- Day 1 -1 Week
- Day 1 -12 Hours
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
- Day 10
- Day 11
- Day 12
- Day 13
- Day 14
- Day 15
- Day 16
- Day 17
- Day 18
- Day 19
- Day 20
- Day 21
- Day 22
- Day 23
- Day 24
- Day 25
- Day 26
- Day 27
- Day 28
- Day 29
- Day 30
- Day 31
- Day 32
- Day 33
- Day 34
- Day 35
- Day 36
- Day 37
- Day 38
- Day 39
- Day 40
- Day 41
- Day 42
- Day 43
- Day 44
- Day 45
- Day 46
- Day 47
- Day 48
- Day 49
- Day 50
- Day 51
- Day 52
- Day 53
- Day 54
- Day 55
- The End
- Retrospective
We woke up slightly hurting again. Still in good form but the alarm snuck up so quickly. We waked over to the place in range that had pancakes. On the walk over we talked about how it may be too much. It was a very nice place and I’m sure the food would be great… $16 for pancakes?!?! Especially since we’ll probably get oatmeal and coffee too. We double checked the menu and agreed this was not our breakfast. We looked, I knew we past it… where was it though? We looked a minute, but then decided it would just be easier to go back to the hotel to look at the map the check in guy drew of his pick for breakfast. While I went to the room Jerry looked down the street at a doughnut shop. The check in guys pick was right across the street from where we decided to not. Not open till 7:30. Frustrated we walk toward a maybe. I bring up the menu and it’s not worth this walk. About to give in for a muffin coffee find better breakfast down the road kind of morning. Right here on this corner there’s a small place with sit down basic blue plate breakfast. Steamed milk in the oatmeal, simple but nice omelet, one piece of toast each. Muffin and more coffee at the doughnut shop. Finish getting ready and head out.
A few turns and were heading down 1st Ave. There’s a hill and becomes very industrial very quick. Not that this is tourism for most but the roads and avenues, parking lots and intersections tell of a place. How you enter, move through.
The south side of the city was very industrial with large roadway and warehouses and factories. We could see all of the cranes and sea containers at the near by port. We quickly moved along. There wasn’t much reason for a slow pleasure cruse around here.
A turn or two and we’re still on the same road only we have moved out of the city to more of a highway feel. There was a fair amount of industrial traffic with some cars. Again we moved along with not much except bad smells to take in.
Suddenly there is a sign saying we are getting on I-5. Now nothing would make me happier then taking one nice road right from where I am to where I want to go. However no bikes on interstates and so we’ll make 30 thousand turns to stay on the same road that runs near I-5. I’m not salty about it at all. Check the map, ride down the on ramp to get back to the side roads to find the road we were supposed to stay on. There was a steep hill just before our road. We passed a man walking up the hill. Clearly not born in the states, his English wasn’t the best but our quick exchange was met with joy.
We were back on our road. It shouldn’t change at all, straight for five towns. Smooth sailing… Flat. Jerry’s rear wheel, and it went flat quick. We pulled over to change the tube. Panniers off, new tube out, pump, wheel off… As Jerry works on the tube and I hold the derailer off the ground I see three men approaching. As they cross the street one says loudly “Don’t tell me what to do!”. With this the two head off toward the buildings just off the road and the lone man now walks right for us. I don’t know if they were joking with each other, if they were friends, or if this was an altercation. Either way it didn’t feel wise to suggest his route around us. He then looked at us and our gear on the side walk deciding which way to go. I wasn’t gonna tell him what to do.
Back to the road. A long boulevard, suburban full of big box store parking lots and strip malls. There were long and graceful hills. It was a nice ride by and large. It was getting warm in the the afternoon. I was drinking water like it was going out of style. I don’t think it was that hot, just one of those days.
We stopped for some water. Inside the gas station Rama started asking us many questions about where were, where we’re going. It was a nice conversation, but the nicest part was how excited she was. She told us to each take an energy bar, because we need and she is so proud of us. It was very sweet. As we chatted and drank some water she announced to everyone coming in or out of the store they we rode from Manhattan. It was very nice, and slightly embarrassing.
Down the road a few miles we paused to look at the map. There’s one hotel in this town, or 20something miles to the next town. We’ll do the 20 more, but maybe we lock in a room before we go. I call, disconnected. Second place, no answer. Third place has one room left. Sounds like this it was a good idea to call and find this out riding place to place. I reserve their last room and we hit the road.
Not far into this last leg, I’m regretting not just staying where we were. It’s now in the 90’s and I’m just hot. Obviously I have dealt with worse, and it’s only 20 miles but …
We get to the hotel. There are a large set of stone stairs leading into the building. As I check in I find out there is no ramp, elevator or TV in the room. And we’re on the third floor! Anyone of these things maybe, two probably not, all three? We need a different hotel. I didn’t think to ask if the hotel had an elevator. Thankfully they just void the transaction and we can head on our way. I call another hotel. She laughs when I ask if they have elevators and TV’s. Cheaper then the first place, with an elevator, TV and pizza delivery! The road will provide.
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