Monday, January 01, 2024

Last 5 rides of the Moto-Myrtle USA Trike Tour

 



Garmin Stats and Maps




Getting packed at Love Ridge campground

Last bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway


There were several reasons I was excited to be on the Trans America Bike Route. I had actually been looking forward to being on this route from the time I decided to do the Moto-Myrtle USA trike tour. Doing the Trans Am was a big bucket list item for me. Since this would be the turnaround point, getting on this route meant I would be heading west, heading home. The Trans America is probably the oldest and most popular cycling route across the US. I expected to see many more cyclists than I had seen up to this point, especially since I was getting to the trail at the start of the summer riding season. Using the Adventure Cycling maps meant that anything I needed would be available and listed in an easy-to-find format. Since this route is so well-used, I expected the Trans Am to be safe offering plenty of room for cars and bikes/trikes to pass without worry.

After 6 rides on the Trans Am, my 2 biggest worries were the narrow, unsafe roads and the smoky air from the fires burning in Alberta, Canada. It is hard to imagine how so much smoke could travel so far. The smoke has gotten thicker the last few days even after windy days. I was hoping the wind would blow the air clear. Instead, I think more smoke was blown in. I can feel the smoke in my throat and my eyes are burning. At the end of every ride, I feel like I've been crying all day from my eyes tearing up. The scenery is stunningly beautiful in Virginia but the roads are very narrow with no shoulder - at all. The roads twist and turn up and down with lots of climbing. Many of the turns are on blind corners that drivers don't slow down for. The stress of being extra vigilant watching the traffic is very tiring. I've done a lot of touring and have never been on an actual bike route that feels so dangerous. The roads were probably much quieter when the Trans Am was designed in 1976. What were quiet country roads in 1976 have become too busy for biking. I have read many journals for this route and this is an aspect that no one really talks about.  Perhaps, like me, everyone is trusting the Adventure Cycling Association to offer the safest routes. Every day, I keep thinking the roads I've been on are anomalies and today will be safer, and then, every day, I am seeing the route only become busier with auto traffic. I am losing my sense of humor and running out of excuses for continuing this ride.


Lovely scenery

Bucolic setting

The ride from the Love Ridge campground continued to follow the Blue Ridge Parkway. Coming off the Parkway is one of the steepest hills on the Trans Am Bike Route. Everyone remembers riding the Vesuvius hill. Going east to west, this is a crazy scary descent of 4,000 ft with lots of hairpin turns. I could smell the brakes of passing cars which gave me the idea to pull over to let my brake disc rotors cool. This is something that takes some thought. You need to pull over in a flat area. The brake rotors are so hot they need to cool without the brake pads engaged. The rotors will bend if the brakes are engaged. I actually pulled over twice on this descent. 

Once at the bottom, in the town of Vesuvius, a man stopped me to tell a story about a guy driving a Ford Explorer who let his brakes overheat. The car caught fire igniting the hillside. The fire burned so hot that his car melted. Impressive!

From here I traveled roads along a creek into the town of Lexington. I found a hotel where I checked in for 3 nights to wait out a big rainstorm passing through. Hopefully, the rains will help improve the air quality.


Day 62 Ride Video

Myrtle resting at a hotel

On the 4th day, the weather forecast wasn't great but there also wasn't supposed to be any more rain. Leaving Lexington, I made a terrible mistake misreading the map. I turned the wrong way on a busy one-way road. Luckily, the car coming towards me saw what was happening and stopped. I ended up flipping the trike just as I came onto the car. My feet came out of my shoes and all the contents of my side seat mount bag were strewn all over the road. Remarkably, the only damage to the trike was a broken flag pole. When I flipped the trike, the left handlebars went into my ribs which was quite painful. My left ribs were bruised but not broken. Many of the car drivers stopped to help me. The police were called and they couldn't have been nicer. Their only concern was for my safety and well-being. They helped me get the trike and trailer onto the sidewalk. One officer also figured out how to attach the broken flag pole back on the rear rack with duct tape and a couple of zip ties. There was no damage to the trike or trailer and I was able to ride on.


Very nice officers

Scuffed Rohloff gear shifter

Frayed flag pole

The ride to Troutville was very hilly and I could feel my ribs as I huffed and puffed up every climb. A few miles before getting to the community park, the rains started. Troutville is a town that is on the Trans Am and the Appalachian Trail. They allow camping to both groups. I was the only person camping tonight. Just as I got under a park shelter, a big powerful cell really let loose. Oh my goodness, did it pour and pour and pour. I was grateful to be under a shelter for the night. There was water, electricity and a shower trailer. This was something new for me. The shower trailer had anything anyone could need. Soap, razors, shampoo, foot care bandages, toothbrushes, towels, and a really hot water shower. They even had a box of free clothes. This was very generous and unusual.


Day 63 Ride Video

There were also train tracks 50 ft from the shelter. Luckily, the last train went by at 8 pm and I had a quiet night's sleep. In the morning, I was relieved that my ribs weren't more sore than they were yesterday. I could tell this event was having an effect on me psychologically and I tried to laugh it off. I just couldn't believe I had made such a careless error and this had me second-guessing my judgment.


Great sense of humor

welcoming sign


The ride to Christiansburg had a good deal of climbing which tested my rib soreness. Even though there had been lots of rain the day before, the air quality was still poor with smoky haze. Coughing with sore ribs is no fun. Using my ACA maps, I followed the route to a recommended motel. This motel was scary-looking. It was old and run down with sketchy people sitting outside their rooms. The doors to the rooms were not wide enough to get my trike through. I asked a man if he could help me and he couldn't. Maybe he was too high. The thing about getting help carrying the trike into a hotel room is I would also need help in the morning getting it back out. This place didn't feel safe and I pushed on riding back into downtown Christiansburg. This added another 6 miles to my ride for the day but I found a normal Econolodge hotel where I checked in for 2 nights.


20 Anniversary sign for bike route 76

Abandoned auto repair

Day 64 Ride Video

I really could have stayed another night. I didn't feel super rested even though I didn't do anything for 2 days. Sometimes, I try to stay too positive and push myself when I really should have stayed put to rest more. It's hard not to ride when the weather is good. I had a few miles to get out of Christiansburg and back on the Trans Am bike route. Again today, there were lots of hills. The scenery was beautiful and even though I was enjoying the ride, I could also feel that I was still spooked by my close call when I flipped the trike. My ribs were still quite sore but there wasn't anything I could do about it. I got lost a couple of times when I couldn't get Google Maps to agree with the ACA digital map I had on my phone. After all these years of touring, I still have a terrible sense of direction. Today I ended up climbing two very steep mountain roads expecting to find a shortcut. There wasn't one. Just a lot of extra riding - oh my! I found my way to Max Meadows to camp at a private RV park. The tent sites were $15 and separate from the RV campers along a beautiful creek. The sites didn't have water or electricity but there was a covered gazebo that had outlets. I decided to set up my tent there to make charging my batteries and gadgets more convenient.  At one point, I needed to find the bathroom. I was walking around and around and couldn't find it. I knew I was in trouble emotionally when I started to cry about it. This was a clear sign that I was exhausted. 


Day 65 - Ride Video

I have toured all over the world and done a lot of tent camping. All my gear is excellent and as comfortable as it can be. Somehow, I have never been comfortable tent camping no matter what I do. The tent is so thin and I always feel vulnerable. I rarely sleep well even though I was probably in my sleeping bag by 7 pm in the evening. I always think that I'll get used to tent camping and I never have. Maybe if I had other people to tour with I would feel safer. I'm always staying at campgrounds but, still, I don't feel safe.


Hay drying in the field

Scenic country road

There was a huge 14% grade hill to get back on the road leaving the Pioneer Family campground. The route was beautiful but the road was busier than I was hoping and I didn't feel safe. This made me quite emotional. It's been a lonely ride on the Trans Am where the road has become a monster. I felt like something terrible could happen at any moment. I had completely lost my sense of humor. The sore ribs, sore throat and burning eyes from smoke-filled skies also wasn't helping how I felt. At about the halfway point for the day, I was feeling like giving up on the ride but decided to continue. Maybe something would happen to change how I was feeling. 


Fur trappin

Cows going home


All through my ride across the country I have had friends keep in close contact. My friend Joni at the church near Palm Springs has been a constant companion as well as Ron and Cindra in Dayton, Ohio. Ron and Cindra had been very concerned about me over the last week. They were not happy about how narrow the roads are and, every day, they called to ask if I needed them to come pick me up. If they hadn't been so insistent, I probably would have blown off their offer but, instead, today I called them to say 'yes', I needed them to come pick me up.  The narrowness of the roads had taken its toll on me and it was time to be honest about the situation. I could hardly believe it when they said they would come the next day, from Dayton, Ohio. I was very near the Appalachian trail town of Rural Retreat and found a hiker's motel. This motel was next to a highway which would make finding me easier for Ron and Cindra.


Rural Retreat, end of the tour

Appalachian trail blaze

Ron and Cindra arrive with a trailer

Being rescued is fun!

Day 66 - End of the Tour Video

I called my friend Joni to explain the situation and, incredibly, she said, no problem, I'll come get you. She started driving my truck from Palm Springs the next day. Ron and Cindra found me in Rural Retreat, VA arriving before noon the next day. Once we knew when Joni could make it to Illinois, Ron and Cindra decided to drive me, Myrtle, and the trailer to meet her from Dayton, Ohio. This was a huge help and would save Joni 2 days of driving. I couldn't believe how fast everything happened. When I thought about stopping my ride, I expected to rent a truck to get back to Southern California. Being rescued is a lot more fun.

With Joni, on Route 66

Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma

Even though I didn't finish the 7,000-mile tour I had planned I felt good having done the riding I did. This has been an amazing experience. Touring by trike is a wonderful way to travel. Much of the tour was in really terrible weather conditions and I think the ride will always be affectionately known as the 'Sufferfest Tour'.

The thing that has made the tour worth all the suffering was the wonderful people I met along the way. The triking community has been fantastic. Trikers all over the country have been warm, inviting, and generous. So many trikers opened their home to me. I loved meeting everyone. Andy O'Neil, a triker in Missouri, design a website for me with a map to show my YouTube videos, contact form, miles and climbing accomplished. He also put together a donation page where many of you donated to the tour. With the terrible weather, these donations made the tour affordable. The most common donation was $100 which was, for me, a huge amount of money. I want to thank everyone who offered support, encouragement, information, hosted me, rode with me as well as all those who followed along. I will always remember your kindness.

I ended up doing just over 3,000 miles with 100,000 ft of climbing. 

Until the next tour, keep on trikin!








 


Sunday, December 31, 2023

Fredericksburg to Love, VA

 



Garmin Stats and Maps



Getting on the TransAm

Myrtle says 'C'mon, let's go!'


I continued on the Atlantic Bike Route 1 south for about 30 miles. The roads were very nice and smooth with little traffic. Yesterday, I had a section with a lot of traffic and there really wasn't enough room on the road so this was a big improvement. There was also no wind and temperatures got up to the high 70's. I had lots of climbing today. Many of the hills were 8-10% grades. The riding was constantly up or down. 

Weathered barn

Historic markers

Today was a big day for me on this tour. I got on the Trans America Bike Route 76.  This would be the turnaround point and from now on I would be heading west. Heading home. Today may have been one my biggest mileage days as well. I did 68 miles with about 3,000 ft of climbing. 

Day 57 Ride Video

The TransAm is the most popular cross-country bike route. It is also the oldest bonafide route. The TransAm was designed by the Adventure Cycling Association for the bicentennial in 1976. A few hundred riders made the inaugural ride. There were a few groups. Some rode west to east and others east to west. The route is designed to ride west to east to take advantage of the prevailing winds.

Pavillion at Mineral Firehouse

Tent setup without fly

Mineral Firehouse

Because the route is so well established there are lots of services. Many parks, community centers and churches are open to cyclists. Tonight I was staying at a firehouse in Mineral that has a big field with a covered pavilion for cycists to use. There is no fee to stay at these places. When I arrived, another cyclist was there with his tent already set up in the grass. This tourer was from Switzerland and had started in Yorktown to do the TransAm east to west. This was the 1st touring cyclist I had seen in a long time. Seeing more cyclists was something I had looked forward to when getting on the TransAm.

There are huge fires in Alberta Canada that have been burning for many weeks already. The smoke from these fires is noticeable in the air. The skies are hazy and I can feel irritants in my throat and eyes. Not good.

Bridge is out!

I have both the digital and paper maps for the Trans Am bike route. The paper maps are from 2019 but I expected the digital maps to be updated more frequently, especially with road closures. Today, I came across a bridge being replaced and had to find a detour. This was in an area with big lamb farms and I knocked at a farmer's door to get information. The farmer cheerfully gave me clear directions and I was on my way. This detour probably added 6 miles to my planned route. Luckily, I had an easy day. The roads today were very smooth and quiet. The ride was a joy.

Day 58 Ride Video

I had a funny thing happen when I came to a place called Kent's Store. It's the actual name of the town and I thought I going to see a market. The only thing in Kent's Store is a post office. Very funny!


Palmyra Methodist Church


I made my way to the Palmyra Methodist church. No one was there when I arrived. There was a phone number for the pastor who explained where the key is to let myself in. The church has a kitchen, bathroom and separate room for cyclists. I put my sleeping pad and bag on the floor and made myself comfortable. No one else showed up.

Sleeping pad set up on the floor

Myrtle and trailer settled in the front room

The next day's ride was very historic. I went passed James Monroe's Highland House as well as Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The area was very upscale with lots of manicured lawns and horse farms. Unfortunately, I couldn't go into either house because it isn't safe to leave my stuff unattended. These tourist attractions are well known for professional thieves. People see the beautiful estates and are lulled into a false sense of security letting their guard down. Hopefully, I can return with my truck and rv trailer to visit these wonderful historic homes.

Which way?

Hotel room in Charlottesville

The traffic really picked up coming into the university town of Charlottesville. There were no campgrounds and I made my way to a hotel.

Day 59 Ride Video

The scenery so far in Virginia has been very beautiful. The roads are in good shape but there are no shoulders. I am constantly checking my rearview mirror to see if traffic is coming up behind me. I've only had a few people express annoyance at my being on the road but many drivers pass on blind corners which makes me very nervous. Occasionally on these blind corners, cars coming toward me are just about run off the road. Many times it seemed impossible that the cars didn't crash but, somehow, they never did. I really wish people would drive more safely. I'm very surprised that the bike route is on such narrow roads that feel unsafe.

The next day was overcast with lots of smoke haze from the Canadian fires burning. The winds are stronger today and I was hoping it might blow the smoke out. There also lots of 10-14% grade hills. Up and down all day long on very narrow country roads. 

Cookie Lady's House

aka Afton Bike House

I made my way to Afton and the Cookie Lady's house. June Currie was one of the 1st people to take care of cyclists on the Trans Am bike route back in 1976. She started out offering a hose for water and freshly baked cookies. After a few years, she actually opened her home for cyclists to stay. She died many years ago but her daughter has kept the house open. I called to make sure I could stay and Nicole said there are 7 couches and to just pick one to sleep on. The Cookie Lady's house is on a very steep road that leads to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a lot of huffing and puffing, I was happy to stop for the night. 

So much stuff

Floor, ceiling and walls

Even bikes on display

Again, I was the only cyclist at this stop. The house is chocked full of memorabilia. There must be hundreds of postcards cyclists have sent to the house after finishing their ride. There are tire tubes, bike parts, stickers, and flags from all over the world as well as sweaty and stinky socks, shorts, bandanas, and shirts. Once I had a look at all the 'stuff', I started to see that the house wasn't just dirty, it was filthy. It hadn't been cleaned in probably years. The couches were more than well-used. I found a broom and dustpan to sweep out the front room of spider webs and dirt balls. I also spent some time cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. I cleaned enough to put down my sleeping pad. There was no way I was going to sleep on any of the disgustingly dirty couches.

Day 60 Ride Video

The Cookie Lady's House is probably the most famous stop on the Trans America Bike Route. I was sad to see it in such poor condition. I wish Adventure Cycling could buy the house and turn it into a biking history museum. 

Getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Myrtle is ready for climbing


The next day, I continued climbing up the steep hill. Within a few miles, I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is also a well-known biking road. There is no commercial traffic allowed. Today was the Friday before Memorial Day and I wanted to be at my destination before the road was crowded with RVs pulling trailers. 

Day 61 Ride Video

The ride was gorgeous with lots of climbing. The road goes along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains with views looking down on the lush Shenandoah Valley. The road was beautiful but there was also lots of smoke haze obscuring the views. 

Tonight, I was camping at a brand new campground in Love, VA. I was probably the 1st camper on my site. The Love Ridge campground asked $60 to set up a tent in a site with no electricity or water. They did have a very nice bath and kitchen house. Everything was brand new and sparklingly clean. Unfortunately, even though the site was smooth surrounded by beautiful woods, it wasn't level which I find very annoying.












 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Vienna, VA to the TransAm Bike Route

 


Garmin Stats and Maps




Bikes@Vienna

With Tim and Beth



I left Vienna after 5 nights saying goodbye to the mechanics at Bikes@Vienna and Tom's house. The route followed many of the cycling paths I had taken a few days earlier on the trike tour to Washington DC. I followed the Mt Vernon trail along the Potomac River on a very nice day. Maybe 5 miles from the town of Mt. Vernon, I met an older man cycling on the trail. He was very friendly and we struck up a nice conversation. After a couple of miles, he asked if I would like to stay at his house in Mt Vernon. Walt is 80 years old and doesn't carry a mobile phone. He didn't have a way to let his wife know of his invitation and he had never done this before. Janet was outside the house when we arrived and it took a bit before she understood what he was asking. Once she understood, she immediately invited me in and we hit it off right away. She, certainly, didn't expect to be hosting a stranger overnight and was a great sport about it. Their home is very comfortable in a beautiful old neighborhood and they offered me my own room and bathroom. Myrtle and the trailer were locked up securely in the garage. They made me a delicious dinner and we yakked the night away. This was a very special encounter and I will always remember Walt and Janet's generosity and kindness.

Day 54 Ride Video


Elevated bike path over marshland

Beautiful scenery

Walt describing where we are



In the morning, after a hearty breakfast, Walt escorted me to the Atlantic Bike Route that I would take south to meet up with the Trans America Route.  We rode right passed George Washington's Mt Vernon home. There is so much history in this area. It was wonderful to ride with someone who knows where they are going. I couldn't believe my luck to run into Walt - what a nice guy! Most of the day's ride was on cycling paths or in bike lanes. This was terrific. I did almost 60 miles with 3,000 ft of climbing to an RV park in Stafford that allows tent camping. It was a few miles off the route.


After breakfast with Walt and Janet

Trail signage

Atlantic Bike Route


I was given a site that didn't have electricity or water. There was a big thunderstorm forecast overnight. I spotted a large covered pavilion and asked the owners if I could set up under it. No problem. The site I was in didn't have any level areas and everything would be wet in the morning. Being set up under the pavilion was going to be much more comfortable and there was also electricity so I could charge up my gadgets and e-assist batteries conveniently.


RV park camping before I moved under the pavillion


Day 55 Ride Video

Overnight, the storm was quite loud and violent but I was warm and dry. The skies were blue in the morning but the roads were still wet. I'm using Adventure Cycling Maps and they only give the narrow route information. Getting off the route, like I was, meant trying to figure out where I could get back on. There was a market listed on the map and I made that my 1st destination.  Once I was back on the route, it was well-marked and I had no problem finding my way. 


Squirrel in the campground

Camp setup

KOA camping

My seat covered

Day 56 Ride Video

I continued on through Fredricksburg which is a big town. There was lots of traffic. A few miles beyond is a KOA that has tent camping. The prices for setting up a tent were high. I have a KOA card that I use for RVing and I had racked up enough points to bring the price down to $5 from $60. Much better. The site was in a level grassy area and also had electricity and nice showers were available. I had ended the day fairly early. Sometimes to go further means doing a bigger mile day than I am comfortable with. Sometimes it's ok to do less than 30 miles.