A major landmark – we hit our first 100 miles day crossing Kansas with (at last!!!) a favourable tailwind. It had been in the offing for a while, but today the gods smiled on us, as they did last night finding us a superb place to stay at the Newton Bike Shop. James’s wife, Heather,…
Archive For June, 2014
Head to Head with the Wicked Witch of the West – Eureka to Newton
She was really mad with us this morning. In the early hours of the morning the predicted storm hit Eureka and the lightning flashes lit up the stained glass windows of the church like something from ‘The Omen’. Warm and dry on our sleep mats on the floor we thanked Joanie and the church that…
Looking for the Line Man – Chanute to Eureka
Riding days start early on the trail. Our alarms were set for 6am, by which time Jerry and Jonathan were already up, clipping their panniers onto their bikes and making coffee. First Baptist had been a great place to stay, but the TransAm never rests, so by 7am we were out of the door and…
The Inevitability of Onwards – Pittsburg to Chanute
By Terry “See that red bit? … that’s the worst of the weather and it’s heading straight at us.” said Jonathan, pointing at the radar weather image on his phone. Sure enough, half an hour, 3 bowls of wheat flakes, 2 blueberry muffins and lots of rubbish coffee later, the thunderstorm hit Pittsburg. So much…
Heroes to Zeros – Pittsburg to Nowhere
Our first day off for nearly 3 weeks. We’ve cycled over the Appalacians and the Ozarks. We wanted a rest. We needed a rest. Hell, we deserved a rest. Mike, Jessica and Tuan peddled off though towards the promised golden flatlands of Kansas after the now obligatory photo shoot and we all reckoned that we’d…
Click Your Heels Three Times: We’re in Kansas – Everton to Pittsburg
“You’re getting slower, aren’t you”? Terry’s question was direct, but honest. After 19 days of continuous cycling without a break since Fort Chiswell in Virginia, fatigue was beginning to set in. I found myself looking more and more at my feet and less and less at the landscape. I’d noticed no change in Terry’s energy…
Searching Missouri for Rosie Lee – Marshfield to Everton
“That’s not tea”. “Yes it it” “Is it hot?” “No”. “Do you have milk?” “No, we don’t keep perishables”. “Then it’s not tea then is it?” We are standing in KFC looking at a fizzy pop machine and for the first time on this trip I’m really grumpy. I face-timed Ellie and Kate this morning…
Houston we have a Problem – Houston to Marshville
My dear old mum always says that if you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything … and so in that vein, I won’t mention the Houston motel, the motel breakfast or the Yorkshireman who ran it. Suffice to say that he came over years ago looking for the American dream and seems to…