Two of Ben's siblings and their families, as well as Graham, Sherri, and Morgan, and several friends came to dinner last night (Thanksgiving dinner for us) to celebrate Granddad Cowan's 90th birthday. Since he was born close to midnight, he is not sure which day is really his birthday. His birth certificate says the 21st, and his mother told him it was after midnight, so the 22nd! It doesn't matter which day...we celebrated on both! It was a delightful day yesterday, with tons of food, and almost everyone staying here at the house. It was a zoo, as it always, is when all the family is together. The food intake by 6 teenagers is unfathomable! Most of them are coming back for New Years. Plus, Blair and Reid will be here, too.
Today we ate all the leftover Turkey and dressing, cranberries, etc. Yum. Lots of plans brewing on how to get the Nashville cousins to Bristol for the New Year, with both their parents working that weekend. We will work it out. It will be another crowd here!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Warmshowers.com and 4000 miles
We have been long time members of two websites for hosting visitors to our area, with warmshowers.com being specifically for cyclists, and couchsurfing.com for other visitors. We have hosted several people from CS and know a couple from Bristol who also host. Last night, we had a young (25-ish) Polish couple, Ania and Kris, stay with us. They had ridden from Toronto, Canada, leaving there on September 1st. They contacted us a few days ago and needed a place to stay for one night. We read their profile and their story and welcomed them here yesterday afternoon. (We had just arrived home from a ride ourselves!)
What a delightful pair! We, of course, had a lot in common as cycle tourists ourselves, and were happy to see their bikes and gear. After a huge meal, we talked late into the evening. This morning, after much discussion, they determined their route was going to be 11W all the way to Knoxville. (they are headed from there to Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, and then back to Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. They will do the Western half of the USA on their next trip. I decided to ride out with them, through the downtown Bristol sign and then out State St. to 11W. I rode about 15 miles west towards Kingsport with them before turning around. Their bikes were really loaded but they are prepared for all weather.
On the way back to Bristol from riding with them, I realized that I would pass my goal for the year, 4000 miles. Wow! I was not sure a week ago if I could do it but five straight days of gorgeous weather and 175 miles and my goal was met! I am really pleased with that total. I love to ride and don't know when my next trip will be. It has been hard watching Ben planning for his Southern Tier ride, knowing that I probably will not go. I will have to ride alot of miles to catch him next year! The year I did the ST, my total was over 6000 miles!
What a delightful pair! We, of course, had a lot in common as cycle tourists ourselves, and were happy to see their bikes and gear. After a huge meal, we talked late into the evening. This morning, after much discussion, they determined their route was going to be 11W all the way to Knoxville. (they are headed from there to Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, and then back to Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. They will do the Western half of the USA on their next trip. I decided to ride out with them, through the downtown Bristol sign and then out State St. to 11W. I rode about 15 miles west towards Kingsport with them before turning around. Their bikes were really loaded but they are prepared for all weather.
On the way back to Bristol from riding with them, I realized that I would pass my goal for the year, 4000 miles. Wow! I was not sure a week ago if I could do it but five straight days of gorgeous weather and 175 miles and my goal was met! I am really pleased with that total. I love to ride and don't know when my next trip will be. It has been hard watching Ben planning for his Southern Tier ride, knowing that I probably will not go. I will have to ride alot of miles to catch him next year! The year I did the ST, my total was over 6000 miles!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Trip Journals
My three major trip journals are now easily located with the links on the right sidebar. Just click on the trip you would like to read about and it will take you to that journal. You can also look at this year's trip journal on this website by clicking on the blog archives for August. Thank you for your interest in reading my journals.
Donations to Hospice are also easily accessed by the links on the sidebar.
Donations to Hospice are also easily accessed by the links on the sidebar.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A gorgeous weekend!
With Ben being gone since the 31st, it has taken some motivation to ride by myself. However my friends came out in force this weekend and I racked up 90 miles in two days! I rode from my house yesterday and found that the extra 14 miles to the ride start were very nice. It makes me crazy to DRIVE 7 miles to the start of our ride! The route is nice, a good warm-up, and not a bad return home after the ride, provided it is light enough.
Today, two of my friends had 25 and 35 miles each to get to 3000 miles for the year! It was fun to see them make that goal. This has given me lots of motivation to ride the last 200 miles to make it to 4000 miles for me this year. While adding the extra miles to finish, Randy and I rode up the Holston River 6 extra miles and I broke a shifter cable at the far end! Fortunately, the road back to the car had only moderate rollers. I did have to stand on every hill, though, as the chain was stuck in the little ring in the rear! A trip to Boyd's Bicycle in the morning will have me back on the road by tomorrow afternoon when I plan to ride again. Then the prediction is for rain for two days. I volunteer at the hospital on Tuesdays anyway, so wouldn't be riding!
Last night, I went to the Kingsport Bicycle Association pot luck supper as I am now a member. It was a nice evening and Bob and Ellen did a great job on the photo presentation of their bicycle trip in Montana and up to Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. The pictures of Glacier were awesome and really brought back memories of the fantastic trip Ben and I made out there in 2005. We hope to cycle there in the near future as our last trip was a hiking adventure!
Today, two of my friends had 25 and 35 miles each to get to 3000 miles for the year! It was fun to see them make that goal. This has given me lots of motivation to ride the last 200 miles to make it to 4000 miles for me this year. While adding the extra miles to finish, Randy and I rode up the Holston River 6 extra miles and I broke a shifter cable at the far end! Fortunately, the road back to the car had only moderate rollers. I did have to stand on every hill, though, as the chain was stuck in the little ring in the rear! A trip to Boyd's Bicycle in the morning will have me back on the road by tomorrow afternoon when I plan to ride again. Then the prediction is for rain for two days. I volunteer at the hospital on Tuesdays anyway, so wouldn't be riding!
Last night, I went to the Kingsport Bicycle Association pot luck supper as I am now a member. It was a nice evening and Bob and Ellen did a great job on the photo presentation of their bicycle trip in Montana and up to Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. The pictures of Glacier were awesome and really brought back memories of the fantastic trip Ben and I made out there in 2005. We hope to cycle there in the near future as our last trip was a hiking adventure!
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