Cross Country

Tuesday 26 Jun 2012 14:44

On my way to Long Island I ran into this funny-looking building.

Posted: June 26, 2012, 6:44 p.m.

Tuesday 26 Jun 2012 11:57

The tower rising from the pit.

Posted: June 26, 2012, 3:57 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 19:59

Ta-Dah!

Posted: June 25, 2012, 11:59 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 19:46

As fun as dodging cabs in Manhattan is, Central Park is better.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 11:46 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 18:58

View from the bridge.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 10:58 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 18:57

The George Washington Bridge is the only way to cross into Manhattan from the West. Unfortunately you have to ride through a lot of crap to get to it.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 10:57 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 18:28

Storm over Manhattan.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 10:28 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 17:27

9/11 Memorial.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 9:27 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 16:29

Glad I'm in here, not out there.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 8:29 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 15:54

First view of the Freedom Tower.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 7:54 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 15:05

A lot of New Jersey looks like this.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 7:05 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 13:58

So here I am waiting under a bridge in New Jersey for the rain to stop. I was almost smart enough to stop at the McDonald's a mile back, but somehow I decided that the thick black cloud wasn't going to get me.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 5:58 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 13:10

Traffic jam.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 5:10 p.m.

Monday 25 Jun 2012 8:13

I don't think I'll be getting an early start today.

Posted: June 25, 2012, 12:13 p.m.

Sunday 24 Jun 2012 15:33

Posted: June 24, 2012, 7:33 p.m.

Sunday 24 Jun 2012 15:14

Philly.

Posted: June 24, 2012, 7:14 p.m.

Saturday 23 Jun 2012 16:48

So much nicer than riding through the city.

Posted: June 23, 2012, 8:48 p.m.

Saturday 23 Jun 2012 15:53

Outside downtown, Baltimore is pretty ugly except for this funky building.

Posted: June 23, 2012, 7:53 p.m.

Saturday 23 Jun 2012 15:34

Downtown Baltimore.

Posted: June 23, 2012, 7:34 p.m.

Saturday 23 Jun 2012 12:50

Little town's Main Street in Maryland.

Posted: June 23, 2012, 4:50 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 16:46

The Smithsonian Air & Space museum was the bomb. It was great seeing the actual air & spacecraft, including the Apollo 11 return capsule.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 8:46 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 13:37

"We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice".

Posted: June 22, 2012, 5:37 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 13:08

A bit larger than life.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 5:08 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 12:48

The gravestones cover almost every square inch.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 4:48 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 12:42

It reads "From the people of the Netherlands to the people of the United States of America".

Posted: June 22, 2012, 4:42 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 10:41

Now THAT must be where all the money is.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 2:41 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 10:31

It's surprisingly small. I don't know how they can fit a residence and offices in there.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 2:31 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 10:28

Meh, the Treasury Department. I'm pretty sure all the money's at the Federal Reserve.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 2:28 p.m.

Friday 22 Jun 2012 10:09

You never get to see these things as real buildings on TV, their always shot from the perfect angle without all the police and barricades visible.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 2:09 p.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 22:40

Meet Officer Crawford, the security guard at the Motel-6. He told me of the history of the neighborhood I'm staying in, known as "The Market". It looks pretty scary at night, but it's the wholesale market for the city during the day with fresh meat, clothes, electronics etc.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 2:40 a.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 20:21

Guys playing polo in the DC ghetto.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 12:21 a.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 20:02

Found this.

Posted: June 22, 2012, 12:02 a.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 19:41

Just one more picture of something that's been photographed a billion times.

Posted: June 21, 2012, 11:41 p.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 19:00

So I was just riding to the Capitol Mall when this funny looking building appeared.

Posted: June 21, 2012, 11 p.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 17:51

I'm officially inside the beltway, the freeway that circles DC.

Posted: June 21, 2012, 9:51 p.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 15:26

They've.got a really nice 50-mile long bike path to DC called the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.

Posted: June 21, 2012, 7:26 p.m.

Thursday 21 Jun 2012 12:48

On a river road in Virginia on the way to DC.

Posted: June 21, 2012, 4:48 p.m.

Wednesday 20 Jun 2012 14:38

I broke a spoke on Skyline drive and had to come down the mountain into town. There was this really nice little bike shop that fixed me up quickly, but then I had to climb back up the mountain.

Posted: June 20, 2012, 6:38 p.m.

Wednesday 20 Jun 2012 9:27

I met Nathan the amateur wildlife photographer and these two British tourists in the lobby of the lodge where we were all huddled around the wifi. Nathan got an amazing picture of a Black Bear with a little fawn in its mouth. The tourists had been to Peru, Egypt and all over the U.S. All of us kept babbling until they kicked us out at 11pm.

Posted: June 20, 2012, 1:27 p.m.

Tuesday 19 Jun 2012 18:04

It's hard to get a good picture of all the deer I'm seeing. Just as soon as I get close enough with my iPhone, some car comes down the road and the damn thing runs into the woods.

Posted: June 19, 2012, 10:04 p.m.

Tuesday 19 Jun 2012 17:41

Posted: June 19, 2012, 9:41 p.m.

Tuesday 19 Jun 2012 16:56

This guy is hiking all 2184 miles of the Appalachian Trail. He does about 15 miles a day, and has been at it for months now. He was hanging out at a picnic area getting ready to do another 8 miles after lunch. He said he spending less than $10 per day.

Posted: June 19, 2012, 8:56 p.m.

Tuesday 19 Jun 2012 11:35

Posted: June 19, 2012, 3:35 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 19:20

Finished the BRP, now onto Skyline.

Posted: June 18, 2012, 11:20 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 18:01

This is the highest point before the end of the BRP. It's all downhill from here!

Posted: June 18, 2012, 10:01 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 16:45

Meet Turtle Tracking Guy. He's retired from the Park Service and now spends his time watching a population of Box Turtles over a 350 acre area.

Posted: June 18, 2012, 8:45 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 15:39

I ran out of water and I wasn't sure how far it was to the next source, so I scrambled down to a stream. Try climbing over mossy rocks in biking shoes. I dare you.

Posted: June 18, 2012, 7:39 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 11:05

Above the clouds.

Posted: June 18, 2012, 3:05 p.m.

Monday 18 Jun 2012 10:10

The Parkway's kinda froggy after the rain. It's 90 miles to Waynesboro, and I'm hoping to stay dry.

Posted: June 18, 2012, 2:10 p.m.

Sunday 17 Jun 2012 18:12

I'm staying at this lodge right on the BRP. Motel-6 quality rooms and a Four Seasons setting.

Posted: June 17, 2012, 10:12 p.m.

Sunday 17 Jun 2012 10:37

Some guy turned an old school bus into the front porch of his house.

Posted: June 17, 2012, 2:37 p.m.

Sunday 17 Jun 2012 9:48

I stayed at the Stonewall B&B last night. Nice place and great food.

Posted: June 17, 2012, 1:48 p.m.

Saturday 16 Jun 2012 11:10

Posted: June 16, 2012, 3:10 p.m.

Saturday 16 Jun 2012 10:54

I'm trying to take a picture of something ugly. Still can't do it.

Posted: June 16, 2012, 2:54 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 16:59

So I booked this B&B because it's one of the few places to stay where I am along the Parkway. Funny thing is, when I show up nobody's home. I ended up waiting on the porch for just a few minutes. It ended up being the nicest place I stayed in for the whole trip.

Posted: June 15, 2012, 8:59 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 15:33

Going up?

Posted: June 15, 2012, 7:33 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 15:06

Old country house.

Posted: June 15, 2012, 7:06 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 13:29

You can see into Virginia from here.

Posted: June 15, 2012, 5:29 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 12:21

One really nice thing about the Parkway is that the few cars that pass you aren't going that fast.

Posted: June 15, 2012, 4:21 p.m.

Friday 15 Jun 2012 11:26

Goodbye Boone. It was a little jarring to have traffic after two days on the BRP with few cars, but it was great to have easy access to food.

Posted: June 15, 2012, 3:26 p.m.

Thursday 14 Jun 2012 14:55

Food is hard to find along the BRP. I managed to scavenge this $2 box of cookies at a visitor's center.

Posted: June 14, 2012, 6:55 p.m.

Thursday 14 Jun 2012 14:46

Posted: June 14, 2012, 6:46 p.m.

Thursday 14 Jun 2012 11:57

There's really just no ugly parts to this.

Posted: June 14, 2012, 3:57 p.m.

Thursday 14 Jun 2012 9:46

Riding along the BRP there are only a few places to stop. Since there were no cheap motels here, I was forced to stay at this mountain resort.

Posted: June 14, 2012, 1:46 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 18:10

Posted: June 13, 2012, 10:10 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 16:55

Top of a big-ass climb.

Posted: June 13, 2012, 8:55 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 16:41

Posted: June 13, 2012, 8:41 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 16:01

Wild turkey totally unconcerned about me.

Posted: June 13, 2012, 8:01 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 15:27

Posted: June 13, 2012, 7:27 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 15:10

Found it!

Posted: June 13, 2012, 7:10 p.m.

Wednesday 13 Jun 2012 14:24

Asheville has a funky little downtown.

Posted: June 13, 2012, 6:24 p.m.

Tuesday 12 Jun 2012 18:22

I had to do a lot of climbing to get to this one.

Posted: June 12, 2012, 10:22 p.m.

Tuesday 12 Jun 2012 17:52

Heading into the Appalachian Mountains.

Posted: June 12, 2012, 9:52 p.m.

Tuesday 12 Jun 2012 17:43

Posted: June 12, 2012, 9:43 p.m.

Tuesday 12 Jun 2012 11:47

Little back roads are the best way to go.

Posted: June 12, 2012, 3:47 p.m.

Tuesday 12 Jun 2012 11:02

Posted: June 12, 2012, 3:02 p.m.

Monday 11 Jun 2012 13:58

Monument to the Mosquito.

Posted: June 11, 2012, 5:58 p.m.

Monday 11 Jun 2012 9:57

I'm trying to ride between waves of rain. Yesterday I made the mistake of checking into a motel when it started raining hard, only to see it stop an hour later.

Posted: June 11, 2012, 1:57 p.m.

Sunday 10 Jun 2012 11:55

Wet day. I'm trying to get some miles in before the heavy rain hits.

Posted: June 10, 2012, 3:55 p.m.

Saturday 9 Jun 2012 15:19

There are a lot of very pretty old houses on these back roads.

Posted: June 9, 2012, 7:19 p.m.

Saturday 9 Jun 2012 12:31

Signs of progress in Georgia.

Posted: June 9, 2012, 4:31 p.m.

Saturday 9 Jun 2012 12:12

Nice to see a little space between the houses.

Posted: June 9, 2012, 4:12 p.m.

Friday 8 Jun 2012 19:32

Posted: June 9, 2012, 12:32 a.m.

Friday 8 Jun 2012 15:28

They seem to be pretty proud of their airmen here.

Posted: June 8, 2012, 8:28 p.m.

Thursday 7 Jun 2012 17:43

Just pretty.

Posted: June 7, 2012, 10:43 p.m.

Thursday 7 Jun 2012 12:33

An old cemetery way down an isolated country road.

Posted: June 7, 2012, 5:33 p.m.

Thursday 7 Jun 2012 11:28

Cute back country road.

Posted: June 7, 2012, 4:28 p.m.

Wednesday 6 Jun 2012 18:38

There's a lot of this in Alabama; small rolling hills and forest.

Posted: June 6, 2012, 11:38 p.m.

Wednesday 6 Jun 2012 18:05

Meet Sammy, Tammy and friends. They live in what Sammy describes as the richest town in Alabama, with 30 old-money millionaires from the Lumber Mills.

Posted: June 6, 2012, 11:05 p.m.

Wednesday 6 Jun 2012 16:34

I got rained on again, but it was nothing compared to yesterday.

Posted: June 6, 2012, 9:34 p.m.

Wednesday 6 Jun 2012 12:37

Right out of Driving Miss Daisy.

Posted: June 6, 2012, 5:37 p.m.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2012 18:11

Posted: June 5, 2012, 11:11 p.m.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2012 17:53

I got rained on a bit, but it was nice.

Posted: June 5, 2012, 10:53 p.m.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2012 17:35

Posted: June 5, 2012, 10:35 p.m.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2012 17:02

Nice tree-lined parkway.

Posted: June 5, 2012, 10:02 p.m.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2012 13:47

These states are definitely getting smaller.

Posted: June 5, 2012, 6:47 p.m.

Monday 4 Jun 2012 18:36

White sandy beaches and mansions on the gulf.

Posted: June 4, 2012, 11:36 p.m.

Monday 4 Jun 2012 18:22

Finally a bike and pedestrian friendly bridge!

Posted: June 4, 2012, 11:22 p.m.

Monday 4 Jun 2012 17:00

Posted: June 4, 2012, 10 p.m.

Monday 4 Jun 2012 16:10

Old civil war fort.

Posted: June 4, 2012, 9:10 p.m.

Monday 4 Jun 2012 15:47

Ready for the next great flood.

Posted: June 4, 2012, 8:47 p.m.

Sunday 3 Jun 2012 12:52

Look what I found in New Orleans!

Posted: June 3, 2012, 5:52 p.m.

Saturday 2 Jun 2012 16:03

New Orleans is the least bike-friendly city I've ever ridden in. Every bridge across the river is closed to bicycles, so the only way across is by ferry, half of which are closed on the weekends.

Posted: June 2, 2012, 9:03 p.m.

Saturday 2 Jun 2012 13:26

Nice empty bike path along the river.

Posted: June 2, 2012, 6:26 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 18:32

I haven't heard any banjos yet.

Posted: June 1, 2012, 11:32 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 17:00

The only hills in Louisiana are its bridges.

Posted: June 1, 2012, 10 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 14:45

Historic Franklin.

Posted: June 1, 2012, 7:45 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 12:42

Anyone wanna buy a plantation?

Posted: June 1, 2012, 5:42 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 11:11

Now that's how you build a house on a flood plain!

Posted: June 1, 2012, 4:11 p.m.

Friday 1 Jun 2012 10:56

Meet Terry, Mark and Derick. In addition to warnings about certain areas of Houma (where I plan to stay tonight), they suggested I don't stay in New Orleans' 9th Ward.

Posted: June 1, 2012, 3:56 p.m.

Thursday 31 May 2012 12:25

Posted: May 31, 2012, 5:25 p.m.

Thursday 31 May 2012 11:58

Reminds me of Peru.

Posted: May 31, 2012, 4:58 p.m.

Thursday 31 May 2012 11:04

Had a little rain and even some lightning. It was nice.

Posted: May 31, 2012, 4:04 p.m.

Wednesday 30 May 2012 17:29

Definitely Louisiana.

Posted: May 30, 2012, 10:29 p.m.

Wednesday 30 May 2012 15:57

Gotta love the old tire swing.

Posted: May 30, 2012, 8:57 p.m.

Wednesday 30 May 2012 13:54

More zombie apocalypse shelters.

Posted: May 30, 2012, 6:54 p.m.

Wednesday 30 May 2012 13:20

So it only took 7 days to get to Texas, but 10 to cross it. Big goddam state.

Posted: May 30, 2012, 6:20 p.m.

Wednesday 30 May 2012 11:25

Definitely not in the desert anymore.

Posted: May 30, 2012, 4:25 p.m.

Tuesday 29 May 2012 16:47

There's a zombie fortress in every small town I pass. Apparently they know something we don't.

Posted: May 29, 2012, 9:47 p.m.

Tuesday 29 May 2012 11:50

Glad to be leaving Houston. Maybe it was just the route I chose, but what I saw was a dump.

Posted: May 29, 2012, 4:50 p.m.

Monday 28 May 2012 13:46

I was briefly mistaken for Lance Armstrong in this McDonald's. Apparently he lives in this area and is seen riding from time to time.

Posted: May 28, 2012, 6:46 p.m.

Monday 28 May 2012 9:43

These Norwegian carpentry students are seeing a bit of Texas before they move on to New Orleans to help build houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Posted: May 28, 2012, 2:43 p.m.

Sunday 27 May 2012 17:34

I was wondering what they got the name of the movie from.

Posted: May 27, 2012, 10:34 p.m.

Sunday 27 May 2012 16:19

Pretty day on a country road.

Posted: May 27, 2012, 9:19 p.m.

Sunday 27 May 2012 11:00

So I spent the night at Dave and Brandi's Bed and Breakfast in Austin. It was a nice place with great food and the price was right, but this little kid kept threatening me.

Posted: May 27, 2012, 4 p.m.

Saturday 26 May 2012 16:19

Austin has some nice suburbs and pretty scenery.

Posted: May 26, 2012, 9:19 p.m.

Saturday 26 May 2012 14:22

Meet Don. He retired from the Navy with a disability 40 years ago and has lived in Dripping Springs ever since. He's thinking of moving to a smaller town though, since all those people from Austin are making it too crowded.

Posted: May 26, 2012, 7:22 p.m.

Saturday 26 May 2012 12:11

Posted: May 26, 2012, 5:11 p.m.

Saturday 26 May 2012 11:20

I finally found a steer!

Posted: May 26, 2012, 4:20 p.m.

Friday 25 May 2012 19:04

I've seen mules, goats, sheep, llamas and ostriches. Everything except cows.

Posted: May 26, 2012, 12:04 a.m.

Friday 25 May 2012 16:11

I rode along the I-10 all the way from Tucson. Goodbye my friend, I hardly knew ye.

Posted: May 25, 2012, 9:11 p.m.

Friday 25 May 2012 11:02

Nice rolling hills, not too hot, pleasant day.

Posted: May 25, 2012, 4:02 p.m.

Friday 25 May 2012 9:03

Posted: May 25, 2012, 2:03 p.m.

Thursday 24 May 2012 11:29

Everything is bigger in Texas.

Posted: May 24, 2012, 4:29 p.m.

Wednesday 23 May 2012 17:16

Posted: May 23, 2012, 10:16 p.m.

Wednesday 23 May 2012 16:54

If there's a bright center in the galaxy, this is the point farthest from it.

Posted: May 23, 2012, 9:54 p.m.

Wednesday 23 May 2012 16:26

Just a beautiful day.

Posted: May 23, 2012, 9:26 p.m.

Wednesday 23 May 2012 14:30

Nice tailwind and a good road. Another easy 100.

Posted: May 23, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 18:03

Meet Dave. He used to be a director for a tech company, and retired with his wife by buying an old motel here. We talked for about an hour on everything from pot legalization to hiking in Peru.

Posted: May 22, 2012, 11:03 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 17:29

Riding straight into the rain.

Posted: May 22, 2012, 10:29 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 16:46

Storm on the horizon.

Posted: May 22, 2012, 9:46 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 15:15

Posted: May 22, 2012, 8:15 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 11:59

Just a nice little climb.

Posted: May 22, 2012, 4:59 p.m.

Tuesday 22 May 2012 10:05

Texas is big. Trying to get 100 miles into a headwind. Austin on 27th, New Orleans by 1st or 2nd.

Posted: May 22, 2012, 4:05 p.m.

Monday 21 May 2012 16:26

A nice little climb and the first clouds I've seen in 10 days.

Posted: May 21, 2012, 10:26 p.m.

Monday 21 May 2012 13:50

These are some folks in Fort Hancock eating lunch at Angie's Restaurant, and talking about the vaporizing pressure of liquified natural gas at 100 degrees.

Posted: May 21, 2012, 7:50 p.m.

Monday 21 May 2012 12:42

Tractor drafting!

Posted: May 21, 2012, 6:42 p.m.

Monday 21 May 2012 11:54

This funny little guy was hanging out at a farm-country gas station.

Posted: May 21, 2012, 5:54 p.m.

Monday 21 May 2012 11:03

Huge headwind, only going 12mph. Managed to draft off a speeding tractor for a bit, but then he had to turn.

Posted: May 21, 2012, 5:03 p.m.

Sunday 20 May 2012 15:30

One nice thing about the border fence in El Paso - it provides some nice shade.

Posted: May 20, 2012, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday 20 May 2012 13:42

Nice change from the desert. A little headwind but cooler.

Posted: May 20, 2012, 7:42 p.m.

Sunday 20 May 2012 11:47

Woo-hoo! New tire AND a spare. On my way to El Paso.

Posted: May 20, 2012, 5:47 p.m.

Sunday 20 May 2012 10:50

Here I am rolling along at 5mph through Las Cruces on a destroyed rear tire. Heading to the only bike shop in town.

Posted: May 20, 2012, 4:50 p.m.

Saturday 19 May 2012 20:00

So when Terry and I were talking about riding to Dallas together he bought a spare tire. I brought one along on my first tour, but later decided it was overkill. After all, you can start with new tires and patch one with a tire "boot" in an emergency. I figured I'd pick up a spare somewhere along the way.
Unfortunately I got about five flats between Benson AZ and Lordsburg NM, and in one of the changes I created a pinch between the tube and the rim. As soon as I rode away it blew with enough force to destroy the tire bead that grips the rim. That's something a tire boot can't fix. I played with it and it held for another fifty miles, but it finally fell apart six miles before Lordsburg. Since it was unfixable, I had to ride those last six miles on a flat, pulling in to the first hotel just as it was getting dark.
This little town barely has a grocery store much less a bike shop, so I ordered some new tires and tubes online and had them overnight-shipped here. Since I didn't place the order until late Friday however, I've had to spend all day Saturday hanging out at the hotel. I got a little work done, but otherwise I'm eager to get back to it. Hopefully they'll show up tomorrow morning and I'll be on my way to Las Cruces.

Posted: May 20, 2012, 2 a.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 19:54

I knew I would find myself on this journey.

Posted: May 19, 2012, 1:54 a.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 19:42

That little silhouette of a cyclist is me. I don't know if you can pick it out in these tiny pictures.

Posted: May 19, 2012, 1:42 a.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 19:34

New Mexico: high desert, high winds.

Posted: May 19, 2012, 1:34 a.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 17:09

At Mexico (new) border.

Posted: May 19, 2012, 12:09 a.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 15:40

I met this guy at a gas station in Bowie AZ. He was very proud of his six-shooter, and eagerly told me about Arizona's open-carry law and how the NRA is really protecting our freedom of speech and religion.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 10:40 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 15:18

High winds at my back, but dust storms ahead.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 10:18 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 14:24

Some jerk at the Arizona Department of Transportation decided to grate the entire shoulder for about six miles, and leave it that way!

Posted: May 18, 2012, 9:24 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 13:53

MASSIVE tailwind! If my bike had a couch I'd just sit and steer. Doing 30mph and barely pedalling.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 8:53 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 13:50

I'm glad I didn't try to stay in Willcox. The hotels aren't very inviting.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 8:50 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 11:01

Just some pretty rocky mountains.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 6:01 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 10:49

Just finished a big climb.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 5:49 p.m.

Friday 18 May 2012 8:48

First real green I've seen in Arizona.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 3:48 p.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 21:28

The most beautiful site. I did 113 miles today, about 15 more than I intended, when I arrived here just as it was getting dark. My ass hurts (from the ride, thank you) but I got a nice room with a fridge, microwave and wifi for $44.

Posted: May 18, 2012, 4:28 a.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 16:24

These guys did a nice job cleaning up my drivetrain. Off to Benson!

Posted: May 17, 2012, 11:24 p.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 15:03

Getting my bike's drive train cleaned and wandering the ASU Tuscon campus. This is their old main building.

Posted: May 17, 2012, 10:03 p.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 9:34

Truck stop Adult Boutique with a view.

Posted: May 17, 2012, 4:34 p.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 9:29

Here's Shelby's blooming Suagaro.

Posted: May 17, 2012, 4:29 p.m.

Thursday 17 May 2012 9:06

Jealousy. I'm riding on cobblestones and the freeway shoulder is perfectly smooth. 45 more miles to Tuscon.

Posted: May 17, 2012, 4:06 p.m.

Wednesday 16 May 2012 14:30

Solar powered potato chips.

Posted: May 16, 2012, 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday 16 May 2012 13:04

Ahhh...civilization.

Posted: May 16, 2012, 8:04 p.m.

Wednesday 16 May 2012 8:57

Lots of funny looking trees out here.

Posted: May 16, 2012, 3:57 p.m.

Wednesday 16 May 2012 8:20

The road to Maricopa. It's not too hot yet, and I hope to get there before it is.

Posted: May 16, 2012, 3:20 p.m.

Wednesday 16 May 2012 7:35

This is Gila Bend.

Posted: May 16, 2012, 2:35 p.m.

Tuesday 15 May 2012 16:15

Dust devils on Mars.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 11:15 p.m.

Tuesday 15 May 2012 13:30

Half of these containers are from China.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday 15 May 2012 10:59

Meet Pierre and his wife. They're from Paris and traveling across the U.S. by car. They just came from the Grand Canyon and are heading to San Diego now. Very nice and inquisitive couple.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 5:59 p.m.

Tuesday 15 May 2012 9:03

Long lonely road.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 4:03 p.m.

Tuesday 15 May 2012 7:46

Leaving Wellton behind, Gila Bend in 90 miles.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 2:46 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 20:12

Venus over the Arizona desert.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 3:12 a.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 18:28

Arizona can be pretty when it wants to.

Posted: May 15, 2012, 1:28 a.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 13:47

Meet John the prospector. He travels by bike or his home-made canoe between his secret sites looking for silver and gold. He's looking forward to coming up with enough to buy a fixer-upper desert home for about $20k. He says he's getting too old for sleeping outdoors.

Posted: May 14, 2012, 8:47 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 11:07

Yep, definitely desert.

Posted: May 14, 2012, 6:07 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 10:04

Beautiful day.

Posted: May 14, 2012, 5:04 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 9:36

There's a lot of this.

Posted: May 14, 2012, 4:36 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 8:45

How much Gatorade do you need for 50 miles in 100+ heat?

Posted: May 14, 2012, 3:45 p.m.

Monday 14 May 2012 8:04

Goodbye Calexico, it's been bueno.

Posted: May 14, 2012, 3:04 p.m.

Sunday 13 May 2012 14:17

30 miles through the Yuha desert at 108 degrees. Extra water and Gatorade!

Posted: May 13, 2012, 9:17 p.m.

Sunday 13 May 2012 13:48

Big descent down into the desert.

Posted: May 13, 2012, 8:48 p.m.

Sunday 13 May 2012 13:00

The border wall actually exists! It's pretty big and ugly.

Posted: May 13, 2012, 8 p.m.

Sunday 13 May 2012 12:34

Finally at the summit, 4000 feet. It's all downhill from here!

Posted: May 13, 2012, 7:34 p.m.

Sunday 13 May 2012 12:06

Ksenia and I stayed at Live Oak Springs Resort, heading to Calexico. The "Resort" was built in the forties when old highway 80 was the only west road to San Diego. It's still cute, but a little worn down. Getting there was really tough. Ordinarily I would stop about every two hours but I was in a huge hurry to get there before dark. I ended up riding almost six hours with only two brief stops for snacks.

Posted: May 13, 2012, 7:06 p.m.

Saturday 12 May 2012 11:43

This is as close as I got to the Pacific. I would've loved to do the "touch the back wheel in the ocean" thing, but I was in a hurry. I had to get in & out of the bike shop and on my way to Live Oak Springs.

Posted: May 12, 2012, 6:43 p.m.

Saturday 12 May 2012 11:06

Headed from my house towards the ocean around 11am to get to the only bike shop in town that could replace my broken shifters immediately.

Posted: May 12, 2012, 6:06 p.m.