Done for a bit

Done for a bit.
Micah and I made it Lafayette on December 14th.  I stopped because work was calling. The last week of the ride was one of the more challenging, it was cold, dark, and windy. We only had a few hours each day of decent riding conditions, above 40 degrees.

It has been a challenge to get use to life off the bike, thus the delay in this post.  I have made friends with some locals who ride bikes to go camping! One gal, has my twin bike! We went out last weekend and it was good. My soul needs to see the stars to be able to breathe.

Thanks for all of your support. It will be a while before my next post.
Cheers from Nanland

Please note the plastic bags on our feet. 

Cheers from Nanland

Times are changing

Hey there,

I hope you are well. Life has been exciting, the big news is that I have been riding someone, his name is Micah! We met in Marathon, TX at the crazy hostel. We headed down to Big Bend for Thanksgiving, this is the best time of year to go. There is great camping in Big Bend and fun roads as well. There is a crazy mountain formation in the center of the park, we hiked up to the top of it. There is a hot spring right next to the Rio Grande. The river was quite low, west Texas needs a wet winter. Then Micah and I headed back to Marathon to get his bike ready for the tour. He owns a few bikes, any good bike lover should have a fleet of bikes. He was traveling around so he only two bikes, road and mountain bike. The ironic part he has a full touring set up at his dad's house in Arkansas. His road bike would have problems with the wheels, tires, and being able to carry weight and his mountain bike is a single speed but it is a ridged frame. Micah opted for the mountain bike. He was able to pice a few bags together to carry a sleeping bag and clothes. A few days after Thanksgiving we headed east. The road was nice a huge shoulder, we could ride next to each other and enjoy the companionship. He would drop me on the hills being single speed and when I wanted I would drop him on the flats. Something I am getting better at is being able to carry my speed up hill better. Micah has nice hubs, he is able to pass me going down hill. I am pedaling while he is coasting!  I had rode over 2,000 miles by the time we reached Del Rio. We took a rest day outside of town. One of Micah's tires got a hole in so he hitched back to Del Rio and got slick tires. We headed north into Hill Country. We rode about 75 miles in steep hills. Nothing too long but just up and down. At one point I went 45 mph! That night we made to Kerriville. One of my friends from high school lives there. It was great to see Katie and Alan. A few days later, Micah got saddle bags for his bike. My cycling parents, the couple who I rode with in northern California loaned Micah a set a of bags! Now he can carry his things easier and be able to carry more veggies. Micah is a bit of foodie who loves veggies. Which is great for life but a bit harder when you live out bags. Then we made it to Austin, TX. We took a "rest day" there brought bikes to the shop for some love. Micah got a new cog for his bike to help keep up with me, overhauled his hubs, new shoes, and few other things. When I brought my bike into the shop back in Phoenix the shop wanted to replace my chain just from the miles I had ridden on it. The chain was good still had life in it. I brought it to the shop in Las Cruses good, then in Alpine still good, and in Austin still good! This chain has over 2,500 miles on it and still going strong. Micah and I walked around downtown Austin while his bike was getting some love. His bike has morphed into a great touring biking, with the bags (thanks to Kyle and Sarah) and slick tires. We are east of Austin now, with about 400 miles to go. The land is changing, now greener and humid. There are trees! Now very cactus along the roads. The river beds have water. It might rain more than just a few minutes. Day light is quite limited but not too bad.  More towns and more cars. I am hoping to make it home for the Pugh Christmas party which is not far away. I would like to have a 100 mile day before the end of the trip. Thanks for time. Have a great day.

Cheers from Nanland

West Texas!

 Hello from Marathon Texas!
Life has been filled with grand memories. When I headed out of Las Cruces I was hoping to make it to Alamogordo but I got side tracked by White Sands National Monument, which is 20 miles outside of town. I stayed for the sunset stroll, which was great. The ranger give the story of the White Sands and told about the ecology. The White Sands is very dynamic environment that is always changing, so much that they don't have a paved road because would be covered by dunes! For the same reason they don't have a campground but they have backcountry camping. I hauled my bike back to a site and stayed there. What a cool experience to sleep in the dunes. I couldn't set my tarp because there wasn't trees. It was memorable  sunset and sunrise with clouds. The next day I headed up the big hill. The elevation of Alamogordo is 4,300 feet and Cloudcroft is 8,600. The climb is about 17 miles with a grade of 6%. The climb wasn't bad just put it in Nanny gear and go bit by bit. It took me about three hours with a stop at High Rolls. I had decided to stay at a hotel because a cold front was coming. When I got out of the shower the cold front had started and it was raining! So of the only rain I have seen since August. Before dinner I walked around, it is small and everyone knows each other, just my type of place. For dinner, I ended up a cafe that was open for the first time for dinner. Everyone who works there was working, everyone had huge smiles and was excited to be working. Two people were playing music and songs that I love! It was a great evening for many reasons- being around happy people and being at the highest point.  The next day I headed to a Warmshowers host about 65 miles away. The cold front was still passing so it was windy. I didn't go as fast as I typically would go because the winds were 30-40 mph! I didn't want to get blown over. I lost about 4,500 feet! The family I stayed with were great, they host tons of people, even two guys who long boarded across the country! They are Apache people. Diana shared Yucca fruit and Avgia  plant with me. I showed her how to use a whisper light stove. I rode to Carlsbad, NM which was flat and not very scenic. A guy gave me $20 for dinner. I ended up at a BBQ place and sat next to a guy who is from Louisiana, have to love oil towns. The next day I rode to Carlsbad Caverns, what a cool place! I went on the "adventure tour." The tour was nice, we had helmets and headlamps, no lights or paved paths. I could have explored the caverns way more than an afternoon. I camped that night just outside of the park and met two guys. They work for the Park Service doing to plant inventory. They talked about getting cactus spines in their shoes, this is my type of people. The next day I wanted to make it to Van Horn. I didn't realize that I would gain 2,500 feet so I stopped at Guadalupe National Park.  I took a nap and rested that afternoon. The next day I made it to Van Horn, I am glad I didn't go the whole way in one day. I had a long mild uphill and head winds for 20 miles. I stayed at the KOA in Van Horn when I went out to dinner I saw hotel rooms for $30. Oh well. I talked with a guy who had rode across the country a few times and another couple who had seen three people riding bike towards Van Horn. The next day I headed out for  McDonald Observatory. I met up with the three I was told about. They are making a film about cycling safety. They had very loaded bikes and heading to the observatory as well. I was riding faster than them. As I was riding misquotes came out! Really?! Misquotes in November!  It is a reminder that I am heading more southward.  I got to the observatory jut before dark. We stayed with a family who lives and works at the observatory. They are a wonderful family. The daughter made homemade pasta for us! I liked the conversation, how long has your daughter been an artist? Well which art are you talking about? They all played instruments and one of the daughters is a painter. No tv at this house but tons of books and animals. The next morning we got a tour of the observatory, there are tons of telescopes. There was a fire there two years ago that came within a mile! I went there about 18 years ago on a family vacation. This trip I hope remember more.  The local big town of Alpine (roughly 5,000 people) was having their big yearly festival so I only traveled 40 miles. The film crew also stayed in Alpine so we all stayed together. The Art Walk as the locals call it was fabulous, street food, free drinks, music, and great art. The Austin Bike Zoo was there, they build bikes that are shaped like beautiful creatures such as butterflies, bats, snakes, and much more. It is experiences such as this that make this trip a journey. At the end of the day it isn't about how many miles I rode but about the connections. Connections with people. Connections with the land. Connections with the environment. I am surprised by the amount of culture I am finding. Most people think West Texas and Eastern New Mexico as dry places both physically and culturally. There is tons of life here you may have to detour 150 miles to find but it is here. The land here is filled with mountains and the terrain is changes. The next day the film crew headed north to be able to make Austin for Thanksgiving.   Then I headed to Marathon only 30 miles but I was told by a few people to check out this cool hostel.  First, Marathon is pronounced MaraTHIN not like the race that is 26.2 miles. Second this place is rad. I took a rest day and now I am going to take another detour to check out Big Bend. At this rate of detours I may not see the Atlantic and that is fine. I am living a grand adventure which is what I set out to do. A common question I am getting asked, what am I doing for Thanksgiving? I will be hiking around Big Bend, I am excited. Sorry for such a long post, thanks for reading.
As always cheers from Nanland =) have a great thanksgiving!

Fall has arrived

Hi there!
Hope this finds you well. Life is grand! I am in Las Cruces. The Gila was fabulous! The weather was ideal, the colors are turning, little traffic, and steep roads. I was riding with Brady, the guy I met a long the way. At times I felt I was in southern Appalachians with the colors and cliffs, like the Red River Gorge. Then we would get up on the ridge and was brought back to the Rockies. The road crossed over the continental divide three times. I kept thinking about the human history in this area of the people of long ago, this was the first designated Wilderness area in the US, and many NOLS courses go there. We stopped for a bite to eat at this cool lodge about half way. Then rode to an RV campground that was $5 a night! Some campgrounds charge 20-25 per night just for camping, a bit much. The next day we got an early start to go over Emery Pass which is the high point of the Southern Tier! We stopped at gas station that had about three bags of chips and a soda fountain, not much. As we started the climb a guy on a motorcycle took our picture. Brady and I talked the most of the way up the pass. We gained about 2,500 feet in 18 miles. Talking with someone makes a big difference. The views from the top were awesome. The valley to the east is 4,000 feet lower with some cool features heading into the valley. The ride down the grade was tons of fun, nothing fast but windy. We stopped in a small town and a guy comes out and talks with us. He makes plastic rocks and wood planters for cactus. He grows crazy looking cactus. He showed his green house and his work. He lived up north as a locksmith and wasn't happy. So he packed up, moved south, and loves the simple life. I admire those who live simply and happily because it is hard to do. That night we camped near I-25, we could hear when trucks would run over the rumble strip. I realized that night that I wanted to bypass around El Paso. There would be about 150 miles along I-10. Some of the towns seem to be a bit more run down and not as nice to stay. The next day we got an early start into Las Cruces. We rode farmland, pepper fields, Cotten fields, and pecan groves. A few homes dried peppers on the roofs! It is cool seeing the farmland, it lets me know what to eat in the area. We are staying with a host from Warmshowers. Warmshowers is a network of cyclist who are touring and those who open their homes up to cyclist. I decided try it. It is a good way to meet people and get good local information, my friends who are on it haven't had any trouble. Today, I took a rest day. I am taking the long way into Texas and with it I have huge climb (4,300) in two days. Brady headed on today though El Paso. I am excited for this next bit as it is quite remote. So it may be a while before I am able to post again.
Cheers from Nanland

Back in action

Hello friends! I am back on the road and it feels great. The day before I was to leave for Phoenix I came down with a cold so it delayed my arrival by a few days. I made Red Beans and Rice for Benny and Alice's family. It is fun to meet family, to build connections, and share stories. Benny has the family Bible from the Mr Mike Donlan. It is a large Bible with a lather cover and silver buckles to keep it closed. Their house is one mile from the route! So I loaded up my bike and road from their house. It took me all day to reach the outskirts of Phoenix. It wasn't the best riding but it was better than no riding. That night I met up with a friend of mine who I know from the Teton Valley! Corey is riding from New Orleans to Los Angeles. It was great to see and hear of his adventures. He said that Texas was great! He said that people don't cross the boarder where our route takes us and there is a boarder patrol as well. There aren't towns across the boarder, it is big mountains with no water.  The next day I headed to Globe. It was hot and a huge hill but I got to town around 4 pm. I ate and then went to bed for 8 pm. I was up early the next day. I has 80 miles to ride! I crossed the Apache reservation.   More mountains are visible in the distance. Again I got to town, ate and went to bed. The next morning I had a conference call. When I glanced at the map I saw a campground 35 miles away and then another 80 miles to Silver City, I thought that wasn't too bad. Then I looked at the profile of the 80 miles and that wasn't going to easy. There is a large pass between Safford and Silver City. I ended up taking a work/ rest day. I got a good amount of work done. Now, it is Friday. I got out by 8am to ride 80 miles so I could two of the three climbs done before Silver City. This 80 mile section was steep. The little bit was by bike light but the road didn't many cars. As I pulled into the campground I met another cyclist!  He is on a crazy tour, he started in New York went to the Pacific down to San Diego and now over to Atlantic. He was laid off in May and always wanted to tour but couldn't because of work. We are going to ride for the next few days. Today, we arrived in Silver City. We crossed the Western Continental Divide!The weather is cooler now and I am loving it! My rear tire was worn out! Too much weight in the rear, so I got a new tire and talked with guys from the bike shop. They know the guy who fitted me for my bike, Jay. Jay holds the record for biking the Great Divide route, 15 days and 12ish hours from Banff to Mexico! It was nice having some down time in a small town. Went to the Co-op got some great Mexican. Diana, they an egg on the enchiladas! We are headed across the Gila Mts and ever eastward. Cheers from Nanland

Curve Ball!

Hey there,
Hope you are well. I am currently on a planned break from the ride. I planned on going to a conference from the start of the ride. My 10 year high school reunion is this weekend and it worked out for me to come to Lafayette for work and the reunion. Thus, I am taking a break from the ride till next week.
A few details since my last post:
After leaving San Luis Obispo I made it to Lompoc. That day was hot, almost 100 degrees, thankfully a dry heat. I stopped in a small town for a cold drink and found an ice cream shop. When I walked out I saw three more loaded bikes. I start talking with the guys and they are on the grand trip. They work for Patagonia and doing an adventure in their backyard. They started about month before, bike a bit, farm a bit, and surf a bit. Yes, surf! As it turns out, one of the guys is quite famous in the surfing world. I was inspired by the love for what they do. They aren't riding crazy miles everyday, they wrote rules for THEM not others. More people need write "rules" that work for who you are. As my dad would say, what are your drivers aka what would bring you happiness? For me, my driver is challenge. Like my dad, I like to see how far I can go. I challenge myself in my personal life with physical challenges such as riding my bike across the country or wanting to ski some big mountains. While at the conference and around Lafayette I tell people what I am doing I keep getting the response of "Wow, that is bold." Maybe I am bold but I am living my dreams (while being highly cautious).
Back to the ride--> When I made it to Lompoc I saw two bikes in the campground. I go over to talk because that is who I am. It is two girls riding from Portland to San Diego. They didn't want new bikes so they made the bikes they have work. One was on a fix gear and the other was a hard-tail mountain bike! The gal on the fixie didn't have a helmet! She is crazy. I might be bold but not stupid.

When I tell people that I had a partner get hit, I get this look of why in the heck I am still riding, are you nuts? A few things I have learned/ use to stay away from trouble
~ Mirrors are dorky but really do help to increase your awareness. While running around town, I keep on trying to look in the mirror.
~Pull over for traffic when there is little space. I never thought about this because in road cycling you don't stop for cars.
~Bright colors do increase viability
~Think about what is the line of sight for a car, if it is limited for whatever reason (sun is in my eyes, the road is curvy, lots of traffic, et al) be ready to stop but also keep in mind speed is safety (meaning get though that section quickly).
~Don't give details about where I am heading, keep it general.
~Ask locals or friends about what part of town isn't safe.

Well, I won't be back on my bike till later next week. Cheers till then.