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met this man in the bike shop after my (alexa’s) back wheel broke who told us the story of the time he was on a bicycle tour in Alaska and his frame broke, which he had to fashion back together with clamps to ride 1500 miles to a bike shop. He laughed with a nostalgic look in his eye and said sympathetically, “the first three days are always the hardest…”

We are now back with my family after completing the first four days of our tour from Maine to Tennessee. We have gone around 215 miles, give or take (we don’t really know because we don’t have a bicycle computer). The first three days have been very hard. I’ll share with you the two entries from our travel journal. The first was written by Anthony:

8/25/07 Belfast, ME

Today we rode about 60/65 miles. We began at Mt. Desert Island campground where we camped last night. Alexa’s dad brought us to Bar Harbor last night and rode with us today.

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In the morning, we left the campground at about 9:45 after packing and loading our bikes. We immediately made a wrong turn and went about five miles out of the way (round trip). This whole time, Alexa’s bike’s rear wheel had slipped from the quick release and was rubbing against the frame. Alexa didn’t know what was wrong and we just assumed the weight of her gear was really slowing her down. Alexa was about to give up. I was wondering how this was happening, and Neal was trying to encourage Alexa. When we stopped for a drink, I looked and saw the rear wheel and realized that we had just created a lot of misery for her. We fixed the bike and continued on our way. It was kind of ridiculous, the whole thing, the wrong turn, the extremely hard ride for Alexa.

After this, we went for about 20 miles and stopped for lunch at a little market. The road was nice and not too trafficky until we turned onto a different road at Ellsworth. Then we turned on another fairly empty road, but it became pretty hilly. Alexa then had a little breakdown and we kept riding but it was fairly slow and Neal and I tried to keep Alexa positive. Finally, we turned onto route 1 where we stopped for water and Alexa began being more positive.

We stayed on Route 1 through Bucksport, Stockton Springs, to Searsport until we stopped right before Belfast. Route 1 was pretty busy with a wide shoulder, and we occasionaly rode over or next to ocean, but the water was usually just out of sight. There was a short stop near Verona where we rode acoss a large new suspension bridge and Alexa played with an 8 week old black lab named Sarah Ann.

The ride was fairly hilly with a couple of long, gradual climbs. We finally made it to our motel/cottage at about 5:45. We then ate at a great seafood restaurant where I had lobster pizza, Alexa had manicotti, and Neal had lobster penne. We ate sooo much. Now we’re back at the hotel.

It was a very long first day. Alexa had a rought beginning and the trip seemed to be very close to cancellation, a couple times. We learned a lot, as usual, and we will probably try to take it easy tommorro since we went a little farther than we should have today. But, we did very well today.

Here’s a picture of Dad’s big break away…he had to ride fast for awhile because he rode behind my slow bike all day long

August 27 2007 (written by Alexa)

Today is Anthony’s birthday and I vow NOT to complain. I know it is going to be a challence since I’m riding dad’s mountain bike – with the sort of handles that cause carpal tunal, but i vow not to complain, and not to cry.

Yesterday was a rough day. it started out hot – very hot, very sunny and extremely humid with never-ending hills. It took awhile for our tired legs to become warm and strong – and they finally did. Some down hills were so stepp that they propelled us right up the next up-hill. That was great. We stopped to take pictures and even go for a lovely swim in a clear lake just before the steepest, longest hill of the day.

Then we found ourselves in beautiful, scenic, Camden where the richest of the rich were dining on the pictqueresque waterfront.

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Just as we were making our way into Rockport my chain fell off – my foot got stuck in the pedal – then I fell off and landed flat on my fack, feeling quite sorry for myself and whimpering a bit(my second fall in two days while the bike was not moving…) But it was bad news, we saw that the smallest front chain ring was bent – meaning no more low gears for the steep hills. Dad was on his way to meet us and we rode to the bike store and found out the bad news – the back wheel was also shot, then the mechanic said Lolly was too big for me, that it was unsafe to ride. They didn’t have a new wheel. The next few hours were spent switching everything from my bike to Dad’s mountain bike.

I felt defeated and mourned the loss of my beloved Lolly. Anthony felt defeated and also responsible. Dad brought us to our campsite where we quickly got eaten alive by mostquitos while we cooked Indian food ont he stove after four failed attempts to get the darned thing working. We drank Kava tea to calm our nerves late into the night while watching the almost full moon dance behind hazy clouds at chawonki campground in Wiscasset, ME. We spoke calmly about the ordeal and Anthony fell asleep feeling very very sad.

When all these problems arise, I keep asking myself, how do I be happy in the midst of all this? But it’s so hard sometimes. Emotions are so intense, bug bites are so itchy, and preferences for comfort are so strong. Letting go seems to impossible…and at the same time, letting go is the only answer. My father kept saying, “bike touring is all mental.” Well, isn’t everything? It’s amazing how uncomfortable discomfort can be. THe littlest (or very biggest) bug bite can drive me absolutely crazy. But we’ll see – we’ll see how strong I can be.

Today is Anthony’s birthday – and even though I have saddle sores and bug bites all over my bottom, I will not complain today…it could be the greatest birthday gift of all time. I will not cry.

That is where our journal entries end so far, but I will fill in the rest in present time (while Anthony returns birthday phone calls he hasn’t had the chance to make for two days)

So…We had to switch all my gear to dad’s mountain bike, and it is here where I have to say that I have the best father in the whole world. He unending moral support those two days where incredible and I was continually astonished at how he took everything in stride, adding jokes, and hugs and much, much cheering on. He road behind me the whole first day, just telling stories and jokes and coaching me from time to time. He kept us laughing the whole weekend. His generosity was amazing…he gave me his bike to ride! Not to mention buying all the parts needed to switch my gear to his bike. He was amazing. When I watched him drive out of the campground and head home in the truck, I had the same knot in my throat that I felt when he first dropped me off at college. I was so sad to see him go! I have the best dad in the world. What a lucky daughter I am.

And…I didn’t cry or complain on Anthony’s birthday (he said I should just imagine every day is his birthday). And his birthday was a great day. The only set back was a flat tire on my bike which occured, even though I made a deal with the universe that we would have no mechanical failures that day.

We rode into Freeport where L.L. Bean is located and talked to the mechanic there to see if he could raise the handlebars on dad’s bike. He gave us all sorts of advice about everything, including a route into Portland to visit Russ and Lily and Dali the wonderdog. We didn’t think we would be able to go there because it seemed to complicated but he gave us the insider scoop, which ended up being the most beautiful ride of the whole trip so far. We had ice cream and talked to a bunch of people, an older woman who had done tons of bike touring, who shared a few stories and agreed, “the first days are the hardest.” and we met a young couple with a small infant from Kentucky who wanted to know all about the trip and offered there place to stay at when we get to Kentucky. All the support from kind strangers in Freeport boosted morale and we whizzed into Portland (55 miles that day) where another kind stranger riding on the bike path rode us all the way to Russ and Lily’s doorstep. We celebrated Anthony’s birthday with good company, good pizza (anthony and I ate wolfed down one each) and creme brule for desert! We passed out on the floor underneath the awesome portrait russell painted of us (you can see it on artorbust.com) , and woke up the next morning ready to ride all the way home. Russell and Lily rode their bikes with us on the bike path to the edge of the city, russell offering sound advice all along the way.

 It was sad to watch them ride away as well, but we were so happy to spend time with them again. I hear he has written a blog on his site – artorbust.com about the adventure.

Today…Lolly fixed, safe to ride, back on the road tommorrow. Boston or bust…but for now, a little more time with the lovely family.

Here’s my awesome stepmother in the driveway in Portsmouth

Here’s mom and doug and metta at the beach in kittery, ME, near their house

We guess it’s about time to explain our trip. Since, well… we’re beginning tomorrow.

Tomorrow night, Alexa’s dad is driving us, our bikes, and all of our gear up to Bar Harbor, ME where we will begin our trip on Saturday morning. He is also riding the first day with us on our way down the Atlantic Coast. (He is then returning the 65 miles or so to retrieve his truck the following day. All on a mountain bike which will handicap him enough to ride at our speed.)

From there, we will head back to Portsmouth, NH and will arrive a few days later, just in time for a bed and hot shower. We will leave the next day for a quick two day trip to Boston where we will spend Labor Day weekend (off the roads) with some friends.

From Boston, our next time marker is visiting Alexa’s Aunt in Philadelphia on the 17th of September. So, we will likely take a detour through rural Pennsylvania since it would not take two weeks to get to Phil. From there, we return to Eliot, ME for a wedding on the 22nd. (By plane, of course.)

When we leave Philadelphia, it will take us about a week to arrive in Fredericksburg, VA, Anthony’s mother’s hometown. We will stay there for a few days, hopefully meeting up with Mom and some family. This would be the first week of October.

Then… suffering. Well, mountains. We will leave Fredericksburg and take a sharp turn west at Richmond, VA. From there we expect to run into some of the most challenging riding (and potentially cooler weather) when go through western Virginia and eastern Kentucky. It will also be extremely beautiful.

Our next (tentative) plan, is a stay at the Abbey of Gethsemani in central Kentucky. This is the former home of the remarkable Catholic mystic Thomas Merton. We will visit the monastery for sure, but we are on the waiting list for a 4-5 day retreat starting in mid-October. Although we really hope to have two spots open up, we are going to have to make really good time through the mountains in order to get there.

After Gethsemani, we will meander through western Kentucky before turning southeast towards Nashville, TN. The home of the Grand Ole Opry and… Anthony’s family. Then,… we’re done biking. Potentially forever. Just kidding.

Estimated arrival is the last few days of October.

There are probably some more details that would be interesting, but they will likely be revealed as the trip happens and as we continue typing in the future.

Some details: We are carrying camping equipment and will usually be camping unless we are staying with family, friends, or we are soaked to the bone from hours/days of rain. The whole trip will be around 2500 (mapped) miles and we are taking more than sixty days. So, average of around 40 to 45 miles a day. We do not have a cycling computer, which would constantly be doing our math for us, so our trip will be one long rough estimate. We do have maps that show mileage, points of interest/non-interest, and selected services. We will use these maps, in case you were wondering.

Okay, I believe that is enough for now. This trip is going to be perfect. There are so many variables that we have come to the conclusion that the trip will be perfect no matter what happens. Can you follow that reasoning? -ants

We are finally done our training period, and hopefully we’re ready…we are ready. We’ve been having an amazing time these past two weeks exploring the beauty of southern new hampshire and maine by bicycle, here are some photos of the loveliness surrounding my homeland.

Here’s a photo of Anthony riding on the great short cut he discovered on a wet dirt (more like sand) road…that was fun…

Here is me riding (almost fully loaded) by a lake next to my father and stepmother’s lakehouse…it was the most perfect biking day!

And here’s us at Anthony’s birthday dinner at my mother’s house…don’t worry it was early…you still have time to call him and wish him happy birthday on Monday!

Well that’s all for now, we’re off and we know we’ll be great. From all this training we’ve got some good muscles, and our hearts are filled with love -lex

On Friday, we went on a long ride of around 60 miles. We ran into a couple of mishaps along the way. First, I had a flat tire on my bike which we had to stop and patch. In a great show of northern hospitality, the lady in the house we were parked in front of came out and offered us her help. After leaving this scene, we quickly came to the end of Papa Ouellett’s detailed route instructions, and we realized we were a long way away from home and not sure how to get back. Another couple of sweet northeasterners at the next gas station pointed us back to Dover, NH and we headed home. This ride was another great example of how kind people are always available, especially when there is a flat tire or you’re lost and buying two bags of sugar-filled candy.

We rested our bike riding legs on Saturday in hopes of climbing the summit of Mt. Eisenhower. When we left southern Maine it was sunny skies and warm weather. As we drove to Crawford notch the clouds came in and the temperature dropped. When we arrived at the AMC (appalachian mountain club) hut, the weather report on the top of mount washington read thirty degrees with rain and 50 mile and hour winds. So…we drove south a bit and opted for a sunnier day. And yet here we are, bundled in many layers on the top of Moat Mountain, freezing our tootsies and hurrying to get back in the trees…there’s August in New England for you!

Russell and Lily and Salvador Dali the wonderdog create our new blog page in their portland, ME apartment on a warm summer’s evening

A charming photo taken at Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME right before Alexa fell off her bike with the clipless pedals in front of many tourist on-lookers…very embarrassing!

Portsmouth, New Hampshire…enjoying the cityscape as the drawbridge goes up to let a sail boat go under

Anthony has two flat tires in twenty minuetes…without riding at all…slow start to the morning leaving Loveland camping lot

Anthony Climbing up Left Hand Canyon to Jamestown…first mountain climb on a single speed bicycle

Getting very sunburned on Ms. Lolly’s (my red Trek many speed bike) first overnight trip in Colorado’s violent sunlight

We make it up to Jamestown, what a cool little colorado town