Jonathan and Fiona's space

We would both like to say a big thankyou to you. If your reading this you have shown your encouragment to us, have supported us financially, have fed us, have given us somewhere to sleep or have been with us on the trip. Without you we could not have done this ride. For us it has been an amazing trip and we will never forget it.

 

Thankyou.

 

Thanks especially to Bryan Blomker. He is the man ... who sorted everything. A job I certainly do not envy. Thanks Bryan.

Well it's all over.

 

The last few weeks were hard work, but worth it in the end!

 

Every day seemed long, and a tough slog, but we made it. I haven't been able to finish this off well, as any time near a computer was looking to transport for after the ride and sorting out what happened after Bar Harbour!

A couple of low lights of the last week. I lost my camera! We had lunch in a little town called lovell. I had broken a spoke so was sorting that when we stopped. It had been raining in the morning, so I had moved the camera to my coat pocket. As it was now sunny I put the camera back in its pouch but didn't zip it up, the bike was up-side-down. I finished fixing the bike, everyone else had left, except us and a guy called Tom. We had met on the road, he was carrying all his own stuff and doing the same route as us. mad man!! anyway. Headed off after lunch realised 9 miles up and down up and down a very steep road that the camera was missing. So back I go. Nothing. So I added 18 miles to an already long day. No camera. The steep road I believe was 21% at one point. Neither of us had to get off!

 

Another low point of the last week was the last 14 miles into Bar Harbour. The day had been going well, even getting some donuts on the house from dunkin donuts! Everyone gathered together at a rest stop, thinking it was an easy finish. We left the stop and with 500metres flat. Fixed it. Another two miles...flat. Fixed out, pretty grumpy. Another two miles...flat.Now fuming. Fixed, though by this stage we had few patches left and no inner tubes.

 

We got on our way and a few hundred yards down the hill my water bottle fell out. When I went to get it I very nearly launched it into the Arcadia National Park, but I refrained. We caught the others, who had all been waiting, with our police escort into Bar Harbour. I think I could have let it all ruin the finish for me, just how bad a mood I was in, but thanks to John Duncan making me laugh, I calmed down and could basque in the monent at a pretty massive achievment, even if I do say so my self!! Thanks also to Mike for sticking with us one those last miserable miles. It didn't phase him at all that we were being left at the back on the last of the stretch and was quick to help and give encouragement.

 

So highlights.

We dipped our tires in the pacific ocean, almost 4300 miles and 60 days after we started a beast of a trip.

We had a great time with a great group of people in the team. There was never a major dispute or argument the whole time.

We stayed with a lot of great people who have been immensly generous in providing their homes and beds!!

We saw the USA like most never will.

We have very nearly hit our sponsorship target, which makes it a worthwhile project for YFC, from the financial aims but also rasing YFC's awareness across the country and showing God's work to young people as we went.

 

So job done. You might also be wondering if we will ever be on a bike again? Well to be honest we have driven down to Florida and haven't been on the since but we will. When we get home!!

 

PS some good news, my camera has been found and should be getting it sent soon!!

Well now. On friday of last week we had a highlight. This is nothing to do with cycling but it was good. Since I have known Fiona she has always wanted to go to a rodeo. She thought this might be the trip to see one, especially in the mid-west or on the great plains, or anywhere which seemed cowboy country. You might have read that we went to a pow wow, I guess that's the indian version. Either way no joy, most towns had adverts up about how the rodeo would be coming that weekend or how it had been the previous weekend, well our friday night in Gibsonberg proved successful. Fiona had gotten to the church which was hosting us some time before me. Earlier we watched as Stuart and Dan forgot to make a turn. So I volunteered to go chase them down. Mike rode with Fiona. Two miles later I caught them, we never saw Fiona or Mike on the road again. Though we did stop in a bike shop for a while.

Anyway arrived got showered, got fed and felt truly exhausted after a five long days riding. On the way home I had asked about a banner hanging in the main st mentioning "RODEO". All of a sudden we picked up some energy. We headed off and arrived in time for the second half. We found ourselves some good seats, ready for it all to kick off again. Then one of our hosts (Scott) friends introduced himself and the converstation was literally, Scott "This is Fiona and Jonny they are cycling across the country and Fiona wanted to see a rodeo." Scott's friend"Do you ride?" Fiona "Yes" Scott's Friend "Would you like to ride one of my horses" Fiona "Yes" so that was it, so long seats and off to the riders area, and Fiona on a horse in a skirt. I wasn't offered. Luckily.

 

It meant I missed the barrel racing, but it's ok because the bucking broncos was next. That was amazing. Watching the old boys riding in to pull the cowboy off the thing when his time was up was amazing too, it was like a curl rescue in canoeing, except with a big powerful live horse jumping around! That was then followed by the rodeo clown acting like a clown which was very funny for folk who'd never been to a rodeo before. The final thing of the night was the bull riding! It was mad. Them bulls are huge, and jump and spin and kick so fast. It was amazing. I would very much like to be a cowboy.

There was also calf roping that was funny to watch, they lassoo the baby cow, jump off the horse throw the thing on the floor, then tie it up in 10 seconds. Great.

 

 

So back to cycling. Saturday was horrible. We started very well, stayed out in front for a long time, all seemed great and it was enjoyable, but as we approached cleveland the roads got worse and worse, and we didn't seem to be able to keep any speed. We arrived at 6.30 haing done 100 miles. The roads really hurt your hands and arms not to mention the obvious.

Saturday was a good day but seemed much more busy than a rest should be. We were at a Pastor's house for lunch, having only met him in the morning, it was very generous of him and his family and we had a good time. We then went straight out to dinner, then watched the sun set on lake erie, which was good but a later night than planned. Monday, tuesday and wednesday passed very quickly. Wednesday was a good day. Fiona and I left early so we could get to Niagara Falls as early as possible, where we met Derek and Jean (my great Uncle and Aunt). They took us out for dinner, we then rode back into the US and they joined us for dinner.

It was interesting crossing the brige back into US. We crossed the Peace river into Canada, then the Lewiston bridge back over. Peace bridge had a footpath, a booth for cyclists and pedestrians. Lewiston did not. We were in with a lot of cars on one side and a lot of lorries on the other. We then filtered through the traffic, as you do on a bike up to the front, assuming that we would have our own lane. We tried to pass through to a walkway, to be told that we can't cross the line!! So we waited and were delt with after one lady that was already being delt with, it was more a comand than helpful advice. As we went to the lady the car behind also went, that didn't make the lady too happy either, "Can't you see I'm already with someone!" they them complained we had jumped the que but we sweet talked her and she seemed happy enough by the end of it. Though she didn't seen friednly enough to ask for some more time in the USA. Oh well.

 

I'll skip to friday and tell you about my miserable birthday. For the first time all trip it rained and didn't want to stop. How rubbush.

We fell further behind and had to get a ride in the support van, which is definalty a better way to travel. We are good weather cyclists only! We finished the day, I broke a spoke, had separate rooms so Fiona went to bed while I got the bike sorted.

Woke up and Fiona had a flat. 120mile day and we started late. 4 miles down the road and I broke another spoke. I went ahead to fix the bike. Sorted. Fiona got a ride to catch up after 2 more flats. We them kept plodding until I couldn't take anymore. We are now climbing again. Its been a long week and at 98miles, at 5.30 climbed into the van. fed up and not wanting to be on my bike till 7.30

 

Sorry to dissappoint any sponsors but I wanted my bed. Neither of us want to be picked up in our last week so it was our last chance!! We can always say we practically biked across america!!

 

Well that's a lot to take in at one go, sorry about that  but its hard to want to do homework when all you want is food and sleep!

Fsltriy let me aooglsipe for the poor slineplg, my etoidr dd'nit hvae a ccnahe to tkae the fnie cmob togrhuh the iiiantl dfrat. Sorry for wasting all those school fees dad.

 

It's been a while, sorry if you have been trying to follow along but in our defence it is hard work actually writing again.

Since our last update we have cycled through an Amish community, we wanted to take photo's but thought it would be a bit rude. We also climbed more in one day than before. 4400ft, whatever that is in real money and since the start of the trip we have climbed over the height of Everest at least twice. Paul keeps giving us facts of the day my favourite so far has been to the edge of space and back 20times and that was last week! From the start to the end of today it's over 50 000 football pitchs (or in americian that's 50 000 soccer fields).

 

The rides have been getting bigger. Until now we have had at least one or two easier days a week but not any more. It's great to see how much fitter and stronger we are now. Yesterday we rode 96miles. We arrived at the church at 4.10 and we lost an hour over another time line! It is amazing when the wind is at your back how much easier life is. The riding is hard work, our butts hurt, our feet hurt (fiona has big blisters), our arms hurt and our hands hurt but apart from that great. The ride really is good but when you think about the beating we are giving ourselves I do wonder why!!

 

We have been very well looked on this trip. Thank you hosts if you are reading! Every stop we have had has been very generous and we have really enjoyed that part of the trip, the only problem is the amount of places we want to come back to!

 

This week we have visited Route 66 and felt like real tourists again. Went to a restored gas station, filled up the water bottles at teir pump and I soaked myself in the process. It was a really small town which had the original route. ouside the church was a subway to cross the road to the school. The road was completely empty. It had space for two lanes on either side ... just. The subway has been filled in now but it was built because the road was bumper to bumper a lot of the time and kids couldn't cross the road safely. Made the film "Cars" come to life.

 

Now the highlight of the week was in Cornell. Our host Dawn and Donnie very generously put us up in a hotel. Before going there they gave us a ride in their 8 wheeler. It was sweet. It went through anything. We went down a narrow jungle trail ... basically ... then crossed a river, out up a steep bank. I was surprised how steep it went! We had a go driving which was great fun. One leaver turned left the other turned you guessed it! All was great untill it stopped turning to the right. I guess it wasn't going to be an ampi turner any more!

 

Any way my bed is bekoning and pushing 100 miles again tomorow. Zack said he has done 3 centuries this week, we don't bother and stop in the high nineties. I'm sure we could if we had too!!

 

Volia, sorry about bad spelling again.

Well hello again. today we had a nice short ride of 50 miles. piece of cake really. except the 9 miles on a road which was completely chewed up ready for re surfacing. Basically Minissota has some really bad roads, at least wherever we ride it does. We are al blaming a guy called Mark. He is one of Bryans friends who rode with us some days last week. He is also planning our route as we have detoured off the American Assosiation of cycling of america usa america, or something like that, fancy maps.

 

Any way he got some abuse over the phone, but as it was a short ride it wasn't that big a deal. It was all made better when we arrived in the birthplace of waterskiing. Yesterday Jesse James town, its very glamerous over here. So yeah we got to go out on a boat and had a great time waterskiing. I was able to pretend it was easy and act like I knew what I was doing, as I had done it more than any others. I didn't make too much of a prat of myself. Only fell a couple of times. Yes I only had a couple of goes but thats not the point. I only fell when he was going as fast as he possibly could and when there was mmm big masive waves and mmm can't think of any other excuses!! It was great.

 

Tonight we are staying with Todd, Diane and their daughter Samantha. Had a dip in there pool and scouphed some orange sherbert. Now I'm off to bed!

 

100miler tomorrow. Bummer.

 

I mean great can't wait. I love biking. It's all along the Mississipppiiiiieeeee.I have no idea how to spell that one but I'm sure you know where I mean.