tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70862799622874211672024-03-18T22:05:56.558-07:00A Summer I Will Never ForgetCara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-24262359196696177822013-08-06T18:04:00.000-07:002013-08-06T18:04:01.493-07:00Post ride thoughts: part 1<div class="MsoNormal">
So I am back in the real world. I am sure I will have more
to write about reverse culture shock and especially more to write about the
people on the ride that I will miss but here’s a taste of what I am going
through so far. I went to the gym today and got my ass handed to me in a
lifting and spin class. Yes, that’s right spin was actually HARDER after I had
3,300 miles under my belt. It’s completely different and a whole different than
challenge than bike riding outdoors but it is so nice to be back. My upper body
is thanking me for giving it some attention because it has been neglected for
the past 8 weeks. I gained 7llbs on this trip (granted some of it is muscle
because my legs have definitely leaned out) but I am not surprised. Despite
burning 3-4,000 calories a day, we are constantly eating to stay fueled,
constantly talking about being hungry, and constantly day dreaming about food.
Oh well, what would this trip be without eating like a king, that’s one of the
reasons I did it. I eat healthy in my every day life and I wanted a time to
indulge in more ice cream and pies in 2 months than I have had the past 4 years
so I should be set for quite some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After having a overly dramatic freakout to Brett and my mom about the
7llbs, I have now reconciled that 7llbs was worth living the life I did this
summer and that my normal routine will shed that weight and get me back to
where I was pre-ride in no time…but I will miss my calves.</div>
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I drove, cooked, and slept in my own bed for the first time
in 2 months today. I set off the fire alarm from the smoke of my turkey bacon
and finished the salsa container, pretty typical. Even the smell of Buffalo
seemed oddly comforting. I cannot wait to see my friends this weekend but I am
a little hesitant to start school. Once my summer boredom sets in, which will
be in about 2 days when I have nothing productive to do, I think I’ll be ready
to get back into it. One more blog post will be on the way once I let this
experience marinate but until then it will be pretty silent. Thanks everyone
for reading, sending me mail, sending me kind words, and most importantly never
letting me forget that I, or anyone, can do anything that I set my mind to.</div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-19546432535414452032013-08-06T18:03:00.001-07:002013-08-06T18:56:22.372-07:00From Poolesville, MD to Washington, D.C. : 40 miles...say wha?!<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow, our last morning and to commemorate it, I took photos
of our morning cue sheet talk. We all huddle AFTER we load the truck and BEFORE
breakfast (except the team that sets up b fast gets to eat) and go over some
key directions and things to look out for.</div>
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This morning, we decided to all go to McDonald’s to save
Team 1 the hassle of breakfast set up and collapse. The weather again was
perfect, not too hot and not too cold. However, it started to drizzle at our
first checkpoint and nobody had raincoats. I think the excitement of reaching
DC clouded our impairment but need not fair, we became equipped with trash bags
thanks to Lynn! After gearing up and grabbing some Starbucks, we headed out for
our final 20 miles, which were mostly on a multi-use trail into DC. Last year,
a cyclist fell on this portion and broke his femur so “it’s not over until you
actually cross the finish line,” became a phrase engraved into our ears.
Navigating into the city was tough yet fun and we found our way to the Lincoln
Memorial and National Monument in order to take some celebratory pictures.</div>
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We headed into the Old Postal Building to be treated to
lunch by a 1998 Big Ride Alumni who has his own Greek Place open to the public.
Yummy chicken gyros, shrimp, and spanikopita although my appetite was
diminished (for once) by the tremendous amount of nerves.</div>
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In just 30 minutes, I
would be crossing the finish line….the FINISH of this amazing journey. I would
be seeing my mom, Joe, Brett, Sean, and some DC folk (turned out to be Mike and
Nick), seeing the first bit of familiarity in 7 weeks. We all huddled our bikes
on the corner and waited to be sent off by Jim, a guest rider and friend of
John’s. This year, we would be going in by ourselves, as opposed to the
traditional entry of 2 riders at a time. Since there were only 14 of us, this
made more sense but made me more nervous because now everyone would be staring
at me. I was petrified I would do what I usually do---stop and forget to unclip
and just sort of tilt over and smack the pavement. I rode in and was topped by
a traffic light, as was every other rider (pretty funny), so I just waited as I
searched the crowd for my support team and then rode in once it turned green to
be greeted by cheers, signs, hugs, and my finish medal. I had it together until
my mom gave me a binder she had made of my blog, all posts and photos printed,
along with her own blog that she had been making, of which I was unaware. Then
I started crying but I knew it would happen eventually. It’s funny how this
whole trip I bonded with the ladies and then my entire support in DC (sparing my
mom) was, of course, my guy friends. I loved it though and it was SOOO good to
see everyone.</div>
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Charlton was right when he said after you cross the finish
line, “poof,” it’s over and everyone disappears. Everyone was very involved
with family and friends, as was I, and it didn’t really occur to me that this
would be the last time we were with each other as a group until we were all
gone. We hiked to the van to pick up our belongings and my mom and Joe took
most of my stuff to their RV camp while Brett and I checked into the hotel for
a much needed 2 hour nap (after I had fro yo and he got chipotle). Later that
evening, we went to Duke’m for Ethiopian with Sean, Mike, and Dips. I ran into
Remy who also happened to be going there, which was extra ironic because we
were going to her house later that evening. The night was spent with my Pomona
family (about 15 graduates) and every time we are together, no matter who I am
with or where we are, it’s like nothing has changed. Many games were played and
Ezra, bless his soul, made the most delicious beef jerky I have ever tasted. I
am SO blessed to have this Pomona community and I would not trade it for a
million bucks. I saw the country by bike, a new place every day, and while all
of this was so amazing, enough cannot be said about people making places
special.</div>
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<o:p> Waiting to cross</o:p></div>
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Crossing the finish line!</div>
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Getting the medal!</div>
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Love them all!</div>
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Sean left for NYC on a 3am train and I hope his ride went
better than my metro ride back to my mom at 11am (I got lost and then I got
sick). My mom, Joe, the dogs, and I all headed to Hershey, PA. We did an abbreviated
tour of Chocolate World, grabbed food, searched high and low to find beer on
Sunday in the dry state of Pennsylvania until we finally bought some to-go from
a bar. We got ready, blared JT, and headed to the concert by a yellow cheese
bus that the campsite provided. The concert was AMAZING. I am not a huge rap
fan but I can say that the collaboration between Jay-Z and JT was done in such
a stellar way. They did so many songs together including, JT singing the chick
part “I’m a hustler babbby” in Jay z’s song. They also did some MJ and ended
with Forever Young. Sexy back was one of my favorites due to the heavy rock and
guitar solos and the ability of JT to hype the crowd. Push-er love girl was
also a treat and JT’s vocals cannot be topped. The cheese bus on the way home
turned into a dance party as our driver pumped the jams, flickered the lights
in a strobe light fashion, and the campers danced up and down the aisles. It
was so much fun and I am glad I got to share this with my mom. It was indeed the
perfect ending for my trip and my high expectations were even exceeded.</div>
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Pomona in DC!</div>
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On the tram to the park</div>
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Ride in Chocolate World---Singing Dairy Cows</div>
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Chocolate!!</div>
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Sound Check</div>
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Cheese bus to the concert</div>
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I can’t believe I can say I RODE ACROSS COUNTRY, every mile,
every inch. Aside from my sore shoulder, the training I did paid off to prepare
me for long rides and help prevent me from getting injuries early on. I avoided
the SAG wagon and can honestly say there wasn’t a time when I really thought I would
need it (no sharp bad pains…just discomfort). It was always a mental challenge
and at times, physical. I am so thankful for my safety and for the crew for
reminding us constantly of best rider practices. This is been such a memorable
experience and I cannot wait to reflect on it later on.</div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-65375836834293397102013-08-02T15:29:00.001-07:002013-08-02T15:29:12.128-07:00Day 47: From Gettysburg, PA to Poolesville, MD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">We crossed into state #12! It's our final state and tomorrow we will be in DC. today's rides was quite enjoyable, as are all the rides that we know are short because we love knowing we have the option to go slow and stop. We got into camp (Poolesville High school) around noon and immediately headed to the local pool to shower and swim. The pools were great, yes plural...there were a variety of swimming options equipped with diving boards and mini water slides. The highlight of the day had to be dinner, which we ate at Bassett's fine dining. I had a steak salad with Sam Adams summer ale and a brownie sundae. Our first drink and entree were taken care of by Charlton and other entree options included burgers, chicken sandwiches, and turkey paninis. People gave a couple of toasts mainly to thank our amazing support crew for all their hard work. Of note, there is talk of the future of the Big Ride and what it holds, or may not hold. It seems the numbers of participants are dwindling due to the time commitment, fundraising quota, and other competing rides. So, I will be sure to voice my reasons why the ride should go on and if you are a past rider, please do the same (if you believe it should go on). I personally think the ride could be marketed a bit better, the accommodations were not all camping and we only had dinner in camp about 3 times SO it has been more luxurious than I imagined.</span></div>
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-82284497220389860862013-08-01T19:24:00.000-07:002013-08-01T19:27:20.949-07:00Day 45: From Bedford, PA to Gettysburg, PA: 101 miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Note the fog below the hills</div>
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Well today was the day that had me scared shitless since day 1 of this ride. From the start I have heard, "if you can get past the first day, then you can do this ride..and then there's Gettysburg." Well folks, I made it to Gettysburg and I think yesterday was more challenging than today. I also said to ask me after today's ride if choosing yesterday's climb was worth it, and it was. Today was great. Lots of climbs but all rewarded with descents. Yes, the mileage was long but if you think about it, I did just as much climbing as yesterday but had 13 more miles to accomplish it today. For me, I love steep grades and gaining as much elevation in a short time as possible. So, the "5 mile climb" at the end of the ride with very low grade was not very fun and kind of just felt as if I was going very slow with no summit to meet me at the top. However, this was the last challenge and then it was literally all downhill to Gettysburg.<br />
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The first checkpoint was strategically placed in front of a Starbucks so my turkey bacon brekkie sandwich and iced coffee (we ran out of coffee at camp this morning) got me until mile 50 where we had lunch. The first 40 miles consisted of steeper grades and bigger climbs while the last 60 were more rolling and less intense. The morning scenery left us with mountains covered with a low fog, a surreal picture that my camera could never capture. It was a great day of riding but I was so glad to have a rest.<br />
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Luke's diner upon arrival</div>
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For dinner, the Hanover Cycling club gave us chicken, backed potatoes, and corn on the cob at a local park. This is the first year we were treated (past riders have had 12 dollar night on this ride day), so I felt pretty special. At night, we went to the Blue Parrot and an Irish Pub that had 46 different types of whiskeys so needless to say we had a great time. Gettysburg is a cute town that is mostly touristy and historic with ghost tours, museums, horse tours but also has a great local scene with bars, diners, and boutiques in the village square.<br />
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On the rest day, my mom and Joe spontaneously decided to leave Buffalo a day early and meet us in Gettysburg. They got in around 2pm which left me plenty of time to sleep in (until 9:30am), get breakfast, get a tattoo,do some abs, and get lunch before they came. We went to Hoss Sea and Steakhouse which is Ponderosa x a million because of the HUGE salad bar with fresh bread, soup, and dessert for 7 bucks. Oh and did I mention you could add a 30c (yes cents) burger to that, which was not the McDonalds style thin as paper dollar menu burger but quite a hefty treat with an amazing wheat bun. Now on to the tattoo.<br />
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Although all the riders at one point in time expressed interest in getting a tattoo, only a few souls made the commitment. Jenny and Melanie, experienced tattoo getters came with me as well as Jeff, a first timer (as well as myself). Jenny's friend recommended the place so we all had an appointment at noon to get our ink. The experience is best described through pictures.<br />
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The shop</div>
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Nervous pre tattoo photo shoot</div>
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My sketch off the necklace from Lo's mom</div>
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The procedures (Jeff, myself, Jenny, Melanie)</div>
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The finished products (same order)</div>
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All smiles after with our artist</div>
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My mom and Joe took Nelle and me on a horseback tour of the Gettysburg battlegrounds. It was so awesome to see this by horse and the trails (which were only accessible with the tour we went on) went directly through the heart of the fighting. My horse's name was Punky and he/she was truly a punk and tried to eat everything in sight, went off route to his favorite toilet spot (which I was forewarned about), and kept farting in Chip's (Nelle's horse) face. Over 55,000 people were killed in the battle and all the hospitals in Gettysburg were overflowing with amputated arms and legs outside their doors. It was amazing to have been where Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address ("four score and seven years ago...").<br />
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Joe and Stony</div>
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Nelle and Chip</div>
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Mom and Shiloh</div>
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Punky and I!</div>
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After riding, we rode around in the truck to look at some of the monuments. Some cyclists went on a 20 mile tour of the park but I was so happy to have a ride that I was not pedaling in order to give my legs a break (thanks mom!).<br />
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Hole in house made by cannon from the civil war, pretty damn cool</div>
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We had dinner at the Appalachian Brewery Company and three of us had an amazing pretzel coated chicken breast with veggies. For dessert, we got homemade ice cream at Mister G's..SO GOOD! This and the ice cream in Madison have been my favorite by far. Future riders, if you go you must order Ghost Tracks and the homemade waffle cone.<br />
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Time to retire in my dorm room. Pretty sure these rooms used to be part of a motel but are now part of Gettysburg college. Not the Ritz but I'll take a bed over a tent any day.<br />
<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-61521987362963279222013-07-30T17:35:00.001-07:002013-07-30T17:35:48.492-07:00Day 44: From Confluence, PA to Bedford, PA: 87 miles <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Top Of Mt Davis</div>
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Today we had two options: continue along the YRT (trail we were on yesterday) or climb Mt Davis. Mt Davis would entail climbing 3200 feet in 30 miles with an extremely steep headwall of 14% grade and a wild dog to look out for at the top. It was somewhat cloudy so we were not guaranteed great views. I had been battling this decision in my head but this morning, I decided to do it...mostly because of the challenge although the climb and descent were both truly beautiful. Laura is the only other female rider who did the climb so we stuck together most of the way. Luke, Tim, Kendall, and Jeff E also chose the climb and I think we are all very happy in our decision, but ask me again after tomorrow's century and a bajillion more climbs. The other group expressed that the YRT was rather muddy and hard to navigate this morning which meant that both groups arrived at the first checkpoint around the same time and my fear of being behind everyone was soon put to rest.<br />
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Check out that grade! Way to go Laura!</div>
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Tim and Kendall</div>
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Cows Crossing!</div>
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Perfecting the Selfie in front of signs</div>
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The afternoon involved more climbing and by the end of the day we had climbed over 7,000 ft, which is the most in one day on this ride so far. I absolutely loved it. My heartrate soared, the sweat poured, and my legs feel like jello. But strangely enough, I love each one of those things and I got what I wanted out of today. I also hit 42mph on the descent, breaking my own personal fastest (which is still slower than those brave souls who do not brake on the descent).<br />
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Descents!</div>
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Pretty much the entire group decided to do a 7 mile detour (the ride was only supposed to be 80 miles) to see the memorial sight for Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA. It was surreal to see the field where the place crashed and the nearby town. The memorial included a talk given by the ranger, several signs about the facts of the crash (many which I had not known before), the graves of all those who died, and a tribute to the remains of the plane.<br />
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Luke and Chip (guest rider for a week--neighbor of John's)</div>
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Burial place of those in 9/11 plane crash in Shanksville, PA</div>
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Remains of the plane and site of crash</div>
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We had dinner in Friendship Village Campgrounds today (steak, broccoli, and salad) and the days of sleeping in my B+B are over. Must admit, I am so sick of putting up and taking down my tent so tomorrow's night rest at a dorm in Gettysburg will be amazing.Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-20594117123194276682013-07-29T18:12:00.003-07:002013-07-29T18:12:54.287-07:00Day 43: From Washington, PA to Confluence, PA: 87 miles
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<span style="text-align: start;">We left camp this morning and started off the day with multiple climbs and I got my sweat on for the first 30 miles, despite it being pretty chilly. I cannot believe it was in the 40s this morning. Usually, Big Ride groups experience terrible heat during the end of July in PA but like I said, we have been extremely lucky. We spent the next 57 miles on the YRT bike trail. It used to be a railroad that ran by Pittsburgh and even DC! We finally saw a sign to DC today (279 miles), how crazy is that? The trail was made from crushed limestone but was pretty easy to ride on and it was so nice to be away from the cars. The trail was lined with trees and we were treated to many miles of shade, with the river running alongside us the whole way. The trees would open up from time to time to give great views that were only beat by the views from the few bridges that we crossed.</span></div>
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We are staying at a Bed and Breakfast (The Parker House), THANK YOU LAURA. We ordered in from the Lucky Dog Cafe, which was surprisingly hip for such a small town. All the girls are watching the Bachelorette and it feels so nice to be cozy in a real house. The boys are back in the tents but the men can handle it.<br />
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Photo courtesy of Nelle</div>
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We take ourselves very seriously</div>
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But really</div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-29727914797295625302013-07-29T17:27:00.001-07:002013-07-29T17:48:34.952-07:00Day 42: From New Waterford, OH to Washington, PA: 61 miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Another gorgeous morning</div>
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WOOO!! Back in the land of interesting! Today was amazing,
62 miles of many rolling hills, climbs, and steep grades, all rewarded by fun
descents, twists and turns, and fast speeds. WE also crossed into State #11
today, Pennsylvania. Once again, no state sign but I did manage to take a
picture of a sign about .2 miles from when we entered the state because it was
the first evidence I found that I was in PA. We rolled through lunch and had
McDonalds lunch in Burgettstown. </div>
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<o:p>Olivia riding through the fog</o:p></div>
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"State Line"</div>
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The very scenic nuclear power plant</div>
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After that, we continued on and stopped at a bee farm to get
come locally made goodies. Tonight, Laura has graciously bought the ladies a
hotel for tomorrow night. This will be especially nice for Martha, seeing as she
took a tumble a couple days ago and had to go to the hospital to get checked
out. She is a bit sore and due to the combination of her muscle relaxer and the
fact she hit her head, a bit out of it .I think her spirits are especially low
because she has not rode the past two days and I can’t imagine how seeing us
ride these landscapes while she is in the van is making her feel. I hope
tomorrow she is feeling well rested and ready to rock it.<br />
<br />
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Bee Farm</div>
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The queen bee has the red dot</div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-81248219853439554132013-07-27T13:19:00.003-07:002013-07-27T13:19:41.200-07:00Day 41: From Burton, OH to New Waterford,OH: 59 milesSo today was a short ride, although I did rank up some bonus miles by missing a turn and taking a wrong turn so I ended up cycling around 65. Not a whole lot to report, lots of rolling hills and we should start some serious climbing tomorrow as we enter Pennsylvania. We had to do a short ride because we are getting into more remote areas with less places to stay so it was either ride 120 miles or do 2 60 mile days. I'll take the latter. The whole group stopped 5 miles outside of camp in Columbiana and enjoyed a second breakfast at a small diner--oatmeal for me and chili, mac n cheese, and chili dogs for some of the others. We are camping at Terrace Lake campgrounds which are less than luxurious and I am currently at Horst's Deli, an Amish run sub and pizza shop with friendly workers willing to let me use their wireless. I am 0.8 mi from camp but it started to pour so now I am figuring out how to get back and not get wet in time for dinner which is in 45 minutes. Maybe it will stop raining in the next 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Since today's post is short and it was rainy all day so I didn't take my camera out (didn't miss anything) I figured I'd show you guys some pics regarding our daily routine.<br />
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This is the cue sheet—has mileage, directions, and most
importantly fun places to stop</div>
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This is the white board—has the quote of the day, the
weather forecast, the destination, the mileage, and any extra notes.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-48137596862653562012013-07-27T13:13:00.000-07:002013-07-27T13:13:10.582-07:00Day 40: From Sandusky. OH to Burton, OH: 93 miles
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Today was such an enjoyable ride. We rode into Cleveland and
I experienced the most urban riding that I ever have. It was quite fun
navigating around the city surrounded by tall buildings, sports centers, and
Lake Erie off by the side. We stopped in Little Italy for some coffee and
pastries. John Grotto lucked out because I didn’t like the piece of cake I
bought, so I donated it to him and purchased some yummy gelato instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we left Cleveland, we finally hit
some hills!!! Oh how I’ve missed them! Jenny and I had such a blast gaining as
much speed as possible on the downhill and chugging up the hill in front. It
was truly a blast and although I have been scared and anxious for the hills of
Pennsylvania, today got me excited. We are staying at Burton Fairgrounds and on
the way to town, I stopped into a store that sold things from Estates Sales.
The owner told me her relative had just passed from Lung Cancer and she asked
for my website information so that she could donate! In town, I went to a few
Amish gift shops and checked off another person from my souvenir list. Still
need to get things for about 6 people sooo if y’all get things that are all
Gettysburg related, my apologies.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Downtown Cleveland</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H-0EzUNI6_Q/UfLPVyDIVpI/AAAAAAAACG4/00db8bkRw9c/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H-0EzUNI6_Q/UfLPVyDIVpI/AAAAAAAACG4/00db8bkRw9c/s640/13+-+1" width="474" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtJvoCjqZ3Q/UfLPV_tSjMI/AAAAAAAACHU/q7KBxgEc7aQ/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtJvoCjqZ3Q/UfLPV_tSjMI/AAAAAAAACHU/q7KBxgEc7aQ/s640/13+-+2" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-48191646880156692402013-07-27T13:06:00.002-07:002013-07-27T13:06:38.707-07:00Day 38: From Napoleon, OH to Sandusky, OH: 87 miles<div class="MsoNormal">
So the road to Sandusky was rough, mostly because it was
flat and all I could focus on was the cross/head wind that really continued the
entire time. I rode most of the day with Nelle and she truly was my Savior that
day with our conversation, which distracted me from what I was doing, and with
her pull for the last stretch of the ride. We talked about everything from future
bachelorette parties, to names we’d like to name our children, to how this ride
has changed us. She said one thing that I didn’t realize until she said it but
completely am in agreement with. This ride has taught me what my mom tells me
every day, to take one day at a time. We started in Seattle, we need to get to
DC, and that thought on Day 1 scared me shitless. But if I thought about it in
a better way, such as we start in Napoleon and we need to get to Sandusky, both
cities in Ohio, I seem way more relaxed. I guess I have always just had a
bigger picture in mind. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Medical school lays out your undergrad, your grad, and your
residency…a for the most part planned 10+ years with the end goal of becoming
an MD. While I know the bigger picture, I am forced to focus on each step at a
time. But what I didn’t realize is that I can break down those steps even
further. I should not be concerned with where I go for residency during my
first or second year of medical school. I should be concerned with the
present,, .and not even how I am going to pass my next upcoming test because
let’s face it, that test again is in the future and not in the ‘now.’ I will
always be studious; I have no problem in preparing for a test in time. I have a
problem taking each day as its own entity. I need to find the beauty in each
day, each moment, each second. That’s easy when I am riding and have mountains
and lakes in front of me but what about when things are not so pretty and are
not so scenic. That’s the challenge, finding good in what I am doing right now,
despite what it is, and I think I am slowly getting to this point.</div>
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My rest day in Cedar point was spent on coasters, water
slides, and thrill rides at Cedar point. For those of you unfamiliar, here are
some photos of the super steep, super fast, super crazy rides. I convinced
Melanie to go on the Dragster (we were the only 2 who went) and like I said,
she did not regret it and I even heard her talking about how awesome it was on
the phone to a friend/family member. Guess my days of persuading people to try
new things are not over. The group left somewhat early but I stuck around for
another 2 hours to check out the swings (which are 400 feet high and much
faster than your average theme park swing) and the new roller coaster The
Gatekeeper. Definitely worth staying and I kind of liked exploring alone. It’s
funny how I used to scream on coasters and while I still do, I find myself
mostly laughing. It’s pure childlike joy and I hope I never lose that.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Dragster (420 ft 120mph)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-abl39liG4oI/UfGq-VmxufI/AAAAAAAACEo/Ze_78KG3UXk/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-abl39liG4oI/UfGq-VmxufI/AAAAAAAACEo/Ze_78KG3UXk/s640/13+-+1" width="474" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ali and Olivia on the Millenium</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ooPC758O9XI/UfGq-TgF7fI/AAAAAAAACDk/5un0Q-2Lgbg/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ooPC758O9XI/UfGq-TgF7fI/AAAAAAAACDk/5un0Q-2Lgbg/s640/13+-+2" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Showing Ali quality American food---Chick-fil-A</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exONCGnwE5k/UfGq-TT10AI/AAAAAAAACFk/8HroV81SXaU/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exONCGnwE5k/UfGq-TT10AI/AAAAAAAACFk/8HroV81SXaU/s640/13+-+3" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Waterpark</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FXwEOw-SZs/UfGrEdgetXI/AAAAAAAACFA/KZ54_R5KGCg/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FXwEOw-SZs/UfGrEdgetXI/AAAAAAAACFA/KZ54_R5KGCg/s640/13+-+1" width="474" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Gatekeeper (new this year)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SvpyxCeO9Q/UfGrEcyruYI/AAAAAAAACEU/3wXDpCzcpJA/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SvpyxCeO9Q/UfGrEcyruYI/AAAAAAAACEU/3wXDpCzcpJA/s640/13+-+2" width="474" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-76643411209178967062013-07-23T11:39:00.001-07:002013-07-23T11:39:08.350-07:00Day 37: From Kendallville, IN to Napoleon, OH<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Today I rode my bicycle for 70 miles and felt as if I hadn’t pedaled one bit. We had a great tailwind coming from the west and soared along and really all I can say about today was that it was a lot of fun, pure, child-like, fun on a bike. We caught an amazing sun rise coming out of our campground after a catered egg and pancake breakfast by the Parks and Rec Dept.</span></div>
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<o:p style="text-align: start;"> </o:p><span style="text-align: start;">We crossed into State #10 and once again, no state sign per se BUT a little street sign and the beginning of a yellow line marked the start of Ohio and Melanie, Ali, and I thought it sufficient enough to take photos. I rode the rest of the day with Melanie and probably bored her to death talking about how cool I thought Immunology is but since she majored in Entomology, maybe I’m wrong.</span></div>
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We are staying at a campground and it’s pretty cool because
we have rode our bicycles from Seattle to the home state of riders Olivia and
Jeff. I also think it’s amazing we will be in Sandusky tomorrow, a place where
I have driven from Buffalo. I AM CLOSE ENOUGH TO DRIVE HOME. This is crazy and
the kind of day I needed to get my spirits back in order.</div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-13651336188621157162013-07-23T11:33:00.005-07:002013-07-23T11:33:55.527-07:00Day 36: From Valparaiso, IN to Kendallville, IN: 109 miles<div class="MsoNormal">
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Today we crossed into EASTERN TIME (welcome hommmme!) and
rode another century+ for the week (110 miles) and it went much better than
last time. I have found that when I am thinking on the bike, time passes pretty
quickly. I managed to plan my workout/school schedule today (exciting I know)
but that killed about 20 miles. Then I dozed off into this relaxation state of
cycling, it’s strange to be physically working yet somehow remaining calm and
at rest, almost as if I was in some sort of meditation. This got me through to
mile 60. After that, it was a series of emotional highs and lows, meaning ‘this
is great’ to ‘are we there yet,’ kind of things. </div>
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Some things of note that I did not take a picture of I saw a
sign that said “Free Pickles” and sure enough there was a container full of
pickles next to the road. I don’t care if it would have been gross, had I liked
pickles or had this been ‘free ice cream,’ I would have downed them. Since we
were in Amish country, I saw many horse drawn buggies and some were even moving
so slowly that I managed to pass them (on the left of course) on my bicycle.
It’s crazy to see farmland and know that people wake up at dawn to mend and
plant their crops, take care of their animals, etc just so we, the consumers,
can eat meat. I got a taste of the hard work that goes into this because my
roommate’s boyfriend is a dairy farmer but to see the work first hand is pretty
cool. All the people passing in buggies and on bicycle looked so happy and so
content with their version of simple living and even those working hard on the
land still managed to wave. America brings together people of all cultures, all
ideals, and all perspectives and seeing each one of these for a number of miles
by bicycle has really made me appreciate our country.</div>
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Jeff Sloan, the happy dentist on the trip, had an incident
where his derailer broke this morning after 20 miles and he had to ride the
rest of the day in 1 gear. I think I change gears every 30 seconds and I use
all of mine so you can imagine how difficult/frustrating this must be. When I arrived
into camp, riders were setting up his tent because they knew he’d be late and
wanted to perform a kind gesture. Yesterday, Tim, the Marine Corps pulled
Martha (let her draft behind him), one of the slower riders, the entire 80
miles and made sure she hadn’t fallen back every step of the way. We are
becoming a community and although we are all very different and may never have
been friends in the real world if that was left to choice, the choice to do
this ride was enough of a choice. I think we have all come to the conclusion
that if someone chooses to ride their bicycle across the country in 48 days for
charity, chooses to get up in the face of heat and thunderstorms, chooses to
mindlessly set up and take down tents every day, chooses to do all of this to
become more mentally and physically well rounded, then that person is someone
we want to get to know or at least we want to help out. Attitude is everything
for this trip and when I am in a bad mood, I do not try and pretend like my day
is going great because I know if I am honest in speaking what I am feeling,
someone will give me honest advice or pay a little more attention to helping me
along. I love that. And I love seeing others do it as well. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
By the way, in case anyone was wondering (this is the boring
stuff but I feel like I should write it so it can trigger cool stuff that
happened that day), we are camping at a state park in Kendallville, IN and
dinner was pulled pork and salad catered by the Parks and Rec Dept. The mayor
was here along with the press and we were treated with an entire soft serve ice
cream machine. </div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-148857363810587092013-07-21T11:50:00.001-07:002013-07-21T11:50:14.574-07:00Day 35: From Coal City, IL to Valparaiso, IN: 81 milesSo today we crossed into state #9! But there was no state sign so we plan on getting a picture once we leave the state. Like yesterday, not a whole lot to see. We had a slight headwind and some small rolling hills so these "challenges" made the ride a bit more interesting for me than yesterday. On the contrary, everyone else seemed to hate today's ride. The roads were terrible, extremely bumpy, old, and just not easy on the butt or hands. The motorists here are also kind of jerks. But once again, these things kept me alert and after lunch, time seemed to fly by. I am headed for a long nap and we are staying at a dorm so a good night's sleep is also in the mix.<br />
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The sunrise this morning was beautiful..good thing b/c wake up time was 4am</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeWpq8SERzBQujcyRuXLQlppOyuEKbPYvM6p1B33tIL50oHoPPtYxVkxRhQNij8ExdmPcpMaiqBnlDR93613_mND0sjCDjW7ytUN_tMJt5korhUvEw-DjBIXtOann4HKvpz9kJxCyGw0/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeWpq8SERzBQujcyRuXLQlppOyuEKbPYvM6p1B33tIL50oHoPPtYxVkxRhQNij8ExdmPcpMaiqBnlDR93613_mND0sjCDjW7ytUN_tMJt5korhUvEw-DjBIXtOann4HKvpz9kJxCyGw0/s640/IMG_0406.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another gigantic fake thing--astronaut?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXhYLuK4XCpmmGzRY3DrdqT2okFFy9XgbvY4emlZJbiZ01jA72WUJEnYG92uU1ws7Trd75bL4bCAd5EsOfEm878PFXwOHct2vMrk-XKOXZEFsrkQ1Ytk3pkybEntFLOZq4ihQtYbuj9g/s1600/IMG_0407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXhYLuK4XCpmmGzRY3DrdqT2okFFy9XgbvY4emlZJbiZ01jA72WUJEnYG92uU1ws7Trd75bL4bCAd5EsOfEm878PFXwOHct2vMrk-XKOXZEFsrkQ1Ytk3pkybEntFLOZq4ihQtYbuj9g/s640/IMG_0407.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-8089972351633869282013-07-21T11:40:00.002-07:002013-07-21T11:40:25.793-07:00Day 34: From Garden Prairie, IL to Coal City, IL: 106 miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Why did I post this? It's all I saw for 106 miles..or 108 if you count the 2 when I missed the turn</div>
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Everyone seemed to love today’s ride…that is everyone but
me. Yes, it was ‘scenic’ if you count the same bright green corn fields for 106
miles and yes it was relatively easy but to me that just means 6+ hours on a
bike to zone out and I realized if I zone for 20 minutes, I am lucky. I much
prefer big days with climbs, challenges, sweating, and brief torture, rewarded
with mountainous landscape and maybe some cooked corn at the end (which we did
have tonight). Thank you Jenny for getting me through this one. I need a real
mental strengthener for the next 4 days because I think they are going to be pretty
similar and I am getting pretty homesick/antsy about getting back into my
routine (even if that means medical school…), my workouts, and my final days of
summer. </div>
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I am looking at this positively though and realizing how
much I appreciate my current life which truly is an amazing feeling. Up until
now, my more ‘spiritual’ moments of the rides have involved the realization
that America and its people are truly beautiful and should be discorvered by
all. I also wrote how I am thankful for being healthy and fit enough to do
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also realized how
easy it is to get to place by bicycle, whether it be 5 or 15 miles, and plan to
incorporate this into errands such as going to the gym, going to pick up an
item at the grocery store, etc.. Makes for cleaner air, fitter people, and a
great message. Today though, the realization that my life is good, despite me
thinking it’s stressful at times is rewarding. To understand that I actually
miss school is kind of crazy but I know I am in the right place, in the right
field, (word is still out about at the right school but it’s growing on me),
and surrounded by an AMAZING support system. Speaking of, I want to thank
everyone for their facebook comments and texts because they really do get me
through the day and I need them now more than ever. I have been blessed with
the best friends from Pomona (Claremont)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and Buffalo/Rochester and Melbourne that a girl could ask for.</div>
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Today dinner was quite the treat as we had a camp picnic
with fresh deli sandwiches, quinoa, edamame, salad, corn on the cob, and
amazing shortbread chocolate cookies and blueberry/peach fruit salad. We are
staying at a privately owned camp/country club and got into camp in time to go
swimming and diving at their beach before dinner. Olivia’s friend from England
arrived today and will be riding with us for one week. One a sadder note,
somebody stole my luxurious bathroom bag filled with a toothbrush that needed
to be thrown out, toothpaste, a prescription and contacts (which is why I am
mad), and minimal makeup (for rest days) that was almost gone so whoever you
are, karma will get you and I looked better in that makeup than you ever will.
Tomorrow is a new day, I hope for the best.</div>
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Boats and jet skis near our camp</div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-50133013214993994632013-07-19T14:36:00.003-07:002013-07-19T14:43:25.784-07:00Day 33: From Madison, WI to Garden Prairie, IL: 93 miles<br />
I was very sad to leave Madison but I keep telling myself I will be at Cedar Point in less than a week and that gets me through the day. Today was kind of uneventful, some rolling hills, some flats, and a lot of cues. I actually like the urban riding that we have been doing because despite more traffic, it means more cute neighborhoods, more mental alertness, and less mileage before the next turn. We went from riding entire 60 miles+ on one route to today, not riding for longer than about 10 miles before our next cue. It was refreshing and the tailwind we had helped the day go by. The last 10 miles were tough because the tailwind became a headwind but somehow we dodged this for most of the ride and also dodged the thunderstorms. We truly have been really lucky with the weather and the heat, or lack thereof. It was supposedly 94 but with the wind, lack of humidity, and cloud coverage, it was perfect riding weather.<br />
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We crossed into state #7 today and the sign/location was not very aesthetically pleasing<br />
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These are for you Dee<br />
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-49900526669859328682013-07-18T15:19:00.000-07:002013-07-19T14:20:19.529-07:00Day 31: From Viroqua, WI to Madison, WI: 99 miles<div style="text-align: center;">
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We woke up this morning and Team 3 (my team) was on breakfast duty which means I was up by 4:40AM. After Charlton gave us an extended pre ride talk (about 20 minutes because some people have not been texting him when they stop or get lost which sends everyone into a frenzy), I was a little worried about the ride and the rest of the trip. We didn't end up leaving until 6:30am and by then, it was already blazingly hot. We have two stretches of 6 days coming up and mentally, I am kind of done with cycling. I am missing my everyday life of cooking my own meals (with variety), going to the gym for one hour for a solid sweat session, lounging with friends, seeing movies, going out dancing in Buffalo, etc. The routine of early morning wake ups, lunch at 9:30am, and dinner super early is wearing on me just because of the monotony. Luckily, today's ride broke that up.</div>
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Early morning fog</div>
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After the first 20 miles, I looked like I had just showered...showered in my own sweat that is. The sun and humidity was brutal, but bearable. We had rolling hills for most of teh day, with a couple of steep climbs that I seemed to conquer pretty strongly. I was out in the lead (minus Jeff, Tim, and Kendall), until the last 10 miles when I decided to stop to get frozen yogurt. The cue sheet indicated a smoothie place about 15 miles from camp but turns out it closed down and t'was a blessing in disguise because I got my fro yo. I climbed very well today and very fast and needed that to show myself that I am indeed getting stronger. I rolled in behind, Jeff, Olivia, and Tom who were in a pace line for most of the day so I was pretty proud that I kept their pace without the draft. On my weaker days, I am sure I will take advantage of the glories of riding behind another person to expend less energy, although sometimes I feel like I am sprinting to catch up with them and end up expending more. It is cool to see other riders improving as well. Olivia has gone from being in the later group to roll into camp to today being one of the first. Melanie is climbing like a monkey, Jenny is super speedy on the flats, and Nelle will appear from nowhere when she turns on the gas. I think my niche is rolling hills and that's what today was.<br />
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We had lunch at Peck's Farms, a crazy establishment equipped with market, petting zoo, a million oversized games (lifesize hess, dice, etc) and rides.<br />
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Madison is AMAZING and everything I expected and more. I really wish I could have gone to medical school here (damn you out of state statistics). The city is built around the University of Wisconsin and thus equipped with cafes, bars, restaurants, gourmet food carts, and shops all on one street (State St), leading up to the Capitol Building. The food carts blew my mind, sushi, fresh salad, smoothies, HIBACHI?!, basically all non greasy, non hot-dog esque carts that seemed to outdo some of the restaurants around here. And they are all stationed in a pedestrian mall that has chalkboards asking the residents to write on the board what they like and dislike about the city in order to make changes. The city is very bike friendly and has entire streets devoted to cycling in hopes of pushing cyclists off main streets but giving them alternate, safer, less trafficky routes (it's called bicycle boulevard and signs encourage cyclists to use the whole lane). We are staying on the 11th floor (penthoussse) of Chadbourn Dorms.<br />
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State St</div>
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Chalkboard things I was talking about</div>
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Last night, we went to a bar that Melanie works at called the Buck and Badger for trivia and stayed there the whole night because, to be frank, the bartender was quite the stud and it was his first day on the job so we had fun teaching him how to make specialty shots (and we got discounted prices). I've already had frozen yogurt 3 times and just tried the famous Wisconsin dairy in the form of ice cream from the Chocolate Shoppe. They have about 50 flavors and of course, I sampled many, but went with the Elvis which is banana ice cream with real banana, peanut butter swirls, and chocolate chunks. It is not as good as Lake Effect but is very close and the best on the trip so far. We went to the Great Dane for lunch, a pub restaurant with amazing local food and brews.<br />
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The Buck and Badger The Great Dane<br />
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I am about to head to the Terrace for dinner. It is a beach located right in the student Union (how cool is that), with live music on the water every Thurs, Fri, Saturday. There are places to eat, buy pitchers of craft beer, go swimming. sail, lounge, and is really all a student could ever want. It's so weird being in a city built around the college because I came from an undergrad where the student life was all on campus, rather than in the hopping town of Claremont. Made for great, close knit friendships and was what I needed at the time but for graduate life, I think Madison would be absolutely ideal.<br />
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The Terrace (stage for bands on left)</div>
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Giant Chair</div>
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-77663103568493556212013-07-16T16:55:00.000-07:002013-07-16T17:18:56.718-07:00Day 30: From Winona, MN to Viroqua WI: 70 some miles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr92BIe-KvkMEgoKrQw4kfpWSa1eSNlMdP6IiOqaxfteidS101fVaQKMl_rjejz2JLfBT5RJH7pFS8B-qmA2fN8Y7eyrp-MdaW9R0fgiozduJJB3FzdWKYHZfV1MCsU5x-4REH2qoaB5U/s1600/IMG_0357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr92BIe-KvkMEgoKrQw4kfpWSa1eSNlMdP6IiOqaxfteidS101fVaQKMl_rjejz2JLfBT5RJH7pFS8B-qmA2fN8Y7eyrp-MdaW9R0fgiozduJJB3FzdWKYHZfV1MCsU5x-4REH2qoaB5U/s640/IMG_0357.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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So the cue sheet for today told us we were going to be going 66 miles but we ended up doing over 70 (some people a lot more) in order to make a special stop. The morning started off hot because we left after 7am in order to eat breakfast in Winona State's cafeteria. The humidity was somewhat brutal but I did not notice it until we would stop biking and then the sweat would start pouring. We took a slight detour in the first 20 miles in order to tackle a steep 1 mile climb that ended up being very challenging but scenic and rewarding (just like our ride coordinator's told us it would be)! We then continued on to the Myer's house. Apparently, these two young girls had seen the Big Riders around 20 years ago, when the ride was MUCH larger (hundreds of bikers) because the route passed their house. They then decided to make a lemonade stand for when the riders came by every year. Eventually this turned into them hosting the riders at their house in lieu of our first check point and offering us fruit, veggies, hummus, and homemade muffins. They had an entire banquet display for us, equipped with photo books from past riders, rider paraphernalia including a book that a previous rider got published, guest books to sign and write comments in, an interview station, and personal photo cards that we got to autograph. We were truly celebrities.<br />
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Nelle and I at the Myer's House<br />
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Myers' Family<br />
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After my interview, which consisted of a series of recorded questions about the Big Ride, I got to pick out a homemade bracelet </div>
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Found Ben's photo!</div>
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We continued the ride by crossing into Wisconsin (State #7) and across the Mississippi River. This was followed with another brutal 1.5 mile climb into Amish country. Everything was green, spacious, and beautiful. Every climb was followed by a fun descent and I finally hit 40mph today (even though the cue sheet said to take it easy---I was determined). We had our last checkpoint at a pond around mile 60. Ben, my friend from medical school who did the ride last year, had told me that today's ride was his favorite and there was a fun rope swing across the pond at lunch. Well, the pond was green and the rope swing ended up being too short to reach (it had broke) but the swim out to the other side was well worth it, quite refreshing, and I just chose to ignore the algae. Olivia, Nelle, Melanie, and I got some great shots with Olivia's waterproof camera.<br />
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World's Largest 6 pack</div>
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Note the green water</div>
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We swam from the dock to the other side, found short rope swing, made sad face, and swam back<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">We rolled into town and cooled off at a local co-OP and I am currently sitting in a cafe that sells local meats and greens for 12 dollar dinner night. YUM.</span></div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-78252754501959053962013-07-15T13:07:00.001-07:002013-07-15T13:11:43.403-07:00Day 29: From Owatonna, MN to Winona, MN: 90 miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday we enjoyed an all you can eat salad buffet from Hy Vee---the local grocery store around here. It was just below the caliber of Wegmans so needless to say it was pretty damn good and I slept like a baby. Today I could have rode my bicycle for another 30 miles. The afternoon was LOVELY, weather was perfect, sun was shining, and the scenery was great. We hit mile 2000 in St Charles, MN and were interviewed by the local news at a coffee place where we enjoyed shakes and smoothies. We had this strange but amazing transition from farm land to hilly forest Montana-like beauty. See below:<br />
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Farmland in the morning<br />
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And my cup of tea in the afternoon</div>
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Jenny coming down out steep 2 mile curvy descent--oh how I've missed climbing and descending<br />
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5 miles from camp, I spotted a town park/swimming area so we of course jumped in. Nelle, John, and Jenny had gone in a creek about 7 miles back but I was determined to find deeper water and luckily Melanie and Olivia were with me to share in the cool off.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"> Before: Hot and Dry</span><br />
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After: Cool, Wet, and Happy</div>
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Also on a creepily ironic note, we passed through Claremont, MN and then Rochester, MN...I was destined to live in Minnesota, which I will happily accept. The people. weather, scenery, and lakes here are great. Shout out to Pomona peeps and Rocho med students! Tonight we are staying at Winona State University which has accommodations better than a hotel. I am sharing a suite with Laura and we each have two huge rooms, a common area, fresh sheets, towels, and a giant bathroom for just the two of us. The dorm has a hotel-like elevator, lounges with cmofy chairs and couches on every floor, beach volleyball courts, etc ...ALMOST as amazing as Pomona...but I didn't see Dom's so not quite ;)</div>
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-15167206852004513162013-07-14T13:57:00.000-07:002013-07-14T13:57:00.418-07:00Day 28: From New Ulm, MN to Owatonna, MN: 72 miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Odd....<br />
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Another light 70 some mile day today with a light breeze, mostly overcast, and just good weather overall. The roads were TERRIBLE, meaning I do not know who decides to lay road in 3 ft segments but I was pretty sick of going "bump di dump di bump" the whole way, and my butt was sick of it too. The traffic is also getting heavier which makes it impossible to hold conversation while biking or turns 1 minute stories into 10 minute endeavors as we pause to let the cars pass until we can hear each other again. After getting rerouted in Mankato, MN due to construction, we were back on track. We stopped in Waseca to go to a flea market and I snagged this guy for 3 bucks.<br />
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We would have bought him if he wasn't 50 bucks, but we videoed an attempt at ventriloquism instead</div>
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We went a mile off route before getting to camp and stopped at a Reptile and Amphibian house. It was pretty low budget and was probably only worth 5 of the 10 bucks I paid BUT the hilarity of watching the male turtle, Diego, relentless chase/try to mount the female, Dora, the whole time we there made it worth it.</div>
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Petting the American Alligator (couldn't help but think of Noah's shoes...shout out Australia)<br />
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Massive iguana<br />
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Chameleons are so cool looking<br />
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-13158469597591344122013-07-13T17:49:00.000-07:002013-07-13T18:30:59.056-07:00Day 26: From Tyler, MN to New Ulm, MNSo today was pretty tough, mostly mentally because we pedaled 87 miles with another 20mph wind coming from the South and there was literally nothing to take my mind off the fact that I should have been going at least 5mph faster the whole time. I was just anxious to get to New Ulm so I barely stopped and had very short checkpoints. I ended up getting into camp before 1pm right behind Melanie who was the first girl to get in. After showering, laundering, and unpacking, we headed downtown and went to a German bar/restaurant where a lot of people ordered delicious burgers and brats while I stuck to my vodka gimlet. That night, Nelle and I went to the Grand Hotel to watch a live jazz band who apparently charges about $1500 per night when they play but since the venue acts as a restaurant, bar, AND local community art center, the show did not have a cover charge. The Southside Aces, as they were called, were pretty good and the food looked amazing so may have to head back there for dinner tonight. Then we continue our bar crawl and checked out Lamplighters Sports Bar and the Patio Pub and Grill. It was nice to be awake passed 8pm but we were still in bed by midnight.<br />
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The Grand Motel (Band is called The Southside Aces)<br />
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Nelle at Lamplighters<br />
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Today on our rest day, I slept in until 9am (woooho!), went to the fitness center for a quick upper body lift, cleaned my bike, did laundry, went to Schell's brewery and a German restaurant for dinner. The brewery is one of the oldest in the country, is family owned, and now brews 23 different beers. Under their last president (the previous generation), they only had 1 type...so big moves over the past couple of years. For $3 I got a tour, 7ish tastings (3oz each), and a full beer. Melanie and I were happy campers.<br />
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This guy was casually hanging out at the Brewery<br />
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One of these guys makes 100 barrels or 38,000 bottles of beer</div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-76321637137305609742013-07-11T14:16:00.000-07:002013-07-11T14:17:41.768-07:00Day 25: From De Smet, SD to Tyler, MN: 78 milesCrossed into state #6! So today we had a brutal wind of 20mph but luckily (kind of) it was from the south, so no headwind but no amazing tailwind either. I rode really fast the whole morning and then putzed around the whole afternoon which ended up being really fun. First off, the sunrise was amazing, small perk of getting up and out at 5am everyday.<br />
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We had lunch in Brookings, a small but nice town in SD that was recently rated as one of the best small towns to live in. After lunch we stopped for coffee, stopped to pick strawberries, stopped to play at the lake, and stopped at a bar for drinks. We still got in at 2:30PM so the stops were well worth it and the wind pretty much stayed strong the whole day so stopping did not affect the difficulty of our ride.</div>
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Melanie on the cart on the way to the fields (Josie was our driver, a perky college student)</div>
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Empty</div>
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Full<br />
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Crossing into Minnesota, the sign was so Minnesotan (definitely a compliment)<br />
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Having a little too much fun (me)<br />
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Nelle</div>
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<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-39848321284514906022013-07-10T15:32:00.001-07:002013-07-10T15:32:12.078-07:00Day 24: From Miller, South Dakota to De Smet, South Dakota: 76 miles<div class="MsoNormal">
Another 76 mile day and they seem to be getting easier. No
tailwind, but the rides are no longer strenuous and I seem to be exerting a lot
less effort, which strangely makes me feel like I am cheating or like there is
an invisible man pushing me along. It’s just hard to think we’ve gotten this
much stronger in 3 weeks. We are camping in a city park and are in the hometown
of Laura Ingall Wilder who wrote The Little House on the Prairire Series. There
is a museum here but I really have no interest (considering I have no read the
books) and it probably cost $. I celebrated reaching our half way mark with
terrible (but tasty) food and ice cream from Dairy Queen, on top of the ice
cream I had at the gas station but after riding 1650 miles, it’s okay in my
book. Today is the halfway point and tomorrow marks the second half of the
trip. My goal is to become stronger and faster in sections of the ride. I have
really enjoyed pushing hard for 20 miles, then relaxing and going slow to take
pictures/listening to music for several miles and then starting the cycle over
again. So for the next 24 days, I am going to work on getting my speed faster
during these ‘workout’ sections and possibly holding them longer for 20 miles,
or making my breaks shorter. However, I will still be stopping to take photos
when an opportunity is present because these moments are worthy to interrupt my
ride.</div>
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I also want to
work on eating cleaner. I am generally a very healthy eater but sometimes this
ride makes it difficult because (A) we are always hungry and (B) we eat out in
towns a lot with not so healthy options. I’ve realized I feel better when I eat
better which translates into better biking performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting tid bit, I have overheard
many riders talking about waking up in the middle of the night starving and
grabbing a bar to eat so for those of you who have heard me complain about my
sleeping and hungry at night issues, maybe I am not alone. My melatonin seems
to be helping me sleep a little bit better but generally, I wake up every few
hours and am terribly hungry throughout the night unless I eat a double
portioned dinner that day, or have a couple glasses of wine…then I’m out (food
and alcohol…terrible solutions). There are lots of grocery stores where we
stop, so I think I may start purchasing fruits and veggies here. However, I am
still on a mission to find the best homemade ice cream in America (probably on
rest days) and Lockport’s Lake Effect is still in First Place. So two goals,
both pretty in alignment with the fact that we will be on flat farmland for the
next few weeks with little to see so seems like giving myself a physical
challenge is a worthwhile idea, wish me luck.</div>
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<br /></div>
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No request for souvenirs? C’mon guys, get greedy.</div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-16025240303478028172013-07-09T13:13:00.002-07:002013-07-09T13:13:58.300-07:00Day 23: From Pierre, SD to Miller, SD: 74 miles
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Well today was, well, fast. Pretty happy about it because
like the woman in a restaurant in Billings had said a week ago, there is
nothing in South Dakota. We had an amazing tailwind which sent our pace well
above 20mph. I stood on the bike at one point without pedaling to see how fast
I could go and was still going 15mph after 30s of not doing anything. So we
left camp around 6:15-6:30 and got into Miller at about 11:00am. Less than 5
hours for 75 miles and 2 stops to refuel…not bad. So when we see big puffy white
clouds in a bluer than blue sky, my first thought is “I must take a picture”
and the second thought it “get moving because a t-storm may come and the wind
may shift.” Luckily, the latter did not happen…yet</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxXAyxYv_s9myVClVVbNR-fbjIK5WHN-0Vf1vb_f58j-An0T3-PYLnbjbYYMqc1KDUVZfc4dzvQwHctJ8n0dfzC3AWVT-2aqAC4U2J4n7JDmYF-wVcTcgQ_SqWCXccox6bDaZzINiDHU/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxXAyxYv_s9myVClVVbNR-fbjIK5WHN-0Vf1vb_f58j-An0T3-PYLnbjbYYMqc1KDUVZfc4dzvQwHctJ8n0dfzC3AWVT-2aqAC4U2J4n7JDmYF-wVcTcgQ_SqWCXccox6bDaZzINiDHU/s640/IMG_0289.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Corn, corn, and more corn<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoBNBeh3oFrSE80eRCHyeIalW99tkeY0KGo6FQKsLRS5-eq4nbCH6r_KbQtwL6x0zcEEPG7IIJqN7ZdcuAoZc9C0eqNxP2Jk7aSqMQQJmBeIzl2Xb4GoW20rSRl3FS_P0sjreXZWKbmY/s1600/IMG_0291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoBNBeh3oFrSE80eRCHyeIalW99tkeY0KGo6FQKsLRS5-eq4nbCH6r_KbQtwL6x0zcEEPG7IIJqN7ZdcuAoZc9C0eqNxP2Jk7aSqMQQJmBeIzl2Xb4GoW20rSRl3FS_P0sjreXZWKbmY/s640/IMG_0291.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Since I do not have much to say, SHOUT OUT TO BRETT FINNAN who just landed his dream job as a phys ed instructor in Brooklyn after many weeks of brutal training, homework, tests (and sometimes beer tasting at the zoo...).</div>
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Also, if I am close friends with you, will be seeing you in Buffalo/Rochester or at the DC finish line, and you would like a souvenir, let me know what kinds of things you would like and from what state. I have a couple days in South Dakota left but then I am on to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and DC.</div>
Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-82400776448172660252013-07-08T14:46:00.002-07:002013-07-08T15:29:57.363-07:00Day 22: From Kodaka, SD to Pierre, SD: 95 milesWe made it to the capital of South Dakota. Not much to say about this ride, I felt a lot stronger than yesterday and was leading the group until mile 88 out of 95 when Tim and Jeff passed me (really guys you couldn't let me have this one? lol). But with that said, I finished very early. Apparently our group had 13 flats before our lunch stop even happened. Luckily, I didn't get any, although I have clearly had my "flat" days in the past. It's bound to happen to everyone. There wasn't much to see (unlike yesterday) and I didn't take any photos with my canon but just a few with the iPhone.<br />
<br />
This was one side of the road<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDrAHKCq77M/UdstYrc71tI/AAAAAAAABYs/4LhKMAGFML0/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDrAHKCq77M/UdstYrc71tI/AAAAAAAABYs/4LhKMAGFML0/s640/13+-+1" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the other side (directly across)..the grass really was greener on the other side</div>
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Missouri River--We crossed into Central Time today!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9K3dnYXBPAg/UdstYnksBiI/AAAAAAAABYQ/asBFCKiZOC8/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9K3dnYXBPAg/UdstYnksBiI/AAAAAAAABYQ/asBFCKiZOC8/s640/13+-+3" width="640" /></a><br />
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So during yesterday's ride ride, I thought about cycling and why it is and is
not for me. I think once this trip is over, I will not be cycling as my means
of exercise. I love and hate that weather plays such a major factor. Tailwinds can be a blessing and rain/headwinds can be a bitch...or a really hard workout depending on how you look at it. But for me, I like consistency (hence why I wake up at 5am to go to Lorna's sculpting class every Wednesday and Friday because I KNOW she will give me a good workout and the element of chance in selecting a worthwhile instructor is eliminated). At the same time, the weather makes cycling fun. interesting, risky, always changing. I had three different rides in one day yesterday because of it. I am spending over 6 hours each day on a bike, burning thousands
of calories (over 3500 for century days), and yet I really think I am gaining
weight or just not losing it like you would think. My legs, however, are the most sculpted they have ever been and I finally have the cyclists
calves that every girl dreams of (or at least this girl). But for me, this trip
isn’t about losing weight and although it will be awesome to say I rode my bike
across the US and show that I am an endurance athlete and physically fit, that also is not
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If I do cycle after this trip, it will be on many smaller trips. There is nothing like seeing the world by bicycle, seeing the same scenery grow
closer and change slowly, mile by mile. There is nothing like seeing the big
blue sky above you and knowing you are one little dot in the center of the
picture. It is truly incredible and why I am on this trip. But as far as exercise, I can get better
results doing 2 bootcamps, 2 lifts, and 1 spin class a week for an hour each so
I think I will stick to that routine. So if someone hands me a cue sheet (so I
do not have to plan the route), hands me some time (because this sport requires
about 5 hours for a good ride), and hands me a gorgeous landscape, I will
gladly cycle my little heart out and appreciate life more every pedal stroke I
take. But if I am looking to physically change my body, nothing will beat a 45
minute high intensity interval circuit.</div>
<br />Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7086279962287421167.post-36715447632473681342013-07-08T14:37:00.000-07:002013-07-08T15:19:52.000-07:00Day 21: From Rapid City, SD to Kodaka, SD: 102 miles <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So today might as well have been three separate rides, and
the middle ride was by far my favorite. After eating breakfast in the dorm
cafeteria, we headed out in ‘chance of thunderstorm’ weather and the rain did
not disappoint for the first 30 miles as we became wet and dirty. We had a nice
pace line led by Jeff, followed by his girl ducklings. After<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mile 37, I had enough of looking at
tires and dropped back to take some pictures. Thank god I was with Nelle for
part of the day because she spotted our first herd of bison! </div>
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We then began to enter the badlands, only to exit them 2
miles later, and then reenter around mile 70. The 2<sup>nd</sup> third of the
day was BEAUTIFUL. The badlands were incredible and I felt as though I was in
Looney tunes running around a desert with weird rock formations like Wild E
Coyote and the Road Runner. I stopped so many times to take random hikes, climb
up the rocks, and take many photos. Since I was alone, I made many friends with
strangers in order for them to take my photo, because pictures of rocks without
people gets pretty boring after awhile. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I continued my journey and stopped at
“The World’s Largest Prairie Dog” with the intention of taking another photo
with a giant fake animal BUT alas, I need not do so because there were REAL
LIVE PRAIRIE DOGS and I was able to feed them peanuts and even pet them. Here
is my montage:<br />
<br /></div>
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In my excitement, I had completely forgotten about the
following sign that I saw many miles back... hopefully I’ll survive :/</div>
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<br /></div>
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So the last third of the ride, the dreaded headwind that the
whiteboard had predicted (that I had decided wasn’t going to happen after it
was noon and I felt no wind) finally came to be, and boy it was stronger than
ever. I was probably most nervous about this ride due to the weather predicted
of 15mph wind coming from the East, chance of thunderstorm, and gusts up to 21
mph. The last 20 miles presented us with a 20mph wind with gusts up to 30mph
and hence it took me over 2 hours to do 20 miles. Kind of crazy when you can
run faster than you can bike (what ran through my head when I saw the 6mph on
the cyclometer). But we made it and are now some very sleepy cyclists.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had dinner at the H+H and what I really want to talk
about is the amazing woman we met there. Today is the birthday of our ride
coordinator, Lynn and while on of the riders, Tim, was talking about finding a
cake in town (which did not exist), a woman in the restaurant jumped out of her
seat and volunteered to bake the cake herself! She ran home, popped the cake
in, and showed up about 70 minutes later to our campsite. Such a sweetheart. </div>
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Lynn is on your left blue and Susan is dead center </div>
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Cara Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00488356829615937432noreply@blogger.com3