Adapting to the Unexpected

Rule #2: Be Flexible

We're learning a lot on the road, and our most positive experiences have resulted from (or resulted in) us having to be flexible. For example...

• An unplanned stop at a Pick-Your-Own orchard, Larriland Farm, proved to be not only a great time, but also a great chance for us to stock up on fresh produce for our road trip... 

 and get gifts for our lovely hosts! 

• A detour in our walking route around downtown Boston had us cross paths with an old buddy we hadn't seen in seven years!

• Learning that hiking Mt. Washington was going to take more time and effort than we had planned (and packed clothing) for, we opted to drive it ourselves. We were rewarded with amazing views and had plenty of time to explore and make it to our next destination before sunset that day.

• Finding that our original destination in Vermont was closed landed us at Knight Point State Park for a beautiful view of  Lake Champlain under an empty picnic pavilion.

Here's to staying flexible, and finding more fun along the way!

One Simple Rule

Hello from beautiful Rumford, ME! Stay tuned for a field report from Acadia National Park (gorgeous!). Until then, we wanted to share the benefits of one simple rule we adopted for our road trip (on our new set of 4 wheels this time) through New England.

Rule #1: No Eating in the Car

We started this trip with a new car (new to us; it's a 2003). So, in an effort to keep it as squeaky clean and fresh-smelling as we found it, we adopted this rule. In addition to keeping our seats crumb-free and our hands free for driving and navigating, being forced off the road for snacks and lunch has led to some great discoveries like:

• Walnut Beach in Milford, CT

• Enjoying a Sam Adams and a cup of clam chowder at The Black Pearl in Newport, RI

• Old Orchard Beach, ME

• Rumford, ME

This posting is brought to you compliments of the Muskie Memorial Park in Rumford, ME, located on the banks of the "tallest waterfall east of Niagra." We're grateful for the shaded picnic benches, free wi-fi and Rumford hospitality. Here's to more pit-stops off the beaten path!

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Floods, Oh My!

Looks like we won't be riding the Southern Maryland Century after all...

"As most are aware, several roads incorporated into the various routes have sustained significant damage, flooding, or experienced mudslides. The forecast for the weekend still includes the potential for additional rain and thunderstorms and the possibility of further damage to saturated road foundations. Thank you for understanding. Safety for all participants is and will remain paramount." (Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club)

More information about the Southern Maryland Century/Indian Head 100 can be found on the ride's website.

A friendly reminder to please stay safe and alert on the road!

(Photo taken at Allens Fresh Run, Route 234/Budds Creek Road)

Coasting Cross Calvert

For our most recent ride, we wanted to explore roads on the other side of the Patuxent River in Calvert County, Maryland.

The main drag, Route 4, is a designated bike route with a nice, wide shoulder. Since the straight shot can get a little boring, we jogged onto a few back roads, following part of the Star-Spangled Banner Byway. The byway roads were fairly narrow, winding and even had a few steep climbs. It's a scenic ride, but without the presence of a shoulder, not recommended for novice riders, especially when traffic becomes heavier. We stopped at the Benedict Bridge, which looked a little too narrow to be bicycle-friendly.

So, we enjoyed the view of the river, snapped a few photos and made our way back south.

We opted for a slightly different route back, taking advantage of the dedicated bicycle lanes in Prince Frederick. As we neared the river again, our attention was drawn to the skies as the Blue Angels rehearsed some of their acrobatic maneuvers for the weekend's Air Expo at Patuxent River Naval Air Station.

This 50-mile route was our longest ride since stopping at the Atlantic. After a few days off the bikes, one of us already felt the strain. With our century ride only 2 weeks away, it's time to get back into training mode!

Country Roads, Take Us Home

After a week of rest (for both our bikes and our legs!), we were itching to get back in the saddle and do some local riding. It was great to be back on familiar roads, and we soon realized how much we had taken for granted when we trained on St. Mary's County's bike-friendly roads. The wide shoulders, relatively low traffic and low elevation changes made for a fun, easy ride. We surprised ourselves with our speed and endurance, even after a week off the bikes.

Our first destination after the Atlantic coast was to pay a visit to Slack Winery. Our good friend was keeping busy with the newly harvested grapes, but took a break to share the new award-winning wine with us - Not a bad way to celebrate our homecoming!

We hurried home (once we realized how early the sun is setting these days) convinced that we should sign up for The Southern Maryland Century/The Indian Head 100. A fellow local cyclist shared positive reviews of the ride, and we're excited to have a fitness goal in the not-so-distant future. The century will also give us a chance to experience some local roads that we have never cycled, and maybe even meet other local riders.

With the hurricane and earthquake behind us, we're hoping we'll have plenty more opportunities to get out on our familiar country roads, including the new Three Notch Trail!

Coasting To A Stop (For Now)

Many folks want to know how it feels to have crossed the country by bicycle...

To have woken up with the sun and ridden an average of 75 miles for several days in a row;
To have spent the whole day outside, making sunscreen a habit and changes in weather a daily concern;
To have climbed mountains and coasted down them, going from 5 to 50 MPH in a matter of seconds;
To have watched the corn grow on small family farms and expansive corporate fields;
To have met new people - kind, considerate and generous folks - in cities, towns and country;
To have gotten lost and found our way, navigating new roads and improving our map-reading skills;
To have eaten more than we ever have... and found ourselves hungry 2 hours later;
To have learned how to fix a flat, change a tire, replace a spoke, and other roadside repairs;

To have reached our destination, the Atlantic coast, and when asked, "So how does it feel?!" we answered, "Like just another day on the bicycle."

Our summer was amazing - from the changes in landscape to the interesting people and turns of events. We live in a beautiful and awesome country, and we couldn't be more certain that cycling is the best speed at which to experience it.

Physically, we obviously feel like we're in great shape. We've lost a few inches in some places (like the waist line) and gained a few in others (like our quads!). We have to be very conscious of our diets now that we're not burning an average of 6,000 calories each day, which mostly means we need to focus on portion control.

So what's our next step? When we created and named this blog, we did not intend for it to only refer to this cross-country ride. We're setting our sites on new adventures and more travel so that we can continue to coast cross country. Stay tuned...

One Week Left

Hello from downtown Pittsburgh! We arrived yesterday after 90 miles of rolling hills (which we actually welcomed after over a week of relative flatness) and convoluted city streets. We're enjoying our last rest day before our last 6 days of riding. We will be heading east over the Appalachian Mountains, leaving city centers for a few more days of camping, and then it's... New Jersey or BUST! Stay tuned for more posts after the ride's end about places seen and lessons learned.

You can find more videos, photos and stories at www.lvsride.com/social.