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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

boss's corner (*and new mail drop location)

Nice posts Thundercoffer, but Ima post something new and demote your post to one below me. And kudos with da pics, you earn one yohoo.

new photos added to the photostream since I'm just sitting in the library waiting out this 100+ degree scorcher.

after long talks and many a filibusters, the congress of tour de awesome has decided that we may not in fact be hitting up our third mail drop location in Cambridge Idaho (see sending mail on the trans-am post) . Instead, I would like to offer you an alternative location to send your postal love. Missoula MT - we are almost certainly going through Missoula, so this ensures speedy deliverance of your goodies.

The parcel should be addressed:
*Recipient Name
c/o General Delivery
Missoula MT 59802

Thanks!

Tansas

About halfway through our journey, we are about to leave another state in our dust and work our way into the Rockies.  Kansas is not only a large producer of shadeless roads and gale force winds, it's also the friendliest little state we've ran into so far!  We even got to a point of avoiding offers for shelter because we wanted to go to sleep early without feeling obligated to be friendly guests.  May the rest of our journey continue to be full of such kind and wonderful people.


Monday, June 27, 2011

Other Awesome Adventurers

A guy walking from DE to CA we met in Eureka, Kansas (6/25): http://www.natewalksamerica.com/

Two crazy guys biking west to east for their grandma we met in Eureka (6/26): http://bikealzheimers.com/

A lone man biking from FL to WA we met in Eureka (6/26): http://america.crazyguyonabike.com/

MY BROTHER hiking the AppTrail: http://lonelypolicebox.wordpress.com/

A couple biking the same route as us we met in Berea, KY (6/10): http://slowwheeling.tumblr.com/

Group of cool guys we met just outside of Yellowstone, hope to see them back east (7/15): http://wolfspank.wordpress.com/

Road Romance

The sexiest thing about going east to west is that we ride into the sunset every day, like cowboys on our steads.  I like to call sunsets the lazy person's sunrise...

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Not all pavilions are created equal(ly)


Every place we camp has its perks, and some are way nicer than others. We found ourselves comparing the different sites and decided it was time for a formal rating system for nature camping and pavilion camping*.
The campsites on the map above have been updated with their scores, the front runner nature camping location is My Old Kentucky Home Campground in Bardstown with 18/20 and Troutdale, VA and Howardstown, KY are the highest rated pavilions.

















Categories
0
1
2
3
Food
None
Restaurant
Gas station
Grocery store
Water
None
Faucet/Hose
Bathroom
Shower
Space/Roof
Rocky ground
Soft open field
Tree Cover
Roof
Electricity
None
1 outlet set
2 outlet sets
Ample outlets
Hammock Supports
None
Poles/Trees
Well Spaced Poles/Trees
Poles/Rafters with Perfect Spacing
Cellphone Service
None
Brian or 1 Bar AT&T
2-3 Bars
Full Bars and Internet
Permission
Not Permitted
Stealth Camping

Didn't Ask, SeemsO.K.

Explicit

In addition to the scoring rubric, bonus points of +1 each are added for:
Mirrors, Fans, Free Food/Supplies, River, Beauty, Laundry, Friendly People.
And a negative nuisances lose -1 points each for:
Bug bites, Noise, Fire Ants, Extra Dirty, Creepy, $$, Animal Attacks.

*A pavilion is defined as having a roof and is scored out of 21, while nature camping is scored out of 20.


Today is our one month trip anniversary. To celebrate we slept late, used the internet ate breakfast burritos and did laundry.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

bossman says:

photostream on the blog has been updated as of June 20th. They are the same photos as posted on my fb album.

in other news, we are currently located in Columbia MO, home of Mizzou Tigers. We have officially traded mountains/rolling hills for a super flatastic midwest time. But now I now found something else to curse at while on the bike instead of hills - large copious amounts of headwinds. if wind knew what was good for it, it wouldn't blow against me.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

THE WRECK!

In our haste to the Maker's Mark distillery there came two person wreck on a sharp downhill turn.  Jacques the boss wiped out of the side of the road (due to outsider influence, b/c Jacques doesn't fall by himself), mangling his back tire and losing the adjustment screw to his Brooks saddle.  His body was left a little scratched up too. Trying to avoid Jacques I ended up laying out and sliding the left side of my body across the dusty pavement.

Luckily Chauncey was there, unwrecked, with a medical kit and I got to look like a gladiator mummy!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Read Across America...Literally(haha)

Reading is cool.  It's soo cool that I can't give it up for this summer of adventure. To keep up with reading and not have to carry a book (ounces) I've been reading a book chapter by chapter at each individual library that we've gotten a chance to stop at.  For my book I chose Watership Down because it's 1) a great book 2) a classic that every library will probably have in stock.  I plan on finishing it before reaching Astoria.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

FAQ Attack

Whenever we meet cool new people as we are oft to do, we run in to mostly the same questions.  The conversations usually end with "sorry I'm asking sooo many stupid questions".  Don't feel bad, the questions aren't stupid...they're just annoying to answer a thousand times.

Q:Where do you sleep?
A: As awesomeness enthusiasts we tend to guerilla camp wherever we feel safe.  Once, I asked a cop where a good place was.  Sometimes there are hostels/churches that are willing to take us in.

Q: What do you do if it rains?
A: We get wet.  So far not much rain, but we have waterproof bags to keep our stuff dry and rain jackets to keep some of our body dry. Our tents have rain covers too.  We'll probably ride through whatever won't kill us.

Q: How do you eat?
A: Like regular folks kinda. For lunch we usually eat at some small back country restaurant/food stand. A good go-to is peanut butter and jelly on tortillas. We try not to carry a lot of food on us so we usually get dinner stuffs at a grocery store close to where we want to camp.

Q: Sanitation?
A: Showers are pretty awesome, but we aren't always priviliged. Creeks and rivers have proven great places to wash most of the sweat and grime off.  Public restroom are also pretty good for sink showers and other bathroom purposes... yes we do go outdoors if we have to.

Q: How far do you ride a day?
A: We usually shoot for around 75 miles.  If there are particular places we want to stop, we divide our miles accordingly.

There are some more, but I'll post them later

Friday, June 10, 2011

*photostream above^ has been updated*

so i guess since i'm the boss and i have not posted in a while, i figure it was time to give you my two cents about this shenanigans that i call learning about the world during my time as a traveller:

-eastern kentucky SUCKS.
-kentuckians do not own mufflers.
-all coal truck drivers are on speed.
-i've acquired the unique skill of identifying any animal from a roadkill carcass.
-asian people do no exist east of richmond. they physically do not have the ability.
-cellular reception is a privilege and i am only allowed to have it after i suffer for a couple days without it.
-any food is automatically enhanced ten-fold after a long day of riding, even if its questionable mystery meat.
-i might be sterile now.
-throw a rock in SW Va or East KY and your bound to hit a rampant dog, the ten commandments on a sign, or a f**king mountain.

to be continued.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Kentucky

Working our way through Kentucky now. Lots of mini mountains and tiny towns. Feeling more and more like hobos everyday. Creeks are the key to staying clean and cool. Camped behind a church and next to an abandoned pool.  Dollar Generals are pretty much the only places to get food.  The going is rough, but luckily we're awesome.