Thoughts from the road

Well Erik and I are in Ely Nevada. We will be crossing into Utah maybe tomorrow. We had hoped to make it today, but our bicycles needed some attention.

So let me re-cap the last few days. We made it into Austin, NV from Middlegate. The day was filled with a huge climb and long stretches of open valleys. We chose the more senic and more challenging alternate route and were given a scenery bonanza. Who knew that Nevada was so mountianous? we made it into Austin around 6.

Austin was where we took our first zero day. We hunkered down in a hotel and rested and rested and skipped meals becasue we were busy resting. lol

So after our rest day we took off for Eurika... We had more mountians and more valleys. You can really get the sense of the ocean that covered this area a few million years ago. The geology is amazing. There were a few ranches, but for most part it was devoid of people. (They don't call highway 50 the loneliest highway for nothing!)

The night was cold! we slept in a rest station on the side of the road. The only phone available was at the county jail so I called home from jail... kind of funny.

Yesterday we had four big climbs and four long downhills. We did big miles and made it into Ely. I am guessing we are either getting stronger or crazier. We covered more vertical feet yesterday than we did in four days in the sierra's. There is not much to report as far as things we saw other than nevada is: say it with me... big mountians and bigger valleys...

Today we have to get some work done on the bikes and then we are off to see how far we can get out of Ely tonight. My body is tired but seems to be holding up.

Why I called this thoughts from the road is that you spend a lot of time thinking while grinding out the miles. I asked Erik about it and he seems to be thinking about the future alot. I can get that, given what he has ahead of him when he gets back. As for me... Well I covered a lot of my past... I have replayed many good and not so good times with all of you... over and over. I have also thought a lot about the future present and the possibility it brings.

One of these days I will remember to bring my camera in with me and see if I can add photos. If there is anything you have questions about leave a comment or e-mail me.

lots of love to you all. I can feel your energy and it has really helped me cover all of these miles.

try: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100166537273525461929.000001126873bbd7261f1&om=1&ll=38.852542,-121.393433&spn=3.020056,5.141602&z=8

Middlegate Station

Well last night we did not make it to Fallon. We slept along the banks of a lake 20 miles out. It was beautiful! We had our Raman noodles up at the privy, becasue that is the only place that the wind was reasonable enough to use the stove. I fell asleep with the big dipper right over my head and the good soreness of a hard days work.

Today we got up at the crack of sunlight. We did over 20 miles before 8:00am! We had breakfast in Fallon and then tanked up and headed off into the Nevada back country. Well after more than 70 miles and several 1000 ft elevation climbs... we made it to Middlegate station... When I say one horse... I am being generous! It is a beautiful saloon and hotel. They have free internet... so that is why I have been able to update so soon.

I am hoping to enroll Erik to stop these 12 hour days!

I miss all of you soooooo much and I think of the ride into Wilmington often!

Much love
T & E

Carson City!

Well yesterday we summited the Sierra's and we made the white knuckle ride down into Nevada. So for those who were keeping track... Over 200 miles and now one state completed.

We left Folsom and into the mountians. We made the seven up ranch around 8pm. It was either poison oak on the left or $140 at the B&B on the right. We chose the right. Well they had pity on us bikers and let us use the room for the shower and the kitchen for cooking and let us set up the tent in a freshly mown lawn. It was heaven. They shared their dinner and cooked us breakfast. We left around nine and took off up into the mountian further.

We only made it to cook's station but luck was with us and we tented in the back of this rough biker bar. The diesel generator was loud but the big tree we slept under provided a nice soft bed.

We made it to silver lake the next day. Only 20 miles of grueling elevation. yes that is right 20 miles in 10 hours of pedaling. but we were rewarded with a waterfall and huge iron bear boxes. It was breathtaking, but my sore ankle kept me pedaling on one leg for the whole day.

That brings us to yesterday. We summited around 12. The weather was perfect. There was snow everywhere except the road so it was... well word escape me. We met a nice family who took pictures of us at the sign and hopefull merc will have them soon. My camera is not working and I have a B&W camera katie gave me so my photo ops have been limited.

Well my time is almost up here at the carson city library... so I'm off to fallon Nevada.

Much love all!

"so many miles to go Tom"

So it has begun! We made it to San Fran and with terror in my heart we started. We made it to the beach around 10am and dipped our tires in the ocean and then made our way out of town. I could tell you all of the amazing stories that we have already experienced in the three days... like having the police arrive at the camp site tazers drawn... to the hundreds of serendipitious things that have happened, but I will only bore you with that if you if you want?

Ok I'll bore you.

We made it out of San Francisco and did about 40 some odd miles. There were plenty of hills climbing out of the bay area, but they were all ok. We made it to the outskirts of Cordillia and decided to camp. The best we could come up with was the on ramp to I-80... (it was a cozy field with pine trees etc... Thats when the police showed up... Well needless to say it is illegal to sleep along the highway...after asking the police a few times what that meant... they just said it was illegal. It was a nice camp site. We ate cheese and salsa burritos and slept like babies.

Yesterday we rode almost 60 miles to Davis. California is so beautiful. They have it right with the bike trails everywhere and it seems it is required to have a really tricked out bike if you want to live in the region. It was almost demoralizing to be passed by so many riders, but when the guy with the two giant bags of empty tin cans buzzed by... Well lets say I almost quit... for like a second. Then a coyote ran by and it was all good. Lets just say the stories are endless... so I will stop on this day.

Today we rode into Sacramento around 10 and we were met by Katie... she hooked us up with breakfast and then a place to sleep tonight. For those who don't know who Katie is... she has posed for me and then moved to california via a few places along the way... The trails today were even more amazing if that is possible. We saw coyote, quail, blue birds, woodpeckers, tons of squirrels. I could keep going, but I might be here typing when I should be sleeping.

I spent hours thinking about all sorts of clever things to say. Profound things to say, but what do you say or what to you leave out? Maybe I'm exhausted and should start over in the morning....?

OK that is the gist of it... I think what I am saying is so far the road has been kind to us. We are being spirited on by love and it feels pretty amazing. There are so many thanks to be handed out so far, but I know they know who they are... and if not... thank you and I love you too.

The next few days we will be climbing around 8000 vertical feet and then coasting back down. I am choosing to think about the coasting part...

Thank you all again.

Much love

One week to go.

Well this is the one-week to go mark. We are bringing our bicycles, packed in boxes, with us on the plane. When we get to Oakland we will head out to San Fran and get our bikes re-constituted and then start the next day... so hopefully the back wheel dip will happen sometime on Wednesday the 2nd!

The bike repair shop is ready to receive our bikes and put them back together when we get to San Fran. I have offered to bring some liquid concentration to lubricate the process for a quick turn around time.

I wanted to thank all of you for the love and generosity that you have already bestowed upon me! It has been overwhelming at times, but always inspirational!

I am hoping it will never stop... I'll need it!

On a side note:

I am still deciding if I will be packing some pants to wear after biking. I am also rounding up some toiletries and a few other incidentals that I may need. I am guessing most of what I need, will be available on the road. (Yes socks might be available too!)

Oh and BTW if you are around this Friday night... stop by my house and wish Erik and I a bon voyage! We will be having hamburgers and a few beers.

Much love to you all and hopefully the next entry will be from San Fran and then on the road!

T

Here is my packing list (so far)

Equipment

Bruce Gordon Rock ‘n’ Road Tour Custom bicycle
Bruce Gordon pannier rack front & Back
Bruce Gordon Panniers front and back
Shimano Deore XT group 11-34 ratio
Shimano 959 SPD pedals
3 stainless King Kage water bottle holders
Brooks Flier Saddle
Trek Handle Bar bag

Packing List

Bike Clothing

Gloves
Fleece Gloves
headband/earwarmer
Helmet
SPD bike shoes
1 pair bike socks
3 bike shorts
1 shorts to wear over bike shorts
2 long sleeves Jerseys. 1 short sleeved wick tee shirt
Gore rain Jacket
Plastic Rain pants
Leg Warmers
Sun Glasses

Camping Equipment

Stephenson Warm Light bag
Camp pillow
Drop Cloth (50x84 sheet of TYVEK)
Poncho
Firefly & Nalgene bottle/lantern
Petzl e+lite
Sunscreen
Tyvek sheet (groundcloth, table cloth, tarp, etc…)
Emergency Blanket
Whistle
20ft of chord
Pentax Optio S6
4 gig SD disk
Scan Disk usb converter
Moleskine sketch book
Bungee netting
2 spare bungee chords
Spare SPD cleats
Bushnell 7X21 compact binoculars
Small Purell hand sanitizer
Spork
Steel mug
3 bike line bike bottles

Tools & Maintenance

Leatherman Wave
Spoke Wrench
Tire irons (one set plastic one set aluminum)
Bike lock
Patch Kit
Wrench Force Bike Multi tool
Morph Turbo tire pump
4 inner tubes
Cassette tool
Chain whip
Cat Eye light front and back

Personal Items

Pink Ribbon
VT colors ribbon
Pink bracelet
Purple Bag (Father's Friend)
Cell Phone

Hygene Items

Bio Suds
Baby Wipes
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Vitamins
Pain Relievers

Well the plane tickets are set

We leave May 1st from Philly with our bikes and our gear and fly into Oakland... From there our first trip will be to the bike shop for last minute items and a last minute check up for the bikes... then hopefully May 2nd we will be dipping our back tires in the pacific!

I have been thinking about this trip for a long time. I was asked to ride cross country at the end of High School, but at the time I wasnt ready...(for lots of reasons) but here it is. I wish I was 19 again physically, but hey I bet a lot of us wish that too?

I have recieved lots of support from all sorts of people and I will be thanking hundreds, I am guessing, by the time the trip is done. The pledges are pouring in too! I am excited to think of all of those zeros being added to people's lives if I can make it!

So keep the thoughts and ideas coming. I already have a pink ribbon requested...