BIKE BORDER TO BORDER

May 11- 31, 1998

Monday May 11, 1998

Got up at 5:09. Breakfast of orange juice, oat squares with a banana. Left at 6:07 with odometer at 29,965. Cold and damp with heavy overcast and drizzling rain. Drove out to US29 south to MD32 west to I70 west to the Pennsyvania Turnpike $3.60 west to New Stanton. Stopped in Zanesville, Ohio for gas $14 and Wendys $4.74 lunch of chicken pita, fries and milk. Took US35 north around Muncie and IN3 to Hartford City then IN26 west to Upland arriving at 3:21 after 582.4 miles. Unloaded bike and bags. Saw Rohn, Sue, Janech, Coach, Dick and Marilyn Lehman. Met Bill Perry from Iowa. Left at 4:09 and drove north on I69 to east on I94 to MI14 to I275 to I696 east to Orchard Lake Road north to Sylvan Lake, Michigan at 9:00 after 257 miles. Ate at Cracker Barrel in Jackson, MI dinner of chicken and dumplings, ice tea, and strawberry shortcake for $14.30. Gased up in Sylvan Lake for $14. Drove to Pete Peter’s house at 10:00. Weather got warm and sunny after passing Columbus, Ohio. To bed at 11:30.



Tuesday May 12, 1998

Got up at 6:30 and shaved and showered. Breakfast of egg omellette, orange juice, milk, and toasted muffin at 7:40. Ken Peterson arrived then Flora and Stewart Newblatt arrived just before 8:00. Lynn Kueppers arrived about 8:30 and we got underway about 8:45 in the Newblatts Ford van. Arrived in Upland about 11:30. We had a great reunion with many people from Florida, Coast to Coast and Best of the West rides. Walked to Ivanhoe’s for chicken salad sandwich, ice tea and strawberry shortcake for $7.30 with John Boyle, Paul Smeltz and Ken Peterson. Bus got underway about 3:00. Stopped in Louisville, KY to pick up Aurillo Lesley and ate supper of salad, ice tea and chicken with spaghetti for $10.64 with Joe Szentivanyi, Peter Greenhow and ?. Went to bed on the bus at 10:00pm

Wednesday May 13, 1998

Got to Pennsacola about 10:00. Didn’t sleep well having stopped 3 times. Breakfast of waffle, 2 eggs ans sausage, homefries and orange juice for $10.60 Dunes Hotel with Cy Johnson, Walt Briggs and friend. Walked back to bus and then bused to Navarri Beach Campground about 11:30. Set up tent and gathered my gear. Set up bike and tested it. Took 7.7 mile ride across bridge to beach and back with John Boyle, Chuck Leathery and Pat Canale. Lounged around and took a dip in the pool. Showered about 4:00. 5:30 bus to the Golden Corral for buffet dinner for $8.11. Meeting about 8:00 where we got 2 t-shirts, rosters and a list of places we are staying at each night. To bed at 9:30. Very warm.

Thursday May 14, 1998

Got up at 4:30. Shaved. 5:30 breakfast of orange juice, banana, bagel with cream cheese, oatmeal and scrambled eggs. Meeting and group picture on the beach. Set out at 7:00 with John Boyle, Pat Canale and Chuck Leathery. Warmed up very quickly and reached 102 degrees. Rode through Ft Walton Beach in fairly heavy traffic but we had a wide shoulder and when we didn’t motorists gave us plenty of room. Rode past Eglin AFB which stretched on for miles. Crossed I10 and stopped for an 16 ounce orange juice for $1.19. Bought some strawberries for $1.00. Crossed into Alabama at Florala about 11:30 where we stopped at the Big R for chicken, green beans, squash, hush puppies, ice tea and strawberries for $5.63. Rode back to the State Park about 1:20 after 71.3 miles. The ride was flat to gently rolling. Set up and went swimming in the lake. Very refreshing. Showered about 5:00. 6:00 supper of lemonade, salad, bread, spaghetti and strawberry shortcake. Went to local hospital with Lynn Kueppers and Flora Newblatt to watch the last episode of Seinfeld from 7:30-9:00. Vanned back to camp and to bed at 9:30. Still very warm.

Friday May 15, 1998

Got up at 5:05. Took down tent. 6:00 breakfast of pancakes, milk, orange juice, oatmeal and banana. Got underway about 7:00 with John Boyle, Pat Canale and Chuck Leathery. Very hot. Hills getting more frequent, longer and steeper. Stopped at Perry Store where 4 men were playing dominos on the front porch. Orange juice for $1.15. Stopped in Jack for orange juice for $.95. Followed AL89 to AL189 to AL87 to Spring Hill where we turned on AL6 for 3-4 miles which is where we came through on the 1996 Coast to Coast ride. Very hot and I didn’t eat until 1:00 so I was struggling. Stopped at Sisters restaurant for beef, beans, rice, tomatoes, ice tea and strawberry shortcake for $6.99. About 15 bikers, 4 sisters and the cook went outside and took pictures. Rode about another mile to Swindalls Campground about 2:15 after 75 miles. Everyone staying in a large barnlike building with no air conditioning but a good strong breeze. Pat Canale and I walked to the store for a six pack of Millers for $3. Walked back and drank them with John Boyle and Chuck Leathery. 5:00 shower. 6:00 supper of noodle cabbage, wurst, lemonade, fruit salad and chocolate pudding with oreos. To bed early. Slept in front of open door for good air.

Saturday May 16, 1998

Got up at 5:00 and shaved. 6:20 breakfast of eggs and sausage, orange juice, oatmeal and banana. John Boyle, Chuck Leathery, Pat Canale and I got underway about 6:47. Fairly hilly for the first 20 miles. Very remote with litlle traffic. No place to get water or buy anything. We moved pretty fast to our first stop in a gas station after about 40 miles. Orange juice for $1.06. It flattened out and we continued at a fast clip to Tallassee at 66 miles. Stopped at the Telisi Hotel for buffet $6.50 with pitchers of ice tea. Old hotel and the people were very friendly so we looked at some rooms. Hot about 95 degrees but a haze from fires in Mexico protected us from the sun. Got back into some hills for the last 20 miles. Stopped for some orange juice for $1. Biked into Wind Creek SP about 3:15 after 97.3 miles. Set up and walked to the lake with John Boyle for a swim. Came back and took a cold shower. Bob Rousculp gave me a cold beer. 6:00 supper of taco salad, fruit salad and pink lemonade. Tent hot so I had to wait to go to bed.

Sunday May 17, 1998

Got up at 5:00 and packed up. 6:00 breakfast of nut bread, oatmeal, orange juice and banana. John Boyle, Pat Canale, Chuck Leathery and I headed out at 7:52. Quite hilly for several miles. Saw a deer, several box turtles, turtles in the river, dead armadillos and snakes. Many dogs, one house had 5 large dogs. Stopped for orange juice $1.05. Biked into Talladega at about 54 miles and stopped at Finchers about 11:40 for lunch of grilled shrimp, rice, baked potato, salad, ice tea and munchers for $8.62. Biked about 12 miles to the Talledega race track where we went through the museum and toured the track for $10. Biked on about 2:40 in the heat and slight head wind. Stopped in Ohatchee for orange juice $.95. Biked into Coosa Willow Point Campground about 4:40 after 87.8 miles. Set up and went swimming in the lake. 6:00 supper of java mountain, cole slaw, lemonade, chocolate nut cake with vanilla ice cream. Showered. Called Anne. 90 degrees at 8:00 pm.To bed at 8:45.

Monday May 18, 1998

Got up at 5:00 and packed up. Met Les Avery who came in after I went to bed. 6:00 breakfast of oatmeal, banana, orange juice, french toast and sausage. Biked out at 6:38 with Les Avery, John Boyle, Chuck Leathery and Pat Canale. Very heavy traffic with little shoulder about 15 miles. Road then flattened out with little traffic. Although it was warm, there was a cool breeze. Stopped for orange juice $.70. Stopped for a small V-8 juice for $1.04. Stopped in Ft Payne and waited for Les as he bought a towel, soap, cup, etc. Chuck met Mancil and Randy Kelley at the Kelley sock factory. They drove us to Pine Ridge for lunch of BBQ pork, apples, mashed potatoes, slaw, ice tea and blueberry pie with ice cream $10. Randy of Alabama are next door neighbors of Randy and Mancil. Met Randy’s brother and daughter Amanda 7 years old. Rode out of Ft Payne at 1:18 with the temperature at 91 degrees. Humdingers were pulsing as we rode by woods for the last several days. Biked into Sequoyah Caverns Campground at 3:15 after 74.4 miles. It is located in a remote box canyon so its very quiet and private. Soda $.60. Set up and went swimming. Very nice. Shaved and showered. Kay Meyers gave me a cold Budweiser. 6:00 breakfast of cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard, pasta salad, chocolate oatmeal desert and lemonade.

Tuesday May 19, 1998

Got up at 5:43. Packed up and had 7:30 breakfast of egg, ham, cheese on a muffin, hot chocolate, orange juice, banana and oatmeal. Biked out about 8:15 with Les Avery, John Boyle, Chuck Leathery and Pat Canale. Biked with Kay Meyers and Flora Newblatt for a short distance. Crossed into Georgia for a few miles and lost an hour on the time zone change. Stopped in Trenton for orange juice at $1.12. Biked into Lookout Mountain KOA about 11:00 after 24.8 miles. Got Cabin D with Les Avery. Shared a 6 pack of Millers with Les Avery, John Boyle, Cy Johnson, Flora Newblatt and Ken Peterson. Did laundry $1.25 and dry $.75 while swimming in the pool. Drank a blackberry mineral water $1.27. Showered at 5:00. 6:00 bus to Brocks in Trenton for supper of catfish, baked potato, salad, ice tea and yellow cake with chocolate icing for $9.17.

Wednesday May 20, 1998

Got up at 6:50. Slept very soundly. 8:00 bus to Cracker Barrel for blackberry pancakes, two eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, homefries and orange juice for $10. Bused to Chattanooga to the 30 degree incline to the top of Lookout Mountain $6.50. Walked to the point park $2, at 1300 feet above the Tennessee River. Ate lunch of chicken enchiladas, black beans, rice and an 8 beer sampler at the Big River Grille for $14.69. Free trolley to train station now a Holliday Inn. Butter pecan cone for $2.17. Back to bus where we stopped for V8 juice $1.02 and grapefruit juice $1.06. Went swimming at camp. Light lunch of cheese, crackers, cantaloupe, watermellon, cookies, ½ tuna salad sandwich and pink lemonade. Showered. To bed at 9:30.

Thursday May 21, 1998

Got up at 4:50 and shaved. Packed up. 5:30 breakfast of oatmeal, sausage gravy and muffin, orange juice and banana. Biked out with Les Avery, John Boyle, Chuck Leathery and Pat Canale at 6:40. Cool but nice riding in the hills. Stopped after crossing the river for an orange juice $1.07. Road was smooth and flattened out so we biked into Dunlap at 51 miles at 9:45. Ate chicken and dumplings, pinto beans, turnip greens, salad, ice tea and blackberry cobbler with ice cream for $10.11 at the Dunlap Inn. Climbed a 4.5 mile hill immediately after lunch. Stopped for orange juice $.96. Chain slipping. Cruised into Sparta Civic Center about 2:45 after 96.8 miles. Slept in the center with good air conditioning. Took a Wheels shower. Les Avery and I biked to grocery for beer and peanuts. Les paid. Drank 2 Meister Braus. 6:00 supper of noodle chicken, apple sauce, salad, strawberry shortcake and grape drink. Janech replaced my 52 sprocket with a 53 chainring, 13-26 cassett with a 12-28 and the chain. To bed at 9:00.

Friday May 22, 1998

Got up at 4:49 and packed up. 5:30 breakfast of egg omellette, banana, cantalope, orange juice and oatmeal. Biked out with Les Avery, Chuck Leathery, John Boyle and Pat Canale. At about 20 miles, Les Avery had 6 flats in 2 miles with blowouts including a tire. Stopped for orange juice $.87 and $.96. It started to rain around Byrdtown and we got wet. John Boyle had two flats in the rain. Ate barbecued pork sandwich, vegetable soup and hot chocolate for $6.78 at the Bob Cat Den. Got off the main road 111 and into some tough hills.Stopped for orange juice $.89. Blew my front tire at the crest of a hill after a fast descent at over 40 mph. We were delayed so much with flat tires that we were last getting in to church in Monticello at 4:45 after 96.4 miles. Got rained on during the last 10 miles. Showered and had 6:00 supper of pork chop, stuffing, corn on the cob, grape drink and strawberry pie. A black man with MS and wife sang Christian songs after supper and took up a collection $5. Set up tent. To bed at 9:30.

Saturday May 23, 1998

Got up at 4:30 and packed up. 5:30 breakfast of oatmeal cake with apples, banana and orange juice. Biked out about 6:10 with Les Avery, Chuck Leathery, John Boyle and Pat Canale. Sky overcast and threatening at 67 degrees. Started raining lightly. Hilly but not bad. Road narrow with lots of traffic for the first 27 miles. Orange juice $.89. Turned onto country roads and the hills got worse. Saw some large frogs, a hawk and a turtle. John slow as his knees were hurting. Pat took a dive into the weeds but was unhurt. Quite a few dogs. Stopped about 11:45 in Yosemite for catfish, hush puppies, baked potato, slaw, tomato juice and cocoanut cream pie for $6.12 plus $1.25 tip. Rained in buckets while we ate. Sun was out after lunch until we got in. We cruised along a highway with a wide shoulder at 25 mph with a wind at our back and downhill. Pulled into the Pioneer Playhouse Campground about 2:45 after 77 miles. Les had a blowout coming into town. Set up and showered. Supper of taco, burrito, refried beans, ruice, ice tea and sopapia with ice cream at the Guadalajara for $11.09. Don of Bill Perry, Tom Fox and Larry Stewart sang western songs for all. Very good. Listened to Beethoven tape and went to sleep.

Sunday May 24, 1998

Got up at 4:43, shaved and packed up. Didn’t know breakfast was at 6:00 instead of 5:30. Breakfast of pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, orange juice and banana. Biked out at 7:00 with Les Avery, John Boyle, Pat Canale and Chuck Leathery. Rolling hills for 13 miles to Shaker Village at junction of KY33 and US68. Stopped and walked around village for about 45 minutes. Les had taken off on his own. Crossed Kentucky River which was spectacular in a gorge with waterfalls. Lots of storm damage and flooding from last nights storms. The run along US68 into Lexington was beautiful through horse country but hairy with narrow roads and lots of traffic. Stopped for orange juice $1.09. Slid through Lexington with no trouble and turned north on US25. No good place to eat so we back tracked a mile to a Hardees for a chicken sandwich, fries and vanilla shake for $4.38. Continued on to Corinth for a soda for $.89. Saw a large dead frog on the road. Les, Pat and I raced into campat about 18 mph for the last 15 miles. We arrived at the Camper Village in Dry Ridge, KY about 3:30 after 94.5 miles. Mary Lou, a friend of Pat Canales arrived. Drank a Mountain Dew $.50. Set up and showered. Mary Lou gave me two beers. 6:00 supper of scallloped potatoes, ham, green beans, roll, lemonade and chocolate nut pie with strawberries and whipped cream. Sudden heavy rain chased everyone into tents. I barely made it.

Monday May 25, 1998

Got up at 5:45 and packed up. 6:30 breakfast of Ralston purina, banana, orange juice, strawberry banana yogurt, blueberry bagel with cream cheese and half a danish. Lynn Kueppers presented the “Herd” with bells at breakfast. Biked out about 7:15 with John Boyle, Chuck Leathery and Pat Canale in the fog. Cruised along very easy. Went through a parade for about a mile in a town in Kentucky. Stopped for orange juice $.99. Candy thrown from firetrucks. Long downhill to Ohio River and photo of bridge and Riverfront Stadium (Crosley Field). Crossed bridge into Cincinnati and biked along the river for several miles. Stopped in Milford at R.W. Roosters for lunch of Cuban black bean soup, chicken salad sandwich, pint of Killians Red and pint of local micro brew for $14. Rode on a bike path along the Little Miami River for 15 miles. Biked into Kings Island Campground about 2:30 after 77 miles. Cool and mostly overcast all day with temperature about 73 degrees. Set up and showered. Did laundry $1 and dry $.50. Drank a Citra soda $2 and ate pretzels with cheese with Pat Canale and John Boyle. Shuttled to Applebees for chicken fajitas, pint of Pete’s WickedRed Ale and apple turnover with ice cream for $18.86.

Tuesday May 26, 1998

Got up at 5:30 shaved and packed up a very wet tent. 6:30 breakfast of omellette, oatmeal, orange juice and banana. Chuck Leathery presented Fred McKee, Peter Greenhow, Ken Peterson, Varla Micek and Linda LaFoy with red roses (as in stop and smell the roses). 7:15 biked out with Les Avery, Chuck Leathery, Pat Canale and John Boyle. A little fog and cool. Biked back to the bike path and headed north about 45 miles through a tree canopy along the Little Miami River. Passed through Xenia (site of bad tornado in 1970s) and the restored railroad station now a visitors center. Very nice town. Stopped at Youngs Jersey Dairy Farm for a butter pecan cone for $1.40 just north of Yellow Springs on US68. Orange juice in Yellow Springs for $.99. Biked into Springfield for lunch at the Hickory Inn of cajun chicken sandwich, fries, black bean soup and ice tea for $7.10. Stopped at Bob Rousculp’s son Eugene for lemonade. Rode in with Eugene pulling me. Stopped for ice cream $1.10 in Urbana. Biked into Meadow Lake Campground about 3:45 after 87 miles. Set up. Had three beers. Showered. 6:00 supper of coos coos, chicken and vegetable broth, salad, lemonade and cake for Cheryl Wilber’s 47th birthday.

Wednesday May 27, 1998

Got up at 5:30 and packed up. Everthing wet.6:30 breakfast of french toast, sausage, oatmeal, orange juice and 2 bananas. Chuck Leathery presented Aurilla Lesley with a bag of corn to find her way because she got lost yesterday and went back the way she came for many miles on the bike path. I presented Lynn Kueppers with a set of training wheels on her bike because she fell three times. Biked out at 7:10 with John Boyle, Chuck Leatery and Pat Canale. We biked about 7 miles on country roads to US60 north about 17 miles to Belifontaine where I drank an orange juice for $1.09. The road had a good shoulder and virtually flat with gentle undulations. Stopped in Kenton at about 40 miles for tomato juice $.79. We really hummed it along country roads parallel to US68 into Findlay at about 72 miles. At one point I passed Joe Szentivanyi going 30 mph on the flat. Stopped at Oleas Mexican restaurant for lunch of tortillas, salsa, toastozzle, chili, ice teaand sopapia for $10.65. We had pictures taken behind the bar with our waitress and talked to the owner and many patrons. It was an easy ride into Pleasant View Campground in Van Buren at 2:20 after 83.3 miles. Set up and drank a beer by a small lake with the Herd. Sat in the store and talked a long time and drank a Vernors (similar to Ginger Ale) for $.89. Showered. 6:00 supper of beef stroganoff, apple sauce, salad, rolls, lemonade and strawberry shortcake. Talked until dark. Called Pete Peters. Owe Janech $106 for a 53 SGA chainring, chain, 12-28 cassette and glasses mirror. To bed at 10:15.

Thursday May 28, 1998

Got up at 6:00 and packed up. 7:00 breakfast of omellette, grits with apples, blueberry muffin, orange juice and banana. Biked out with Les Avery about 8:00. Biked on country roads with virtually no traffic. We were biking fast on flat terrain and finally spotted Jim Fron and Chuck Johnson in the distance. Les wanted to catch them so we cruised at 23-24 mph but couldn’t close on them. Finally I stepped it up to 28 mph and caught and passed them. We then regrouped and rode together into Haskins after 26.5 miles averaging 20.5 mph. Drank an orange juice for $.99. We biked on to Sylvania where we stopped for lunch of chicken caesar salad pita, baked potato and ice tea for $5.09. Biked out and Jim had a front flat. While fixing it I was astounded by a very attractive blond woman about 40 in a new Cadillac who stopped and asked if we needed help. We came in pretty fast over very bad roads and pulled into the Monroe County KOA near Petersburg, Michigan about 12:36 after 64 miles. Pete Peters, Chuck Hatch, Les Avery, Joe Blake and Paul Smeltz stayed with me in a 35 foot trailer that was brand new. Showered in the trailer. Drank 2 Squirts at $.75 each. Ate a Klondike bar for $1.35. Pete and Chuck rolled in about 4:30. 5:00 ouir dirves of stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, cheese, crackers and sparkling grape juice. Supper of steak, red potatoes, corn bread, salad, water and pecan pie with ice cream. Drank a beer and another Squirt $.75. Called Anne. To bed at 10:27.

Friday May 29, 1998

Got up at 6:00 shaved and packed up. 7:00 breakfast of ham, egg and cheese muffin, scalloped potatoes, oatmeal, orange juice and banana. Les Avery had a flat front tire so we were the last leaving at 8:09. Biked pretty fast over some awful roads for 23 miles where we stopped in Monroe for orange juice $.99. We caught Pete Peters and Chuck Hatch. Biked along and Cheryl Wilber and Augie Faber joined us. Took a side trip to Grosse Ile which was nice. Stopped at Damons for lunch of chicken, carrots, mashed potatoes and ice tea for $8.22 in Wyandote. Biked into the park under the bridge to Windsor, Canada about 1:30 after 64 miles. Chucks wife Mike came and I packed up and rode with them to Pete’s house about 3:30. Showered. Met John, Jennie Peters boyfriend. Jennie stopped by. Went to an Italian restaurant for dinner of chicken pasta in a white sauce (excellent), salad and ice tea. Went to a barber shop night with choral and quartets singing. Very good. To bed about 12:30.

Saturday May 30, 1998

Got up about 6:30. Ran 3.0 miles with Pete, Brian and the dog Magee. 8:00 breakfast of orange juice, granola cereal, banana, strawberry and raisin bagel with peanut butter. Jennie and John arrived about 9:00. I had a flat rear tire so I replaced the tube. Biked out about 9:20 with Pete, Jennie, John and Les. Biked around several lakes and towns. Got back at 12:40 after 34.2 miles. Lunch of Squirt, snacks, vegetable beef soup, turkey, salami, cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwich and an orange. Packed up Les’ bike in the box. Shaved and showered. Drank a Lowenbrau. 6:00 party with Les Avery, Pete and Helen Jane Peters, Jennie Peters, John ?, Chuck and Mike Hatch, Lynn Kueppers, Jerry Ludlum, Flora and Stewart Newblatt and grandaughter Marissa. Ate white and red lasagna, salad, green beans, fruit salad, apple pie with ice cream and ruby red Squirt. To bed at 10:30.

Sunday May 31, 1998

Got up at 6:45 and packed up. 7:30 breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, orange juice and raisin bagel. Bad rain and wind storm with lightening took electric off several times. Left at 8:10 down Orchard Lake Road to I696 to I96 to US23 to Ohio Turnpike $6.40 to Pennsylvania Turnpike $6.50 to I70 to US29 and home at 5:10 after 574.5 miles. Stopped 3 times to go to the bathroom and at the Allegeheny River near Pittsburgh at Arby’s for an Italian sub and milk vanilla shake for $5.86. Got gas at Breezewood.

Trip Costs

Trip$1195.00
Cash$98.64
Charges$284.96
Bike Parts$106.00
Total$1,684.60
Bike miles1205.6
Riding days15.0
14 day mileage1138.9
Average miles per day81.4
Miles driven                         1413.9