Advertisements
  •  
Results 1 - 20 of 25

25 Search Results for "cycling"

  • Sarawright186

    • Points:652
    • Views: 26
    • Since: 4 weeks ago

  • LAND'S END TO JOHN O'GROATS

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      Not for the faint of heart!  I have just completed the End to End (E2E) bicycle trip from the southwest tip of England to the northeast tip of Scotland.  It is something of a right-of-passage for British cyclists, but most of the rest of the cycling world have never heard of it.

       

      There is no set route, as long as you start at one end and finish at the other.  Therefore, you can theoretically plan a route that takes you to tourist attractions or quaint towns you would like to stay in.  Do that at your own peril.  Unless you are a resident and/or terribly intrepid, you had best go with a paid tour. 

       This is a ride for the veteran touring cyclist, but determined novices can complete it. By all means, use a quaNarrow Country Lanelity bicycle with a wide range of gears. The hills are challenging and relentless. Some of the roads have deteriorated to the extent that a washboard would be a relief.  Riding the narrow country lanes provided new experiences, not all of which were pleasant.  Of course, the scenery is spectacular.  It helps if the weather cooperates.  Take your wet and cold weather gear, you will need them no matter what time of year you go.

       Penzance Harbor

      The day before the adventure started I stayed at the Hotel Penzance.  They were pleasant, helpful, and flexible; the room modern and clean, the view of the harbor and bay excellent.

       

      The day after spending three weeks in the saddle I needed a place to de-compress.  The Avalon Guest House in Inverness provided just the place.  It is neat and spotless, the breakfast choices superior to any I have had in the UK, and the location within walking distance of everything, especially the quiet, calming Ness Islands. Hostess, Jo, makes you feel welcome and doesn’t mind spending a few moments chatting and getting to know you just a little bit.  She is interested but not intrusive, a quality no longer found in many B&B owners.

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 1 month ago
    • Views: 60
    • Not yet rated

  • Castle Urquhart on Loch Ness

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:
    • 1 month ago
    • Views: 42

  • Dunnet Head Cliffs

  • Narrow Country Lane

  • Highland Cow

  • Soccer Stadium near completion

    • From: gibela
    • Description:
      style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"style="clear: both;"

      A 5 min drive or 20 min walk from Gibela Backpackers Lodge - Durban.

      Standing on the newly laid pitch with its signature arch soaring overhead and the 56 000 permanent seats all in place, one can almost see the crowds taking their seats and the excitement mounting in Durban's dramatic new multi-purpose stadium.

      It's just weeks to go now until the city's Moses Mabhida Stadium - which will seat 69 000 during the tournament and host seven FIFA World Cup™ matches, including a semi-final - is complete.

      At the height of construction of the stadium, there were over 2 500 workers on site, but on a quiet Sunday morning only a handful of workers are left, erecting balustrades, putting the last touches to the venue offices and cleaning up walkways and access areas.

      "We are just weeks away from a complete stadium now. Then it's over to FIFA and the Organising Committee to get it operationally ready for a World Cup, but the plan is to open it up to Durban citizens long before," says head of the eThekwini Municipality's Strategic Projects Unit and 2010 Programme, Julie May Ellingson.

      Finalists in a local schools World Cup competition will be the lucky teams to be the first to step out onto the new turf to mark the stadium's opening in front of the city's residents on 28 November 2009.

      This will be followed the day after with a match between two yet-to-be-announced Premier Soccer League (PSL) sides. A number of concerts and further PSL matches are planned from January to May next year to give the stadium the stress tests it needs to ensure it is operationally ready next June for football's greatest showpiece, the FIFA World Cup.

      The focus now shifts to the precinct projects and ensuring fans, players and the media can easily access the stadium on match day.

      Durbanites are renowned for really making the most of a sporting match day. When residents of the city attend a football, cricket or rugby match they get to the venue hours before, parking in adjacent fields and setting up braais (barbeques) alongside their cars for pre-and post-match festivities which often go into the morning's early hours.

      To ensure this spirit is maintained, numerous park and ride and park and walk facilities are planned and some R250 million is being spent upgrading the beach promenade and extending the walkway from the beach all the way to the stadium.

      A ‘People's Park' is also being developed adjacent to the stadium, which will be one of the hubs of spectator festivities during the tournament.

      Fans will also be conveniently transported to the stadium by rail, with a new train station adjacent to the stadium currently under construction.

      "For us as a city it was always very important that the stadium is financially viable after 2010. For this reason we have built a multi-functional stadium that can serve the needs of football, rugby and athletics. We have worked hard to ensure that the entire precinct becomes an area used by the residents of the city," explains Ellingson.

      "The People's Park is an important legacy project for us. This park is a green space next to the stadium which includes two training fields, a running and cycling track, a children's playground and a tea garden. Residents and visitors can also ride a cable car to the top of the arch, or climb the 550 steps, for spectacular 365 degree views of the adjacent Indian Ocean and the city. For the adventure junkies, there will also be a bungee swing from the stadium's arch," Ellingson outlines.

      The stadium will also feature 72,00 m² of retail space and a gym, which will also help ensure it is used for far more than only sporting events and becomes a constantly bustling, well-utilised asset of the city.

    • Blog post
    • 2 months ago
    • Views: 84
    • Not yet rated

  • jocelynking08

    • Points:652
    • Views: 26
    • Since: 2 months ago

  • kimberlyallen25

    • Points:652
    • Views: 45
    • Since: 2 months ago

  • jeniferpham27

    • Points:652
    • Views: 24
    • Since: 2 months ago

  • Medora, North Dakota

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      Medora, North Dakota is right off Interstate 94 in the western part of the state, almost to Montana.  This is the best place to center your sightseeing in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (both units) and Badlands National Park, cycling, and/or hiking activities.  For cycling or horseback riding, the Maah Daah Hey trail provides strenuous exercise and for entertainment, the Medora Musical is highly acclaimed.

      The town itself, only several blocks square, has sufficient motel space to accommodate many visitors.  There are also other places to stay within a few miles.  We spent two nights at the Eagle Ridge Lodge and rate it A+.  One of the best scenic views in all of our sightseeing in this area came from sitting on the patio sipping a beverage.  Eagle Ridge, while technically a B&B, includes breakfast AND dinner.    The owners, Joann and Paul Douglas, really know how to be perfect hosts.  See their website for complete information: http://www.eagleridgelodge.com/index2.htm

      For standard sightseeing, drive through the Theodore Roosevelt (South Unit) National Park, the entrance located as you come into town.  There is a thirty-six mile loop, with many places to pull off and experience the view or to hike down a trail for an even better view.  Thank goodness for digital cameras, where you can take pictures of everything, then delete those that don’t measure up. 

      We spent the morning exploring the South Unit, then drove the seventy-odd miles to see what the North Unit had to offer.  Folks staying at Eagle Ridge had driven the North Unit the day before and saw the herd of bison (don’t call them buffalo!) with calves.  They must have known we were coming and wandered behind a hill or something.  We saw only one male. 

      One of the Medora establishments we can highly recommend is Western Edge Books, Artwork, and Music.  In addition to finding my book (signed copies) there, they stock an extensive selection of western and especially local, books and artwork.  If you stay more than two days, you have no excuse not to stop by.

    • Blog post
    • 4 months ago
    • Views: 223

  • High Valley Resort, Suches Geo

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      For the past four years we have been having wonderful vacations at the High Valley Resort in Suches, Georgia.  It is with mixed feelings that we reveal this gem nestled in the Chattahoochee Forest. 

      Our kids and grandkids from Texas and Maryland and England came together for a week of fun and fellowship in two cabins.  While the cabins comfortably sleep eight, last year we stuffed twelve into one and found that to be too much.  This year we had thirteen and the two cabins worked out quite well. 

      These are not rustic cabins; they are new, with all the modern conveniences and kept spotless.  There is a downstairs master bedroom with king size bed; upstairs bedroom with single beds, and a loft with two double beds (or two bunk beds).  Each floor has a full bath, with tub, and towels and wash cloths.  The kitchen is complete and stocked with dishes and cooking utensils.  This year each cabin had a new gas grill on the front porch.  Each cabin has a washer and dryer, and even the soap is included.  The large back porch is fully screened, with plenty of seating and is perfect for morning coffee.  The front porch has four large rockers, and if you look in the bedroom closet you will find at least four folding chairs.  These can be used to take to the fire ring outside each cabin so you can relax around the fire and make S’mores or whatever.  Speaking of outside, each cabin also has two wooden bench tables.

      Even better, they now have a large meeting room and bunkhouse that sleeps twenty-four.  This meeting room is perfect for businesses, scrap booking, quilting, or any group of folks who need a large room.

      In addition to the cabins, there are also bunkhouses and camping spots and very clean shower facilities and dining room.071 Kurt and Nic in 'Stang.JPG

      Because the roads and scenery here are so great, this is a favorite spot for motorcyclists.  In the case of High Valley Resort, well behaved motorcyclists.  Coming into and exiting the property, these many guests more or less idle to and from their lodgings and the gentle purr of the (mostly) Harleys hardly disturbs the peaceful countryside.  This picture is son, Kurt and his wife, Nic.  The cabin is in the background.  I took no pictures of the motorcyclists.

      Of course, I come to this area to ride my bike.  During the week I see only a few other cyclists, but on the weekend, folks from Atlanta and Athens and other areas flock to the mountains to ride the gaps and get in a great workout. 

      030 AT fern forest.JPGThe rest of the family is into hiking, and with the Appalachian Trail so close, we spend a lot of time on it.  But there is so much else for us to do. 

       

      This year we went paddle-boating at Vogel State Park.  038 View from lake at Vogel State Park.JPGAs soon as the grandkids are old enough, tubing is close-by.  There is a trout farm just down the road (no catch, no pay; and they clean the fish).  We also spent an afternoon on a winery tour, as the area has about a dozen wineries.  A big highlight is having a plane land on the airstrip.  Yes, this also has a grass landing strip and is actually the highest airport in Georgia.  

      Check out their website: http://www.highvalleyresort.com/ since I may have missed something.

    • Blog post
    • 4 months ago
    • Views: 628

  • Tour De States

    • From: tourdestates
    • Description:

      Three UF college students will be cycling cross-country in efforts to raise money for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.   

      Starting from Jacksonville Beach, Fl on May 2, the cyclists will bike over 70 miles a day in hopes to reach their finish line in Huntington Beach, CA, 2600 miles away, in 40 days.    

      The goal of the cross-country adventure is to raise money and awareness for Relay for Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society. Sponsors and fans from all over have been pouring in both moral support and monetary donations toward the trip and the organization. The group will be donating the remainder of the donations after trip expenses, as well as fund-matching half of the grand total to give to Relay for Life.  

      Following the cyclists will be three other students, intent on providing both moral support and documentation of the trip via film. The adventure will be chronicled daily by the group via blog and "tweeting" so that family, friends, and fans can keep track of their progress. The blog can be found at the official Web site, www.tourdestates.com, and their Twitter profile name is TourDeStates.   

      The cyclists know the trip will be long, tiring, and arduous, but the interest and support showed by fans will be their fuel when the daily 70 mile trek seems daunting. In the end, this trip will be more than just a test of the cyclists' endurance. It will be a chance for adventure, a chance for self-discovery, and most importantly, a chance to help others have adventures just like this.    


    • Blog post
    • 6 months ago
    • Views: 239
    • Not yet rated

  • cycling in bakersville,nc

    • From: allimare
    • Description:
    • 9 months ago
    • Views: 190
    • Not yet rated

  • ALLEGHENY PASSAGE AND C&O CANA

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      If you are going to be in the vicinity of Brunswick, MD on April 14, 2009, stop by the library at 7pm.  They are hosting a Meet The Author evening and Jerry will discuss his book, cycling in general, and this ride in particular

      THE ALLEGHENY PASSAGE AND C&O CANAL

       

      SUNDAY       

      MCKEESPORT TO CONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

       

      Ever since my first rail-trail experience, The John Wayne Trail in Washington State, I have wanted to do another.  I thought the Mickelson Trail in South Dakota would be it, but events conspired to keep kicking it back down the list.

      Originally seven cyclists and four non-cycling spouses were to make the journey, but events conspired to reduce the number.  My friend Byran and his wife Ilene flew in to Pittsburg and Cyndee and her husband Eliott would meet us a few days later.  Marilane and I drove.

      Before loading his Bike Friday (which fits into a suitcase for air travel) into the car, Byran took it for a spin around the parking lot.  Byran also took a head-over-tin-cups spin when it came apart.  Byran then tightened ALL of the bolts.

      The “plan” called for the cyclists to warm up by cycling to the trail head.  One look at the road and traffic changed that to Marilane driving us there.  Unfortunately, only three people and two bikes could fit into our Tribute, so Ilene had to see Byran off from the motel rather than accompany us to the trail. 

      The directions were very clear; just the streets of McKeesport were not cooperative.  Eventually, we located what appeared to be the starting place and prepared to depart.  Our guardian angel sent a friendly cyclist who turned us 180 degrees from our intended departure direction and provided more details.  Marilane waved us on our way, both she and us hiding the trepidation we felt at this extremely inauspicious beginning.

      We needed additional help a few miles further and again friendly folks went out of their way to be sure we got on the trail.  Finally, a real trail we could follow!  We are not inexperienced riders.  Only one or two appropriately placed signs would have eased our difficulties.

      Now that I have done it, my recommendation is to start in Boston, Pennsylvania and avoid the traffic and trail-finding hassles associated with McKeesport.  Once on the trail in Boston, I don’t believe I changed gears the rest of the day, until getting off the trail.  The smooth dirt or crushed stone trail tilted slightly uphill and the tall trees formed a high ceiling canopy about 90% of the whole ride.  The negative feelings at the beginning of the adventure slipped away, to be replaced by the quiet serenity that is part and parcel of riding rail trails.

      We stopped a few times, including for ice cream where the trail crossed a road, and Byran engaged folks in conversation.  Sunday, and lots of people were cycling.  Okay, if I said twenty, that might be an exaggeration.  Monday through Friday we had the trail mostly to ourselves.

      At the end of the trail in Connellsville, I again became directionally challenged and added another mile before reversing course.  Western Pennsylvania and Maryland have mountains.  The trail may be flat but once you get off it, the road leads UP!  We climbed a little over a mile, but finally breezed into the motel parking lot, only a couple hours later than expected.

      Byran had it at 50 miles.  I showed 46.8.  The whole trip he clocked more miles, but he recorded his mileage and I didn’t, thus we are using his numbers. 

      I reasoned that using B&Bs Monday through Thursday, with breakfast included, eliminated the hunt for morning sustenance.  Now having completed the trip, I am more ambivalent, and will no longer make finding breakfast a criteria for choosing lodging.  Connellsville has one motel and no B&B, so I had no option there, but the diner for breakfast was around the corner.  Likewise, it offered no tourist opportunities. 

       

      MONDAY     

      CONNELLSVILLE TO ROCKWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA

       

       The return trip to the trail took no time at all, being steeply downhill, and we resumed our journey.  The trail today proved slightly more steep, but still only one gear.  The grade and the surface combined to keep the cyclist pedaling, with no coasting possible.  Therefore, it provided a good workout.  We still had the treed canopy and solitude as we reeled our way up the trail.

      At a scenic overlook, Byran engaged in conversation with one of the few locals we encountered on the trail.  I don’t recall the last time I saw Byran out-talked, but this guy was non-stop.  Our five minute break lasted over twenty before we could pull ourselves away.

      Ohiopyle provided our lunch stop, at the Firefly Grill.  We sat outside and watched two men across the street cut up a large tree that had fallen in the courtyard of the Yough Plaza Hotel.  After lunch we cycled over to the falls, and then came back to the trail.  Byran stopped for two young ladies, to take their picture with their camera.

      We cycled through Meyersdale and Confluence (deriving the name from the coming together of the Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers and Laurel Hill Creek) on our way to Rockwood.  Yes, George Washington slept here in Confluence.

      Peaceful along the Youghiogheny.JPGThe trail is very nice and tranquil with the canopy; however my hope for spectacular scenery faded as the day progressed.  Fall color would be a much better time for pictures, what with all the trees.  One spot seemed promising and we stopped for a photo op. 

      Byran had it at 56 miles.  Marilane was waiting (and waiting and waiting) at the trailhead because the additional five miles to the B&B was UP, had some wicked turns and no shoulder and big trucks.  Having a support vehicle certainly alleviates problems associated with traveling through a place for the first time.

      Cyndee and Eliott arrived about 11pm.  Breakfast started at 7:30am the next morning.

       

      TUESDAY

      ROCKWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA TO CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND

       

      We got a late start, but eventually returned to the trail head and mounted up.  Cyndee missed cycling a full day of uphill, but we still had a few more hours of it before crossing the Eastern Divide.  Truthfully, I had been unaware of the Eastern Divide.  The sign indicated this watershed divided the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay.  We were happy to take a break in the short tunnel, as the morning mist had turned into a light rain. 

      After two and a half days of going up, it was now time to go down.  A short meteorological lesson: mountains oftentimes scrape the moisture out of clouds, leaving one side with much more rain than the other.  Such was the case today.  Once on the coastal side of the mountain, we encountered heavier rain.  Cyndee led us out and down, but Byran and I stopped for this and that and another picture, giving her a large lead.  At another tunnel she stopped to pour water out of her shoes as she waited for us. 

       

      We lunched in Frostburg, arriving a little after 1pm, as the rain ceased, and it crossed my mind that perhaps the restaurant would not even let our dripping bodies sit down.  Frostburg has some steep hills, but the one leading from the trail at least had a few switchbacks to get us up the steepest part.

      Finding a nice eating establishment, we contacted spouses so they could meet us there.  Cyndee opted to sag in with Eliott and therefore missed the best riding of the whole trip and the best views.  Frostburg to Cumberland is excellent, even with the now stopped rain wetting down the trail.  My only complaint is the views were behind us as we went down the trail, thus causing either a look over the shoulder or stopping completely to turn around and take a picture.

      Once again I became directionally challenged, and to make a long story short, it took about an hour to go the half mile from the trail to the B&B.  Byran had this at 50 miles. 

       

      WEDNESDAY

      CUMBERLAND TO HANCOCK, MARYLAND

       

      Canopied trail the whole way.JPGThe sun came out and the temperature held in the mid-70s all day.  What a great day to cycle downhill with the wind at our backs!  Then reality set in.  The canopied trail protected us from sun and wind, and the downhill is really level until you get to the locks and a short drop.  While the Allegheny Passage follows a river on the old Western Maryland railroad, the C&O Canal follows the Potomac River, and was designed to be flat so the barges could be pulled by horses or mules.  Flat means a lot of indentations in the trail where recent rains could turn them into mud holes.  It rained a lot yesterday and there were a lot of mud holes to dodge when you could or get muddy when you couldn’t.  We got real muddy.

      Lunch was in Oldtown, Maryland in a now closed school that had converted the cafeteria into an eating establishment.  Thank goodness they still had plastic chairs for our muddy bodies.  The food was good and we chatted with a few locals as we leisurely lunched. 

      Once again Byran met up with a cyclist to chat and got out-talked!  But one of the many bits of information we learned was an asphalt trail paralleled the C&O for the last ten miles into Hancock.  That made cycling easier, and we dragged our bodies in arriving after 6pm, having clocked 64.5 miles on the odometer.

       

      THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007

      HANCOCK TO SHEPHERDSTOWN

       

      If you look on the brochures of the C&O Canal, this exit is actually Sharpsburg, Maryland.  However, Sharpsburg has no place to stay, so you go across the river to Shepherdstown, West Virginia.  The Antietam Civil War battle took place near Sharpsburg and Eliott is a history buff, so he had it on his agenda.

      We had an excellent breakfast and departed later than anticipated, but only had to coast down the hill a short way to the trail.  Actually, we had another ten miles of asphalt to start our day.  Unfortunately, we thought the end of the asphalt had an access to the C&O Canal trail, but found out the hard way that the access was a mile back up the road.  It was marked, but all three of us didn’t read the whole sign, and the directions were at the bottom.  If I were doing the sign, I would start off at the top with an alert to turn.  But I’m not and we added a couple of miles to our route.

       

      When passing over a short bridge yesterday, my front wheel suddenly developed an annoying whine, a harmonic.  We thought it might be the hydraulic brakes, and did a little mechanical and it went away.  Today, the whine came back with a vengeance.  Since I am deaf in one ear it wasn’t so bad for me, but both Cyndee and Byran found ways to not ride within a 100 yards of me.  At a cemetery stop, Cyndee went on and Byran helped do major repair work, taking about a half an hour.  All to no avail.  Finally, when distant dogs started barking and howling when I went past, I decided to just take the front brake off.  We hardly needed brakes anyhow.  This procedure only took a few minutes and we bungied the apparatus to the front fork.  Within two pedal strokes, the sound was back!  Cyndee, being young and still having good hearing, put her ear to the spinning wheel and pronounced the sound came from the right side, not the brake side.  Byran poured some water on it and it stopped!  Back went the brake, and within a few minutes we were back riding in blissful silence.  Every couple of miles I dropped some water on the hub and after one large spray, the sound went away for good.  I hypothesize that some dirt got on the inside of the dropout and the water finally washed it loose.

      Tunnel at Paw-Paw.JPGThe Paw Paw Tunnel provided a change of pace to our riding.  The tunnel is 3,118 feet long, straight, and has no lights.  It took 14 years from proposal (which estimated two years) to completion.  There is a wooden guardrail to help keep you from falling into the canal, but once inside we only saw the light at the end, and could not see where to place our feet.  I hadn’t even noticed that Cyndee had a light on her bike.  About two-thirds of the way through, she asked if it helped as she aimed it in front of me.  I used the bike handlebars as feelers to bump into the wall or railing, and after several hard bumps, the light alleviated the walking.

      Today’s route also had a detour in it.  According to a downloaded map one of the cyclists had last night, you could take a short detour or a longer detour.  We wondered how we would recognize when we got to it, but the Parks Department made it easy, they put up a big barrier across the trail, advising it was closed to the public and giving a map of the detour.  It was about six miles and had lots of hills, some of which were steep.  I was tired and Byran was beat, so we know we squeezed every bit of energy she had out of Cyndee.  Steep hills are not in her repertoire.

      We ended up just short of 60 miles, 59.8 by Byran’s odometer.  Our stay was at the Thomas Shepherd Inn, and even though we had several recommended restaurants, dinner tonight was Beer, cupcakes, and apple dumplings, sitting on the Inn balcony.  We were really tired.  OK, the other guys went out to eat and brought me back a hamburger about an hour later.  But the cupcakes were supplied by Eliott, who had stopped in a bakery two days earlier.  They were supposed to be for last night, but nobody got around to them due to having to beat closing time at the restaurant in Hancock.  The cupcakes themselves were good, but the frosting was about two inches high and in the form of a beautiful rose.  Wonderful to look at and great to eat.  The apple dumplings were also supplied by Eliott, who had stopped at the Catholic Church fundraiser in Hancock.  They only do three batches a year, and he just happened into it on the first day.  These were also superior. 

       

      FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2007

      SHEPHERDSTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA TO LEESBURG, VIRGINIA

       

      Again, our riding was in Maryland, but the accommodations were across the Potomac River.  It came as no surprise that Cyndee opted out today.  Actually, it came as a surprise that she could drag her body down to breakfast.  I really feel bad that this route is turning out to be much more of a workout than I thought.

      Last night, Marilane had picked us up at trailhead and drove us UP to the B&B.  This morning, Byran and I coasted down at good speed, picked up the concrete, switchbacked ramp to the trail, and started our day.

      Moose and Friday at C&O lock.JPGCool, clear weather helped us move along at a fast pace.  A couple of riders exchanged pleasantries at Harper’s Ferry, and we passed them later on as one had had a flat tire.  Farther down the trail, they passed us back, since they were faster, plus we stopped for caves, turtles, etc.  We came up on them again and the older one called out.  Naturally, we stopped (I went a little ways down the trail, found a tree, then came back).  It seems the fruit we had seen on the trail were Paw Paws, something Byran had never tried.  He was given a quick lesson in what to do with them, and proceeded to peel and eat. 

      Our trail riding adventure included crossing the Potomac at White’s Ferry, the only remaining ferry in operation on the Potomac.  The cost is $1.00 for bicycles.  While waiting, Byran bought us some ice cream, at the cost of an arm and leg.  The picnic tables in the grassy waiting area are available for rent.  I am assuming for groups, but don’t know if those two lady proprietors would have charged us if we sat down on one.  Fortunately, the ferry arrived so we didn’t have to find out.

      Our speedy travel today, including the interminable stop for paw paws, put us across the river ahead of schedule, thus our ride was not there.  Marilane had her own travel problems in getting to Leesburg.  However, we rode about a mile up the road to an intersection and I called to see where she was.  It took a while, but soon enough she came into sight and we prepared to put the bikes into the Tribute.  Long story short, we ended up leaving the front wheel in the side yard, next to the street.

      After checking into the motel, I realized the wheel was missing.  We quickly off-loaded luggage, and before Byran could get back to the vehicle, Marilane and I had zoom-zoomed out of the driveway and headed back to the pick-up point.  Traffic was backed up somewhat, but we made the turn off and sped to the intersection.  Just as I skidded to stop, a construction worker had exited his truck and started to pick up the wheel.  Fifteen seconds later and I would have had a unicycle.  First the sunglasses, now the wheel.  I should have purchased a lotto ticket.

       

      SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2007

      LEESBURG, VIRGINIA TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

       

      Cyndee’s health convinced her that the better part of valor would be to skip the ride today. 

      Marilane and the loaded SUV came across on the ferry and she saw us off for the last ride of the adventure.  What she didn’t see was the three stops made before the first quarter mile.  Byran was in extreme dawdle mode.  It didn’t get any better, we stopped for everything. 

      Great Falls of the Potomac.JPGGreat Falls is a popular tourist spot, and quite crowded.  We took the obligatory pictures, then moved on a ways and had lunch.  The closer we came to D.C. the more folks we encountered.  We also switched off to an asphalt trail that was quite nice, except to get back on the C&O once into Georgetown, we climbed about 50 wooden steps.  Now that we know where it goes, those steps were really unnecessary.

       

      Just like the beginning in McKeesport, the end is not well marked.  We knew to look for Thompson’s Boat Center, just couldn’t find it.  I called Marilane from the Watergate Hotel and Kennedy Performing Arts Center and she directed me back a few blocks to the parking lot (which we had just ridden through, but on a different aisle).  The end of the ride.

      We all drove back to Frederick to my daughter and son-in-laws house, where he cooked fajitas and had the beer iced down.  My two sisters, niece, and grand-niece were in attendance.  I had a beer or three to help ease the pain.  I was clueless even as they sat me down inside that I was attending my surprise birthday party.  Since my birthday was still a few weeks away, it never crossed my mind.

       

      EPILOGUE

       

      I am formulating new rules for riding rail trails:

      1.         Suspension is the only way to go. 

      2.         The wider the tires, the better.

      3.         Unless you know the scenery is varied, no more than 4 riding days.

      4.         No more than 35 miles per day riding.  30 is preferable

      5.         Plan on end-of-ride vehicle support, whether you think it is needed or not.

      6.         Use a bike carrier for transporting bikes.

       

      This list may be expanded as I gain more experience.  Next up: Mickelson Trail in the Badlands of South Dakota.  It may not yet be a rule, but doing these in the fall, when the leaves are changing, seems to be a better time to go.

       

       

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 10 months ago
    • Views: 685

  • Belize biking

    • From: bberwyn
    • Description:
      Celebrating her 39th birthday, Leigh Wadden looks out toward the great Mesoamerican Reef from a pier near San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, Belize.
    • 1 year ago
    • Views: 517

  • Byran walks bridge over creek

  • HIKING THE COTSWOLD WAY

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      This is not a description of how Cotswolds walk!  Cotswold Way is a one hundred mile (or so) National Trail in England, from the lovely town of Chipping Campden at the northern terminus to Bath in the south.  We didn’t hike a hundred miles, more like six.  However, as a tourist, I highly recommend our starting town, Chipping Campden, and our finish in Broadway as great villages to explore.  For the uninitiated,Chipping means market, and the main market in the 14th century was the much-sought-after Cotswold wool.

      The plan called for (son) Kurt and me to hike and Marilane and (daughter-in-law) Nic to tour a stately mansion after dropping the guys off.  The turn of the weather to rain did not deter our plans, only altered the attire.  The girls were thrown off track by the mansion being closed this day, so they were forced to shop! 

      Readers of my book already know my proclivity for mis-direction.  Apparently this is an inherited trait.  We were dropped off in Chipping Campden close to the information center, in the drizzle that threatened to be with us all day.  Turning around thrice to get his bearings, we strode off up the street, looking for the Cotswold Way signage.  Ten minutes later we had cleared the city limits without spotting the sign, so back-tracked and this time, Kurt went into the information center to ask for directions.  I found the loo (bathroom) and while waiting for Kurt, struck up a conversation with a cyclist.  He and his friend had planned a ride and the rain merely meant they got wet and had to be more careful.  Of course, in England, like Oregon (a reference to my cycling friend, Byran), you could lose half your riding days if you didn’t ride wet.  Sorry, I really don’t like water splashing in my face.

      Not the least bit cowed by this unmanly asking-for-direction action, Kurt led off in the opposite direction from the first foray, and within two blocks sighted the sign.  Okay, we had our laugh;  now a reasonable explanation: the information center moved from one side of the street to the other since Kurt had been through, so dead-reckoning going right from there obviously put us on the wrong track.

      The Cotswolds could be called hills or small mountains, but I believe geologically they are listed as an escarpment (as if 98% of readers care).  In any case, they are higher than the surrounding countryside, so provide excellent photo ops.  Or would if it weren’t raining.  I had a camera that hardly left the protection of the pocket.  Being high, in order to arrive at the actual trail, the road led UP.  That got the heart rate moving and the sweat began to bead up on my forehead. 

      The Cotswold Way includes occasional highway walking, which this day gave welcome relief when the trail turned muddy.  But these secondary roads are narrow and have no shoulder so when traffic came from both directions we would hop into the grass.  My Vasque hiking shoes are Gore-Tex and do an excellent job of water repellency. 

      Soon enough, the rain stopped and allowed us (forced us, actually) to remove our rain jackets.  The moderate temperature plus our exertions kept a slight film of sweat that threatened to increase if we kept our bodies enclosed.  The lifting of the clouds allowed us to enjoy the picturesque countryside below us, and I released the camera from its hiding place.  In truth, the picture only proved that I had been here.  A few shafts of sunlight to highlight the fields would have made a dramatic vista, but, alas,  it remained overcast.

      Part of the hike went through farmers fields.  Still clueless as to the nature of the crop (almost any crop, see previous writings), I could only appreciate their dedication to the land.  My appreciation turned a tad sour when we arrived at one freshly ploughed and planted field that had received copious rain earlier and became extremely muddy.  The red mud clung to the shoes and left a sucking sound with each footstep.  One muddy field became two and the foot coverings and lower rain pants were plastered in mud.  Puddles in the next road became shoe baths and we were able to wash off most of what had accompanied us from the fields.

      The signage for the Cotswold Way is quite good, but still, an ordnance map should be part of your repertoire.  We came to Broadway tower (http://www.broadway-cotswolds.co.uk/tower.html ), overlooking Broadway and began our long descent.  Broadway tower gives an excellent view of a lot of countryside, as all of the surrounding land dropped several hundred feet.  Travel literature indicates on a clear day you can see Wales, or thirteen counties.  I guess we saw one or two.  In the field, some distance away, we spotted the famous red deer.  As soon as we pulled out our cameras, they flopped down, so the picture looks like an empty field.  Ah, well.  We still had about two miles to go, as the trail dropped down on one side of town and our pub meeting place was on the other.

      The trail came out between two houses whose owners took great pride in presenting a profusion of flowers for passersby.  Perhaps they just liked flowers and didn’t care a whit about the hikers, but in any case, what a great way to complete the trail.

      We ended our adventure at the pub, joining the spouses who had taken a table with a nice view of the sidewalk, with a pint of something and lunch, followed by a trip to the candy store.  Ah, the candy store.   They have hundreds of large candy jars from which to choose.  I think we must have purchased half dozen different candies.  I found some caramelized ginger, which had been recommended by my acupuncturist for soothing the stomach when traveling.

      What a great hike!  Kurt promises a different section on our next trip. 

    • Blog post
    • 1 year ago
    • Views: 835
    • Not yet rated

  • ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

    • From: Jerry Dusterhoff
    • Description:

      When you go to Acadia National Park…. Not “if” you go, because Acadia needs to be on your Top Ten List. The topic is a slight departure from my usual cycling reports, because cycling was a side trip and not the main objective, but we enjoyed ourselves too much to keep it to ourselves. Our trip began with an Austin to Boston flight.

      In Boston we rented a car for the week and started our New England excursion by driving up to Augusta, Maine. There is method to our madness, in that one of Marilane’s goals is to visit all fifty capitals/capitols (she doesn’t count the city unless she also visits the building) and we missed Maine on our last trip to Vermont. We had a very nice, personalized, because we were the only ones at the time, tour of the capitol. Afterward we had a bite to eat, then drove to Bar Harbor, arriving after dark.

      The motel overlooked Frenchman Bay and we took our time with breakfast and a leisurely stroll about the grounds. Our plan called for a few hours in Acadia NP before moving on to Freeport. However, once obtaining the audio CD and beginning the self-guided auto tour through the park, we realized this could be an all-day affair.Readers of my other articles know that Glacier NP is my #1 and Bryce Canyon is #2. Here in Acadia, the majestic grandeur I see in the west is replaced by the rugged coastline, ocean, or bay. Perhaps if I were a “water” person, Acadia would jump to the head of the line, but it doesn’t matter where you rank it, as long as you experience it.

      If you don’t take a Ranger tour, take the audio CD. Avail yourself of the information presented. Pretty scene after pretty scene presented itself. While enjoying one particular view we saw a beautiful four-masted, red sails schooner gliding through the water. I said I thought it looked quite regal, and in a blink of an eye, Marilane had whipped out her cell phone and booked us on a sunset cruise.

      So as to not put us in a time crunch for the cruise, we skipped the last few stops of the tour and drove into Bar Harbor. We checked out where to park to embark, picked up a quick dinner, and I reserved a mountain bike for riding in the park tomorrow.

      Sunset, Frenchman's BayI really don’t like water, so felt quite relieved when seeing the waves in the 2-4 INCH variety. The schooner, Margaret Todd, cut easily through the water as we left the dock and headed for the open bay. One client activity is to help raise the sails, and I even managed to involve myself in that. June in Maine is not the same as June in Central Texas. Once the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature dropped quickly. We anticipated the chill, to the extent we brought every stitch of clothing we had, but that only included a long-sleeved T-shirt. Needless to say, the last thirty minutes I dedicated to staying warm. Lesson learned. Chill notwithstanding, this was a great experience.

      After another leisurely breakfast, Marilane drove me into town to pick up the bike and then to the TouristCenter. There are around forty five miles of crushed stone carriage roads available to bicycles (and twelve where bikes are prohibited), well marked thank goodness. These roads were built by John D Rockefeller, Jr. and family. I doubt he did a lot of the breaking of the stone, but it is reported he laid out the roads specifically to take advantage of the contours of the land. They couldn’t be so steep that the carriage horses couldn’t pull the carriages, and the curves were sweeping to allow the carriages to manipulate around without difficulty. The layout of the roads took advantage of the scenic views.

      The map the bike shop provided had the trails divided into moderate and difficult. I planned to ride the difficult roads first, then the moderate. As it turned out, I did 75% of the difficult and about 50% of the moderate, due to how they intersected each other. For the most part, these were my private roads and I had the bucolic scenery all to myself, stopping for pictures or just to enjoy the moment.

      Carriage Road, Acadia NPIn addition to the carriage roads, Acadia has 120 miles of hiking trails, ranging from mild to quite steep. Too bad we couldn’t work some hiking into the day. Cadillac Mountain is the highest peak on the AtlanticCoast , and while I did ride on the mountain, the road did not go to the top. For that, I would need to hike. I didn’t fancy eating lunch alone, so after three hours of riding, called it a day. Rather than phone for a pick up, I just cycled the two miles into town and turned in the bike, then called Marilane to let her know I had finished.

       

    • Blog post
    • 1 year ago
    • Views: 469

  • Texel dunes

    • From: bberwyn
    • Description:

      Sprawling wetlands and coastal dunes mark the seashore on Texel, The southernmost of the Wadden Islands off the coast of Holland. The area is managed as a national park, with strict protections for the dunes, which protect the agricultural lands in the heart of the island. An extensive network of cycling paths and hiking trails provides visitor access.

    • 1 year ago
    • Views: 670
Results 1 - 20 of 25

Terms of Service

Login
Username or Email Address:
Password:
   

Join Now

Join the My Budget Travel community for the full, feature-rich experience. As a member, you'll be able to share your media and thoughts with other My Budget Travel users. It's free and easy. Join now.