I can't hear you over the sound of the grain elevator

Day 28 of this trip and we are in Kansas! The terrain has been vastly different from anything else. Flat in every direction. All you can see is proud stalks of corn and golden fields of grain and marigold-decorated prarie for miles. I swear green and gold are the only two colors that exist in Kansas. And the blue blue sky. The flat land makes it easy to bike forever though, provided its not too hot (read less than 100 degrees) and not too much headwind. In the past 2 days, we've done almost 200 miles. And still into our destination by early afternoon. Kansas is super windy, with crazy wind coming all over the place and blowing your bike every which way. I'm always convinced its coming straight at us, no matter what direction we are riding in.

We have been waking up between 4 and 5am every day, and getting on the road before the sun is up. It's difficult to get up when it's so dark, but that first hour watching the sun rise over the sleeping state and be the only one to witness the brilliant display makes everything so worth it. And the clouds are always so different. Sometimes they are soft and feathery, sometimes thick enough to swallow the sun, and sometimes the day is perfectly clear with not a cloud for miles. Often times I think it cant be real; I'm probably on the set of the Truman Show! I feel so lucky to be able to enjoy that view every day.

Biking and living all the time so close to nature makes every experience so much more intense. It can be super scary or difficult or unpleasant many times, but it reminds me that the very things that protect us from all the unpleasant parts also dulls our experience of the beautiful ones. It make me appreciate both the splendor and fury that the environment exercises on a daily basis.

This trip has also made me appreciate city pools and water parks. We have been dunking underwater as often as we can, and its amazing! Even if we are incredibly out of place on the slide behind a bunch of 8 year olds, we love it. Especially when showers are rare and heat is intense.

We have been treated so incredibly well on this trip, and it just keeps getting better. A few days ago, we were hooked up with free pizza, a free home-cooked dinner at a church, an interview with the paper, a hotel at half rate, a hotel continental breakfast, and all of our snacks at a convenience store payed for by a kind local firefighter. All in one 24 hour period. It's amazing how many people open their hearts to us. And people are genuinely interested in us. I feel like I am really getting to know small-town America, and its restoring my trust in the country.

We are flying through Kansas, and expect to be in Colorado by the 4th of July. We plan to bring fireworks to celebrate. I cant wait!
 

Becca

Livin' on a Prairie

Sometime in the last 24 hours we crossed the threshold into open grassland. Kansas is not entirely flat and there is always a good wind blowing from somewhere, but we are making good time and yesterday was our first century ride. The blistering heat isn't quite what it was last week and we were able to get a nice cool night's sleep last night. Today we go 88 miles to Nickerson, KS and we may go into the larger town of Hutchinson to set up the info booth and spread the good word about our trip. This morning we awoke to the sizzle of bacon and sausage at 4:45 am and it catapulted the group 38 miles to our current location in Newton. We are no longer staying together as a group for the rides and people are making their own schedule based on what works for them in terms of food, water, rest, and pace- seems to be working well. Kansas is one of the nicest places on Earth, and we appreciate every wave, smile, and well wish we get. Also thanks to the great people in Pittsburg/Frontenac and Chanute for organizing meals and events for us in their town- these are the highlights of the trip and the things we remember most when its all said and done. We even helped facilitate the organization of an MS support group in Chanute, so good luck to them! Also be sure to check out the video of the epic battle between the "Demyelinator" and the "MS Avenger" that we set up for Chase, a 10 year old fan of WWE Wrestling and a very young MS patient. Back out to the prairie for now- thanks Newton KS for the R&R.

Fantastical adventures of the fabulous twelve

Last night was great! We stayed the night at the First Baptist Church of Marshfield, and were treated like royalty. They cooked us awesome mac and cheese and fantastic brownies and all the sweet tea Dustin could ever ask for (check out his blog at dustinabond.blogspot.com ).  I think I had 3 loaded plates of food, and it was awesome.  Just as we got to the church, the sky exploded in storms and rain and torrential winds (its amazing how much less scary storms are when you have a roof to separate you from the elements), and so we finagled our way into staying the night in the shelter.  Free laundry, free food, free shelter- what more could you ask for?  Everyone was out before 10pm.

We met a woman at the church who was just diagnosed with MS, and it was really moving to see how much our support meant to her.  It's so cool to see that our efforts really make a difference to people.  I think the whole group feeds off of that kind of message.

Dustin is on day two of his handlebar mustache escapade. No further comment.

Today we got up early and pumped it out to Ashgrove.  One of our shortest days yet; we only did 48 miles.  A few members of the group did long detours.  At least it wasnt too hot.  The rain last night helped to break the heat a bit.  And we rolled into town super early.  Ate breakfast at an awesome place (pretty much the only one in town) and had fantastic french toast and pancakes.  Spent some time in the library (especially Bret; its his new favorite nap spot) and at the pool (free for bikers!) and in the nearby convenience store slurping down milkshakes and enjoying the AC.  Tomorrow we hit Kansas! Everyone is pretty excited to enter a new state. So far we have done over 1500 miles. Thats quite a chunk.

Becca

MIssouri or Missoura?

It is said by some here in Missouri that it is often pronounced MissourA as not to liken it with misery. With the exception of the jerk manager at the pool today who accused us of breaking the pump for the water slide when we didn't- we find Missouri to be anything but miserable. The people have been friendly and hospitable and we've had more than a few meals on their good graces. Last night in Marshfield one of the the nicest men on the planet, one James Rupe, arranged for us to have a delicious feed and A/C accomodation at the First Baptist Church. It was great, and we got to dunk a basketball on an 8 foot rim to boost the ego a bit. The Ozarks are neat with lots of interesting terrain and good swimming holes in the streams, and armadillos. We have continued to leave pre-6am to avoid the midday heat and have enjoyed watching the sunrise over the countryside in our rear-view helmet mirrors. Tomorrow we cross into Kansas and the temps there are expected to be over 100 degrees for the next few days. Fortunately some people in Kansas must have read our Tweets and accepted our unofficial "state to state challenge," because our first two days in the state involve welcome committees, media coverage, cookouts, and accomodation. Looking forward to the Great Plains and hoping for but not counting on favorable winds. Biggest question on our minds: when will sweet tea become unavailable?

Farewell to the East

A wink from Popeye and we were off across the bridge to Missouri. The flats of the floodplain quickly changed to undulating hills in route to Farmington- a really nice little town about 80 miles south of St. Louis. As I pulled into town with the trailer the cheering townspeople gathered 'round to make generous offerings of food and refuge from the intense heat*. After feeding us and doing our filthy laundry, they erected a sign wishing us safety and good luck on the highway out of town, so many thanks to the good people of Farmington, MO. Today the hills took a turn for the steeper as we got into the Ozarks and a late start made for some roasting climbs around noon. Missouri is considereed a "convergence zone" of eastern and western vegetation and today we saw some arid territory with western pines and clear, shallow rivers typical of the Rockies- an exciting event for people traveling on bicycles. The local camping options were meager so we opted for a cheap motel and cooled off the American way- cranked up the A/C and watched the Discovery Channel all day. The milkshake joint across the street enabled us to keep our average daily milkshake consumption up around 2/day, and the nearby river was ideal for a splash around between shakes. Tomorrow we battle more Ozarks and ultimately wind up in Houston, MO.

*possibly exaggerated version of events


Trivia Question of the Day: Why is Missouri known as the "Show Me" State?

Mississippi Crossing

Day 20-

This morning we rose with the sun and set off on the bikes before 6 am to beat the heat. Sat at the counter of Marylou's Diner in Carbondale, IL and took down some biscuits n' gravy before hitting the road for the 64 miler to Chester. We got our first glimpse of Missouri today across the river and I'm still not sure what to make of it- rumors have it the climbs in the Ozarks are merciless but I'm not convinced (stay tuned to see me eat my words). It's looking like the early start will be imperative to our progress as both the temps and humidity are in the 90's from noon til dark. The nights have been hot and sticky in the tent and we can hear eachother rustle around in our tents trying to get comfortable in futility. Fortunately we are still getting the royal treatment nearly everywhere we go and the Fraternal Order of the Eagle has carried the torch heroically this evening- showers, A/C pub, and free pizzas. We are camped between a bar and a rodeo, and its good that we are all exhuasted because otherwise we would get little sleep before 2 am. Another shout has to go out to Violet and Bob from the First Baptist Church of Sebree, KY. These generous folks have been hosting cyclists since the 70's and she fed all 12 of us to the limits of what one would think a human could consume. She also sent us off with an exceptional blessing for us and our families and all cyclists away from home. Think about the people she has met over the years and what interesting summers she must have.

As for cycling, the group is starting to get the 'drafting' phenomenon like clockwork. There is much more parity in fitness and speed than early on and the group is practically moving too quick for the support vehicle to keep up. Hopefully we we have favorable conditions for a 100 mile ride at some point. Time for a cold shower before bed- Happy Summer Solstice and Father's Day from Bike the US for MS.

Quarterly Report from Mason

A peaceful ride through the beautiful Appalachian mountains interrupted by a distant bark. Heart rate elevated. Increase speed and intensive survey of the yards ahead. See nothing and resume peaceful ridARhgh ARKARKARK he comes out of nowhere through a hole in the fence and smells blood. He is hungry and he hates people in bike shorts. Adrenaline overwhelms us both and the race is on- mine for survival and his for dinner. Alas! He is tiring. I am surging ahead and congratulate myself on winning this battle of will when HOOONK I nearly lose control of the bike and my bladder as I check my helmet mirror to find a fully loaded coal truck six inches from my tail. He also hates people in bike shorts and chances are he is hungry as well. A quick evaluation of the scenario also reveals a fully loaded coal truck coming in the opposite lane and a rocky embankment off the shoulderless road beside me. I dodge flying chunks of coal as I try to clear my eyes of fine coal dust as the trucks inch closerBZZZZZZZZ the alarm goes off on my cell phone and I am safe and comfy in my tent and Don is cooking bacon. I am relieved to awake in the gentle foothills of Kentucky with the worst of obstacles behind me in the mountains. The group is groggy but in good spirits as they trickle into the breakfast tent to see what treats await their hungry bellies. One thing has become clear to all: gorging on high calorie foods as much as possible is priority numero uno. Two weeks into the trip and we have settled into a good routine of biking, eating, sleeping, and remarkably frequent opportunities to practice hygiene.

As a native Virginian I didn’t expect to be surprised by the ride through my home state, but it turns out the interstates I’ve traveled since I was a kid don’t do it justice. The back roads and small towns were friendly, scenic and loaded with interesting history. Thanks to friends and family for the help and hospitality we received across the state- we are officially spoiled rotten. Also thanks to Yusef at Bike Barn for going well above and beyond in getting everybody sorted with their bikes late into the evening in Blacksburg. Although mostly similar in physical geography, a dramatic change in the route occurs at the Kentucky state line. The coal industry has left the place very impoverished and isolated, but at least they cut off the tops of entire mountains to create spectacular views of other mountains. All this aside and with a few creepy exceptions, the people were very nice and I hope their economic situation improves. *Note to cyclists- avoid Hindman, KY at all costs*. We are now in the Midwest with rolling hills and lots of corn and hay fields which makes for good riding- everybody is going really well and picking up the pace everyday. It’s been stormy and we all smell like wet dogs (sorry ladies its true) but churches, parks and fire stations have been good to us and we definitely can’t complain about accommodation. The truck and trailer are incredibly convenient and the battery/inverter system is working hard to keep our nifty electronics charged and sending out pictures and Tweets so people can follow the trip online. Which reminds me, long-winded blogs like this one are now dinosaurs and Dustin has already sent 3 messages on Twitter since I started typing, so I recommend checking out his page to get the latest.

Eastern Kentucky

Coal trucks, ferocious dogs and torrential downpours have made the first half of this state treacherous.  We are now west of the Appalachians and into the rolling hills of Kentucky.  Yesterday the team pounded 94 miles from Berea to Bardstown, Kentucky.  We were supposed to camp at the Lincoln Homestead State Park but they no longer allow camping.  I'm pretty sure Abe would have been in full support of letting us camp at his homestead.  

It was great talking to the Flynn family in Berea.  It has been one year since Matt Flynn was diagnosed with MS & it has been a shock to the family.  We put their picture up in the trailer and reminds us everyday why we are riding.  When the riding gets tough we'll think about the Flynn's and keep the legs moving - they are inspiration for us all.  

We've been riding with 3 other guys headed West - Joe and Jordy from Carbondale, Illinois and Chase from Texas.  Great guys - they are carrying all their gear and cover the same ground that we do - hardcore!   Look forward to pedaling 3,000 more miles with these guys.  

Follow us on twitter for real time updates and pictures: 

Team tweets

Dustin Bond 

Leanna Pugliese

Daniella Cortese

Kevin Bing

Amanda Clark

Yorktown to Blacksburg

Off to a good start in 2009.  Everyone made it to Blacksburg on schedule and in good spirits.  Some tough climbs, tailwinds and nice folks along the way so far.  Highlights include the Blue Ridge Parkway, triple cheeseburger basket at Gertie's general store and fundraising party at Awful Arthurs in Blacksburg.  Thanks to everyone in Blacksburg that came out to support Bike the US for MS!

Had a nice welcoming in Charlottesville at the Blue Ridge Chapter MS society.  Thanks Paul, Darren & Shannon for helping us set up and keep our bikes in the office!

The Blue Ridge Parkway was fogged in as we passed through.  Could barely see each other, but luckily we came prepared with some blinky lights and a reflective safety triangle, courtesy of Adventure Cycling Association.  Mason was driving and said those triangles were visible long before the lights - thanks ACA!

After crossing the Parkway we rode through Lexington, home of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University.  A very nice town - great shops and food.  Rain was coming down pretty hard and everyone was soaked.  Still having a good time though - especially Dustin in his yellow poncho.  

On the road again headed towards Rural Retreat, VA.  If we are passing through your area shoot us an email - info@biketheusforms.org - we'd like to lend a hand to anyone that could use it & visit with folks along the way.   Off to another great day of riding here in Virginia!