Charleston - Completed

Stats Wednesday, September 15 - St. George, SC to Charleston, SC . Day distance 58.5; ride time 3 h 35 m; ave speed 16.3; total climb 553; total miles 3,388.

I commented to Mickey at the beginning of the day: “I think our objective today is to finish without getting hit and without injury.” We’ve been blessed. Though every day we have 3 or 4 vehicles who needlessly “shave” us, we’ve not gotten hit. Or, we’ve not fallen due to evading a car or from getting blown off the road from an 18 wheeler.

Yesterday and today we are on US Hwy 78. The road surface is rough. No shoulder. The grass is about 10 inches high right next to the white line. We take 78 all the way into Charleston.

We were rolling at 6:45. The first hour was good. Little traffic. And it was cool. We were nearly 20 miles by 8:00. But then the traffic really increased. Cars. Vans. Trucks. School buses. No shoulder.

We came upon a large gas station / convenience store / restaurant. “Mick, do you want to take a break?”

“Sure.”

We were weary of Hwy 78 and a little anxious about our safety.

“Whoa, look at that over-sized load!” A flatbed rolled by with a huge piece of construction equipment on the trailer.

“Good thing we’re not out there right now!”

“Let’s go over to I-26.”

The sign at the entrance ramp read – No Pedestrians, No Farm Equipment, No Bicycles. We ignored the sign. Hey, our lives are in jeopardy on Hwy 78!

For 5 miles we rolled on the shoulder dodging debris – tire pieces mostly. Rolling at 22 to 25 mph. Then we came to a bridge with no shoulder. Uh oh. This is going to be a problem. Traffic is heavy. The bridge was about 30 yards long. We could get in real trouble for this. A break in the traffic allowed us to scoot across.

In a couple of miles we exited at the off ramp. I checked my tires. I had 3 pieces of wire in my tires from shredded vehicle tires on the shoulder. Luckily I pulled them all out without incurring a flat. Mick had no wires in his tires.

We were able to find alternate roads for the next 12 miles allowing us to be off of both 78 and I-26.

As we neared Charleston we rejoined Hwy 78, now a 4-lane road. Cars have options on 4-lane roads to avoid bicycles.

A sign said 14 miles to Charleston. We rode past Olive Garden, Best Buy, Walmart and many other familiar stores found in most metro settings.

Then the Charleston area itself came into view. The Cooper Bridge stood as sentinel off to the left. A church steeple in old town poked its spire above the mid-morning horizon.

As we leisurely pedaled into old town Charleston it again seemed real and unreal at the same time. We were done. Done. Completed. Finished. At 58 miles we were at the sea wall at the battery. Tomorrow we would not get up and pedal another day. It was 10:45 am. Done.

Happy. Sad. Relieved. Accomplishment. Many thoughts and feelings converged. Mick and I will always remember this adventure. 3,388 miles. 44 days from coast to coast. The Golden Gate Bridge. California. Nevada. Utah. Colorado. Kansas. Missouri. Arkansas. Tennessee. Georgia. South Carolina. The Cooper Bridge. Old Town Charleston. Mountains. Deserts. Canyons. Plains. Rolling Hills. Wind. Wind – our best friend or our worst enemy. Roger and Tim joining us in Colorado. The open hearts and open homes of the Engebergs, Bruce, Linda, my Dad, Stan and Margie Schleenbaker. Camping in city parks, beside streams in the mountains, at RV parks, in a stranger’s yard. And motels. We’ve experienced so much. We are rich beyond measure.

Thanks for joining us on this journey. This adventure.

Spin. View. Shift. Soon we will be shifting back into our “real” worlds.

It's Real and Unreal

Stats Tuesday, September 14 –Thomson, GA to St. George, SC. Day distance 127; ride time 8 h 07 m; ave speed 15.7; total climb 2,793; total miles 3,329.8

This is our last “full” day of cycling. We are on schedule. But it does not seem real.

In some ways it will seem strange to no longer be cycling day after day after day. I know it’s artificial, but this cross country cycling adventure has temporarily become “a” regular life. But it’s not regular life. Today seemed real and not real all at the same time.

The woop/woop of my rear wheel, however, was entirely real. The new tire I got in Columbia, TN had developed a bubble. It was cheap and I knew it. I hoped it would last into Charleston. But no, I needed another tire. Didn’t want to be in rural South Carolina and have to hitchhike somewhere to get a tire.

We found a bike shop in Augusta which had the correct size. Good thing. By the time we got there the belt was exposed on the tire. Ten more miles and we could have been stranded.

I’d told Mickey that after Augusta we’d probably have flat terrain in South Carolina. But no, it was rolling for 20 miles or so.

Our mileage today determines our distance tomorrow. We don’t want to ride 100 miles on the final day. So we decided to put in the amount we did today (127 miles) to set us up for a before noon arrival in Charleston tomorrow. With the extra time in Augusta (tire replacement) that required us to ride until 7:00.

Last night. It’s almost over. It’s real and unreal.

Less than Ideal Conditions - But a Day Closer to Charleston

Stats Monday, September 13 –Buford, GA to Thomson, GA. Day distance 112; ride time 7 h 25 m; ave speed 15.1; total climb 4,216; total miles 3,202.8

We are definitely off a recommended cycling route. Traffic between Buford and Athens was heavy (Buford is home to the Mall of Georgia and Athens is the home campus of the University of Georgia). We had about 35 miles of periodic semi-soft rumble strips which we had to ride on most of the time because of the traffic volume. Add to these conditions a head wind. Oh yes. I had a flat 5 minutes into the ride. All this combined to make for a cycling “work” day.

Conditions and traffic improved somewhat the second half of the day. For days now, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to enjoy hot boiled peanuts. But…we’ve passed on the peanuts.

Regardless of cycling conditions and all the b'oild p'nuts, we are a day closer to completion.

The Beginning of the Final Week - A Long Short Ways Remaining

Stats Sunday, September 12 –Collegedale, TN to Buford, GA. Day distance 126.6; ride time 7 h 48 m; ave speed 16.2; total climb 5,986; total miles 3,090.8

Sunday morning we intended to roll by 7:00. But with final downsizing (we eliminated our panniers taking only essential items for the final four days – the cycling clothing we were wearing, one set of street clothes, toothbrush, one camera only, a couple of tubes, patch kit, and a small cycling tool set) and saying good bye to my family we did not get away until 7:45.

Over the weekend the thought crossed my mind, “Bryan, you are only 3 ½ hours away from home – by CAR!” And not go from the Pacific to the Atlantic? Fool! You’re too close. Complete. Four days of cycling left. But about 400 miles (estimated) remaining.

The first 60 miles we made excellent progress with the benefit of a tailwind from the north as we pedaled toward Atlanta. In the afternoon our course took us east toward Cumming and then to Buford. Rolling hills greeted us along a two lane road with little shoulder. Sunday drivers were aware of us for the most part and compensated accordingly for our comfort. Periodically, however, we’d get the “shout out” of something from someone. We never know exactly what they say. But it seems to be non-complimentary.

We stopped for lunch at an Asian restaurant. We are tired of Subway. Interestingly, shortly after we stopped we could hear sirens from emergency vehicles. When we resumed riding 45 minutes later we quickly came upon the scene of a multi-car accident. Had we not stopped when we did, could we have been involved?

With consistent pedaling we made it to the Buford area. Considering the possibility of continuing to Winder we stopped at a small Baptist church to ask for directions, conditions, and availability of motels. I must have been a startling sight as I appeared at the rear of their sanctuary with my head sweat on along with cycling shorts and jersey. I think they were a little surprised when all I asked for were directions and information (not request for money). I’ve been on the “other side” of such a situation many times. It is very rare that a request for money does not eventually come out. I could tell their “radar” was up.

When the day was done we are one day closer to our destination – Charleston. It’s still a long-short ways.

Rest at the Schleenbaker Recovery Center

September 11 – Saturday / Sabbath – Day off from the bikes.

We have been so fortunate to have family scattered across the country with whom we can crash for the weekend and recover from day-after-day pedaling. The home of Stan Schleenbaker (my father-in-law) and his wife Margie is a welcome refuge for us providing beds, food, laundry, showers and the relaxed atmosphere to rest. Plus, I get the added benefit of spending time with my loving family, Sharon and Lexi, who came over from Asheville. My family has tackled life alone at home for nearly six weeks allowing me to experience this cross country cycling adventure. I’m so happy to see them and am looking forward to being home and together again as a family.

For lunch on Sabbath, Jeff Manly (Mick’s nephew) and his girlfriend, Jewelene, joined us. After a delicious meal we enjoyed one of my favorite treats – four-layer dessert which Sharon and Lexi made.

Thanks Stan and Margie. Thank you Sharon and Lexi for making the drive from Asheville. I'll be home soon!!

An Easy Day to Finish the Week and Reconnecting with My Family

Stats Friday, September 10 – Chattanooga to Collegedale, TN. Day distance 29.5; ride time 2 h; ave speed 14.7; total climb 1,384; total miles 2,964.2

A day I’ve looked forward to this week. A short day. An easy day. The day on which I will be able to reconnect with my wife, Sharon, and daughter, Lexi.

We got up later. Leisurely ate breakfast. Finally got rolling about 9:30 for a short ride to Collegedale and then the home of my father-in-law Stan Schleenbaker.

We thought for a moment about climbing Lookout Mountain. But since all three of us have been up it before we said, “Nah, not today.” Mick jokingly referred to it not as Lookout Mountain but rather, “Look Out – A Mountain!”

After stopping at the Chattanooga Choo Choo for a couple of pictures we easily spun out to Collegedale, the location of Southern Adventist University (my undergraduate alma mater). Then onto the home of Stan and Margie Schleenbaker another short 5 miles. Our ride day was done by 1:00.

Tomorrow – off! Sounds good after a 630 plus mile week.

Sharon and Lexi arrived later this evening from Asheville. It is so good to hug them and be together for a few hours.