Month: October 2019

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Start: Zanesville, Ohio
End: Belmont, Ohio
Mileage today/cumulative: 64 / 553
Elevation Ascended today/cumulative: 4,180′ / 11,867′
Weather: Sunny, 42° at start; Sunny, 68º at finish; Winds: mostly headwinds
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 1

If we hadn’t known better, we’d have thought we were riding in east Tennessee instead of eastern Ohio. Country roads that went up and down and back up again. There was very little flat road to be seen today but there were lots of ranches with cows, horses, ponies, goats, chickens, and llamas dotting the countryside. I think Bev talked to everyone of them as she rode by. It’s like riding with my very own Doctor Doolittle.

Continue reading “Chicago to New York City – Day Ten”

Friday, October 4, 2019

Start: Columbus, Ohio
End: Zanesville, Ohio
Mileage today/cumulative: 77 / 489
Elevation Ascended today/cumulative: 1,883′ / 7,687′
Weather: Sunny, 52° at start; Partly cloudy, 62º at finish; Winds: blowing us all over the damn place
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 1

There were smiles everywhere when we rolled out for Day Nine. Was it because we were riding to Zanesville, Ohio? I don’t think so. Was it because we couldn’t wait to ride 77 miles after enjoying two nights in Columbus? Surely not. Everyone was in great spirits because the temperature dropped 40 degrees overnight and autumn had finally arrived. It came just in time because some of us, myself included, were getting very, very grumpy with the extreme heat.

Continue reading “Chicago to NYC – Day Nine”

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Start: Xenia, Ohio
End: Columbus, Ohio
Mileage today/cumulative: 59 / 412
Elevation Ascended today/cumulative: 571′ / 5,804′
Weather: Sunny, 70° at start; Sunny, 92º at finish; Winds: calm, then a nice tailwind
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 1

It’s already been a week since we left Chicago and began this crazy adventure. As always, the days are flying by and the whole thing will be in the rear view mirror before we know it. Knowing that makes it even more important to live in the moment and take in everything that we experience along the way. We are learning to enjoy the slower pace of bike touring and appreciating all of the sights and sounds. Well, in my case, perhaps only the sights since I inherited notoriously bad hearing.

Continue reading “Chicago to New York City – Days Seven/Eight”

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Start: Richmond, Indiana
End: Xenia, Ohio
Mileage today/cumulative: 59 / 353
Elevation Ascended: 925′
Weather: Sunny, 72° at start; Sunny, 90º at finish; Winds: mostly behind us!
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 1

We’ve made it to Ohio! This is another new cycling state for Team Pea and the route today was a nice introduction to the Buckeye State. A gentle tailwind made it even sweeter.

Bev’s day started with a two-fer. Just as we were getting ready to roll out, a couple appeared with their two dogs, giving Bev a two-for-one shot at her “stop and pet the dogs” goal. This required me to step up my game and visit a brew pub for lunch AND a brewery post-ride. We’re all about achieving goals.

Continue reading “Chicago to NYC – Day Six”