2004 Bike Ride Across America

Update #35 - 9/4-9/6

Richard Rogers writes:
I'm sending this from the library in Highland Falls, New York, right outside the gate of West Point. The trip is complete!! Here's my report on the past several days:

Saturday, September 4: We knew it was going to be a challenging day if we were to reach our planned destination of Albany before dark, so we managed to eat breakfast, check out of the motel in Herkimer, New York, and be on the road by 8:30 a.m., a near-record for us. It was another great day for cycling, with overcast skies and cool temperatures; and we continued to be favorably impressed by the quality of the New York roads. I had contacted the state coordinator for bicycle routes about five or six months prior to our departure, and I had received a packet of very detailed maps of the New York bicycle routes. There had obviously been some changes in the interim, but this did not cause a problem because the routes were clearly marked.

Everything was pretty uneventful until I was stung by a bee or wasp as we were riding along in the early afternoon. There is about a one-inch strip of exposed forehead between the top rim of my glasses and the bottom edge of my helmet, and somehow the insect managed to hit me just above the right eye and sting me before I could wipe it off my forehead. Sue was a little worried about crashing as I frantically tried to swipe it away, but I managed to keep control of the tandem and bring it to a stop. There was some soreness and itching, but it wasn't too bad; so we continued on.

We arrived on the outskirts of Albany at about 5:30 p.m. and proceeded to the home of Ian and Edith Leet, whom we had contacted through the Internet. Before departing in July, we looked up the list of American Baptist churches in the Albany area, sent an e-mail to the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in downtown Albany detailing our trip, and asked if the pastor knew of anyone (interested cyclists or other kind-hearted souls) who might put us up for the night. We received a response and invitation from the Leets, whose daughter, Becca, had attended First Baptist Church of Redlands while she was in the Riverside area working for a short time before returning to Albany. We continue to be amazed that we could randomly pick the name of a church in Albany and receive a response from someone with a tie to Redlands!

As we arrived at the Leets' home about 6 p.m., we were greeted by Ian, Edith, and Becca; and after much-anticipated hot showers, we were treated to an excellent meal of barbequed country-style pork ribs, sweet corn, salad, and fresh garden tomatoes, topped off by a delicious fresh peach dessert prepared by Becca. We were pretty tired, since we had traveled 80 miles that day, so after dinner we went right to bed.

Sunday, September 5: The next morning, Ian prepared an excellent breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and bacon, with bagels from a nearby shop. We then rode the tandem as Ian and Edith drove in front of us on a brief tour of Albany. The historic Emmanuel Baptist Church was the highlight of the tour, and we took time to go inside and look at the magnificent structure. Afterwards, we went to see the New York state capitol and surrounding buildings, including the office building where Ian works on a part-time basis in his semi-retired status.

Getting out of the city and across to the east bank of the Hudson River proved to be a little more of a challenge than we had anticipated. There was no bike route sign for a key turn, and we suddenly found ourselves back in downtown Albany. After a few minutes, we were able to find the bike route and cross the bridge over the river successfully. The roads along the bike route were not as good as those we had experienced during the previous few days, and we often found ourselves on roads with an inadequate shoulder, or no shoulder at all. The weather was beautiful once again, although there was a constant 10 - 15 knot headwind from the south. The ride took us through several historic villages founded in the late 1700's, and we wished that we had the time to explore some of the more interesting-looking ones.

At about 6 p.m., after a day in which we rode 59 miles, we arrived in Rhinebeck at the home of West Point classmate Bob Burroughs and his wife Shirley, a high school classmate from Tyler, Texas. They had graciously invited us to stay with them when I contacted them several months earlier. After an assortment of tempting appetizers (which could easily have comprised a complete meal), they treated us to a delicious dinner with grilled salmon (our favorite) as the main dish. The meal was topped off with a deep dish apple pie Bob had baked, and it was so good I inquired if perhaps Bob had graduated from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) which I knew was located nearby. That was not the case, but the pie was certainly good enough to be served at the CIA.

Monday, September 6: I awoke to find my eye swollen almost shut from the sting two days earlier. I had expected the swelling to be the worst the morning after the sting, but it seemed to be a delayed reaction. After applying an ice pack during breakfast, I decided that my vision was not affected. Bob and Shirley again served a delicious meal, including some muffins Bob baked that morning. We didn't object when it was suggested that we take a couple of the muffins with us on our ride. Bob rode his bike and accompanied us on a brief tour of historic Rhinebeck, and then we were on our way for the final stretch of our journey.

We were again disappointed with the bike route, as it was completely different from the maps I had received earlier, and it took us along roads which were not in very good condition. We were still able to make pretty good time, and everything was going well as we approached Highland Falls, just outside West Point. About two miles from our destination, the cable to the rear derailleur broke, and we were reduced from 18 gears to three. We had to walk the bike up a short hill, but then we were able to ride to the West Point front gate where we asked a guard to take a picture of us. Trip complete, after 3,143 miles.

Journey Completed!

On the evening of Monday, September 6, Richard and Susan Rogers rode their tandem bicycle into West Point, New York, and completed a 3,143 mile journey across the United States. They left the Seattle area of Washington State on July 12 intending to write across the country as a fundraising event for Mustard Seed Tutorial Center. Dick, who is 67, and Susan, 65, both tutor at Mustard Seed and Dick is the Treasurer of the Board. They had no support vehicles on this two-month journey.

Update #34 - 9/1-9/3

The following is from a phone conversation with Richard Rogers:
This update, like #33, contains what Richard frequently calls "nighttime adventures." He said today, "We don't learn very fast. We don't get away from the campground very early and we've been used to riding fairly late, but it's now getting darker earlier." Throughout the day, they stop at beautiful lakes and scenery to take pictures, they pause at libraries to write emails to Mustard Seed, and they are slowed by other circumstances, and so are late in getting to destinations.

On Wednesday, September 1, Richard and Susan left their campground in LeRoy, New York, around 10 a.m. and rode through the region of the Finger Lakes. These five lakes are oriented in a north to south fashion and were carved by glaciers. He said it was a roller-coaster ride from LeRoy to Cayuga Lake State Park, their destination, as they traversed streams and rivers that fed into the lakes. He said they were smiled upon by beautiful weather, which they've enjoyed since entering New York on August 31. It was clear and beautiful, with temperatures consistently in the 70s and 80s, and traffic on the roads was fairly light. They continued to pass occasional fields of corn, but nothing like what they saw in Ontario. New York has some of best roads they've covered; they are wide and have paved shoulders in good condition. Dick and Susan arrived at Cayuga Lake State Park at 7:00 p.m., having already eaten, and made camp.

The Rogers left Cayuga Lake late on the morning of Thursday, September 2, because they spent a certain amount of time taking pictures of the scenery. After traveling for a while, they stopped in Baldwinsville at a library to send a report to me. They also stopped to call a radio show in Loma Linda hosted by Bill Mendel on KCAA . Mr. Mendel took notice of the Rogers' journey in July and invited them to call in and give a running narrative to the show's audience. Dick and Susan have been fairly regular correspondents over the past several weeks. They had planned to spend Thursday night in Verona Beach, but didn't make it far enough, so they stopped just north of Cicero at about 7:00 p.m. They pulled into a convenience store to ask about hotels in the area. The store clerk recommended a nearby motel and, because it was growing darker and traffic was intensifying, Dick and Susan walked their bike for a mile to the lodging. There were, however, no vacancies because the New York State Fair was taking place in the area. They found themselves at the junction of several major traffic arteries, so traffic was heavy and fast around them. They received more recommendations from this motel and walked their bike to two other establishments, only to find that they were each weekly or monthly rentals and not available for single night stays. It grew darker and darker still as they continued to the next recommendation, using pen lights to see street names as they had Tuesday night. In the distance, Richard spotted a neon sign and hoped it signaled a vacant motel. As they tromped along the dark highway, Susan said, "I guess there aren't any guardian angels for us in New York." Very shortly after that remark, a car passed them, pulled a U-turn, and stopped, with its hazard lights blinking. A fellow got out of the car with his cousin and another woman. It turned out these people were bikers and the driver was the president of a bike club in Binghamton, New York. The group was intending a bike ride for the Labor Day weekend and were on their way to the trail head when they saw Dick and Susan. The president had every bike tool one might imagine and pulled them out, planning to fix up these broken-down riders. Richard told them the bike was fine; they were simply trying to find a place to stay. The members of the car called the Holiday Inn, where they were planning to spend the night, but it didn't have an opening for the Rogers. Dick thought the neon sign ahead still looked promising, so the car drove ahead of Dick and Susan (who continued to walk) and found out the motel had a vacancy. The Rogers arrived at the motel at about 9:00, having yet to eat dinner. After checking in, they asked the lady at the counter, who had just recently bought the motel with her husband, about places to eat. She said there was nothing within walking distance, but she offered to take them somewhere. They gratefully accepted and she drove Dick and Susan to McDonalds to pick up some food before they hurled themselves into bed.

On Friday, September 3, Susan and Dick left their motel at about 9:30 a.m., found some breakfast and started on the road at about 10:30. They enjoyed beautiful weather as they passed a number of historic little towns, many of which were established in late 1700s. They passed Oneida lake and stopped at an RV park, where they talked with a man who had his RV parked permanently about 20 feet from the water. They had planned to go to St. Johnsville, but after recent nighttime adventures, they decided to stop in Herkimer, about 20 miles short of St. Johnsville. They hoped to get up early on Saturday and make it all the way to their planned stop in Albany, New York.

Update #33 - 8/29-8/31

Sunday, August 29: As we left the Dropkos' house near Normandale, Ontario, it was another humid, overcast day with a prediction of rain. We stopped in Port Dover for breakfast and conversations with two different families about the tandem and our trip. Shortly after leaving Port Dover, we took Route 3, which would take us away from the coast and toward Niagara Falls. As we came into the town of Fenwick, the rain began to fall, and it didn't look too likely that we would make it all the way to Niagara Falls. We inquired in a restaurant and a convenience store about places to stay, and the outlook was not good. Within a few minutes the rain stopped, and we decided that we would push on. We arrived in Niagara Falls at about 7 p.m., but the motels on the Canadian "strip" didn't look too appealing; so, we asked around and decided to ride on to the Niagara Parkway along the Niagara River. After looking around at several B&B's and a couple of motels, we found one to our liking just before dark. We ate at a Chinese restaurant in the area, had our showers, and went to bed after a day in which we rode 80 miles.

Monday, August 30: This was scheduled to be a rest day, but we decided it would be a semi-rest day. First we rode south from the motel to see the Falls, and that was a beautiful sight. The vantage point on the Canadian side allows one to get a full view of the Horseshoe Falls and an excellent view of the American Falls. As we rode to the Falls, we remarked about the beautiful flowers along the way and in the park nearby. After viewing the Falls, we had breakfast at a restaurant and headed north along the Niagara Parkway to the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. There was a bike path for the entire trip, but it was not your normal bike path. It allowed one to see all the beautiful sights, including frequent close-up views of the Niagara River.

The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is completely different from the town of Niagara Falls. Both are tourist towns, but Niagara Falls is very commercialized. Niagara-on-the-Lake has a small town atmosphere, and it has none of the fast-food chains or chain motels that are in abundance in Niagara Falls. The most impressive aspect of the town was the beautiful flower gardens that seemed to be everywhere we looked. We later learned that the students at a local horticultural school plan the flower gardens in the downtown area and maintain them. Just being able to see the flowers made the visit to the town worthwhile. Before leaving, we had a nice lunch and debated whether to spend the night there or return to Niagara Falls. We decided on the latter because it would take less time to get to the bridge and cross over into New York state.

We rode back south to Niagara Falls, found a motel fairly close to the bridge, and ate dinner at a nearby restaurant with a couple from Ohio who were celebrating their 51st anniversary. We happened to be standing in line behind them waiting for a table when there was an opening for a table for four. We had an enjoyable time talking with them during an excellent dinner.

Tuesday, August, 31: After breakfast, we headed for the bridge, crossed it without any trouble, and found ourselves back in the United States. This was the first day we had seen sunshine in about five days, so we enjoyed the warm, clear weather. The trip eastward on New York Highway 31 was a good one: the shoulder was paved, wide, and in good condition. At about 7 p.m. we stopped at a pizza restaurant on the east side of the town of Batavia, asking about accommodations in the area. We learned that we would have to back-track several miles to find anything, but we were told of two Bed & Breakfasts in the next town of LeRoy.

It was beginning to get dark as we pulled into LeRoy and passed the only motel in town, a real flea-bag. We went to the B&B addresses we had gotten from the telephone book, only to find that both establishments were no longer in business. We knew of a campground out in the country about five miles out of town, called to get directions, and set out in almost total darkness trying to find it. Sue was using a tiny pen light to try to read the names of the streets we were passing, while I was trying to see the road ahead. Thankfully there was almost no traffic. We were finally successful, pulling into the campground at about 10 p.m. We had our first experience setting up the tent in darkness, but we were aided by a nearby security light. We rode 72 miles on what was one of the most nerve-wracking days of the trip.

Update #32 - 8/27-8/28

Friday, August 27: In the town of Shedden, Ontario, we had been told that we would find no accommodations or food until we reached Port Stanley , so we decided to eat in Shedden and look for a place to stay. We bought a ham and cheese sub, milk, and yogurt at the market, and the manager told us of a Bed & Breakfast in town. He also offered to let us pitch our tent in his backyard if we decided to stay in Shedden. We went to the B&B but found it was booked with visitors for the annual county fair which was scheduled for the next day. We ate our dinner at a picnic table on the fair grounds and deliberated about continuing to Port Stanley, since it was getting late. We decided we could make it, so we pushed on under threatening skies. We arrived in Port Stanley at about 7:30 p.m., and found a nice B&B before it became dark. Sue took her turn in the jacuzzi while I listened to the weather forecast, and then I soaked for a good long time. We had traveled 78 miles, so we both enjoyed the hot bath. We went to bed knowing that the weather forecast for the next three days was rain.

Saturday, August 28: After an excellent do-it-yourself continental breakfast at the B&B, we set out for the day at about 9 a.m. It was a warm, humid day, and the sky was overcast. We rode for about an hour, and a light rain began to fall. We had just entered the town of Port Bruce, and we ducked under a pavilion at the beach to keep from getting wetter. Within a few minutes, we had a real down-pour, and we marveled at how we had been lucky enough to be right in Port Bruce when the bottom fell out. After about a hour the rain had subsided, and we decided to hit the road again. The skies were overcast, and it looked like it could rain again at any moment.

The terrain in the area was flat, so the ride was a pleasant one. We continued to see large fields of corn and soy beans, but we also began to see smaller crops of garden vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet corn, potatoes, squash, and peppers. We had seen what we believed to be tobacco plants the day before, and we confirmed this when we stopped along the way at a convenience store and talked with a couple of local teenage boys who worked on the farms.

We had tentatively planned to reach Port Dover for the night; but we began to tire, so we stopped in the town of Normandale to ask about accommodations. A lady told us there was a B&B within 3 kilometers, and she gave us directions. We knew the only place to eat was in Normandale, so we went to the local restaurant and ate as fast as possible, since it was getting dark. We set out after the meal, and a light rain began to fall. We followed the directions to the B&B, but after going about 5 miles, we decided that we must have taken a wrong turn. At this point the rain began to come down much harder. We returned to the junction where we thought we might have made a mistake, and we took a different route. After about 4 miles along this path, we decided we were hopelessly lost, so we stopped in at a house where we saw a light. This was the house of Jody and Karen Dropko, their 2-week old son Cooper, and their dog Barley. Jody and Karen were not sure of the location of the B&B, so Jody offered to drive ahead in his pickup, find the place, and meet us along the road with directions. As we rode along, Jody came back, suggested that we put the tandem in his truck, and then find the B&B together. We agreed, Sue got in the cab, and I rode in the back to stabilize the bike. The rain was coming down harder, so I was completely drenched. After a few minutes, we were unable to find the B&B, so Jody stopped the truck and invited us to spend the night at his home. We accepted the invitation on the spot and returned to his house.

We had traveled 80 miles during the day, so we enjoyed hot showers, after which we talked for a while and then went to bed. The next morning Jody was scheduled to go fishing with his father on Lake Erie, but there was a small craft advisory. As we prepared to leave, the proud grandfather was holding Cooper and saying that this was a better way to spend the day.

Update #31 - 8/24 - 8/27

Richard Rogers writes:
Tuesday, August 24: When we departed Howell and headed toward the greater Detroit area, the pace and volume of the traffic picked up considerably. Grand River Avenue, which locals told us was the main traffic artery from that area into Detroit prior to the Interstates, was not in good condition, and it was not bike friendly, in that it had no paved shoulder. The closer we rode toward Detroit, the worse the situation became. The condition of the road, the heavy traffic, and a steady head wind caused our trip to be longer than we had anticipated, so we arrived in Beverly Hills, Michigan, at Nancy Keesee's house at about 4 p.m. Nancy and Susan have been best friends since elementary school days, and we last saw her some three years ago; so we had a lot to talk about. We insisted on taking Nancy out to eat, but she'd have none of that. She prepared a great meal for us, and we took our time at the table enjoying the meal and the conversation. Although we had only traveled 45 miles, the nerve-wracking riding conditions had made us ready for bed shortly after we finished the meal.

Wednesday, August 25: After sleeping in late on our rest day, we had a few errands to run. Nancy obliged us by carting us around in her car, and we managed to take care of everything before Sally and Roger Struck arrived at Nancy's house for dinner and the official celebration of Sue's birthday. After a delicious meal, which included steaks prepared on the grill, Nancy brought in the birthday cake and we sang Happy Birthday to Sue. After dinner, Roger helped me determine a route for the following day, but we both agreed that it would be a tough ride in the Detroit area traffic.

Thursday, August 26: The forecast was for light rain, but we awoke to a warm, humid, overcast day. The traffic was all that we had expected it to be, and more. In some places the traffic was so heavy that we tried to ride on the sidewalk, something that a good cyclist will try to avoid at all costs. Even when we tried this, we'd find that the sidewalk suddenly ended, and we'd have to walk the tandem across the grass to the street. All in all, it was a long ride to Marine City, Michigan, where we rode the small ferry across the St. Clair River to Sombra, Ontario. We considered riding on, but it was late; so we decided to stay in a Bed & Breakfast in Sombra and eat dinner at the restaurant owned by the same people who owed the B&B. After a 56-mile day, we showered and went to bed fairly early.

Friday, August 27: Again the forecast was for rain, and again it was a warm, muggy day. This part of Canada is very sparsely populated, and the traffic on the county roads is extremely light, a nice change from what we had encountered the day before. The terrain is almost perfectly flat, and we made fairly good time as we headed eastward from Sombra. The seemingly ever-present head/cross wind from the southeast slowed us down a bit, but not too much. The fields were planted with soy beans and corn, and we saw an occasional herd of cows. We hope to make it to Port Stanley, Ontario before dark tonight.

Update #30 - 8/23

Richard Rogers writes from a library in Brighton, Michigan:
After talking with some cyclists we met on the bike trail on Monday, August 23, we had decided to take county roads as much as possible for the ride southward toward the Detroit suburbs. As we awoke on Tuesday to overcast skies and a forecast of possible evening showers, we also decided to push on as far as we could while the weather was good. After a continental breakfast at the motel, we departed Midland at about 9:30 a.m. The roads were flat, in fairly good condition, and lightly traveled, so we made good time. Most of the way we were flanked by fields of either corn or soy beans on both sides of the road. We stopped for lunch at a market in Brant, some 30 miles down the road.

In the afternoon, a wind developed from the south-southeast, a combination of head wind and cross wind, causing our speed to drop off a bit. When we arrived at Sanford, the location of the last motel for at least 30 miles, we decided to continue. We again were very fortunate with respect to the weather, as we only caught the last few drops of a rain shower as we entered Howell at about 6:30 p.m. We found a motel, had a good spaghetti dinner at a restaurant next to the motel, and then retired early. We covered 84 miles for the day, putting us only about 40 miles or so from our next stop in Beverly Hills, MI, and a rest day we'll spend with our good friend, Nancy Keesee, a friend of Sue's since elementary school days.

Update #29 - 8/20-8/22

Friday, August 20: Sue managed to get a few more winks while I went to the library in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to use the computer. When I was finished there, we checked out of the motel and went to a local cafe for breakfast, after which it was time to head for the ferry. We bought the tickets, loaded the tandem, and found some good seats for the 4-hour, 60-mile trip to Ludington, Michigan.

It was another beautiful, cool day, and the ferry trip was very enjoyable. There were all kinds of activities on the ferry, named the Badger: movies, bingo, souvenir shop, quiet room, food courts, and probably others we didn't even discover. We just sat on the deck and enjoyed the beautiful weather. About an hour out of Ludington, a gentleman pulled an accordion out of the case and played some polka music for all to enjoy. As we neared Ludington at 6:00 p.m., I spotted my West Point classmate Jim Miller waving an Army flag, greeting us upon our arrival in Michigan. Jim had thought of everything. He was pulling a trailer behind his SUV, just in case it got dark before we reached his house, some 20 miles away. He drove behind us with his emergency flashers on while we cycled on the busiest section of US Route 10, and then he drove ahead of us to make sure we didn't miss the turns in the route to his house near Free Soil.

We pulled into his driveway at about 8:15 p.m., with not much more daylight left. He and his wife Jynelle met us and welcomed us into their home. The Millers live on the banks of the Sauber River in a beautiful and remote section of Michigan. Jim sometimes fishes in the river, and they can sit and watch birds and squirrels come to the feeders they have in their yard. While there, I observed a black squirrel, something I didn't even know existed.

Jynelle had prepared a delicious meal of pork, potatoes, fresh asparagus, and fresh peaches, which we enjoyed after getting our showers. We then opted to try the salmon which Jim had caught in Lake Michigan and prepared in his smoker, and it was a real treat. After talking for a little while, we were off to slumber land after riding 22 miles for the day.

Saturday, August 21: We were up the next morning and ready to enjoy the hearty breakfast Jim had prepared: fruit, omelets with a taste of the smoked salmon, toast, and coffee. After loading up the tandem, we thanked the Millers for their hospitality and started out for the day. We had decided to take the local county roads to our destination for the day, Hick's Lake, a short distance north of Evart, Michigan. Another great riding day was in store for us, with clear skies and only a slight, variable wind. The county roads presented a few more hills than we had expected, so our 7 p.m. arrival time was somewhat later than anticipated as we pulled up to the lake cottage of Bob and Rita De Santis.

Some months ago while planning the trip, I had placed a message on an internet bicycling forum asking for suggestions on a route in Michigan. Bob had responded with some helpful suggestions, and he had also invited us to spend the night if we passed through while they were at their cottage. Everything worked out fine, and we accepted their kind invitation.

We again were treated to "real food", as Rita had prepared spaghetti and meat balls, salad, and fruit; and Bob had cooked chicken breasts on the grill. Everything was delicious. We had a great time of conversation, after which we retired for the evening. We were pretty tired after completing a ride of 73 miles for the day.

Sunday, August 22 was Sue's birthday, so Rita placed a birthday candle on one of the pancakes she had prepared. We enjoyed the pancakes, bacon, and coffee, and then took some pictures, thanked Bob and Rita for their hospitality, and pedaled away from Hick's Lake. It was cool and clear again, but the wind was a little bothersome. It was from the south-southeast at about 15 - 20 knots, just enough to keep us from making really good time.

We traveled on US Route 10 for the first 30 miles, and there were lots of camping trailers and RVs on the road as people returned to the cities after the weekend. The shoulder was fairly narrow and not in the best shape, but we didn't have any problems. At Clare, we entered the Pere Marquette Rail Trail, a wide, almost level, paved trail which can be ridden for 30 miles to the city of Midland. Bike trails have the advantage of getting cyclists away from traffic, but they have the disadvantage of not allowing you to see how the local people live and what the small towns on the route look like. All in all, I think we prefer to ride the roads and see what the countryside is like.

We arrived at a Holiday Inn in Midland, Michigan, at about 7:30 p.m., elected to eat in the motel restaurant, and went to bed after a ride of 72 miles for the day. By Tuesday evening, we plan to be in the northern suburbs of Detroit, so tomorrow we plan to go about half that distance.

Update #28 - 8/18-8/19

Richard Rogers writes:
While emailing Eric from the library in Waupaca, Wisconsin, on the evening of Wednesday, August 18, Sue asked around about Bed & Breakfasts in the area, and the librarian told her about one right in town. Sue called to get more information, and we decided it was the place for us for the night. There are several historic homes in the town, and the B&B we stayed at, the Green Fountain Inn, is one of them. It dates back to the early 1900s, and it is a beautiful home. After checking in, we went to a local restaurant for a late dinner, after which we enjoyed hot showers and went right to bed.

On Thursday, August 19, we awoke to a clear sky with lots of sunshine, although the weather report indicated the low temperature for the night was another near record low for the date. Even the locals were commenting how "chilly" (that is, "cold" to someone who has lived in Southern California for the past 22 years) the weather was. After our continental breakfast, we were ready to depart. We had talked with a couple of residents the day before, and we had told them we planned to take US Route 10 to Manitowoc. One was a cyclist, and she commented that it was a busy road but the most direct route. We had requested and received a road map from the state of Wisconsin about six months ago, and it was a 2001-2002 version; so the residents cautioned us that it only showed the old US 10, not the new divided highway. Apparently, the road construction was finished this past Spring, and there are not many maps showing the new highway.

It was a great, cool day for cycling, with light, variable winds that were mostly crosswinds, but hardly ever headwinds. The shoulder on the newly-constructed US 10 was wide, smooth, and clear of debris. We were making excellent time when a state trooper pulled up behind us and signaled for us to stop. He was very polite when he told us bicycles were not allowed on this section of the new highway, only on the old section between Appleton and Manitowoc. He said there were signs posted at entrances, but we had not seen one either the day before or as we entered the highway at Waupaca. We took the next exit, stopped to ask for directions, and then followed a very circuitous, rough, and busy route around the city of Appleton. When we were in the less-populated areas, we continued to see dairy farms and corn fields. We saw a couple of flocks of wild turkeys, but when Sue tried to get close enough to take a picture, they flew away.

The original plan, which was developed several months ago, was to stop at a campground about 20 miles from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, but we decided we would take advantage of the excellent weather and push on. We arrived in downtown Manitowoc at about 7 p.m. and checked into a motel next to a Chinese restaurant and just a few blocks from where we would board the ferry the next day. Because it was late and we were hungry, we ate right after checking in to the motel. After an excellent meal, we retired for the night, knowing we could sleep in later than normal, since we had to be at the ferry terminal at noon on Friday.

We traveled 86 miles on Thursday, bringing our total mileage to 2073. We've covered more than two-thirds of the total distance.

Update #27 - 8/17-8/18

Richard Rogers writes:
August 17: Tuesday morning, we went to Dave's house, which is on a working farm. Dave was the chef for the morning, and he prepared a hearty and delicious meal of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast. Karin had made some strawberry-rhubarb preserves which were great on the toast. We ate well in preparation for the day's ride, which we anticipated would be about 65 miles. Karin also gave us a bag of homemade peanut butter cookies for the trip - they were delicious and gone before the day was out. There had been heavy fog when we first awoke, but it was beginning to clear as we finished breakfast and loaded our gear on the tandem. We said our goodbyes to all the hospitable folks in Strum and departed at about 9:30 a.m. en route to Marshfield, Wisconsin.

Since first entering Wisconsin, we had noticed, as expected, that there were many dairy farms. It appears that the favorite breed of milk cow in this area is the Holstein, although there are some herds of mixed breeds. A dairy farmer told us that about 80% of the milk from Wisconsin is used for cheese. On our ride we continued to see corn fields, with an occasional field of soy beans or hay. The terrain was generally flat, with some gently rolling hills. The vegetation in Wisconsin is varied, so that there are both coniferous and deciduous trees, and lots of them. We continued to have cool weather, with light and variable winds, so the ride was very enjoyable, and we made good time. The forecast for that night and the next day called for rain and thunderstorms, so we decided to stay in a motel. When we arrived in Marshfield, the first two motels we checked were full, but the next one had a vacancy. We went to a nearby Hardee's for a grilled chicken sandwich and some ice cream, and then it was off to bed after a 68-mile day.

August 18: As soon as we awakened Wednesday morning, we turned on the TV to get the latest on the weather. Severe thunderstorms were forecasted to develop in the morning and last most of the day. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, so we decided to get as far as we could as fast as possible. After breakfast, we headed east on US Route 10 once again. The forecast had included south-southwest winds (in other words, winds at our back) at 10 - 15 knots, but the winds were from the southeast at about the predicted velocity. The head/cross winds were just enough to slow us down a bit, but they were no real problem. As an aside, on the subject of winds, let me say that I have decided it must be a very tricky business to predict the direction of surface winds, even with the sophisticated computer models that are available today. I say this because I am certain the predicted wind direction has been wrong more than half the time on our trip.

In any event, the ride from Marshfield went well, and we didn't encounter any bad weather during the 38-mile stretch to Stevens Point, where we had lunch at a downtown restaurant we just selected by chance. As we sat at our table, a lady sat down at the table next to us, and we struck up a conversation. She was later joined by two friends, one of whom worked at the public library across the street. When we mentioned that we planned to visit the library after lunch, she asked if we would give an interview to a reporter from the local newspaper. We agreed and after lunch, we went to the library where we were joined by a young reporter. Sue did most of the interview while I was on the computer. When the interview was finished we went outside to have some pictures taken standing by the tandem. Just as we finished the photo session, it began to rain, and the predicted thunderstorm hit. It was very short-lived, and definitely not severe. Within about a half an hour the sun was out again, and we departed for Waupaca. The storm did bring with it winds from the southwest, so we made excellent time. We arrived in Waupaca at about 5:30 p.m., followed the signs to the library, and began to look for a place to stay.

Update #26 - 8/15-8/16

Richard Rogers writes:
We're in Steven's Point, WI, at the public library. As I'm typing this, Sue is being interviewed by a reporter from the local newspaper.

August 15: We slept in on Sunday morning at Dave Fried's house in Woodbury, MN, on the outskirts of St. Paul, but in the afternoon we had a real treat in store for us. Dave's friend, Mary Kay Olson, volunteered to take us on a driving tour of the metro area where she has spent the majority of her life. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon and people were out enjoying the great weather. There are several nearby lakes, and lots of paths around the lakes for walking, biking, and roller-blading. Mary Kay told us about the institutions of higher learning and the cultural activities in the area, so it is easy to understand why Minneapolis - St. Paul is frequently chosen as one of the best metro areas in which to live.

After the tour we returned to Dave's house, and he prepared a delicious meal for the four of us: salmon fillets, wild rice, and mixed vegetables, topped off with fruit sherbet and chocolate cookies. Once again we had real food! The weather forecast for Monday morning was rain, so we went to bed thinking that our string of good luck with the weather was about to run out.

August 16: We awoke to the sound of rain, but no lightning and thunder, so we got ready to ride. On Sunday, we had decided to let Dave drop us off in Prescott, WI, instead of Red Wing because the trip to Red Wing was so much longer. Dave had an early morning appointment, and the extra time was needed. As an aside, this added about 15 miles to the day's ride, since Prescott is farther west than Red Wing. In other words, we were backing up! Can't do that many times!

It turned out to be a good decision to go to Prescott. The rain had slowed the metro area traffic to a crawl, so the drive to Red Wing would have been a long one. Dave dropped us off at gas station, and we donned our rain gear and loaded everything on the tandem. We then started our trip on US Route 10, the highway which we would follow across Wisconsin.

Things didn't start out too well, as we experienced our first fall. The concrete road surface in that area is about two inches above the 18-inch wide asphalt shoulder, creating a lip which was especially slick in the rain. Luckily we were traveling only about 10 miles per hour when the bike drifted into the lip, flipping us on our left side. We both experienced scrapes and bruises, but Susan took the brunt of the fall. It was a very minor accident, so we set the tandem upright, checked ourselves over, and took off again. There's no doubt we will be sore tomorrow, especially Susan.

While in the lobby of the motel in Mobridge, South Dakota, on August 7, we had met Ron Bluemel and Dave Back, two residents of Strum, Wisconsin, who were in South Dakota on a hunting trip. Ron invited us to stay with him and his family when we passed through Strum, and we accepted his invitation. We called to let him know that we would be late in arrival and that we would stop to eat before arriving in Strum.

After making the call to Ron, we had a flat as we entered the town of Aleva, about 8 miles from his house. We rolled into the parking lot of the convenience store to fix the flat, and on the corner was a table with sweet corn for sale, using the honor system for payment. Susan went into the convenience store to see if there was a microwave oven, and behold: there was not only a microwave oven, but also a "fix-your-own-meal" counter with butter, salt, and pepper. So, Sue put a dollar into the cash box for three ears of corn, and, while I fixed the flat, Sue fixed the dinner. We had a meal of ham and cheese sandwiches, sweet corn, and milk, with yogurt for dessert. Not bad for dinner at a convenience store. We arrived at Ron's about 7:30 PM after the 78-mile day.

Ron, his wife Pat, and daughter Shannon greeted us upon our late arrival. They live in a beautiful farm house which dates back to the late 1800s. We sat and talked for a while, and we were then joined by Dave Back, his wife Karin, daughter Kelsey, and sons Butch and Kolby. We answered questions about our coast-to-coast ride in between trips to the much appreciated hot shower, first by me, and then by Susan. We also talked about the coincidence of meeting Ron and Dave in the lobby of the motel in Mobridge, SD. Before Dave departed, he invited us over to his house for breakfast the next morning, and we gladly accepted. We then retired for the night, and we both were asleep in the comfortable bed in almost no time.

Update #25 - 8/14-8/15

All three of us (Susan, our friend Dave Fried, and I) had a great night's rest at John Haupt's house in Le Sueur, Minnesota, on Friday, and we awoke to the smells of coffee, bacon, strawberry pancakes, and fried eggs. John had been up for some time fixing a delicious breakfast, and we managed to put away everything he had prepared. Betty joined us for breakfast, and she provided home-made maple syrup and strawberry preserves. Suffice it to say that we were definitely well fed and cared for in Le Sueur!

John went above and beyond the call of duty when he volunteered to ride his bike to guide us out of town to the local road we wanted to start out on. We had to descend what John called Thunder Hill, and it was a steep one. We surmised that John would have to climb back up the hill, and that would be no easy task. Our thanks to John for everything.

It was another beautiful Minnesota day with not a cloud in the sky and the temperature in the high 50s to low 60s for much of the morning - it was great cycling weather and certainly not the hot, humid weather we might have encountered any other year in mid-August. The wind was light and variable, probably in the 5 - 10 knot range. When our route was along county roads, the traffic was light and we were able to ride side-by-side and talk. It was single file on the busier state highways, and they were a mix as far as friendliness to cyclists. Some had excellent, well maintained asphalt shoulders, and some had no shoulders at all. We were fortunate that the traffic was fairly light even on the state roads, so the ride was very enjoyable.

Our route was not that far from the Twin Cities metro area, but the area was rural enough to make us think we were really out in the country. There were cultivated fields - primarily corn and soy beans - along most the ride, and we saw many signs advertising sweet corn for sale. The terrain was gently rolling, although we did encounter a few fairly steep climbs. We're convinced that one of the major pastimes of Minnesotans in rural areas is cutting their grass. As we have said before, some of the front yards are huge, and they are maintained like putting greens. We stopped for lunch at a Subway in Northfield, and after a short rest there, we rode on to Cannon Falls where we got on the Cannon Valley Trail. This is a paved trail from Cannon Falls to Red Wing, and it is a popular trail for cyclists and roller-bladers. We made good time over the 20-mile section of the trail and arrived in Red Wing, Minnesota, at about 4 p.m., having ridden 75 miles for the day. There we joined up with Jerry, Dave's brother, who had come to pick us up in Dave's SUV. After loading up the tandem and Dave's single bike, we dropped Jerry off in nearby New Prague and then drove to Dave's house in the outskirts of St. Paul. Today, August 15, is a rest day, and we plan to take advantage of it, having done back-to-back 70-plus mile days. On Monday, Dave will drive us back to Red Wing, and we'll cross the Mississippi River into Wisconsin.

Update #24 - 8/13

Richard Rogers writes:
We departed Olivia, Minnesota, on Friday after a continental breakfast in the motel and followed US Route 212 east. Skies were clear, the temperature was in the low 60s, and the wind was calm. About an hour out of Olivia we were joined by Dave Fried, a West Point classmate who recently moved from Virginia to his home state of Minnesota.

The traffic was very light, especially after we turned south off US 212 onto the county roads, so we were able to talk with Dave about his new home in St. Paul and the 45 years which have passed since we last saw each other.

The countryside is primarily corn and soybean fields, and the areas around the farmhouses are manicured, just like we observed yesterday. It was a beautiful day with serene farm scenes all the way from Olivia to LeSueur. We stopped at the town of Gibbon to have lunch, and Dave asked someone on the street where to go for lunch. They recommended a restaurant called Gallagher's, and we followed their suggestion. Glad we did, since it was a combination art gallery and restaurant, and the food was excellent

After lunch, we continued on the local county roads, and the winds picked up a bit, but nothing to be concerned about. At about 4 p.m. we rode into LeSueur, Minnesota, to the home of John Haupt, a friend from childhood of Roz VandeSteeg, the librarian at First Baptist Church of Redlands. Some months ago when Roz told John of our planned trip, he was gracious and invited us to stay with him.

We were looking forward to a meal of chicken and sweet corn which John had told us about months ago when Roz first put us in touch with him. He and his friend, Betty Latzke, prepared us a delicious meal of fresh picked sweet corn (from the famous Green Giant fields), chicken, cole slaw, baked red potatoes, and lemon chiffon pie.

After dinner they took us on a tour of the town of LeSueur and the local area. The trees and green lawns reminded Susan of the east coast where she grew up.

Tomorrow the three of us head for Red Wing, Minnesota.

Update #23 - 8/12

Richard Rogers writes:
We departed Appleton at about 8:30 Thursday morning, and, as we were leaving, we observed a rail car being loaded at a nearby grain elevator. Sue commented that our entire route has been along either active or abandoned rail lines, and that has certainly been the case for most of the time, from Montana until now. It reminds us of the very important part played by the railroads in the expansion of the United States. Most of the little towns we have passed through sprang up as a direct result of the railroad.

As has been the case for the last few mornings, it was very chilly as we started out, since the low temperature for the night had been in the 40s. The sky was clear, and there was a slight breeze from the north-northwest. As we headed out on Minnesota State Highway 7, we were going in a southeast direction, so we had a little "push" from the wind; we made good time for the stretch from Appleton to Granite Falls. At that point we were traveling almost due east on US Route 212, and the wind had picked up a bit; so we had a little cross wind for the remainder of the trip. We passed field after field of corn and soybeans, and we continue to be amazed at how much pride the people take in their farms and the areas around their homes. The grass around their homes looks like golf greens.

When we stopped for a break in the town of Watson, a farmer and his wife in the convenience store told us that many of the people living in the area are of Norwegian heritage. We had noticed earlier in our trip, and particularly in South Dakota, that many of the names on the mail boxes were German. The farmer told us that he farms 1300 acres, and that he raises corn, soy beans, oats, wheat, and barley.

We stopped at a convenience store in the little town of Danube and noticed that the "No shirt, no shoes, no service" warning was in both English and Spanish. This is the first time we have seen any signs in Spanish. When we asked the clerk about the sign, she said that during harvest time there are many Spanish-speaking migrant workers who travel to the area from Texas.

The town of Olivia welcomes travelers on US 212 with the proclamation that it is the "Corn Capitol of the World". Before anyone takes that as the honest-to-goodness truth, they might want to check with Iowa.

Total mileage for the day was 65, and that puts us over the 1600 mile mark.

Update #22 - 8/11 (Half Way)

Richard Rogers writes:
We left Waubay around 6:00 Wednesday morning. We continued to have north-northwest winds, although they were not as strong as Tuesday. The little push from the west really helps; we managed to average over 15 mph for the 35-mile trip from Waubay to Milbank. The winds died down later in the day, but we were still able to make good time for the entire 68-mile trip from Waubay to Appleton, Minnesota, arriving here at about 4:00 p.m. Today, we turned off US Route 12, which we have been following since July 25 when we picked it up in Avon, Montana, just before climbing MacDonald Pass. We're now on Minnesota State Highway 7, and tomorrow we'll pick up US Route 212 enroute to Olivia, Minnesota.

The unseasonably cold weather continues here in the Midwest, and it is actually great weather for cycling. The mornings are a bit nippy, but that is much better than starting out in 80 degree weather which warms up into the 90s by mid-day.

As has been the case since Monday, we saw very few motorcycles on the road. This is in direct contrast to last week, when we saw a constant stream of them headed toward Sturgis, South Dakota, and the annual Rally - the 64th annual event, I believe. We continued to notice yellow ribbons and signs welcoming home the Reserve and National Guard units which have been deployed to Iraq.

The gently rolling, and sometimes flat terrain of this part of South Dakota and Minnesota is so much greener than what we saw for the first part of our trip that it continues to surprise us. Of course there is a much wider variety of vegetation, and much more of it. We are seeing mature deciduous trees covering a lot of the countryside that is not planted in corn, soybeans, and other crops.

We're staying in a motel again tonight, primarily because of the cold weather. The sleeping bags I bought are summer bags rated to 55 degrees, and the low for last night (Tuesday) was in the 40s - same is forecast for tonight. Plus, we're getting spoiled by the luxury of a motel!

It's safe to say now that we're past the half-way point, having ridden a cumulative total of 1564 miles. We're having a great time, meeting lots of wonderful people, seeing beautiful sights, and looking forward to each day of the trip.