So it is time to scrape off the new rust and start a new adventure. This time it is 1800 miles and two countries... please go to my journal at: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/summer2013pacificcoast. Please send Eli and I your love as we pedal south... and don't forget Mercedes and Sofia who are the wind beneath my wings.

So I'm kind of sad...

Highway 50 'Shoe Tree' Cut Down
Posted: Jan 03, 2011 12:00 PM PST
Updated: Jan 11, 2011 10:49 AM PST

The decades old Cottonwood tree is located about 50 miles east of Fallon just beyond the old Pony Express stop at Middlegate Station. "On New Year's Eve, some patrons came in here and they said, 'hey, did you notice the shoe tree got chopped down' or actually cut down with a chainsaw with what one guy said. And everybody is in just disbelief. We went and looked out (the window). It's not there anymore," says Greg Del Pepozzo.

Churchill County Sheriff Ben Trotter says they are looking into the incident. They say a report was filed, but deputies are determining if a crime was committed. Since it's not on private property, it's likely not a crime, but they are looking into whether it was vandalism. No suspects have been identified.

The Nevada Tourism on Commission says the tradition started following an argument between newlyweds, during which one tossed the other's shoes in the tree. When they reconciled, the other reciprocated, and people threw shoes into the tree ever since.

It was 2007

So the other day Mercedes and I were on the phone and she could hear a tension in my voice about what it was she was talking to me about... She kindly suggested that I go cross country again. I knew it was out of love... (lol... for those who thought she wanted to get rid of me! You know that flashed across your mind!)

Well I thought about it for a few hours and came up with the right amount of justification to decline her generous offer! So why write today? Well the anniversary just past of the 2007 bike trip and I started to read the Crazyguy bike blogs and got all sentimental. What an amazing experience. I will do it again. I am sure of it!

My hope for those out there now that the voices in their head that may say to quit are thanked and then told that this is an amazing adventure and nothing will get in their way! My hope is for enough... enough weather to keep them thankful for the perfect, sunny days. Enough breakdowns to remind to keep things well oiled and well maintained. Enough homesick to make those reunions that much sweeter... Enough of everything so that the sweet moments are cherished and the rough ones are delt with grace and ease!

For those of you who read and followed our journey a few years ago... I hope you never forget those few months because without all of you I would not have made it... or at least it would have been a little less or different!

I also wanted to remember Jennifer Alexis Taddeo... She was one of the women who I was riding for. She lived with cancer until this January and now she is living with the lord. I still have her pink bracelet and crystal bracelet that she gave me to ride with... She was my first friend that my memory allows me to remember... and she was the first of my close friends to go... There is a stone memorial in the salt flats of Nevada with her initals on it... hopefully in a million years someone will look down and be present to Jennifer and our time!

Wow... how dramatic! lol whew!

keep the tires down and the pedals movin!

much love
T

3 Years ago... My bike was being assembled!

It is hard to believe that the trip was three years ago! Time sure does fly. I am killing time waiting for the woman who poses for me to show up. I have been thinking of doing another grand adventure... Maybe cross country solo? I know the fellas are talking about burning man, but that is only softly calling me... where as the bike is calling me hard.

Maybe this time I would start in Seattle, ride down the coast towards LA and do the southern tier... 70 days again, but a different route?

My bicycle sits in the living room a victim of the ice and snow and a flat rear tire... I have a bundle of sage sitting on the back rack with the hopes that it clears any bad mojo... This spring I will try and ride again... I have been invited to a two day cross PA trip and a few smaller rides... So back in the saddle I go.

I'd love to hear memories people had from the trip? Something that you remember that you thought funny, odd, sad, exciting, etc... something that maybe you forgot to say at the time? What you really thought? lol

anyway. Thanks

Much Love
Thomas

Two months... reflections

Well this weekend I realized it had been two months since Erik and I finished our biking adventure. Our lives have crept back into breakneck routines and the easy days of 70 miles are behind us, but I thought that I would tell you a few things we have done.

First off... I just got my bicycle fixed! Yes the cracked wheel took almost two months to sort out. Needless to say Bikeline and I have become quite close... As I was riding to my studio this morning, I thought maybe I will perform a smudge to clear out any residule mojo and make it all new again.

Two weekends ago Erik and I did a bike ride in Wilmington. It was the return of professional bicycling in Wilmington and they were trying to break a world record. So Erik, Mercedes, Sofia and Precillia Rakestraw and I adorned ourselves with Pink BreastCancer coalition shirts and did the 2.1 miles. Erik had brought some water he had frozen from the cookie lady's house and we all drank some to lift our energy, luck and spirits. I signed us up as a team and wouldnt you know it we were called to the start line first. This ment that we were the first to talk with the press! When they asked our names I said forget us! we are with the delaware breast coalition and that is all you need to know! Well we had fun. We did not break any speed records, but we all made the finish line. I joked with the several reporters who found out that Erik and I had ridden across the country, that we had ridden 3,700 miles as our training for this. I never saw if we made the news, but hopefully Precillia go some good press.

This past weekend I did a sweat lodge with a few friends of mine. They had allowed me to sweat with them before I took the trip and this was a post trip celebration/what the hell is next, kind of thing. As I was packing my towels and things I could not find an empty back pack. so I went to the basement and pulled out a small overnight bag... Well when I opened it, there was a business card from June Curry.... yep some of you may have guessed it... the cookie lady! Well I figured she needed me to find the card, so I brough her into the sweat with me. I also thanked the many others who's generocity and spirit had helped Erik and I accomplish our ride. So hopefully it will bring good things to you all.

the 28th of September is bike to the bay. Both here in Delaware and in New Jersey. I havent signed up for either, but I still may... so expect me to hit you all up for money if I choose it.

I still havent retreived all of my pictures from my camera and I havent listened to the tape recording I made, but eventually I'll get to it... (nor have I fully unpacked at home... sorry Mercedes) So keep a look out for updates.

Thank you all again for all of your support. If something pops into your head about the trip... ASK! and hopefully this will not be the end.

Much love

T

PS ask me about Sofia and my amazing adventure!

I'm still trying to post pictures

here is one ...

cracked wheels

So I get my bike back from the bike shop last night and they tell me that the reason I was getting so many flats in the end of the trip was because the spokes were pulling through and had actually cracked the wheel! Yes the wheel was cracked in several places...

So I wanted to update my repair list. a new wheel is in order... (I still rode the bike last night for a small ride... I crave the exercize!)

So here is the equipment that needed repair on my bike during the whole trip and in my return...

8 inner tubes (all the back wheel)

spoke tape was replaced on the back wheel

2 chains one in Pueblo, CO and the second once home

5 tune ups... the one in pueblo was the best... they pulled off the sprokets on the wheel and the cranks and cleaned the bike up all for $19! most of the others just checked the bike and wiped the chain off...

The airline bent the post that holds my front break on, but they were able to bend it back... ( a scary proposition for a custom welded fork!)

I already mentioned in a previous post my displeasure with my NIKE shoes... grrrrrrrrrrr!

Things of note.... I did not need to replace the break pads on the bike... (maybe I am too much of a dare devil on the down hills)

Again... ask questions... it helps with the memory

and I'm sorry about the pics... they are going up soon!

much love
t