangerines for the day but, luckily, i found a spring popping out the hill side to wash down all that sugary fatty coconut caramel goodness. Long story short i am in Asheville after a rockin' 15 mile descent off the Blue Ridge, staying with a good friend, Ian Baldwin, surrounded by a bunch of left and right coasters, and i gotta go get ready to eat turkey.

I think i am getting warmed up to this endeavor after 17 days out, and pedalling a little over 800 miles with 5 rest days.

The Bike and Gear(sssssss)

I know some people gotta be interested in the set up especially all you closeted and not so closeted tech weenies and gear-o-philes . . . so i will do my best but remember 'til recently my stable was filled with poorly maintained rigid single speeds. I bought a Salsa Fargo frame from Chenango Point Cycles (http://www.salsacycles.com/fargoComp09.html) last spring and it spent the summer hanging in the shop while i contemplated my set up and ordered parts. After agonizing contemplation this is what i ended up with:

Headset	Cane Creek S8 because its steel baby!
Handlebar	Nitto Randoneur Bar 46 shallow drop with flair
Stem	Ritchey WCS because i had it
Grips	ask Matt - he wrapped 'em and they feel good
Front Brake	Avid BB7 Mountain, 160mm Rotor, 6-Bolt
Rear Brake	Avid BB7 Mountain, 160mm Rotor, 6-Bolt
Brake Levers	Cane Creek Direct V - the only choice really unless you really like the looks of Tektro . . . yeah right
Crankset	Sugino xd600 46-36-22 five arm 110 bolt diameter - the most common in the world
Bottom Bracket	Square taper UN54
Chain	SRAM 8 speed because it is sturdy and common
Front Hub	Shimano XT, 36H, 6-Bolt, Black
Rear Hub	Shimano XT, 36H, 6-Bolt, Black
Quick Release	Salsa Rasta ti
Cassette	Shimano XT, 8-Speed, 11-34T
Spokes	DT Swiss Competition
Nipples	ooh nipples! i just twisted 'em ask Matt
Rims	Mavic A719 - what else is there?!
Tires	Specialized Armadillo Elite somethings in 32 - won't be my only set of treads!
Front Derailleur	Shimano XT
Rear Derailleur	Shimano XT
Shifters	had bar ends - not so much. . . Dave Harrison brazed on some downtube bosses for me!
Seatpost	Thompson Elite of course
Seatpost Clamp	Salsa Flip-Lock
Saddle	Brooks B17 because that is what everyone uses and a WTB would never last 10,000 miles

So that is the bike i flogged the crap out of to see if i could break it - i didn't! . . . yet but it is 4130 steel and can be welded with a car battery if need be . . . that would suck. Then i started really piling on the gear Jandd racks front and rear - front rack was tricky but after Jim was done pounding on it with a hammer while Elliott supervised (i did not watch) it all works,

Planet Bike Cascadia Fenders, five water bottle mounts, Jim's old frame pump, my compass bell so i don't get lost, and strada computer . . . i believe that is all 34lbs of the beast.

So far so good - the bike is very comfortable and the aches and pains are what one would expect when riding 400 miles/week.

ok, enough geek - to be continued. . .

Rest Day in Boone NC

After four days of going up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway i feel a little blown besides it was 30 degrees this morning and i just did not feel like climbing back onto the ridge for a few more thousand feet of climbing in the damp to camp in the rain . . . wow i am really making this sound like fun . . . The parkway has been beautiful (50's sunny) and totally empty (no bespectled grannies) however all the facilities are shut down including water which means every time i need anything i have to drop off the ridge. However, if you are on the parkway in summer it is a madhouse of campers and families determined to have fun, damn it!

Boone is a hip college mountain town with lots of hairy dudes, muffin tops, beer, healthy food, and outdoorsy goodness . . . you know the sort of thing that make you want to buy a cheap fifth, get a pack of smokes, sit on the corner and heckle. . . well maybe not but i think i am over hip. Boone a good place to hang and strap on the feed bag.

I'll be in Asheville NC by Tuesday to hang with Ian Baldwin for a couple days then start truckin' towards the flat south and big bass country.

Got Hit!

Damn! I knew it was likely to happen in some form and more than anything i feel lucky. Route 221 has very little shoulder and i am generally looking to ride back roads but even those have no shoulder. Anyhow an old woman side swiped me going 50+mph . . . it happened so fast that it did not register 'til after the fact. I was toiling along fiddling with my apple when she just brushed past and barely moved me but she felt it and pulled over - which is to her credit - i just rolled up, still eating my apple, said i was alright but if she was over one more foot i would be dead as a doornail - we wouldn't be talking - and she should think about that in the future. The mousey little woman looked shocked behind her tiny rould glasses then i peddled off. I have had a few close calls in my life and my reaction is always the same - calm - a calmness in the event being over and being alive to go on - a simple thankfulness that displaces any possibility of anger. As dusk came though i had visions of bespectacled grannies behind the wheel - it is like a whole new horror genre! I walked the last hill into Hillsdale(a name way to apt) because i was just a little freaked out by thoughts of grannies and fixating drunks (different close call) then i saw street lights and the elementary school.

Virginia and the Blue Ridge

Finally made it to David Rosher's house in Lexington VA for a much needed 3 days off chilling with Roshermatic and checking out the Lexington area. It is very nice with two colleges - Virginia Military Inst. and Washington and Lee but hardly any outward college scene other than youngsters walkin' about. Dave met me 12 miles outside of town and brought me in on a combination of dirt roads and a bit of trail to finish it off and the first thing he shows me in town . . . is a memorial to General Tiger John McCausland and he mentioned that i could just drop my name and be well received. Funny, I couldn't find him mentioned in Chambersburg PA but then he did burn it to the ground. The weather was more than fine in the 70's and sunny.

Dave and I rolled out of town on Wednesday on some back roads towards the Blue Ridge Parkway. The day was over cast and when we topped out on the Blue Ridge Parkway mid afternoon it was starting to rain and we parted ways - Dave headed north and I continued south for 30+ miles in the pissing down rain. It was great to see Dave in his home and ride with him again - his departure from Binghamton was a difficult adjustment.
I arrived at the Roanoke Mtn campground in the pitch dark which was closed (free!) but no facilities or running water but i found a great handicap shelter out of the rain to cook my ramen, read and have a beer (gotta work on my gourmet). Luckily, I have been over the Parkway several times because i wasn't going to see much over the next two days in the rain . . .
When i woke in the morning it was pouring so i relaxed and enjoyed my cold instant coffee before setting off into the fog and rain for a 2000+ foot climb on the parkway. Eventually, i dropped down to route 221 for food and water.