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!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
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!!
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!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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!!
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!!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, May 15, 2009
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!
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!
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