Friday, August 17, 2007

I've added pictures at the bottom!

Look below to see the pictures!

Day 9 - A day of rest at G & G's

Date: 08/17/2007
My General Condition: Rested...but my left shoulder is bothering me. Interestingly enough, my knee is doing much better.

General Observations: G & G are doing pretty good.
Starting Point: Bed
Ending Point: Most likely back in the bed...unless I fall asleep on the couch.
Miles Ridden: 0 (thank goodness)
General Weather: Cool with nice breeze on the back patio
Ride Conditions: Who cares
Interesting Events: Grandpa is vacuuming the house!

Day 8 - The ride to G & G's

Date: 08/16/2007
My General Condition: Starting to hurt from the long rides. This is the 7th consecutive days riding.

General Observations: I had a hard time getting comfortable today and my hands have a few bone bruises on my knuckles from the metal grips.

Starting Point: Hammond, IN
Ending Point: G&G's (Akron, OH)

Miles Ridden: 368

General Weather: Cloudy
Ride Conditions: Cool
Interesting Events: Got caught in traffic first thing in the morning and was riding into the rain ahead so I changed my route and managed to stay out of the rain although the rodes were slower and meant that my 6 hour ride turned into another 9 1/2 hour ride.

Day 7 - The Ride to Chicago

Date: 08/15/2007
My General Condition: Clean and rested
General Observations: This day of riding, although tough was much easier than previous days. I actualy needed my sweat shirt to get through the end of the ride.
Starting Point: Mitchell, SD
Ending Point: Hammond, IN
Miles Ridden: 683 Miles
General Weather: Started day at 94 degrees and ended the day at 72 degrees
Ride Conditions: Hot to Cold
Interesting Events: Saw the Chicago Skyline at dark and rode by the Castle Hotel!

Day 6 - The ride out of the Badlands

Date: 08/14/2007
My General Condition: Tired...hot and a severe migraine
General Observations: The Badlands are absolutely beautiful, but they are hot...the heat never let up and it wasn't below 95 degrees all night.
Starting Point: KOA Interior, SD
Ending Point: Mitchell, SD
Miles Ridden: 269 (hardest miles I have ever ridden)
General Weather: Hot and not a cloud in the sky
Ride Conditions: Exhausting
Interesting Events: I made it to a hotel with air conditioning

Monday, August 13, 2007

Quick Message

Good Morning Krista,

I Love You!

Chris

Day 5 - The ride to the Badlands

Date: 08/13/2007

My General Condition: Very hot, very tired and very excited...

General Observations: South Dakota goes on forever...it makes coming across PA a walk in the park. It was hot and windy until I came over the hills and across the big river (not sure the name) and then I hit a WALL of oven heat...blowing at me at sustained 40 mile an hours winds

Starting Point: Mason City, Iowa
Ending Point: KOA Badlands Nat'l Park
Miles Ridden: 528

General Weather: Hotter than 'HELL and Windy'. I found a thermometer in the shade at a rest area and it said 107 at 1:45 this morning.

Ride Conditions: Very hard...it is late an I am really tired...I'll finish in the morning.
Interesting Events:

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Day 4 - Another Day Closer

Date: 8/12/2007

My General Condition: Another Great Day to Ride

General Observations: The landscape of the Plains is so different than anything I have ever seen. There are miles with little to no trees then, a cluster of them. You seems like you can see for 100 miles in some places...there are places where the entire horizon seems to be windmills.

Starting Point: KOA in Elkhart, IN
Ending Point: Mason City, Iowa
Miles Ridden: 569

General Weather: Cool and Cloudy in the morning then Hot and sunny in the afternoon, then I spent the last 2 hours trying to out run the huge storm coming in form the southwest of Iowa.

Ride Conditions: Good
Interesting Events:

Day 3 - Old Haunts

Date: 8/11/2007

My General Condition: Hot but, Great!
General Observations: Rome City lake house looks really nice and everything is allot smaller than I remembered except the house.

Starting Point: Akron, OH
Ending Point: KOA in Elkhart, IN
Miles Ridden: 222
General Weather: Hot, Hot and HOT!
Ride Conditions: Hot
Interesting Events: Found that its only 6 miles from the Kendalville to Rome City. Sylvan Springs in now for sale! Would like to move back to Rome City...it is a really comfortable town to be in.

Day 2 - Visiting

Date: 8/10/2007
My General Condition: Great
General Observations: Grandma and Grandpa are looking good and so is Uncle.
Starting Point: Akron, OH
Ending Point: Akron, OH
Miles Ridden: 0
General Weather: Hot
Ride Conditions: N/A
Interesting Events: Just Hung out with G&G&Uncle

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Day 1 - To Grandmother's House I Go!

Date: 8/09/2007
My General Condition: Great
General Observations: Severe Thunderstorms
Starting Point: Home
Ending Point: Akron, OH
Miles Ridden: 644
General Weather: OK except for the Storms
Ride Conditions:
Interesting Events:

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

The Mount Rushmore Ride

The ride begins Thursday August 9th, 2007. I will be riding from Gardner, MA to Mount Rushmore, SD. I will make the 1st actual ride post on Thursday evening or Friday morning with an update on the progress. Each update after that will be a made by Krista and unless I happen to run into a free computer to update the blog.

Monday, August 6, 2007

1st Post...

This is my initial post to the blog. I am not sure how best to to this so stick with me. Over the next couple of weeks someone will be keeping this blog up to date as I travel. The purpose is to both record my experience and to inform friends and family of my progress and interesting events along the way. The blog will record the following each day or two:

Date:
My General Condition:
General Observations:
Starting Point: City, State
Ending Point: City, State
Miles Ridden:
General Weather:
Ride Conditions:
Interesting Events:

This will hopefully prove to be rather enlightening to my friends and family along the way and to me for reflection, when I return.