Lemonade, Lotto, and Larry

Another week gone by...tomorrow is our one month anniversary of this trip! Wahoo!

Since last writing, Emily and Margaret have settled their score for the number of flats. Emily got one en route to Chesapeake Beach, MD. However, unlike Margaret's which was a slow leak, Emily's was a fast kaboom!



After a week of being so inactive, we felt as though we'd lost momentum we'd gained the previous weeks. We were happy to start up again on such flat terrain. Despite our sore legs, we still arrived at Chesapeake Beach with enough time to enjoy the ocean, some sun, and our books. After we asked several men fishing on a nearby dock what they were fishing for ("anything that bytes") and how deep the water was ("I have no idea"), we were reminded to the present and not worry so much about concrete details.



The next day we headed towards the Potomac river. Again, the back roads were flat, and not heavily trafficked. Around lunch time we stopped at a gas station to refill water bottles and grab a snack. Our appetites had returned!

One thing that became especially evident that day was how we tend to notice different elements about the exact same scenario. This often comes out when we try to share observations along the road and ask each other, "Did you see X?" and the other replies, "No...did you see Y?" "No." It's kind of funny. We like to think that together, we create a pretty complete picture.

On a whim, Emily bought a $2 lotto ticket at the gas station and won $20! Yay Maryland lotto! To put it in our terms, that four diner servings of eggs and toast!

Riding along route 301 towards VA, we saw a sign with a phone number that "unusual vehicles" should call to cross the upcoming bridge. Sure enough, we fit into that category...the Maryland Transportation Authority loaded our bikes in a truck and escorted us to the other side. After biking a few miles on route 3 - a busy, noisy, fast moving road - we pulled off into a gas station to ask about local camping options. We were getting discouraged since it was approaching dusk and most people informed us that camping was 15+ miles away and the roads leading there were treacherous. We decided to ask one more person. Enter Larry Brookes, an avuncular gentleman with an extra house he'd recently moved out of that he kindly offered to us for the night...and he happened to be driving his pickup truck in that direction. Hooray! Our problems were solved.

Wednesday the 7th we fought our way against the wind on no-shoulder route 3 to Fredericksburg, VA. We were happy to make it and eager to find alternative roads to reach a site for the night. However, while in a bike shop with 3 other touring cyclists from Germany, we briefly met Jay, who little did we know, would later offer us a place to stay that night. The 3 of us ending up canoeing on the Rappahannock River before meeting up with other friends of his for dinner and tea that night.



Alexander, Karen, and Jay - Thanks for a great night!

Thursday was the epitome of excellent bike touring. Back roads, abundant sun, shoulders, slow courteous traffic, scenic views, good energy. We passed by Lake Anna and arrived early to our campsite in Louisa, VA. We had our first food thievery by a raccoon who left guilty footprints all around the picnic table. We've been finding simple pleasures such as reading, cooking dinner, showering, and retiring early so satisfying after a full day of activity.




Can you believe we fit all this and more on our bikes?

We got an early start on Friday and arrived in Charlottesville, VA well before noon. We spent the day exploring the downtown pedestrian mall, which reminds us a lot of the mall in Burlington. We also took a free trolley to UVA and saw the famous rotunda that Jefferson envisioned. That night we went to an art showing of our host friends art. It's been so nice to have these personal connections along the way - this is an example of just one of many things we've experienced along this trip that we wouldn't have been able to otherwise as anonymous travelers.


A welcoming note from Sam and Hal, our hosts in C'ville. Thanks so much for everything!

Saturday was spent exploring Charlottesville's farmers market, eating a Spudnut (locally famous potato flour donut) and Monticello; Jeffersons estate.

U of Va



One thing we realized after staying in the DC area was that a week off our bicycles is too much! As much as enjoyed visiting folks and seeing sights, we prefer to keep on the move. We plan to head out tomorrow towards the Blue Ridge Highway!

BONUS PHOTOS

En route to Chesapeake Beach, VA

At the C'ville Farmers Market....no he doesn't know we took this picture.

Yum.

Tats,Bandans, and Thai food

Well, well, it's been a while since our last update and we've covered some territory!

We left Swarthmore, PA after spending two nights with friends Ben and Dama. We made a jaunt into West Philly for Ethiopian food at night, but otherwise hung around Swathmore. We then made our way over to Newark, DE. It was a pretty low mileage day for us, which is fortunate since we got waylayed for about an hour an a half at a supplement store called Herbalife. As we were slowly biking our way up a hill and scanning for a likely place with a restroom, a woman on the opposite side of the street started jogging along at our pace and hailing us down. She kept asking us if we wanted a nutrition shake. We didn't really, but we did want a bathroom and she offered that up too. Little did we know after she ushered us into her store that we would be fed protein shakes and vitamin water, given a BM scan, nutritional advice and sent off with protein bars and powder. The ladies were bubbling with enthusiasm and encouraged us to open a store in Burlington. It's those type of unexpected, slice-of-life encounters that we love about this trip.

We made it to Newark where some incredibly friendly strangers - Josh and Molly - kindly took us in and included us in their dinner and entertaining plans. Thanks to you guys, that was a great stop!

Then we made our way through the Delmarva Peninsula (called that, we found out, because its Delaware, Maryland and Virginia all squished together). Delaware is amazingly flat! The landscape also seemed very Midwestern, with long horizons, many cornfields, and swift wind. We also had our first flat! Margaret was the victim. As she was fixing it, five different people stopped to ask if we were okay or if there was anything they could do.



We stopped at a gas station in Crumpton, MD (still on the peninsula) where we got our first taste of rural incredulity at the idea of bicycle touring. We learned that word travels fast at such establishments in the middle of nowhere. One man, when we learned of our plan, said, "New Orleans on a bicycle...y'all must be lookin' for somethin' to do!" Another weathered looking man couldn't fathom us having a cook stove with which to cook the eggs we bought. "On them bicycles?" However, everyone came around, wishing us well and suggesting Duck Neck campground nearby.



The following day felt very serendipitous. We cycled down to the coast of the peninsula, rode to Kent Island, and then crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in a truck. As we were at a stoplight right before approaching the bridge, the truck behind us honked. We turned around expecting to be told off for being in the road, but instead a woman popped out and asked if we needed a ride across the bridge. Turns out she owned a bike shop on the island and was heading to Annapolis at exactly the right time for us! She dropped us off at the other side, and we checked out Sandy Point State Park stuck our toes in the bay.



From there we went to stay with some of Emily's family friends in Severna Park, MD outside of Annapolis, (Thanks Roberta and Mike, you rock!) We've been on somewhat of a hiatus from our bikes, using public transportation to get into DC for the past few days. We've checked out the Mall, the Old Post Office bell tower, and the museums of the American Indian, the Holocaust Memorial, Natural History, and American Art. We biked the B & A rail trail from Severna Park to Annapolis for a day, and walked around the Naval Academy.



We're now staying with Emily's high school BFF, Caitlin (shoutout!) and will be seeing Emily's sister Adam tomorrow. Then it's back on the saddle for a while. Next stop, Charlottesville, VA!

Here are a few other photos of silly stuff here and there. Enjoy!

What state are we in?

Greetings from PA!

We're currently in Swarthmore, PA, at the Swarthmore College library. Since last writing in Woodstock, NY, we've been traveling between states a bunch. Being from a state that only borders one other (Maine), it's funny to be in the Tri-state area of NY, NJ, and PA! We're always wondering where we are...

We camped Sunday night at High Point State Park, in NJ, on Sawmill Lake, which was beautiful, after spending the day checking out the Shawangunk Mountains as well as Minnewaska State Park. Both very beautiful.



We set out the following morning from Port Jervis, NY into the morning fog, and spent the day cycling through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The fog disappeared and we got sun mid way through the day. We stopped at an interesting antique store across from a cemetery where Chief Thunder Cloud was buried, and a small towny museum about the Lenape Native Americans who lived in the area. We took ourselves on a 30 minute self guided tour with cassette player in hand to explain the displays. After seeing the Water Gap (which, for as unusual a geologic feature it is, wasn'nt that impressive to the eye) we camped in Worthington State Park in New Jersey. After crawling into our tent there we heard a cacophonous brawl amongst little critters that lasted for a solid few minutes. We heard grunting and terrified squealing that tugged at our heart strings. But even more than empathy we felt fear that we and all of our equipment would soon be reeking of skunk, since earlier in the night we noticed a couple of them hanging around our picnic table. Fortunately we woke up to both a spray and carnage free campsite!



Tuesday we made our way from DE Water Gap to Frenchtown, NJ, where we stayed with a friend's family at their home which they also deemed "the hobo hotel". (Thanks Molly and Betsy, Rick and Lana!) Again, we saw much of the same by the road - interesting mail boxes, gas stations, rolling farmland, horses, produce stands, and wildflowers galore. It's interesting to notice the composition of trees changing as we head south. There are so many acorns, walnuts, and butternuts by the road!

Wednesday we journeyed from Frenchtown, NJ to Paoli, PA. We took a Rail Trail for part of the day - the Perkiomen Trail.



At night we stayed with Steve and Kim McInally, who generously provided us with a bed, showers, and laundry! Thanks to you all and your generous hospitality!

The road is pretty entertaining, as are the people we've met along the way so far. Lots of people ask about our shirts, our bikes, or what we're doing. We've met many colorful characters. We saw a woman taking her parrot for a walk yesterday. Always, the locals are great for directions, but we tend to ask a few people to cross-check the accuracy. We've heard almost nothing but positive feedback - "How bout that!", "Way to go girls!, 'etc, etc. There are also great ironies as well. Perhaps the best so far was a woman driving a hummer alone with a license plate that said "Save the Animals."

The road rage has increased as we've gotten into more congested areas, often by no fault of our own. A man on a riding lawnmower today decided to take it to cross a busy road and even he gave us a nasty look for being a bike in his way. Another man honked and waved his finger wildly on route 29 in PA for just existing and liking to bike. And really, the kindness we come by outweighs the grumps we encounter.

We're really enjoying ourselves so far. Since we're putting out a lot more energy than we're used to, the most simple things like sleeping and eating feel so luxurious and good. Also, we're coming to realize that we gave ourselves a lot of time for the miles we have 'planned'. We want to take side trips to see some interesting things along the way. We're thinking Gettysburg, Annapolis, or Monticello, or all three! If anyone has any suggestions for must do's and see's that are vaguely along our route, let us know! Thanks!

Pretzels are good

We stopped at a sweet shop in NY, home of the Peppermint Pig which is apparently a holiday tradition...we were clueless. However, they had delish free samples and a giant pig in the parking lot that we just had to photograph!

Since we last wrote we've stayed in Cohoes, NY with Emily's family friend and camped in Greenville, NY. We passed through the town of Surprise (really!) as well as a cute little town called Catskill where we met friendly people with good advice. In addition to the Catskill Mountains, we've seen rolling farmland, lots of farm stands, loose change (that Emily struggles not to pick up) and more roadkill than you can shake a stick at!



Today we've kicked back in Woodstock, NY wearing tie-dye, flashing peace signs, and playing hacky sack....just kidding! We've met up with a friend (with a car!) and our bikes are currently spooning on the roof, locked up of course! Today was a bike-free day. We went for a short but beautiful hike up Overlook Mountain where we had awesome views from a fire tower. We camped here last night, and just decided to stay another. Tomorrow the plan is to check out Minnewaska State Park and the Gunk mountains, before making our way to a town en route to the Delware Water Gap.

Bicycle boot camp

Day 1 Burlington, VT to Addison, VT

A great first day! Despite a dreary beginning, the day redeemed itself. We had lots of sun and a pleasant temperature. After Emily's front pannier fell off, we reevaluated the pannier situation and tightened things up. Good to go! After several friendly people asked about our plans, we started feeling somewhat silly sharing that our destination was New Orleans. After we discovered a detour on route 17 west, we stopped into the general store nearby and met Suzanne, who tickled us with her childlike awe of our plans. She ran to the window to watch us ride away on our bikes. We camped overnight at DAR State Park, with a gorgeous view of lake and sunset. We had the run of the place.



Day 2 Addison, VT to Chestertown, NY

Beautiful! We enjoyed a big breakfast at the Bridge Diner before crossing state lines, and checked out the fort across the bridge after. Didn't get moving until around noon! Rolling hills for the most part, with the exception of Chilson Hill out Route 74 - a super steep, several mile long hill. GAH! We survived. Rode by Eagle, Paradox, and Schroon Lakes. A never ending-day, but full of wonderful, helpful folks. Arrived later than expected, just before dark to warm showers, lasagna, and great company.



Day 3 Chestertown, NY to Wilton, NY

Another day of great weather and temperature. Fewer miles than the day before. Passed by Lake George. We're enjoyed the evidence of Fall, and we're thinking perhaps an alternate name for this blog could be "In Pursuit of Autumn." Rolling hills until stopping for lunch in Glens Falls. Muscles are tender and well used! We need W-D 40 for our knees, but we're taking it slow so as not to overstep our physical boundaries. We're thinking of the first few weeks as our training, since we started without much! We dream of how fit we'll be! As a woman today at lunch said, "You're gonna have KILLER thighs." We can't believe how much food we're eating! Arrived early at Emily's aunt's house in Wilton, NY. Emily settled on a name for her new bike, since Purple Rain bit the dust; Belle. So now we have the dynamic duo of Belle and Babs.

September 12th

Wow...we're actually doing this! We spent the day getting everything up to snuff with our bikes and running last minute errands. We just came back from dinner out with both sets of parents. We got a dessert entitled "bicycle wheels." And tomorrow at 11 am, we'll be rolling away from Burlington towards Addison County!

To get in touch with us, email emily.eschner@gmail.com.

Our bikes all loaded up! We're carrying around 45 pounds each.

A Word on Shelter

Hey all!

We are taking a tent and camping gear, and we do plan to camp along our journey. We have also signed up for Warmshowers.com, a website for cyclists and cycling-friendly people offering or in need of exactly what the name implies...a warm shower! Emily just hosted a cyclist from Buffalo for two nights from this connection, so hopefully she built up a bit o' karma for her trip!

In addition to these two options, we're also hoping to stay with various contacts along the way that we know personally, or that friends and family have connected us with either before or along our trip. Our tentative route (bare bones with major check-in points) follows. If you know of anyone along the way that may be willing to offer us a yard to camp in, a warm shower, a place to store our gear, some sightseeing, or anything else, please do let us know! We are flexible in terms of where we go in between; the following is a list of dots that we want to connect. Thanks!

Start: Burlington, VT September 13
Saratoga Springs, NY
Albany, NY
Southeastern PA
Baltimore & DC area
Shenendoah National Park region (start of Blue Ridge Highway)
Southwestern North Carolina (end of Blue Ridge)
Johnson City, NC
Asheville, NC
Congaree National Park, SC
Charleston, SC
Savannah, GA
Jacksonville, FL
Finish: New Orleans, LA December 16 return home!