Sunday, July 22, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Are We There Yet?
It's Boston, it's rain, it's 3,300 plus miles and one more day of riding to Maine!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Three More Days and Counting!
It was a beautiful day here in Massachusetts.....like 85 degrees. Stan and Roy biked the Ashuwillticook Rail trail along Hoosac Lake. This trail was a railroad line built in 1845. We camped in the town of Pittsfield a half mile from Lake Pontoosuc...I hiked around about 1/4 of it and it took me an hour taking my time. Right now it seems the whole state of Massachusetts is one big forest with lovely lakes, rivers and streams edging their way through. We thought we were alone in this paradise until about 4:30 today............then everyone came out of the woodwork. It was rush hour at the MASS-PIKE (similar to the New York Thruway)!! Another 50 miles completed.............Atlantic Ocean, we can almost hear those waves crashing.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Here We Are In Marvelous Massachusetts!!!!
Hello All!
Well it is our final week.......we are on the New York/Massachusetts border tonight in Pittsfield. We certainly saw a different side of New York that we never knew. There are so many rivers and bridges...many varieties of trees...amazing older homes, narrow roads and modern Thruways (freeways that you pay to drive on and have very few entrances and exits so you have to know where you are going). We spent the weekend outside of Syracuse, NY in the small community of Vernon and then on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains in Herkimer. This is hill country...bicycling was difficult as the hills were long....and many. Stan and Roy maybe averaged 9mph. Massachusetts is looking similar! This could be a tough finish!
Well it is our final week.......we are on the New York/Massachusetts border tonight in Pittsfield. We certainly saw a different side of New York that we never knew. There are so many rivers and bridges...many varieties of trees...amazing older homes, narrow roads and modern Thruways (freeways that you pay to drive on and have very few entrances and exits so you have to know where you are going). We spent the weekend outside of Syracuse, NY in the small community of Vernon and then on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains in Herkimer. This is hill country...bicycling was difficult as the hills were long....and many. Stan and Roy maybe averaged 9mph. Massachusetts is looking similar! This could be a tough finish!
Friday, July 13, 2007
3,083 Miles and Barely Pedaling!
Wow, this week has been busy cycling and squeezing in sight-seeing...We had to see Niagara Falls, and we did it all in one quick night tour. What an incredible sight..thank you Jason and Nicholas for your inspiring words that made us make the time to see it all. This northwestern part of New York is so scenic....we have biked along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario as well as the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal has a wonderful bike trail that follows it for hundreds of miles. The New York State Parks are the best we have seen anywhere.....large, lovely, green grassy, individual sights...you can't see anyone because you are surrounded by trees and shrubs....you feel the park is all yours...we were so impressed.
Stan hit 3,083 miles today! Less than 300 to go!! We are almost done. Stan is ready to trade his bike in for a fishing pole....watch out fish!!!!
Stan hit 3,083 miles today! Less than 300 to go!! We are almost done. Stan is ready to trade his bike in for a fishing pole....watch out fish!!!!
Monday, July 9, 2007
On the Northern Shore
This weekend was exciting as we reached a northern most point of the USA...Lake Erie! It looked like an ocean! The little beach community of Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio had a very relaxed atmosphere....everyone seemed to be enjoying the summer sun. Again we biked on some of Ohio's wonderful recreation trails passing through the communities of Ashtabula, Saybrook and Austinburg. We grabbed a hamburger midway at Buck's Grill in Austinburg...they specialize in Bison-burgers but we passed on that this time around. Our waittress Sarah had been to California...to Bakersfield where she said people let their chickens run around free...! Boy the impressions we leave!
Since Ashtabula County is the Covered Bridge Capital of Ohio , we drove out on some dirt roads to see these beautiful structures. It was worth the bumps and dust! AWESOME!
This weekend was exciting as we reached a northern most point of the USA...Lake Erie! It looked like an ocean! The little beach community of Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio had a very relaxed atmosphere....everyone seemed to be enjoying the summer sun. Again we biked on some of Ohio's wonderful recreation trails passing through the communities of Ashtabula, Saybrook and Austinburg. We grabbed a hamburger midway at Buck's Grill in Austinburg...they specialize in Bison-burgers but we passed on that this time around. Our waittress Sarah had been to California...to Bakersfield where she said people let their chickens run around free...! Boy the impressions we leave!
Since Ashtabula County is the Covered Bridge Capital of Ohio , we drove out on some dirt roads to see these beautiful structures. It was worth the bumps and dust! AWESOME!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Stan woke up yesterday, looked outside and said it looks just like Santa Maria........weather-wise it looked foggy. We were in Wooster, in northeastern Ohio...and the fog was actually low rain clouds. Roy and Stan rode out about 27 miles, and then it started to rain. We rescued them at Marshallville Packing Co., one of Ohio's largest meat markets...and they were buying out the place! You would think they had not eaten in a year! Stan had Spicy jalapeno sausage, pork chops, fresh breakfast sausage, fresh bratwurst, cheeses and small jars of spices. Last night I was reading the spice label and discovered they were made in San Luis Obispo, CA!!!
In the afternoon we left for Stow, Ohio and spent the night in a city campground on a hill...great internet and T.V. reception. The city Park Ranger came by and said there were loads of bike trails that we could catch right from our campground.
Unfortunately today we had our first biking accident....Cris fell off her bike...she was checked at the hospital and everything seems fine ....but it certainly was scarey. The good thing was she went to a hospital that just opened July 1, 2007.......no waiting there, and lots of care.
Later today we headed north on some main highways on the east side of Cleveland...we are at a campground way out in the country in the tiny town of Thompson.....we are 13 miles south of Lake Erie and about 40 miles from the Pennsylvania border!
In the afternoon we left for Stow, Ohio and spent the night in a city campground on a hill...great internet and T.V. reception. The city Park Ranger came by and said there were loads of bike trails that we could catch right from our campground.
Unfortunately today we had our first biking accident....Cris fell off her bike...she was checked at the hospital and everything seems fine ....but it certainly was scarey. The good thing was she went to a hospital that just opened July 1, 2007.......no waiting there, and lots of care.
Later today we headed north on some main highways on the east side of Cleveland...we are at a campground way out in the country in the tiny town of Thompson.....we are 13 miles south of Lake Erie and about 40 miles from the Pennsylvania border!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
We Are So Proud To Be AMERICANS!
Dear Friends and Family....
We are so proud to be a part of our absolutely unique and awesome country! We are amazed daily at the wonderful sights and sounds of nature and people.....
We woke up on the 4th in Mount Vernon, Ohio at an absolutely adorable campground nestled in the rolling hills of Ohio. It was incredible that we even found it as it was off a main road about 3 miles back. As we rolled over hill after hill through a narrow farm country road I wondered if we were on the right road...and I thought if we were not, I didn't know how we were going to turn around to go back!! Finally we saw a sign (they are rare in this state) that said Rustic Knolls Campground. It was a farm at one time and where a pasture used to be are present day campsites. There was a fishing pond, and a swimming hole and a playground...and campers were sporting their American flags...what a sight.
The plan for the Fourth of July was to ride the Kokosing Trail, another of Ohio's beautiful trails.
And everyone was out...every age group was walking, jogging, cycling, roller blading and truly enjoying themselves....the most people I have ever seen on a trail. And the weather cooperated too until about 2 p.m. when it began to rain.
We are blessed to live in the greatest nation in the world! Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Love, Helen and Stan
We are so proud to be a part of our absolutely unique and awesome country! We are amazed daily at the wonderful sights and sounds of nature and people.....
We woke up on the 4th in Mount Vernon, Ohio at an absolutely adorable campground nestled in the rolling hills of Ohio. It was incredible that we even found it as it was off a main road about 3 miles back. As we rolled over hill after hill through a narrow farm country road I wondered if we were on the right road...and I thought if we were not, I didn't know how we were going to turn around to go back!! Finally we saw a sign (they are rare in this state) that said Rustic Knolls Campground. It was a farm at one time and where a pasture used to be are present day campsites. There was a fishing pond, and a swimming hole and a playground...and campers were sporting their American flags...what a sight.
The plan for the Fourth of July was to ride the Kokosing Trail, another of Ohio's beautiful trails.
And everyone was out...every age group was walking, jogging, cycling, roller blading and truly enjoying themselves....the most people I have ever seen on a trail. And the weather cooperated too until about 2 p.m. when it began to rain.
We are blessed to live in the greatest nation in the world! Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Love, Helen and Stan
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
The Simon Kenton Trail of Urbana, Ohio is Unbelievable!
Monday will go down in our lives as a very special day! We were truly treated royally by the town of Urbana and the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. Stan and Roy rode 50+ miles from Waynesville to Springfield and on up to Urbana on bikes trails (the best being Simon Kenton).
Upon arriving we were given a lovely welcoming letter from the Mayor and City of Urbana by Bruce Evilsizor, the city of Urbana's Director of Administration. We were also given a bag of treats.... maps, calendar, pens, an Ubana city pin by Larry Lokai, city councilman. A reporter from the Urbana Daily Citizen was there to interview us. Wow, did we feel like celebrities or what?! Nancy Lokai Baldwin, president of the Simon Kenton Pathfinders and her husband Frank hosted us in their home Monday night. Frank barbequed and Nancy cooked up some of her delicious home canned veggies and a special potato casserole that I must get the recipe for. We woke early Tuesday morning to Larry Lokai's voice shouting, "We have bad news and good news.........Stan didn't make the front page of the newspaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..................................................Helen did!" Stan's comment, "I ride 2,500 miles and I get the back page! Helen rides 200 miles and gets the front page! What's up with that?!!! All joking aside, it was a beautiful article, and we are very grateful to all who made us feel so very special.....what a wonderful group of people!
Upon arriving we were given a lovely welcoming letter from the Mayor and City of Urbana by Bruce Evilsizor, the city of Urbana's Director of Administration. We were also given a bag of treats.... maps, calendar, pens, an Ubana city pin by Larry Lokai, city councilman. A reporter from the Urbana Daily Citizen was there to interview us. Wow, did we feel like celebrities or what?! Nancy Lokai Baldwin, president of the Simon Kenton Pathfinders and her husband Frank hosted us in their home Monday night. Frank barbequed and Nancy cooked up some of her delicious home canned veggies and a special potato casserole that I must get the recipe for. We woke early Tuesday morning to Larry Lokai's voice shouting, "We have bad news and good news.........Stan didn't make the front page of the newspaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..................................................Helen did!" Stan's comment, "I ride 2,500 miles and I get the back page! Helen rides 200 miles and gets the front page! What's up with that?!!! All joking aside, it was a beautiful article, and we are very grateful to all who made us feel so very special.....what a wonderful group of people!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Only FRIENDLY people in OHIO!
We received a warm OHIO welcome from friend Larry Lokai and his wife Elaine on Sunday afternoon. They showed us around some of their country here, and we must say it is awesome.
We traveled over to Yellow Springs to see Young's Jersey Dairy, a thriving business...showing what diversification can bring. It is a small working dairy where visitors can see where milk comes from...with a store where homeade ice cream is sold as well as other dairy products. You can feed the goats, and even take a wagon ride. There is a corn maize to get lost in too. We ate dinner there at The Golden Jersey Inn where Larry's sister Nancy and husband Frank joined us. Dinner in the company of these friendly folks could be nothing but fun. The pumpkin squash bread with cinnamon butter, and buttermilk chicken were scrumptious!!!! And we also tried, for the first time, the sweet potato casserole...OUTSTANDING!! We even celebrated my birthday with a huge chocolate Sundae!!!
Yellow Springs in itself is a pretty unique little community which hosts Antioch College where Coretta Scott King graduated...a beautful campus. We traveled down to Clifton to see the historic Clifton Mill on the banks of the Little Miami River...built in 1802....and ran into the present day owner, Tony Satariano. Tony showed us around and opened up the store and mill for us to see....what a delightful man...he loves the mill which he bought 20 years ago and keeps in its original form. What a treat for us.
We traveled over to Yellow Springs to see Young's Jersey Dairy, a thriving business...showing what diversification can bring. It is a small working dairy where visitors can see where milk comes from...with a store where homeade ice cream is sold as well as other dairy products. You can feed the goats, and even take a wagon ride. There is a corn maize to get lost in too. We ate dinner there at The Golden Jersey Inn where Larry's sister Nancy and husband Frank joined us. Dinner in the company of these friendly folks could be nothing but fun. The pumpkin squash bread with cinnamon butter, and buttermilk chicken were scrumptious!!!! And we also tried, for the first time, the sweet potato casserole...OUTSTANDING!! We even celebrated my birthday with a huge chocolate Sundae!!!
Yellow Springs in itself is a pretty unique little community which hosts Antioch College where Coretta Scott King graduated...a beautful campus. We traveled down to Clifton to see the historic Clifton Mill on the banks of the Little Miami River...built in 1802....and ran into the present day owner, Tony Satariano. Tony showed us around and opened up the store and mill for us to see....what a delightful man...he loves the mill which he bought 20 years ago and keeps in its original form. What a treat for us.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
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