Jacob Francisco Memorial, Metric Century (62 miles)

Ben was in Asheville today to take the Beer Judge Certification Exam. He has been taking a class since last August and the final test was today. He called to say it was really hard but that is all he said. The group taking the exam was going to hit up a few pubs and they were all spending the night over there tonight.

Since it was a beautiful day, I, of course, planned a bicycle ride. I never pass up an opportunity to ride with friends, especially at an "event". Today was the Jacob Francisco Memorial Metric. Jacob was a 6 year old boy who died from the complications of E. coli in 2004 and this ride is held yearly to raise funds for a Lectureship Fund in his name. Randy, Eugene, and Kathy, three of my regular riding friends rode it with me and what a ride! It was a gorgeous day, started out cool, and warmed up, but not too hot. The ride took us immediately on a climb over Buffalo Mt. and we rode through beautiful farmland, past fields of strawberries, corn, tobacco (yes, they still grow it here!), and other kitchen gardens. After all the rain we have had, the Nolichuckey River was running high and brown! We crossed it about five times. About 100 people rode the various ride options, 5, 25, or 62 miles. It did not seem that very many people did the long option since the parking lot at ETSU was about empty when we arrived back there.

The ride was very well supported with four rest stops with good food, friendly people, and gatorade, including a stop run by a Boy Scout Troop in downtown Jonesborough, TN. There were lots of tourists and I felt like I was doing the Tour de France!!! I was so pleased with how I rode, compared to the Metric in Burnsville, NC after I had been sick for two weeks. I had the best time of the season, so far, and rode strong the whole 62 miles. I am quite pleased with the training that I have done in the past month. It has really helped me alot. Now, I can't wait to go out with Ben again. Since he is retired, we will be able to go when WE want to, not just when the weather cooperates on the weekends.

So many people have asked me how it is having Ben at home all the time. Well, he left the very next day after he retired to do his three week ride. He returned home and spent every waking moment studying for the exam which was this morning. Maybe now I can find out what it will be like to have him here!

Thanks again to my great cycling friends for a wonderful day...the sights...mountains, rivers, and lovely farms. ...the sounds..river, birds, and groaning up the hills. ...smells...of honeysuckle, freshly mown grass, and fruit and cookies at the rest stops! It was awesome!

Graham, Sherri, and Morgan visit

There is nothing better than having your family come visit and this weekend was no exception. Graham helped Ben with his dead laptop and it is no longer dead but alive and well!!! Sherri and I cooked and relaxed, and Morgan and I planted tomatoes and flowers. She, at 19 months, is curious about everything and it is such fun to watch her doing things like chase ants on the patio, feel the dirt as we plant, and smell honeysuckle for the first time. The look of pure joy in her eyes as Sherri showed her how to get that tiny drop of nectar out of the honeysuckle was priceless! Every experience is new for her and it is delightful to see her enjoy such little things. It makes us realize that we should also stop to smell the roses, too!

Having Ben here to enjoy here, too, was great. Since Graham and Sherri have two weddings the first weekend of June, we will get to have Morgan for four days! I can't wait.

Ben finishes his 900+ mile self supported ride!!!

Congratulations to Ben, who finished his first post retirement bicycle ride today! I left home at 6:30 in the morning to drive to Cherokee, NC to pick Ben up. He said that he would arrive at the Oconoluftee Visitor Center around noon. I figured if I got there early with my bicycle that I could ride out to meet him. He didn't tell me that it would be a LOOOOONG climb. I arrived at the Visitor's center, got my gear together, and started riding about 9:30, in overcast, but warm weather. The road immediately started to climb, with grades of 6, 7, 8, and 9%, and occasionally 10% steepness. I have been training alot lately for Bike Virginia and for my Oregon ride in August, so I had no problem. However, the first tunnel that I came to was dark and long. It was totally disorienting to ride through so I walked on the small shoulder and no cars came through while I was walking. The next two tunnels I could literally see the "light at the end of the tunnel" so I rode through. I had no headlight but had blinking lights on my helmet and on the seatpost.

The climb continued and still no sight of Ben so I got nervous that maybe I had missed him at the visitor center, but I knew he had 40 miles to ride so I knew that he could not have gotten there before me. I asked a few people in the overlook pullouts if they had seen a "fully loaded bicycle tourist" but no one had. I kept climbing, "just a little longer" and ended up ten miles up the mountain! I took a break and ate my snacks and decided to start down. If I had waited ten minutes, we could have ridden down the mountain together! But I was getting chilly, so decided to turn around. It took me an hour and a half to climb 10 miles and 2800' of elevation with several stops at tunnels, for safety, and to see the views.

It was a SCREAMER of a ride down the mountain at speeds over 34 mph. (except in the tunnels where I almost came to a stop, because they were so disorienting, and the pavement was rough). I absolutely loved the ride down for ten solid miles. That is longer than S. Holston Mountain, our local big climb! The ride down the mountain took me less than 20 minutes!! There was amazingly little traffic, mostly motorcycles, especially for a holiday weekend. I arrived back at the visitor's center and loaded up my bike figuring I would start driving up the mountain, but by the time I ate my sandwich and had a snack, Ben was riding into the parking lot. What a sight for lonely eyes!! He was finished and so happy! Everyone stared as we hugged and, oh my gosh, kissed! We changed clothes in the rest room and headed for Bristol where Graham, Sherri, and Morgan were waiting. We drove up the parkway for about 20 miles so that I could see all the gorgeous flowers, including the pale pink wild azaleas and the trillium which were in full bloom. It was a great ride home and we chatted all the way about the ride, scenery, and Jack's decision to ride North back home rather than finish in Cherokee, NC. I can't wait to see him at Bike Virginia to see how the ride went for him. There were some very big hills on the Parkway.

It was so wonderful to see how much Morgan had grown when we got home! We have not seen them for 5 weeks. She is talking so much and said both our names right off! ...a great homecoming for Ben, and a happy day for me! Welcome back, Sweetheart. Now I can see what it is like to have you retired!!

Ben rides South, Jack Rides North

Ben and Jack arrived in Asheville on Thursday and went to dinner in town. Ben ran into one of his beer brewing buddies who had just won Best of Show at a Beer fest in Charlotte, NC. He was on cloud nine! They had also crossed paths when Ben was judging at a show in Asheville a month or so ago, just before he started his bicycle ride.

Ben called me early this morning to talk about the final plans for picking them up in the Smokies, at the terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, he said that Jack had decided to ride back to Meadows of Dan on the Parkway, going North. I am sorry that I won't get to see him on Saturday, but a man has got to do what he wants to do!! ...so I will pick up Ben on Saturday, and Jack will ride North starting today. The weather continues to cooperate very well this week and perhaps they will see no rain at all. Best wishes to you both for a successful finish to the ride.

Asheville

Ben and Jack are now in Asheville and staying the night in a motel. They have met a guy who is cycling the Parkway and his wife, who is sagging him. He rides with the agreement that she will meet him at a certain milepost at the end of the day. She is hiking the 6000' peaks in North Carolina! Sounds like a workable plan! They are going to eat dinner together this evening.

Tomorrow, they will ride to Balsam Gap or so to finish on Saturday morning. I am excited to see Ben. It is amazing how many people have asked me how retirement is going for Ben (and me, too!!). Funny, I have not had any time with him since he retired so I don't really know how it is going to be! I DO know that there is alot of work that I depend on him for, things that that I have been doing myself, like rototilling the garden, which took me 3 hours this afternoon. That Troybilt is a big machine and loading it into the truck, taking it to the garden, and tilling, then planting, is a JOB! Thank you, Ben, for the past times when I have not appreciated you enough after getting the garden ready! At least now I know that I CAN do it myself if I want a garden!! Good stuff to know! ...and the confidence that I can load, start, and handle the tiller is great. Thankfully, the second crop of corn is up and going and the peas are flowering. The rest of the garden is ready for the warm soil crops...okra, cantaloupe, and beans. They will go in this week.

It will be a cooking, mowing the yard, short bicycle riding day for me tomorrow, and I still need to harvest the spinach. I have some more tomatoes to plant here at the house (it is always nice to have a few right here). On Saturday morning, I hope to get to Cherokee early enough to ride my bicycle North on the parkway to meet the guys. They will come back to Bristol and Lee will pick Jack up on Sunday. I am looking forward to starting retirement with Ben. Should be interesting after being by myself for the past three and a half weeks!

Ben is alive and cycling!

Ben and Jack are doing well! On Monday, they were near Laurel Springs, NC. Tuesday, they camped at Julian Price Memorial Park Campground, near Blowing Rock, NC. It was really cold! They have been riding about 50 miles a day and tonight are in Crabtree Meadows Capmground near Mt. Mitchell, the highest point East of the Mississippi River. It will definitely be chilly there! They will be doing some climbing tomorrow, for sure! Tomorrow night they plan a motel stay in Asheville as they have camped the past three nights. Doing 50 or so miles a day, it looks like they will arrive in Cherokee, NC, the terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday morning. I plan to pick them up there.

I had a wonderful ride today, nearly 44 miles in gorgeous, clear weather. The mountains were as clear as I have seen them in a very long time. It is supposed to be like this through the weekend. That will be nice as Graham, Sherri, and Morgan are coming up on Saturday to be here for the homecoming. It will be a wonderful celebration for all of us. I can't wait to see them...and Ben!

Ben Update, or not...

I have not heard from Ben in TWO days. That is a record. I have NO IDEA where he is or how far South on the Blue Ridge Parkway he and Jack have ridden. The weather is really nice during the day...a bit chilly at night, so I am sure they are trying to get as far as possible each day.

As for me, I have not ridden since the weather is so good and I have been working in the yard instead. It has been a hard choice to make but the yardwork needs to be done and the spinach is ready to harvest so...that ranks before cycling. However, tomorrow morning, I am going for a long ride! Yippee!!

Leaving Meadows of Dan, VA

It rained off and on all night and was drizzling this morning when we got up. Naturally, it was raining when Ben and Jack decided it was time to continue their trek down the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the final goal being Cherokee, NC next weekend. They packed up food, panniers, and gear, donned their raingear and headed down the road. It was only a mile to the BRP, and I left soon after to return to Bristol, passing them on a big hill just before Mabry Mill. I probably would have stopped there for a tour but I had no rain jacket so decided that I would have to come again in the future.

Later this evening, I heard from Ben. They stopped for lunch in Fancy Gap, VA. The ended up staying overnight there since there intended destination, a Hostel some 30 more miles was closed due to ill health of the owner. All was not lost as they met some Northbound cyclists who were able to give them some guidance as to the passability of the Parkway further South where there have been several slides and road repairs underway which may have forced them off the road. Apparently, bicycles can traverse the gravel areas. The rain stopped for them in late morning and the prediction is for tailwinds and warmer weather tomorrow. They are looking forward to it. They both deserve some good weather!

Meadows of Dan, VA #2

Ben arrived on Friday afternoon, late, in Meadows of Dan, at Jack and Lee's home. I went to MoD on Saturday morning, stopping by Trail Days in Damascus, VA to see what was new. I had missed the past two years due to my two cross country bike rides. I saw a couple of neat, new, lightweight tents but no other gear that I couldn't live without. It was too early in the morning for the Kettle Corn cookers to be out, so I went on to MoD.

It really was a beautiful ride up 58 to central VA. Jack and Lee live in a lovely log cabin about 1 mile off the Blue Ridge Parkway, North of Mabry Mills. It was wonderful to see Ben looking so happy and relaxed despite the string of rainy days that he has had. He has now ridden somewhere around 600 miles. I had a wonderful tour of the grounds, garden, ponds, flowers, rabbits, falcon, hawk, pigeons, green house, and yard. It was truly a wonderful haven of nature.

Jack then took us to Floyd, VA where we visited the Jacksonville Center for the Arts. His wife Lee is the Development Coordinator. It is a wonderful place for artists and their work spaces, exhibits, and a shop for purchase of the various art produced there. I enjoyed an exhibit of quilts and another show "the Earth is our Home." After a trip to the grocery store for Ben to resupply, we went to supper club with Jack and Lee. It was quite a "small world" event as the host and hostess, as well as several of the guests, knew my good friend, Stamps, mother in Greensboro, NC. We ate asparagus out of Fran's garden and they were delicious. The meal was delightful and the location of the house on top of a mountain in MoD was extraordinary. It was an all around great day. I have missed Ben so much and it was great to see him so happy and healthy!

Meadows of Dan

Ben called to say that he had arrived at Jack's. I am ready to go and will leave in the morning to go see him and take a bunch of resupply stuff. He is definitely ready for a day off! ...no surprise after 8 days of riding. That was the longest stretch on the Southern Tier and we were SO ready for an off day. He was already doing laundry, cleaning the bike, and relaxing. The weather report for after Sunday looks fabulous for the rest of the trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.

I volunteered at the Sullivan County Health Fair today and there is nothing like seeing the people who come in for various screenings to make you appreciate your health. I am blessed with good health (I have worked at it, too) and appreciate every healthy day that I have. I came home realizing that I must keep on working to maintain that health. It was late so I only had time to ride 25 miles but I repeated a route I did earlier in the week and beat my time by 6 minutes and had one of the better rides of the year! Happy, happy, happy. Life is not good, it is great!

A Call from the Peaks of Otter

Ben stopped for lunch at the Peaks of Otter Lodge and gorged on food to get him on down the road. But, he really liked the location and it wasn't raining! So he decided to plunk down the money to stay overnight, leaving two 65 mile days to get to Meadows of Dan by Saturday afternoon. When he found out that the price for the room did not include phone, internet, or TV, he got his money back and rode on!!! He told me that he had a huge climb this morning and had 25 more miles to go from Peaks of Otter to get to Roanoke River campground. That was at 2 PM so I am sure he got there in plenty of time to cook and camp. He is ready for a day off, though, as there is a huge amount of climbing on the Parkway. He said that he had some 8, 9, and 10% grades and was happy to have 5%. The climb was 13 miles! That is as long as the climb to the top of S. Holston Mt, a regular ride for us, but it is mostly 5, 6, and 7% grades.

He said that he had seen several thru-hikers and talked with them. It makes him want to get back on the trail and finish what we started...section hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. He has over 1000 miles and I have just under 1000 miles. I guess we will do that after we ride the Northern Tier, self-supported. Dreams.

Ben on the Skyline Drive

Ben was riding on the Skyline Drive yesterday and had his picture taken. Ben told me to expect a photo by email and here it is. With Mark's permission, here it is. Ben said it was very windy on the ride yesterday and based on what he is wearing, I think it was mighty chilly, too!

Thanks, Mark, for sharing this photo. ....first time I have seen my hubby in 13 days!

http://www.WeidmanPhoto.com

Plane Ticket to Oregon

After weeks and weeks (and weeks) of researching plane tickets, watching the price fluctuations, etc, I remembered that Delta and Northwest Airlines had merged so I decided to see if I could combine my FF miles. We had one flight to Japan to see Reid when he was living there which gave us 27,000 miles. Delta allowed combining the miles and then I "borrowed" a few from Ben's account and ended up with a round trip ticket from here, with only one stop (most of the flights were 2 stops...ugh) for $10, plus the cost of getting Ben's miles...$60. So I am feeling pretty good right now. Too bad they want $175 each way to ship my bicycle on the plane. FedEx, here I come.

The best news is that one of my ride partners from the Underground Railroad last year, who lives near Seattle, is going to come down and meet me a few days early and we will ride together, maybe do a little sightseeing, definitely a little eating, and lots of catching up. I can't wait!!

Rockfish Gap and the end of the Skyline Drive

Ben is doing great and has finished the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. He had a lovely, if very cool day today, and is at Rockfish Gap tonight outside of Waynesboro, VA. Tomorrow he hopes to ride 60 miles to Otter Creek Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If the weather cooperates, he will do fine. I think he is really enjoying the ride though it was a huge climb out of Front Royal this morning.

I also had a nice ride today. After volunteering at the hospital all day, I went to Abingdon for a United Way meeting, which was canceled. They sent an email but I was not at home so did not get it. On the way home, I got a call from Kurt who said he was leaving work early and could I ride? It was a gorgeous day, perfect temperature, and, of course, I said yes. We got in about 24 miles before I had to come home and fix dinner for Granddad and go to the Boy Scout meeting. Tomorrow is our first mountain bike ride of the season, but I may not make it due to a United Way E&A meeting. Well, I can go for a road ride and meet them for dinner.

Ben on the road...

No word from Ben tonight but I am sure that it is because there is no cell coverage in the heart of Shenandoah National Park. We had a nice long chat last night when he was in Front Royal. The plan was for him to ride 40+ miles today (it was raining, are we surprised) and then camp at Big Meadows campground. Tomorrow he plans to ride the rest of the way through the Shennies, about 60 miles (a total of about 105 miles through the park). Then it is onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. The weather is supposed to be good tomorrow!

Naturally, I have to work at the hospital and then have a review of the first of three agencies for United Way Evaluation and Allocation teams after that, then feed Granddad, then Boy Scouts. Does that look like I will have time for a ride on the only predicted sunny day this week? Darn!

Mother's Day and Happy Birthday, Blair!!

Today was beautiful! ...finally. I declined to ride with friends who were going up Holston Mountain at 7 AM, because the roads were wet. (I know, excuses, excuses but it WAS early and the roads WERE wet and I needed to work at the garden badly!) By 9:15, I was at the garden with Mike, a colleague of Ben's who is using part of our garden space this summer. He tried to rototill but it was mighty muddy in that garden. I was determined to get the tomatoes planted and staked, as well as plant four more rows of corn. It has been over 3 full weeks since the first crop of corn went in! I was at the garden for 5+ hours but I got everything done that I needed to do today. Mike was a great help since he brought his mower down and mowed around the gardens, and out to the apple trees. He also did the weed eating around our entire electric fence which protects the garden (sort of!) I have always had Ben or one of the boys here to pound the tomato stakes but I did all 32 of them myself, and I imagine I will pay for it tomorrow. It was wonderful to have all three of my boys call me while I was at the garden. It gave me a little break and I always love talking to them.

Since the prediction is for rain tomorrow, I am so glad that I got everything done. When I came home, I cleaned the mud off the tiller, changed into my bike clothes and rode 23 miles! ...and at a pretty good pace, too. It felt great to get on the bike for a real ride, the first one since the Burnsville Metric 2 weeks ago, besides my regular errands, all of which I do on the bike.

Ben and Jack rode to Leesburg today on a paved trail which was quite busy, but not unusual since it was Sunday, a beautiful day, and it has rained for days. Jack picked up his car which he left there Friday a week ago, loaded the bikes and took Ben to resupply his food and then dropped him at a motel in Front Royal. Ben said the first week was really nice, despite the weather and that he will miss Jack for the next 6 days of riding through The Shenandoahs.

Laundry, cleaning the bike, and food resupply was the order of the afternoon for Ben. He will get back on the road tomorrow and ride up the mountain to get on the Skyline Drive. He is headed to Big Meadows campground tomorrow night about 42+ miles. He is excited to be on this leg of the ride, though it is supposed to rain again! The prediction for Tuesday and Wednesday is much better! He hopes to be in Meadows of Dan by Saturday and I will go up to meet him for a day at Jack and Lee's home I can't wait! Ben gave me a whole list of stuff to bring him, including his favorite technical pepper (thanks Jim), a new stuff sack for his tarp, the rear fender for the bike, and insulation material and heat resistant tape so he can make a new pot cozy, an integral part of lightweight cooking! Well, that is all for today.

Ben and Jack, continued...

The C&O Canal Trail continued to be a muddy slog today, but the intrepid cyclists made their way to DC and managed to hook up for lunch with Ben's brother and wife, Tadlock and Susan. Ben said that with all the rain, the Great Falls of the Potomac was truly a sight to behold. A few crazy kayakers were playing in the river, but in general, Ben said it was huge water. After lunch they continued on their way on the Washington and Old Dominion trail which leads back up to Leesburg, VA, and it is PAVED. They are staying tonight in E. Falls Church, VA in a motel as there is no camping in this urban area. Tomorrow, after their ride to Leesburg on the WOD, Jack will transport Ben and his bike to Front Royal and they will part ways for the week. Ben plans to stay overnight in FR and give his bike a sorely needed cleaning from all the mud they have ridden through this week. He will resupply his food, do laundry, and then start riding on Monday on the Skyline Drive, with a good weather prediction for a few days, or at least fewer showers, and maybe even some sun. With any luck with the weather, Ben will meet Jack again on Saturday or Sunday in Meadows of Dan, VA, where Jack lives, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and continue their ride together going South.

I, too, am looking forward to a bicycle ride tomorrow, with fair weather predicted for a change. After 3.1" of rain in 8 days, it is time! I can't even get near the garden to till or to plant there is so much mud.

Hiking with Boy Scouts

I volunteered to help our Scoutmaster, Anna, to take 6 Boy Scouts and 3 Webelos on a hike today. Since the weather report was for high winds and 70% chance of rain today, I was not sure what kind of day it would be. Since the Cowan policy is never to cancel an outing for weather (well almost never), we were going rain or shine. It is a shame to disappoint boys! Thanks to Mike for driving for us, and joining us on the hike. He is a Webelos leader.

We met at 9 AM, with warm, humid, overcast weather. We had not a drop of rain all day! That is why the Cowan policy works!!! After some quick activities and a pack check in the Scout Hall, we were off to the S. Holston Dam and the alternate spillway trail, about 2+ miles each way. One of the reasons for the hike was to work on rank advancement, and since plants and spring flowers are a perennial favorite of mine, that was what we did. It is always amazing to me that kids do not know what poison ivy looks like so that was high on the list...and distinguishing between that and Virginia creeper. They successfully learned ten plants and enjoyed the romp around the spillway. The lake was extraordinarily high after 9 straight days of rain, over 3" in that time period.

It is fun to see kids learning. They saw a snake, a lizard, and skunk signs, as well as cliff swallows, yellow swallowtail butterfly, damsel fly, and carp spawning by the shoreline. All great stuff for boys! I enjoy taking them out and seeing them bloom in the outdoors. We talked about all kinds of things...Leave No Trace, getting lost, bears, and other such things in the woods. ....great fun.

More news from the C&O Canal trail and Ben

Ben and Jack rode about 50 miles today, with no rain, though it looked very threatening at times. Ben said the trail was full of mud and they had to stop from time to time and use a stick to poke the mud out from between the tires and fenders! The potholes were full of water and it was obvious that there was heavy rain in the past few days. They even had to ride on the road where the Potomac was out of its banks and in the trail. Last night, while camping, they heard barred owls which Ben loves to hear!

They are camping again tonight in Horsepen Branch which is about 1/3 of the way between Leesburg, VA and and Georgetown, Washington, DC. where the C&O Canal trail ends. They will then pick up another trail or two before getting onto the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (paved) back up to Leesburg where Jack has a car. He will go home for a time for a meeting after dropping Ben in Front Royal for resupply and laundry before he sets out on the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park, probably on Sunday or Monday. Jack will join him again next weekend and continue down the Blue Ridge Parkway from his home in Meadows of Dan, VA.

On the home front, I had a small window of sun today and finally rode a few miles, doing mostly errands downtown but at least I was on the bike! I got the yard mowed, the spinach picked and chased the damn dog out of the asparagus patch for the second time in two days. He ate or broke off every last one of them. He is now tied up until the season is over!! What a brat!! Tomorrow is a Boy Scout hike (70% chance of rain and high winds predicted!) We don't cancel for weather. Should be interesting.

Finally, for Ben, a day without rain, but still muddy!

I just got a phone call from Ben and he and Jack rode 45 miles both on and off the C&O Canal Trail today. It was washed out in places as they have had weather like we have...rain, rain, rain. But today, though overcast, there was none. They are camped at Killiansburg Cove, near Shepherdstown, WV. The prediction is for more rain tonight, but perhaps a nicer day tomorrow, translated to 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms tomorrow. The campground is totally muddy and they are camped on a hill. Since we have gotten 2.9" of rain in the past 6 days, I am sure that the campgrounds up there are very muddy. They haven't seen many people, I guess, though I did not ask him.

In other news from the home front...Bike Virginia, which we will ride in June has closed registration at 2000 riders. I am really glad that all of us who are going from Bristol have registered. I am so looking forward to that 5 day ride and the celebration of our 35th anniversary on the ride! We have been backpacking so many times on our anniversary that it will be fun to be cycling this year.

The Tour de Possum Creek, which has been part of the Kingsport Fun Fest every year, has been cancelled. That has been the most fun "competitive" ride we have done for many years and for the past three, I have "raced" in it, even coming in second place twice in my old age division. Perhaps there is a liability issue, as someone was hurt last year. Well, duh, when you have 300 people go for a ride, someone is going to fall off and get hurt. That is a disappointment, for sure, but there may be another cycling group that will sponsor it. We shall see. We ride with a group who always go, so we will miss it this year. We can always hope.

Rain, rain, go away....

Ben and Jack's Great Slog

Well, the ride has become a slog! They have not camped once, opting for the B&B's in the pouring rain they have experience since Saturday's departure from McKeesport, PA. They rode extra far yesterday, 60 miles, to take advantage of the offer to be picked up by my brother in Hancock, MD and delivered to his house in Breezewood, PA. There, the two cold and wet cyclists had a shower, did laundry, quaffed a few home brews (I am sure) and ate. Today, they are having a layover for the day and Pete will put them back on the C&O Canal trail on Thursday morning. The rains continue!

As for me, I celebrated the big 60 yesterday with dinner out with my father-in-law and Ben's former oncology partner, Sue. I received numerous phone calls from my sons and my brothers, and my parents. It kept my cell busy! Even Morgan got in on the action by wishing me the clearest Happy Birthday, Nana, that I could imagine! She must have been practicing!

Thanks to all who helped make the day nice. I wish I could have gotten in a bike ride but the rain was heavy!

Ben's (and Jack's) Great Adventure

Ben and I got up early to take him up to Wytheville, VA to meet Jack, his riding buddy for the cycling trip. The plan was to drive Jack's car to Winchester, VA, pick up a rental van, leave Jack's car in Leesburg at a friend's house, and drive to Pittsburgh by 5 PM to drop the rental car. Most of that worked out except for a massive traffic jam where they lost two hours and so did not get the car back. But that was solved by the proprietor of the B&B where they are staying.

They both looked exquisitely happy to get the show on the road and I am so happy for Ben to have this opportunity to have a bicycle adventure.

Here is the itinerary: Ride the Great Allegheny Passage from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD, continue on the C&O Canal trail to Washington, DC., ride the Washington and Old Dominion Trail to Leesburg, VA. They will camp or motel along the way depending on the weather. Jack will pick up his car in Leesburg and go home for a long planned meeting. Ben will ride to Front Royal, stay in a motel, resupply his food, do laundry, etc. Then he plans to ride the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, 105 miles, and then join the Blue Ridge Parkway and ride until he gets near to where Jack lives in VA. They will join up again and ride until they finish the BRP or until I get a call that they need a vacation from their vacation. I imagine they will finish in Cherokee, NC, the terminus of the BRP!!