I’ve been on the road for 14 days and am pedaling back to Wisconsin from Wichita, Kansas.
Most of the time I’m able to cobble together a story or two about the great people I meet and some of the adventures along the way.
Below are some of the things you really don’t see. So I’m pulling back the curtain a bit on what it’s like to tour cross country by bike.
This past Saturday was the hottest day so far on tour. Temps were in the upper 80s and lots of sun. Between 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. it’s a scorcher; the sun beats on the back of my calves. I took a break at Shaw’s Marketplace as I crossed into Illinois and headed to Freeport for the night. I buy a bottle of water and, since there are no individual popsicles… I bought a box of a dozen. I didn’t go all Jabba the Hutt on devouring the entire box… but I made a good dent. A woman with a little girl passed by and inquired about the tour. After I shoved two popsicles in my sport bra I gave her the rest of the box. The coolness of the chesticles was exhilarating and just what the Dr. ordered to stave off any potential heat stroke. I’m sure you’ll find that noted in medical textbooks as a simple cure-all.
Glamorous: It’s not glamorous at all. Lots of lovely sun and stinky sweat. When I land in a church or campsite I wash my clothes in a sink and hang them to dry… usually the clothes dry best on the back of the bike. I wedge the clothes under a bungee cord and they flap in the wind. It is very hobo’esque.
How many things can you identify on the back of the bike? The white plastic bag is food ie grapes, a peach and extra water. Normally I don’t carry a fan but I found this one on the side of the road, it’s light weight and it works.
Water break: Because of the heat, about 100 degrees, I take water breaks which also include a brief soak. It does make a difference but only after you start pedaling again and create a breeze. The initial dousing is like a shower of hot water – almost as hot as McD’s coffee. #notkidding
– I clean my bike chain after every ride and pump the tires the next day. There’s a lot of debris on the road and I want the tires at 100 psi; the tires are rock solid. It feels like I’m riding a lumber truck.
Thwap: So odd, I got thwapped by five dragonflies while pedaling. They were all around – like the cicadas were everywhere.
What do you call a bunch of dragonflies? A fleet, a symphony, a magazine, a team of dragonflies? What say you?
I meet so many people each day and I’d love to write about all of them.
Diana and Ed gave me a nice empty shed (it was like clamping) at their campground at Bob’s Lake just outside St. Joseph, MO.
Mary from Friar Tuck’s Pizza in St. Mary, MO gave me pizza and a safe place to stay. She’s an avid biker, business owner, and mom to 9 kids.
Mary and Mike were retired teachers and missionaries who taught in Africa. They had tremendous faith and didn’t think twice about offering me a safe space for the night.
Alma and Don Lindhart were very welcoming in the small town of Keota, Iowa. They had 3 dogs, including one named Kevin.
Ross, 88, was one of my favorites this tour. His wife died about 2 years ago. He lived by himself in a 3-story red brick home dubbed ‘The Red Elephant.’ The home dated to 1895. It had original wallpaper, small rooms and then grand rooms and a support beam or two where things had started to show signs of age. Ross was one of the original members of the Peace Corps. He served in Nigeria, had an encounter with a nasty African cobra, and heard a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak at an event.
- I hate rumble strips at the side of the road. Tough enough sometimes to find a good paved shoulder. Pedal on a rumble strip and you’ll never forget it.. very difficult to hang onto the bike much less steer it.
– Second week on the road and I’m wearing two pair of shorts. Not only does it double up the shammy to help provide a little more padded comfort but some of the nylon in the shorts has worn thin… I lied, worn sheer is more like it. Since I don’t want to give a show to traffic coming up behind me (pun intended…and I forgot my glitter) I figure the added layer would help.
– I like it when farmers and truck drivers wave. It is odd when I’m in a community overnight and I’ve met people and then I run into them the next day at the store or gas station as I’m leaving town. Or people will beep their car horn like 5 or 10 times… as if to say, “goodbye, good luck, that girl is crazy…”
These are a few of my favorite things:
I like stopping at historic markers and reading about the history of the community.
“Have I not commanded you? … Be strong and courageous. … Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
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The 2024 Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is raises money every year for music programming for seniors at Cedar Community, a 501c3, so all donations are tax-deductible.
Donate via the secure website through Cedar Community. Donations should be marked “Amazing Ride 2024.” Click HERE to make a secure online donation.
Checks may be made payable to “Cedar Community” with “Judy Bike Ride” in the memo line and mailed to 113 Cedar Ridge Dr., West Bend, WI 53095
Be sure to include the Federal Tax ID Number for the Foundation: 39-1249432
You may also find a downloadable donation form HERE.