I just got off the phone with Marilyn and tonight is their last dinner together, a farewell dinner where you can if you want get up and speak. Marilyn was not sure what she was going to do, she was going to wait for the moment.
She lucked out with the weather the last 2 days and it was not raining. She rode 80 miles each day. This afternoon after Marilyn got in and was riding for her ice cream the skies opened up with a thunder storm.
She is in Manchester, NH and is relieved and amazed that she completed this ride across America. She does have the fortitude to finish & we all knew she did.
There were lots of climbs through the mountains 14% grade, not an easy last 2 days, very intense.
Today they were at the 100 mile overlook, Hogback Mountain West Dover, Vt and after that it was downhill, really steep downhill, luckily for Marilyn she went before Bob and he had to watch her fly down the turns and see just how close the cars were to her. She was happy that she didn't have to see this and of course you never know just how sandy the road is.
I am going to miss assisting Marilyn with her blog, it has been great for me to ride through Marilyn's words and I look forward to riding with her in a few weeks.......
She will have friends meet her on Tues at noon in Portsmouth, NH at the Atlantic Ocean.
Till the next adventure, be well......
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Donna arrives in Latham, NY
Boy was I tired after my 3 hour ride in my air conditioned car when I arrived at the hotel. Oh yea, this isn't about me........
Marilyn arrived around 4 PM after doing close to 80 miles. The weather was gorgeous, some hills and a bike path that they kept getting lost on.
It was so good to see Marilyn and we have been doing nothing but talking and laughing. We just came back from a great restaurant The Century House for a gourmet meal while the other bikers ate at the Country Buffet.
As I am writing this I am downloading over 800 pictures that Marilyn has taken along the way.
I got to meet some of the other bikers before and after Marilyn arrived. Now I have faces to put with the names.
While waiting I met a couple in their 80's who were waiting for the bikers to arrive, they brought brownies. He had riden this ride in the early 2000's and did it several times. They live in Latham and every year when this group comes through they come to the hotel to meet them.
After Marilyn took a shower we quickly had to go see the mechanic ( there are set times to meet with them) to have her gears adjusted. It seems that they were shifting on their own. After a few adjustments she is ready for tomorrow's ride into Brattleboro, VT.
Vermont is very special to Marilyn as her family has always had a place in Readsboro, VT and they were there many times every year. She will be passing through that area.
Marilyn will start her ride tomorrow at 8 AM and will ride 80 miles.
And she will be back in Seekonk next week, come next Sunday and hear all about her adventures. So what did you do this summer.......
Marilyn is packing and cleaning up as I write, getting ready for the new day.......More in a few days..
Marilyn arrived around 4 PM after doing close to 80 miles. The weather was gorgeous, some hills and a bike path that they kept getting lost on.
It was so good to see Marilyn and we have been doing nothing but talking and laughing. We just came back from a great restaurant The Century House for a gourmet meal while the other bikers ate at the Country Buffet.
As I am writing this I am downloading over 800 pictures that Marilyn has taken along the way.
I got to meet some of the other bikers before and after Marilyn arrived. Now I have faces to put with the names.
While waiting I met a couple in their 80's who were waiting for the bikers to arrive, they brought brownies. He had riden this ride in the early 2000's and did it several times. They live in Latham and every year when this group comes through they come to the hotel to meet them.
After Marilyn took a shower we quickly had to go see the mechanic ( there are set times to meet with them) to have her gears adjusted. It seems that they were shifting on their own. After a few adjustments she is ready for tomorrow's ride into Brattleboro, VT.
Vermont is very special to Marilyn as her family has always had a place in Readsboro, VT and they were there many times every year. She will be passing through that area.
Marilyn will start her ride tomorrow at 8 AM and will ride 80 miles.
And she will be back in Seekonk next week, come next Sunday and hear all about her adventures. So what did you do this summer.......
Marilyn is packing and cleaning up as I write, getting ready for the new day.......More in a few days..
Friday, July 24, 2009
Little Falls, NY
Wow it is now Friday and the countdown is near. For those going to Portsmouth NH on Tues this is the plan for the group.
On Tuesday, July 28th they will depart the hotel around 7:00am for a 62 mile ride to Wallis Sands Beach in Rye, NH. All the riders will meet at a Junior HS about 2 miles from the beach around 11:30 then they will have a police escort to the beach. This is an estimated time and hope to be at the beach just after 12:00 noon.
I spoke to Marilyn tonight and she is having a visitor tomorrow, me. Because I can't take Tues and Wed off next week I am going to meet her in Latham NY Sat afternoon. I hope to take some photos and actually download some of her pictures.
The last fews days have been riding in the rain, not all day but some of it.
I found this You Tube post from one of the other bloggers on the trip and this will give you an idea of what it was to ride on Route 80 way back on June 18th. Kind of scary with all those tractor trailers zooming by. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL1ptEDOCFI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fleighscrosscountryride%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded
Marilyn told me of a story tonight about one of the riders who helped a wounded baby eagle on the road, there are so many stories to tell......Until tomorrow.....
On Tuesday, July 28th they will depart the hotel around 7:00am for a 62 mile ride to Wallis Sands Beach in Rye, NH. All the riders will meet at a Junior HS about 2 miles from the beach around 11:30 then they will have a police escort to the beach. This is an estimated time and hope to be at the beach just after 12:00 noon.
I spoke to Marilyn tonight and she is having a visitor tomorrow, me. Because I can't take Tues and Wed off next week I am going to meet her in Latham NY Sat afternoon. I hope to take some photos and actually download some of her pictures.
The last fews days have been riding in the rain, not all day but some of it.
I found this You Tube post from one of the other bloggers on the trip and this will give you an idea of what it was to ride on Route 80 way back on June 18th. Kind of scary with all those tractor trailers zooming by. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL1ptEDOCFI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fleighscrosscountryride%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded
Marilyn told me of a story tonight about one of the riders who helped a wounded baby eagle on the road, there are so many stories to tell......Until tomorrow.....
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Canandaigua, NY
Can you believe Marilyn is in NY state , then VT, then NH then she will be back in Seekonk.
Monday was a day off in Erie, that day she and Bob went to the bike store then Marilyn was off to the Chiropractor for a great visit. She then came back and rested no sightseeing was in her plans.
If you remember in the beginning of the blog there was a biker Rick who fell and broke his shoulder well he is back riding, he also had broken ribs and a bruised kidney. Marilyn rode with him today and they were doing so well actually averaging 16 MPH when with just 7 miles to go Rick had a flat, can you believe it was a tiny staple, they fixed that then down the road another staple.......this is just something they have to deal with riding everyday.
They did stop today at a bicycle museum http://www.pedalinghistory.com/ in Orchard Park, NY, it was a fun detour.
Tues they rode in the rain :(, not a fun day for riding.
Over the past 3 days there have been two incidents with Marilyn on a bike and cars, fortunately she reacted very quickly and there was not an accident, just Marilyn riding off the side of the road.
This story from last weekend, when Marilyn got into her hotel room she discovered a beetle in her clothes. We all know her love of all creatures so Marilyn got herself dressed, went down 8 flights and let the beetle fly away...this didn't surprise me.
I know there are some people going to meet Marilyn on Tuesday in Portsmouth, NH, if you would like to go please contact Louanne.
That's all I have for tonight, I just can't wait to hear her sermons for August, there are so many stories to tell.
Monday was a day off in Erie, that day she and Bob went to the bike store then Marilyn was off to the Chiropractor for a great visit. She then came back and rested no sightseeing was in her plans.
If you remember in the beginning of the blog there was a biker Rick who fell and broke his shoulder well he is back riding, he also had broken ribs and a bruised kidney. Marilyn rode with him today and they were doing so well actually averaging 16 MPH when with just 7 miles to go Rick had a flat, can you believe it was a tiny staple, they fixed that then down the road another staple.......this is just something they have to deal with riding everyday.
They did stop today at a bicycle museum http://www.pedalinghistory.com/ in Orchard Park, NY, it was a fun detour.
Tues they rode in the rain :(, not a fun day for riding.
Over the past 3 days there have been two incidents with Marilyn on a bike and cars, fortunately she reacted very quickly and there was not an accident, just Marilyn riding off the side of the road.
This story from last weekend, when Marilyn got into her hotel room she discovered a beetle in her clothes. We all know her love of all creatures so Marilyn got herself dressed, went down 8 flights and let the beetle fly away...this didn't surprise me.
I know there are some people going to meet Marilyn on Tuesday in Portsmouth, NH, if you would like to go please contact Louanne.
That's all I have for tonight, I just can't wait to hear her sermons for August, there are so many stories to tell.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Leaving Ohio
Marilyn is doing just fine, I have been busy and have not had the opportunity to touch base much this week.
Lots of riding and Marilyn is looking forward to July 28th when she reaches her destination.
Monday is a day off in Erie, PA and she did 2 over 100 mile rides at the beginning of the week ending with 2 over 90 mile rides.
Today Marilyn is in Ohio and crossing into PA tomorrow.
Will write more next week during her last week of riding.
Lots of riding and Marilyn is looking forward to July 28th when she reaches her destination.
Monday is a day off in Erie, PA and she did 2 over 100 mile rides at the beginning of the week ending with 2 over 90 mile rides.
Today Marilyn is in Ohio and crossing into PA tomorrow.
Will write more next week during her last week of riding.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Missouri was Miserable.......
Missouri may be a wonderful state to visit but when riding it was not the most pleasant. It is all hills and not those nice rolling hills of Kansas but she has crossed the line into Illinois. And for the last 3 days it has been 100 miles for each one.
Marilyn's back was bothering her at the beginning of the week and for 2 days she wore a back brace but please make note that she still continued to ride in pain. And you can add one more flat tire this week so that makes 6.
Today was probably her best day ever and she rode about 15 miles more than she should have. But she rode with Carole and they were just silly because they kept taking so many wrong turns. The roads are not well marked and all you have are corn fields so it is easy to miss a turn. But she did manage to have ice cream twice today so that is always a plus.
Marilyn was actually sitting in a hot tub while I was taking notes and then she was moving into the pool then will do her nightly ritual of sitting on ice.
The Korean camera crew is back and filming unfortunately they were all standing and filming in front of one of our turns so that was another detour.
So at 36 days it can get a bit intense with all the pressures of riding but all is well and she still has the energy everyday to start riding again.
She will be in Indianapolis on Monday for another day of rest. Marilyn says hello to all......
Marilyn's back was bothering her at the beginning of the week and for 2 days she wore a back brace but please make note that she still continued to ride in pain. And you can add one more flat tire this week so that makes 6.
Today was probably her best day ever and she rode about 15 miles more than she should have. But she rode with Carole and they were just silly because they kept taking so many wrong turns. The roads are not well marked and all you have are corn fields so it is easy to miss a turn. But she did manage to have ice cream twice today so that is always a plus.
Marilyn was actually sitting in a hot tub while I was taking notes and then she was moving into the pool then will do her nightly ritual of sitting on ice.
The Korean camera crew is back and filming unfortunately they were all standing and filming in front of one of our turns so that was another detour.
So at 36 days it can get a bit intense with all the pressures of riding but all is well and she still has the energy everyday to start riding again.
She will be in Indianapolis on Monday for another day of rest. Marilyn says hello to all......
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Yet another century
It was just another day and 108 miles later Marilyn was in Topeka, Kansas. Rolling hills and overcast in the 80's, another good day. She rode about 1/2 of the day alone since the group ahead was a bit too fast for her and the one behind was just too slow today.
One of the breaks was in a park and for the few minutes they were there, they listened to some musicians. Marilyn was standing near a 7 year old girl and she was interested in what Marilyn was doing. Marilyn told her she enjoyed being in Kansas and the girl replied that she really liked it in Kansas because there were not a lot of people there and there was peace.......that really struck Marilyn.
There were tornado warnings on Friday night and they all had to leave their rooms and go downstairs for about 1/2 hour. Once down there she realized that she did not take the items that would be critical if there had been a tornado, those items would be her medication and bike..... Welcome to Kansas
When you go away from home you do miss certain things and Marilyn really misses her animals and animals in general. She realizes she has a strong connection to animals.
Sunday she will ride 88 miles to St Joseph, Missouri and a well deserved day off on Monday. On the agenda for Monday will be a trip to the chiropractor and a massage.
She says hello to all, more again in a few days...
One of the breaks was in a park and for the few minutes they were there, they listened to some musicians. Marilyn was standing near a 7 year old girl and she was interested in what Marilyn was doing. Marilyn told her she enjoyed being in Kansas and the girl replied that she really liked it in Kansas because there were not a lot of people there and there was peace.......that really struck Marilyn.
There were tornado warnings on Friday night and they all had to leave their rooms and go downstairs for about 1/2 hour. Once down there she realized that she did not take the items that would be critical if there had been a tornado, those items would be her medication and bike..... Welcome to Kansas
When you go away from home you do miss certain things and Marilyn really misses her animals and animals in general. She realizes she has a strong connection to animals.
Sunday she will ride 88 miles to St Joseph, Missouri and a well deserved day off on Monday. On the agenda for Monday will be a trip to the chiropractor and a massage.
She says hello to all, more again in a few days...
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