New Route New Maps

Adventure Cycling Association, in Missoula, Montana is the place to go for maps. Because of our route changes for 2012, I ordered a three map set called North Lakes. These new maps will direct me through parts of Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They include services, emergency numbers, campgrounds, hostels, motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, law enforcement offices and phone numbers, libraries, local information, road conditions, weather, average temperatures, bike shops, post offices, mile by mile directions, topographical information, tourist hot spots, and more. The only thing I could not find were the locations of dogs that chase bikes! The directions are even provided for travel both ways: east to west and west to east.

The route we will take from Maine to Ohio and Indiana will be much the same as the last ride. In Monroeville, Indiana, I will pedal on a new route toward and through Michigan. Heading north, Margaret and I will go between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, through Saranac, Traverse City, Petoskey, and into Mackinaw City where we will cross the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula (U.P.). There we will ride west on Route 2 out of St. Ignace and across the U.P.

Another option for the State of Michigan is to pedal to Ludington where we could take the S. S. Badger and ferry our way to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. That would eliminate a hefty number of miles and would make the trip a little easier but I really am looking forward to riding the Upper Peninsula. Margaret and I have taken the Badger before, even spent a night on the ship in what seemed like a solitary confinement cell. Sure, we would like to do that again but I really want to go the U.P. route. I especially like the ride from Petoskey to Mackinaw City along Lake Michigan. According to the Adventure Cycling maps, the temperatures in April and May range from 40 to 60 degrees: perfect pedaling temperatures. I'm going for it.

More people have expressed interest in riding part of the cross-country ride with me on the next ride. Maybe someone will take the challenge to ride Michigan. In the future I will post a list of who is planning to ride what part of America. By the time this is finished, perhaps I'll have riders for the entire ride.

Maps are great. We'll even have a GPS or two. I would not want to make the trip without maps and directions. That would be crazy! A lot of people try to live their lives without maps and directions. That's okay if you don't know or don't care where you're going. One of my favorite quotes is, "If you don't know where you're going any road will get you there!" Personally, I want the best route possible from the Atlantic to the Pacific and I want directions from those who have gone before me. That's why I use my Adventure Cycling resources and state road maps. That's also why I use my Bible.

Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." God's Word is a lamp and a light. It's a lamp so I can see what's close and a light so I can see what's before me in the distance.

When I'm pedaling in the dark, which I don't often do, I want to know what kind of surface my tires and wheels are rolling on and I want to know what's in the road or trail ahead. It makes my ride safer, that's a fact. Last thing I want to do is finish a day with a crash. That's not good. Road rash hurts and and can be very uncomfortable for days ahead.

Same thing with life . . . I don't want to finish a ride with a crash. I want to know what's at my feet and I want to know what's on the roadway ahead. God's Word provides all the light necessary, even when the day is foggy or the night is darker than ever.

Of course, we don't pedal alone. We don't crash alone. And . . if we ride and live with lamps and lights, we won't finish alone either!

1927 Mead Cycle Company Ranger

On my October 7th blog I listed changes Margaret and I would like to make on the next ride. One of those changes is that I would like to be an American Picker. Here's what I wrote:

"Be an 'American Picker' - That is a great TV show. If you haven't seen it yet I suggest you take the time you watch an episode or two. You'll get hooked.

"As an 'American Picker' I plan on stopping at more junk places, bike shops, and antique shops. Just for the record, the difference between junk places and antique shops is junk places buy junk and sell junk while antique shops buy junk and sell antiques. The prices are different too.

"At these junk places, bike shops, and antique shops I plan to look for a few bikes. Bikes that are different, maybe old, used, and in such a shape that they can be restored with little or no work. After all, I have four bike racks on the roof of our Explorer. Should I not put some of them to use if the right deals come along?"

On October 24, a friend of mine, Sharon Reid, posted this comment:

"Barry, I tried posting a couple of days ago and apparently it didn't go through. I have my mom's 1927 Ranger bicycle with the original bill of sale and guarantee if you'd like it. It needs to be sanded and painted."

Tuesday night I went to Hull for two reasons: 1) to give Robert and Molly two hens for their chicken ranch and 2) to pick up the bicycle. And pick up the bike I did: 94 years old, rusty, flat tires, and complete with the original bill of sale and guarantee just as Sharon said. I told Sharon I am going to see if Mead Cycle Company will honor the guarantee! She was right on when she said, "It needs to be sanded and painted." I'm not sure what the colors were in 1927 but in 2011 they are rust and off-white, mostly rust!

Not knowing much at all about Mead Cycles, since I had never even heard of a Mead bicycle, I did some Googling and discovered that Mead Cycle Company was one of at least 68 bicycle manufacturers in Chicago at the turn of the century. Started in 1895 by James R. Mead and his son, James L., the company was producing bicycles in record numbers. An ad for sale on eBay states that Mead Cycle Company had 8,000 bicycles in stock in 1900. Now I've got, maybe, one of those 8,000 bicycles!

As I said above, "At these junk places, bike shops, and antique shops I plan to look for a few bikes. Bikes that are different, maybe old, used, and in such a shape that they can be restored with little or no work." I'm not sure about the "little or no work" part of that statement but the "different, old, and used" is right on target! I didn't even have to ride anywhere for this bike. I've still got four bike racks empty and ready on the Explorer and we haven't left home yet!

I'm not sure whether I'll restore it or not, not sure if I can, but I am sure I'll clean it up and see what's under all the dust. I'll clean and soak every part in oil and put new tires on it. I've already soaked the leather saddle in Neatsfoot oil which does a great job softening, restoring and reconditioning leather. (I learned that from the cowboys in Utah.) I'll most likely do some sanding as well. We'll see what happens after that. Who knows? Maybe you'll see a picture of someone riding the 1927 Mead Cycle Company Ranger in the days ahead.

Thank you Sharon.

Any information you may have about Mead Cycle Company would surely be appreciated.

98 . . . 99 . . . 100! . . 100.64!

It was a long, long, long, loooong day! It could almost qualify as a Murphy's Law Sandwich Day. (Is there such a day?) A Murphy's Law Sandwich Day would be a day with a crazy start and a crazy finish and a somewhat normal middle.

First of all, the weather-guessers did it again! I was somewhat surprised to find frost on the windshield when I went outside to put my bike on the Explorer roof rack. This was not what the guessers said we would experience. Margaret said it was 28 degrees when we started the day!

After loading the bikes, luggage, and people into and onto the Explorer we headed to our well-planned breakfast at Subway. It was closed. Across the street was a McDonald's. Yes, a McDonald's. I saw that they had two chicken biscuits for three dollars: 2 for $3. That's what I got. Was that ever a mistake! I don't ever remember anything tasting that bad since, when I was a kid, I chewed an aspirin. Breakfast for me was two bites for three dollars and that was one bite too many!

At our starting point, the Jesup Fairgrounds, we picked up our registration packets in which we found our ride t-shirts and maps. The maps really were not all that necessary since the route was very well marked with signs and spray-painted arrows on the road surfaces.

At the fairgrounds we somehow missed the call for the hundred mile ride so as we pulled out we were with riders for the shorter routes. Sarah said, "Dad, I think the guy back there said the shorter routes were to the right." At our first turn we checked for the red arrows marking our route and saw only yellow, blue, and orange. No red. Even though we went right, we were wrong. We pushed our bikes back to the fairgrounds and started to the left which was right.

We were finally on the right route, the red route, and were the last of the sixteen riders registered for the century. (We thought we were last but the rider who was last soon passed us to move on down the road.) The crowd for the Ride for the River was smaller this year and we were told it was because nearby Claxton scheduled their ride for this day as well. We wanted to ride on the tail end of the ride so we were just fine where we were.

The Ride for the River was good as far as the weather, route, rest stops, and traffic for most of the ride. I made signs for the ride: 25, 50, 75, 100, and Yipee! At those intervals we stopped to get pictures of Sarah and Amy so they could send them to Barry and Richard who stayed home to attend the Georgia/Auburn game which Georgia soundly won 45 to 7. That was encouraging news for us and may have even increased our speed . . . for a short time.

We knew all day that darkness would be our biggest enemy and could prevent us from finishing the 100 miles. At ninety miles it was getting dark too quickly. Since we were the last three on the hundred mile ride we soon met Jim Tootle, the ride director for the event. He was driving right behind us for a short time and we found out he was picking up the route marker signs as we passed them. I know he was probably wishing we were three faster riders but we weren't and he was more than patient with us. Soon Jim was driving in front of us with his four-way flashers on while Margaret was behind us with the high beams. In a way we had a private escort for the final ten miles. Did I mention, by this point, we started putting jackets, gloves, and scarves back on? It was getting cold.

We finally spotted the lights of the fairgrounds and it was a time of mixed emotions. We were almost finished but . . . we had to ride a little less than a mile on a very busy, fair-traffic highway. We decided that instead of the busy, suicidal highway finish the hundred miles by back-tracking for whatever mileage we needed. Jim even told us that he would go with us until we got our hundred miles. That's when Amy said, "Barry, check your computer to see what our mileage is I think I saw a 100 on there."

I held it up to the light and it was 100.64 miles! When I said, "106.64 miles" Sarah and Amy jumped and screamed and hugged and thanked Jim too. For sure, we could not have made the hundred mile ride had it not been for him. And we certainly can't forget Margaret and her part in this ride because we couldn't have done it without her either.

In a few minutes we were loaded, in the warm car, finding our way out of Jesup. We made a stop at CVS to change clothes, another stop at Waffle House to pig out, and were soon on our way home. Tired and sleepy, we arrived at the house around 12:45 AM.

Yipee for Sarah and Amy . . . and for one hundred pretty crazy miles.

We all know that wasn't the fastest century ever ridden . . . but it was a century nonetheless! And, I am very proud of and happy for Sarah and Amy. They are tough and pedaled with endurance and patience. Congratulations to both.

The whole day reminded me of one of my favorite passages in Scripture. It's found in Hebrews 12:1 and 2: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish."

There's nothing mentioned about winning the race in that passage. Winning has already been done . . . at the cross. The emphasis of that passage is on finishing. We were not very fast but we did finish. We did endure. We were patient.

In a world that's full of starters and quitters and void of finishers, I was honored to ride with two finishers!

On your left!

Century!

Last year around this same weekend I journaled the following information for November 12 and 13:

12 November 2010, Friday

Margaret and I are in Jesup, Georgia at a Ramada Inn. We are in room 221. We just ate at Sybil's Restaurant and I am stuffed. Tomorrow I'll ride a bike ride here . . . it's 100 miles plus one or two. I do have a slight problem since I forgot my bike shoes. Guess I'll pedal with my sneakers. (Do they still call them sneakers?)

13 November 2010, Saturday

Pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal . . . that's what I did for 100.9 miles today. It took me six hours, sixteen minutes, and forty-nine seconds to pedal the Altamaha River Partnership Ride for the River Century.

Bad news: I forgot my bike shoes!

Good news: I hooked up with six guys from Savannah who rode faster than I usually do who allowed me to ride with them. These guys made it possible for me to ride the century in a little over six hours with my sneakers on.

Margaret and I got home at 9:06 PM and I will sleep well tonight.

So today I'm most thankful for home. I had a great home as I grew up in Shrewsbury, New Freedom, and Glen Rock, Pennsylvania. I have a great home right here in Statham, Georgia.

It's always good to get home. I love it here because this is where my family gathers. Really . . . the family is the home. The home is the people and the house is what you put the home in. Of course, when you combine family, home, and holidays a special environment is created. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I want my focus to be on Jesus but my second highest priority is my family.

I am blessed that my home is in a log house that is more than I could ever hope for and way more than I deserve. It's my refuge from the world. It's where I can be myself, do what I love, and find a very quiet place to sit, think, read, listen, and hang out with my family, friends, and Father who, for some gracious reason, love me.

Yes, I am blessed. Yes, I am home.

12 November 2011, Saturday

We'll be back in Jesup for another Altamaha River Partnership Ride for the River Century. Margaret will be there and so will our older daughter Sarah and a very good friend, Amy Frierson. Margaret will drive our support wagon while Sarah, Amy, and I pedal the 100+ miles. I've already packed my bike shoes so I am ready for this year. The weather-guessers have forecasted temperatures in the sixties with a high of 69. They have also predicted zero chance of rain. With a forecast like that, having my bike shoes, and riding with Sarah and Amy, I'm ready for a fun and challenging Saturday.

Sarah and Amy have never ridden a Century before so this will be a new adventure for them. I told them to forget about the 100 miles and focus on five twenty mile rides instead. If that's a problem we'll ride ten ten-milers! But we will ride it! We'll rest every chance we get, snack on good stuff every opportunity we get, and take our good old time. We'll stick together and like Col. Hal Moore on "We Were Soldiers" we'll leave no man behind! We will ride smarter, not harder, we'll take time to enjoy the scenery and we'll take a few pictures along the way. We'll enjoy the flat terrain too. This is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!

I am very thankful that Sarah and Amy are taking the challenge of their first Century this weekend and we get to pedal it together. It is a challenge, but the three of us riding together will make is easier than riding alone. I am reminded of some verses in Ecclesiastes. Remember Ecclesiastes? It's the book right after Proverbs in the Old Testament of the Bible. It's the book every teenager should read many times. It's ten chapters that make the readers think life is really not worth living followed by two chapters that explain why it is and how it's done. In chapter 4 verses 9 through 12, we find this choice chunk of wisdom, "Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. . . . A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Well if "three are even better", four must be incredible!

Margaret, Sarah! Amy! Think 100!

On your left!

Plan, Plan and Plan Some More!

Bike . . . check.

Helmet . . . check.

Gloves . . . check.

Raincoat . . . check.

Wind breaker . . . check.

Maps . . . check.

Snacks . . . check.

Lodging . . . check.

Camera . . . check.

Film . . . don't need that any more!

Computer . . . check.

First Aid kit . . . check.

Phone . . . check.

Bible . . . check.

Chapstick . . . check.

Extra tires and tubes . . . check.

Chamois Butter . . . check.

Biking jerseys and shorts . . . check.

Tools . . . check.

Locks and cable . . . check.

Road ID . . . check.

Margaret . . . check.

Sunglasses . . . check.

Toothbrush & clean-up kind of stuff . . . check.

T-shirts . . . check.

Flashlight . . . check.

Jeans (1 pr.) . . . check.

Shoes . . . check.

Water bottles . . . check.

Oh yes, we're still planning and will be planning until April of next year. Planning is not the same as doing however. Doing is so much more fun, exciting, and all those other words that apply to incredible. But . . . planning is absolutely necessary. Jesus said in Luke 14:28, "But don't begin until you count the cost." That's planning. When Jesus said that, he was speaking to great crowds and speaking about the cost to follow him. He used building a house and going to war as his illustrations. Since planning works for building houses and winning wars I know it will work for pedaling as well. Henceforth we plan.

We are into maps again . . . big time. We will use much of the 2009 route but there will be changes. The first big change will come when we pedal through Michigan. I've pedaled through Michigan, from Lansing to St. Ignace, five times. The ride is DALMAC (Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinaw) and on the fifth and final day riders are allowed to pedal across Michigan's Mackinac Bridge. Up there they call it "Big Mac." Call it what you will, it is a great ride just crossing the bridge! On our 2012 ride we'll not be allowed to cross the five mile long bridge since bikes are not permitted anytime other than the Labor Day weekend when DALMAC riders cross. We will get to the Upper Peninsula though.

Another big change will be riding Route 2 from the Upper Peninsula westward. I'm also thinking about somehow, when we get to Idaho, riding across the state on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. Why? Very good reason: last ride Jonathan Wentworth and I rode it and it was all uphill. It wasn't bad since the grade was never greater than three percent but I'm just thinking, downhill for ninety-two miles! How cool is that? After all, I've earned the downhill because I pedaled up the ninety-two mile ride last trip, didn't I? That should count for something.

Our last big change will be to not stop at Anacortes, Washington. Instead we'll board a ferry so we can finish the ride at Neah Bay where a person is almost surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Can't wait!

Camping again will be the usual, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn, plus a few of the one-of-a-kind lodges such as Shamrock Inn at Long Lake, New York, Sportsman Motel in Twisp, Washington, and the log Hotel Lincoln in Lincoln, Montana, all of which will be meticulously scoped out by Margaret before any financial transactions are made. I can also guarantee you there will be no tents or sleeping bags in our supplies. As I said before, "Traveling with The Queen has its perks."

Our food philosophy will be the same as before: No chain or franchise food establishments. You just can't beat places like Trixi's near Ovando, Montana, the Sub Shop in Twisp, Washington, The Brass Rail in Grandy, Minnesota, Nauti Hawg near Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin, Rumble Seats in Spring Green, Wisconsin, The Wishing Well in Odell, Illinois, Gullace's Ice Cream & Cafe in Bloomfield, New York, "the good table restaurant" in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and The Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth as well. There are another hundred or more that I could name but room doesn't permit it. And, just so you'll know, my spell-check is going crazy with these restaurant names!

So we are planning. We're buying a few things too. We've purchased a new bike rack that mounts in our hitch receiver and holds two bikes. That leaves the four racks on top of the Explorer for two-wheeled treasures we may find along the way. Margaret has purchased a new Kindle. I don't think you can wear out a Kindle but she's trying. So just in case, a new one is on its way to our home. You wouldn't want your Kindle to burn out midway across Montana now, would you? Tires? Yep, and tough, almost puncture-proof tires too. A new bike? Got that! We also have a new camera to record America's beauty, critters, and down-to-earth citizens. Saving money for the trip is a good plan so we're doing that. I'm bringing my indoor trainer upstairs this week so I can pedal some at home. Being on a trainer is nothing like the real thing but it is exercise. Of course, there's no breeze, no sunshine, no rain, no dogs, no smells, no hills, and other outside stuff but, as I said, it is exercise.

Planning for this ride for me is like saying sic 'em to a dog. The more I plan, the more ready I am. Some days I simply want to load the bikes and other stuff on and in the Explorer and go! I already said it would be fun and exciting but fun and exciting does not mean it will be easy. There will be wind, rain, maybe some snow, hills (some up, some down), traffic, some dogs (I hope just a few), and mountains. We'll get into the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont early in the ride. They are tough but the downhills are rewarding and exhilarating, especially when it's cool! It's work that's for sure. It's also a blast because of the people we'll meet, the food we'll eat, the scenery we'll see and photograph, and the memories we'll make. I'm praying that God will allow me to invest this ride in eternity. As I enjoy his handiwork I also want to share him. I know everyday will be another revival in my heart like it was before. I also want to share the goodness and love of God as I pedal. Lord, use me in a great way!

The cost has been counted and the cost is high. But from past experience, I know the dividends will be naturally and supernaturally high as well.

Jesus said, "And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me. But don't begin until you count the cost" (Luke 14:27-28).

Fail to plan, plan to fail!