I cycled from Savannah to Brunswick yesterday. A mile shy of yet another century ride. The weather was great if not a little too hot. It has been a long time since my water has heated up during a ride. I cycled through town to Jekyll island. On the north side of the island is a campground, so I headed there. I decided to check in for three nights and tour the island and rest. This used to be a private club for the rich people of the past, like the Rockefeller's.
Today I decided to tour the historic district and the " cottages" of the club era. I also decided to take a three hour guided kayak tour along Jekyll river. It was quite fun and we saw sharks, dolphins, and all kinds of birds. The tide changes six vertical feet from low to high. It was low when we left and rose about four feet during our tour. The tide was not right for a sunset horseback ride, so I skipped that. Instead I had a seafood buffet and then relaxed at the campsite, which is about five or six miles from the island entrance.
This island is a very peaceful place and last night was wonderful with the cover off my tent. I also slept on top of my bag it was so warm. It was great restful looking up and seeing clear sky and the tops of trees swaying in the slight breeze.
I am meeting my mom in Miami next Sunday, so I have some time to kill over the next week. This was one place and now I have to figure out at least one other. Hopefully I can find a not too expensive place to do it in.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Georgia on my mind
I made it to just outside Savannah today. Last night I did my first hidden camp. It rained most of the day and there were no campgrounds, motels, or churches with people around so I went a couple miles south of town and found a grove of trees between the road and train track and found a location hidden from view then set up. I made sure the majority of reflective materials were hidden then turned in for the night. It was very restful sleeping on unspoiled ground.
Something happenned in the weather and it didn't drop below 60 overnight. I was in a sauna and today it nearly reached 90. That is a 20 degree difference overnight.
Today was a very relaxing ride except for all the trucks on a shoulderless highway. Most of the traffic was good but a few had some close calls. I rode through the town of Rincon, GA on my way to Savannah. This is the home town of country musician Billy Currington. Georgia so far is a fairly bike friendly state, though it's had its problems.
Today I saw a sign that read, "proffessional auto detial. Yes we open six day week." That's word for word with the misspelling. I also think south Carolina is the trailer home capital. I would say 9/10 to 19/20 houses are single wide and a few double wide.
The other big thing is today is 1/6 my journey down. I just passed through state 8 and passed 2,500 miles! YAY!
Something happenned in the weather and it didn't drop below 60 overnight. I was in a sauna and today it nearly reached 90. That is a 20 degree difference overnight.
Today was a very relaxing ride except for all the trucks on a shoulderless highway. Most of the traffic was good but a few had some close calls. I rode through the town of Rincon, GA on my way to Savannah. This is the home town of country musician Billy Currington. Georgia so far is a fairly bike friendly state, though it's had its problems.
Today I saw a sign that read, "proffessional auto detial. Yes we open six day week." That's word for word with the misspelling. I also think south Carolina is the trailer home capital. I would say 9/10 to 19/20 houses are single wide and a few double wide.
The other big thing is today is 1/6 my journey down. I just passed through state 8 and passed 2,500 miles! YAY!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Good old rocky top
I made it out of Nashville. I camped a couple more nights in church yards. At Sparta I had a couple trucks pass me and swing into me and one of those succeeded in pushing me off the road. I was able to stay upright and get back on. I then had three cars try and push me off. One pickup followed me for a couple miles on my tail until he got bored and then drove off. I was ready to talk with the police and find a safe place but saw a church across the road and they let me camp.
The next day I came to a town and asked an officer if there was a place to camp and he told me how to get to a place illegally and camp illegally and then I asked about a church and he told me of a way to get to one. The pastor was a little hesitant on me camping being in a small town, but he offered me his home and then decided a motel was closer so the church paid for that and also had a Wednesday night dinner they invited me to. I then learned my uncle stopped right across the road from me on a truck ride he was on.
I made it to north Carolina the next day and decided to stay two nights because the next day was 90% chance of rain. That day ended up being beautiful and I did some hiking and relaxing. Burt and judy also pulled in next to me and we met each other and then burt and I stayed up till about 11 talking about trips we'd taken, cars, music, and other things. It was a very enjoyable time.
I plan on uploading pictures in a couple weeks in Florida when my mom is planning on visiting.
The next day I came to a town and asked an officer if there was a place to camp and he told me how to get to a place illegally and camp illegally and then I asked about a church and he told me of a way to get to one. The pastor was a little hesitant on me camping being in a small town, but he offered me his home and then decided a motel was closer so the church paid for that and also had a Wednesday night dinner they invited me to. I then learned my uncle stopped right across the road from me on a truck ride he was on.
I made it to north Carolina the next day and decided to stay two nights because the next day was 90% chance of rain. That day ended up being beautiful and I did some hiking and relaxing. Burt and judy also pulled in next to me and we met each other and then burt and I stayed up till about 11 talking about trips we'd taken, cars, music, and other things. It was a very enjoyable time.
I plan on uploading pictures in a couple weeks in Florida when my mom is planning on visiting.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Nashville and tennesseek shelter
I made it to Nashville on Friday and got a new rear tire since my new one was already shredded through in three spots. When I made it to town I called on hotel rooms and one place said they had some available so I rode over there and they told me they were full. They weren't very helpful so I went to one nearby and they were full but more helpful. I was directed a little further out of downtown to a strip of hotels and found one. It turns out Vanderbilts homecoming is this weekend.
As I pedalled through town a few people rolled down their windows at lights and talked to me and welcomed me to Nashville. It was very encouraging. I decided to stay by my motel for the night and then went to town today. I picked up a new raincoat for my bike that is designed in the pacific northwest, so it should be good.
The day I left Memphis it was raining and slowly began to pour. I found out my rain jacket is now more water resistant than proof. It turned out to be a cold and wet day, but I stayed in a state park and had the tent site all to myself. I warmed up in the shower and hung my clothes up all over the room to dry.
The next day I was hoping to get just under halfway to Nashville and did a little better. I was trying withot luck to find a place to camp along the road and then in the next town I came to I stopped by a church and ended up talking to the pastor. He said I could camp in the yard, but then he asked if I would rather have a room. I said either way thinking he was talking a Sunday school room or spare bedroom. Instead he took me inside the church, called a motel, and had it charged to the church. Then he opened up the pantry and tried to give me a bunch of canned goods. I took two and he tried to get me to take more but I had no room.
So it was a rough start in Tennessee, but much better as I go through.
As I pedalled through town a few people rolled down their windows at lights and talked to me and welcomed me to Nashville. It was very encouraging. I decided to stay by my motel for the night and then went to town today. I picked up a new raincoat for my bike that is designed in the pacific northwest, so it should be good.
The day I left Memphis it was raining and slowly began to pour. I found out my rain jacket is now more water resistant than proof. It turned out to be a cold and wet day, but I stayed in a state park and had the tent site all to myself. I warmed up in the shower and hung my clothes up all over the room to dry.
The next day I was hoping to get just under halfway to Nashville and did a little better. I was trying withot luck to find a place to camp along the road and then in the next town I came to I stopped by a church and ended up talking to the pastor. He said I could camp in the yard, but then he asked if I would rather have a room. I said either way thinking he was talking a Sunday school room or spare bedroom. Instead he took me inside the church, called a motel, and had it charged to the church. Then he opened up the pantry and tried to give me a bunch of canned goods. I took two and he tried to get me to take more but I had no room.
So it was a rough start in Tennessee, but much better as I go through.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Memphis
I am now in Memphis and headed to Nashville for the weekend. I made it through most of Arkansas in two days with no problems other than the cold that was in the forty's. I stopped for hot chocolate on the second day and stayed for a half hour until I stopped shaking. I was then hoping to find a camping spot but everything was farmland and flooded. The one place I was hoping for turned out to be a state park without camping. A family reunion was going on and they were very welcoming to me. They informed me of a campground down the road about 15 miles away, so I took off to get there before dark.
Getting into Tennessee was horrible. No one really knew how to get to the walking bridge, so I ended up heading out on the interstate and then found the bridge and walked it. On the other side there was no way to go across town except by a jaunt on the interstate, which was illegal. I went that way for a bit and came to some backroads and headed to the visitors center. From there I headed to a bike shop and hotel. On my very welcoming memphis ride I picked up two tire shredding flats and had to tape my tire. My rear rack also sheared off a set screw sometime and I needed it drilled out and replaced. The bike store I found was very helpful and got my bike done by staying a little late. I now don't have to stay a second night in Memphis. I only dislike this town for cycling. I have visited here before and enjoyed it, but it is not biker friendly.
It looks like I will finally have to ride in the rain on my way to Nashville. I should've today but it cleared right as I left and the sun was out most of the time. I just hope the flooding in Georgia goes down before I get there.
Getting into Tennessee was horrible. No one really knew how to get to the walking bridge, so I ended up heading out on the interstate and then found the bridge and walked it. On the other side there was no way to go across town except by a jaunt on the interstate, which was illegal. I went that way for a bit and came to some backroads and headed to the visitors center. From there I headed to a bike shop and hotel. On my very welcoming memphis ride I picked up two tire shredding flats and had to tape my tire. My rear rack also sheared off a set screw sometime and I needed it drilled out and replaced. The bike store I found was very helpful and got my bike done by staying a little late. I now don't have to stay a second night in Memphis. I only dislike this town for cycling. I have visited here before and enjoyed it, but it is not biker friendly.
It looks like I will finally have to ride in the rain on my way to Nashville. I should've today but it cleared right as I left and the sun was out most of the time. I just hope the flooding in Georgia goes down before I get there.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Back to Life on the Road
I am currently packing up all my gear and getting ready to set back out on my trip. I am leaving Nebraska this afternoon to head back down to Arkansas and pick up where I left off. The doctor said I have a mild hernia, but doesn't think that is my main problem and says it's not big enough to operate on. He believes I hurt a muscle in my stomach that sometimes happens to extreme athletes. He says if I can grin and bear it to keep going, otherwise my next step is to see a sports specialist. I tried riding some yesterday and it hurt, but not unbearably.
I would like to make Florida in early November and that should still be feasible. I am still debating on how far to ride in Florida, but I have a few weeks yet to decide.
I had my bike worked on while I was home and had my rim strips switched out to try and stop the flats. I put less than 30 miles on it and got another flat, but it was the shops fault so they put in a new tube and fixed the problem. I then talked with them a bit about what was happening and one of their guys was a tourer who has done some long tours. He said he averaged a flat about every 200 miles once the tires were worn in. That is still less than half the flats I have been having, but it let me know I can expect a flat every three days on average. But I have been having 1-2 per day. I am looking forward to getting started, but a little anxious as this next stretch I know very few people. I may look into warmshowers.com and see if there are any on my route that will be available. Warmshowers is a website for cyclists much like couchsurfing.com.
Well...time to continue packing.
I would like to make Florida in early November and that should still be feasible. I am still debating on how far to ride in Florida, but I have a few weeks yet to decide.
I had my bike worked on while I was home and had my rim strips switched out to try and stop the flats. I put less than 30 miles on it and got another flat, but it was the shops fault so they put in a new tube and fixed the problem. I then talked with them a bit about what was happening and one of their guys was a tourer who has done some long tours. He said he averaged a flat about every 200 miles once the tires were worn in. That is still less than half the flats I have been having, but it let me know I can expect a flat every three days on average. But I have been having 1-2 per day. I am looking forward to getting started, but a little anxious as this next stretch I know very few people. I may look into warmshowers.com and see if there are any on my route that will be available. Warmshowers is a website for cyclists much like couchsurfing.com.
Well...time to continue packing.
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