bON vOYAGE AND vOYAGE

From Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the Empire State building gleemed as we gathered with friends and family before pedaling off on our long and dusty journey. Without even giving our goodbyes we had already encountered two flats in mine and Dans bikes. An ominous start to our first day that eventually ended famously at the home of our friend Callie Levre in the Society Hill district of Philadelphia, PA. We had ridden the 80-some miles under a gray blanket of clouds and occassional shower of rain, but our spirits were high and in full excitement.

The added weight of the luggage being carried on our bikes was felt forcefully the following morning as we mustered ourselves to depart for Susquehana State Park in Havre de Grace, MD. Again the weather was rather dismal but the strain in our legs kept weather-related woes at bay for the time being. The terrain began flat and meandering and wound up hilly and all-over-the damn-place. Rural areas of Maryland are very pretty but you gain an adversarial mentality to the "rolling" quality of the hills as the reak havoc on your legs. As we neared the end of the day we discovered that the park was closed to camping for the season but were fortunately met by a local named Lyle who generously offered us shelter at his house up the road. Lyle lived in a log-cabin mansion on almost 75 acres of land replete with livestock, a three-legged dog, barn, pool and hottub. At the time, I thought he might have saved our lives.

After Lyle and his wife Donna had cleaned, housed and fed us, we were off again in search of the nations capital, an intimidating 85 miles away. The day was mostly uneventful, save the rain in the morning and another flat outside of Baltimore. We arrived at our friend Tim Ethier's apartment at around 5pm, proceeded to help him move in some furniture and then walk to a local Superfresh where we bought an American Hero (Ham, Turkey, Roastbeef, the works) of epic proportions and passed out on Timmys floor, sore again.

Up until this point I had been operating under the optimistic prospect of my father that instead of spiraling into a catclysmic death spiral where I would have to hang my head and bike and go home from the pain in my legs, I would in fact become stronger. Lo and behold, the wisdom of our elders. Riding from DC to Fredericksburg, though through the rain and cold, actually turned out to be the easiest day yet. Over 80 miles, stopping seldomly, we felt comparitively great upon our arrival. The rain and wind and flooding forecasted for the next day stopped us in our tracks, unfortunately, and that is where we remained today, at the hotel, biding our time in prospect of better skies and trails south, to Richmond and on...