tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16415539538631983482011-11-27T15:30:36.128-08:00We're biking across the United States to raise money for Gallaudet University's Personal Discovery Program, a 501(c)3 charity. If this is your first visit, please read our <a href="http://bike4d.blogspot.com/2007/01/welcome.html">welcome</a> page and <a href="http://bike4d.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-can-you-help.html">how you can help</a> page.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.comBlogger981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-41644764452662089582011-05-15T22:23:00.001-07:002011-05-15T22:23:17.310-07:00

I rode my motorcycle 500 miles in the rain today. A few years ago Isold my old bike, not because I did not want to ride it, but becauseit was damaged by some neighborhood kids and I gave up trying to fixit. I missed that bike and have wated to replace it since the day Isold it. I finally decided to buy a new one (well new to me, 2005Honda VTX1300c candy red). I have had it a few weeks and it is

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-44351343641285995522007-06-14T18:46:00.001-07:002007-06-20T17:52:04.808-07:00

Ok to be honest this whole posting everyday is starting to feel like work. So I will keep it short for now. I am still working on getting access to a computer here. After I do get access, I will do some cool stuff with our pictures.Until I do get access to a computer I think my posts will be tapering off. It was much easier when Heather and I were taking turns posting. Doing this everyday is

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-31654345713458949082007-06-14T03:55:00.001-07:002007-06-14T03:55:47.972-07:00

Seems like Heather is fast asleep now. I did nudge her and ask if she was going to post tonight. I believe her response could be interpreted as "I spliftid ashblook allik" or something along those lines. I assume that means no, so folks, looks like you get to listen to me some more. For some of you that may be a treat and for others, well you can just close your eyes until you get to the end

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-64829075044741990562007-06-12T20:21:00.001-07:002007-06-12T20:21:47.090-07:00

Yes, we did it, but our adventures are not over. I still have things I want to share about our trip. I have visions of me continuing to be a prolific writer and having our blog be something that people look forward to reading everyday, even though we are not biking.I was planning on taking some time today in the computer lab here at Gallaudet and typing up a post. Unfortunately, I am stuck in

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-63831729021514692512007-06-11T20:39:00.000-07:002007-06-11T08:38:49.570-07:00

We bicycled from Los Angeles, CA to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. The feelings we have right now are indescribable. Someone asked us how we felt, and all we could say was "wow... wow!" The Discovery team was there to greet us, and it was a beautiful ending to our trip. Jean Berube, the program leader, says she plans to use the funds we have raised for equipment for the rock climbing

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-73697769233096131572007-06-10T19:39:00.001-07:002007-06-10T20:21:08.176-07:00

Rest assured we are still living, I just wanted to clear that one up right off the bat here. Sometimes it feels like we will keel over on the road from the heat, mountain, cold, or take your pick from our many obstacles. Interestingly, someone asked me the other day if I would do this trip again. My answer was noncomittal I think because I have not given it much thought. Heather however had a

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-42195273287832409442007-06-10T09:11:00.000-07:002007-06-09T21:11:07.602-07:00

Louisa, VA to Alexandria, VA117 milesWe are getting so close to the end, and while I can't wait to get it over with, there's a part of me that feels sad because I don't want this trip to be over with. I've enjoyed seeing different parts of America, seeing different animals, spending all day with Dana, meeting new people, visiting with friends and family, and seeing so much of our country. My

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-74753653727022835622007-06-08T20:30:00.001-07:002007-06-08T20:33:48.982-07:00

We started our day looking for another road off-route that might be a more direct path for us. We found one, US highway 250, out of Charlottesville. This road intersects with our normal route but cuts about 15 miles from our trip. Luckily for us this road was also very close to a performance bike shop. Remember, we were desperately in need of some butt butter.I called ahead to make sure they

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-26850402707443431432007-06-08T07:00:00.000-07:002007-06-07T18:59:37.867-07:00

Afton, VA to Charlottesville, VA30 milesSince there are no hotels or campgrounds for the next 50 miles, we had to cut our day short and only do 30 miles today. But I think it was nice to have a half-day of rest to recover from yesterday's grueling ride. Yesterday, we met a cyclist traveling from Virginia to Oregon. He was a 60 year old guy, but he looked much younger than that. I hope that

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-87762237110750059782007-06-07T08:09:00.001-07:002007-06-07T08:09:52.242-07:00

Hotel rates are negotiable:Every hotel except one has lowered their rates for us when we ask for a discount. In one situation I walked accross the street and said "that hotel over there offered me $30 for tonight, I would rather stay here. If you can come close the their rate we will choose you. I don't care how but it is up to you if you want our patronage" we got the room for $32 at a much

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-5363401709793907162007-06-07T07:39:00.001-07:002007-06-07T07:39:15.702-07:00

Let me tell you about some of our experiences in Virginia. Coming into the state, up to the welcome to VA sign, we were going up a steep hill. Okay, actually we were still in the Appalachian Mountains. That has continually been the theme here.Remeber Kentucky when I commented how the roads curve but do so in the attempt at maintaining a level surface or easy grade. Seems all the smart people

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-18374665064491482412007-06-06T06:48:00.000-07:002007-06-05T18:48:09.995-07:00

Christiansburg, VA to Natural Bridge, VA67 milesToday started out great, but we were exhausted by the end of the day. The weather cooperated, but just at the end of the day, the sky opened up and poured on us. Also, we ran out of butt butter, which is what cyclists use to protect their rear ends from chafing. Needless to say, our butts are very very sore tonight. As we were resting at one of

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-64276791349153660772007-06-04T19:29:00.001-07:002007-06-04T19:29:29.674-07:00

Yipee just 400 miles left to go. We met some guys today (3 of them, actually) heading west. They reassured us that we have one more big climb in front us then it is all down hill or flat from there on in. It is not real until a cyclist tells you because, as we learned in the grand canyon, never trust a local about hills.These poor three guys we met had just climbed a daunting hill and looked

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-75114160654223849252007-06-04T06:30:00.000-07:002007-06-03T18:30:35.644-07:00

Marion, VA to Wytheville, VA25 milesWhen we left Marion, it was pouring rain and we were soaked within minutes. We were even considering staying at a motel 4 miles from where we left. But we decided to give it our best and trudge on. We arrived to Wytheville and stopped for lunch. While we were there, we met a large group of cyclists that were heading west. They were with Black Bear

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-27139622118355290112007-06-03T05:12:00.001-07:002007-06-03T12:08:40.021-07:00

As our trip nears an end I am finding it more and more difficult to get back on the bike again. The aches and pains are nothing new. The work is about the same and the distance is decreasing. I just don't want to pedal anymore. For the last 2 days we have taken upwards of three hours to break camp and hit the road. Maybe it is because I am enjoying this so much I just want it to go on and on

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-26913109073964448732007-06-02T09:01:00.001-07:002007-06-03T12:09:29.342-07:00

I know I have mentioned him (my brother) many times as the wizard behind the curtains. Well, even wizards (or level 70 mages without their new mounts) must age.So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!Too bad for us we did not have service all day yesterday, which was his actual birthday, June 1stFor all of you reading this, leave a comment wishing him a happy birthday and thanking him for his hard work.More

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-18787414960614699832007-06-02T08:59:00.001-07:002007-06-02T08:59:00.130-07:00

Breaks Interstate Park, VA to Rosedale, VA41 milesLast night we stayed at the Breaks Interstate Park, wich has free camping for cyclists. The park was huge, and had plenty of wildlife. There had been several bear sightings, so we made sure to hang our food in our bear bag before we went to bed. At some point in the night, I woke up to the feeling that something was rummaging around close to me

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-61299592010405538772007-05-31T18:26:00.001-07:002007-06-03T12:10:13.467-07:00

One frustrating thing about planning this trip was the extreme lack of information regarding the Appalachian mountain range. Like what kind of climbs there are, when the mountains start and more importantly, when they stop. Well I have been keeping track these last few days and I am going to include this information here for the next poor deluded sap that decides he (or she) wants to ride

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-73002272829681733882007-05-31T05:27:00.000-07:002007-05-31T05:26:31.816-07:00

Bardstown, KY to Hindman, KY80 milesWell, we had been dreading the appalachian mountains for quite some time, and now that we're in the middle of them, they really aren't as bad as we expected. Sure, there's lots of uphills, but there are also downhills in between. In the rockies, it was more of huge, long uphills followed by one downhill. I suppose for someone who hasn't experienced the

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-24305149276062136642007-05-29T19:57:00.001-07:002007-05-29T23:39:55.381-07:00

Oddly enough I have only known a few Ryans in my lifetime. All of them have been pretty cool stand up guys. This of course includes our riding partner earlier. Well tonight, we can add one more to the list. He is in Berea, KY right now at the campground. Luckily for us, so are we. 60 miles today (we got a super late start this morning) is all we got in.So as we pulled in, we spotted another

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-17315994964830749712007-05-28T20:01:00.001-07:002007-05-28T20:01:18.910-07:00

Falls of Rough, KY to Bardstown, KY99 milesI'm beginning to see why men seem to enjoy camping more than women do. Here's one example:How a woman answers to the call of nature:1. Find a bush.2. Realize that the bush isn't big enough to hide behind. Find a bigger bush.3. Realize this bush isn't big enough to hide behind either. Find an even bigger bush.4. Give up on the bush and find a

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-63511300795556578572007-05-28T07:52:00.001-07:002007-05-29T23:45:21.480-07:00

Let's see... my legs are sore, my neck has a crick in it, my feet hurt, my back hurts, and it's all GREAT!! Guess what people? That's right, we are on the road again! It feels like forever since we were last pedaling along heading east. My body seems to have forgotten a few things, including the knots so that's partly a good thing. I tell you, every ache and pain and pull and strain feels

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-64925616482243028552007-05-26T23:13:00.000-07:002007-05-26T23:12:50.347-07:00

Champaign, I'LLRest dayWell, we're having another rest day, but tomorrow we should be back on the road. This morning, we were interviewed by the local news and we were on TV, so that added a bit of excitement to our day. The video should be added to their website at www.wcia.com sometime soon, so many of you will be able to watch it. I don't know how long it will stay there, so watch it when

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-91171792719630973752007-05-25T22:27:00.001-07:002007-05-29T23:44:32.724-07:00

Well, here we are again, spending yet another day not on the bikes. Now don't get me wrong, it is not that I am really looking forward to torturing my body and rigorous exercise for 10 hours a day. On the contrary, I am looking forward to not biking for a while or at least just doing it for fun. The problem is every extra day we spend resting is one more day we are further from finishing this

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-31297226098692612962007-05-25T16:24:00.000-07:002007-05-25T16:23:56.423-07:00

Carbondale/Champaign, IL Rest dayToday we slept in, went to Tania's ASL class, and basically rested throughout the day. I especially enjoyed playing with Tania's roommate's dogs: a playful pomeranian and a ten week-old teeny-weenie Yorkshire Terrier. We have realized that we have come into a dilemma, so if anyone has any ideas or feedback, feel free to leave them in the comments section. We

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-82677553056075415272007-05-23T22:58:00.000-07:002007-05-23T23:14:04.564-07:00

Well, after hurrying along with Heather's parents we have arrived in Murphysboro, Illinois ahead of schedule. We are now staying at my cousins place. We spent the day here relaxing and reading. We visited the Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and went for a boat ride on the lake there. Actually, it was one of those paddleboats where the forward motion is propagated by pedaling. this

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-49648911418776484052007-05-22T22:45:00.000-07:002007-05-22T22:44:45.093-07:00

Farmington, MO to Murphysboro, IL 80 miles We had quite a long ride today, but were well prepared for it. We said goodbye *sniff*sniff* to my parents and they headed back to South Dakota. We are so thankful they came out and took care of us.As we were taking a break at a gas station, a coca-cola truck arrived and unloaded some drinks. He asked us the usual about where we were headed, etc.

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-53465890721810808042007-05-21T19:25:00.001-07:002007-05-21T19:25:47.544-07:00

May 21 Let me begin this post with what weighs heavily on my mind. Tomorrow morning we part ways with Heather's parents. As I have said before, this trip is incredibly difficult. We have considered several times just giving up and catching a bus or something. This last week or so, having her parents with us has really lifted our spirits. It is wonderful to know there is someone on the road

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-51720703403129903472007-05-21T10:04:00.000-07:002007-05-21T10:03:39.565-07:00

Marshfield, MO to Summersville, MO88 milesWe pedaled hard as it got into the 80s today. I'm so happy my parents are with us so that we can stay somewhat cool in the camper. I was chased by a dog, who fortunately only chased me for a minute or so. I think that was the first time I've ever gone 18 mph uphill. A few miles later, I was chased by a goat, but fortunately again, it stayed off the

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-82857989855146062992007-05-19T19:43:00.000-07:002007-05-19T19:47:29.263-07:00

Yippee, I did 110 (thats a century plus folks) miles today, and we are in Marshfield, MO. I am one tired puppy. Tried out the new saddle today and I will tell you more about it in a bit here. One thing to keep in mind is a new saddle is supposed to be a bit uncomfortable until it is broken in. Today was a wonderful day because... well because of many things, but one of those things was the rest

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-14525670254706746672007-05-18T20:26:00.001-07:002007-05-18T20:26:09.901-07:00

Miami, OKRest dayWe spent the majority of the day resting and relaxing. In the morning, we both had a one-hour massage, paid for by my sister, and my grandpa. It really felt great and we both feel relaxed and refreshed. In the afternoon, my aunt hosted an open house, and we met several of her co-workers, including Ginger and Steve. They had lots of good questions for us, and Dana had a good

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-30164122737178561392007-05-17T17:41:00.000-07:002007-05-17T18:42:46.933-07:00

After my Century (I just wanted to mention again that I rode 100 miles) yesterday, I was not really in the mood to ride today. I think I got punished for my lackadaisical attitude... we were greeted by the wind in our faces.I remember posting before about how difficult it is to ride in the wind. I thought maybe the weight had something to do with it, but no, it really is just the wind. It is

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-13939785598888041122007-05-16T17:43:00.000-07:002007-05-16T17:42:42.633-07:00

Cassoday, KS to Chanute, KS 100 miles What a great day! I had a great night of rest inside my parents' camper, then my mom made biscuits and gravy to start off our day. Mom's cooking is always the best, isn't it? We rode together for a while, then Dana took off ahead of me. At one point, I stopped to take a break, and sat down facing west, to keep the sun out of my eyes. When I finished, I

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-14787338301917500112007-05-15T18:40:00.003-07:002007-05-20T13:35:46.663-07:00

The Garmin Forerunner GPS has a feature that tells you the sunrise and sunset each day. The cool part is it adjusts for your specific location. It is really cool to watch the sunset time change as we bike east (FYI, it sets earlier the further east we go).Semi trucks for the most part will pull way around us as we bike in the road. Beware of objects! Heather watched a light fluffy thing (must

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-33308097954114833082007-05-15T18:40:00.001-07:002007-05-15T18:40:41.317-07:00

So last night after our 20 mile detour last night into Hutchinson, Heather was exhausted and I had pulled my left calf muscle. I really wanted to keep going, but Heather, in her infinite wisdom, put her foot down and firmly (obstinantly is more like it) said "No". So I went to the nearest motel and negotiated the rate down by 20 bucks.We tucked in for the night and both agreed we would get up

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-65163814126139072772007-05-14T20:42:00.001-07:002007-05-14T20:42:01.334-07:00

Larned, KS to Hutchinson, KS83 miles We headed out hoping to get to Buhler, KS, but as we biked down a road with barely any traffic, a couple of county workers pulled over and told us that the road ahead was closed due to flooding. We had to head back 5 miles (into a headwind) and take a detour. We ended up in Hutchinson tired, sore, and hungry. So, we hope to pass Buhler tomorrow and continue

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-37240470496402014722007-05-13T21:03:00.001-07:002007-05-20T13:37:26.913-07:00

That was just one of the many jokes we heard last night at dinner from Dan. This one held special signifigance for us though. I do understand that with rolling grasslands one is liable to experience a sustained wind. Well this morning, we woke up, had a hearty granola and cornbread breakfast and headed out into the world.The first thing I noticed (well turns out I noticed wrong) was a strong

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-7288730113532814092007-05-13T06:55:00.001-07:002007-05-13T06:55:09.942-07:00

This is to Sherri Occhi &Mary SwensonHappy Mother's Day to you both.Love Dana and Heather Araziand a Happy Mother's day to all you proud (and maybe not so proud) Mothers out there today.

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-65336711955086679382007-05-13T06:54:00.001-07:002007-05-13T06:54:56.175-07:00

The following is our turn by turn route info so Mary and Larry will be able to find us.Today we leave Bazine head east on 96Rush Center head south on federal highway 183East on state highway 156South on state Hwy 264East on 8th streetLarned East on state Hwy 1919 becomes county road 484 (aka NE 140th ST)this becomes W 95th ave @ Reno county linehead north on Peace ave East on 101st avesouth then

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-70809185280302332212007-05-12T21:09:00.001-07:002007-05-12T21:09:03.875-07:00

Dighton, KS to Bazine, KS 45 miles We had a beautiful day today, which ended with a stay at Elaine's bed and breakfast, which caters only to cyclists. We got the "Foo Foo" room, which certainly is foofy, with a satin pink, lace-edged bedspread. They invited us to join them for dinner at a pizza place, and I ate a whole pizza.One thing that I've noticed lately is that there really is a lot of

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-60991316752507343282007-05-11T21:28:00.001-07:002007-05-11T21:28:51.596-07:00

So this morning I woke up in a bad mood and it went down hill from there. I remember reading several books, blogs, and stories about other people who do this sort of thing. I do not remember hearing about being in so much pain from anyone else. Perhaps that is the reason I was in a bad mood. Poor Heather has had to put up with me all day. I think near the end I was making up more things to

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-8067293587721567732007-05-10T21:46:00.000-07:002007-05-10T21:45:54.432-07:00

Haswell, CO to Tribune, KS79 milesI'm really enjoying this a lot more now. Spending time with Dana, seeing beautiful landscapes, and easy riding makes this a lot more fun. If you remember Dana's post from yesterday, he mentioned that someone spray painted messages for a previous group of cyclists. We saw more of those messages today, which provided good humor for us. Some of the messages

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-2810434242440464852007-05-09T20:28:00.001-07:002007-05-09T20:28:54.442-07:00

Well today was a 90/40 mile day (read on, I will explain). So last night we stayed in Ordway, CO and for the last time (sniffle sniffle) we slept in the back of the U-Haul truck. Ordway is actualy 50 miles past where the U-Haul truck needed to be turned in (thats in Pueblo, CO). We (actually it was all Heather's idea) decided to camp in Ordway, then in the morning I would leave with the truck

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-4114759678553993862007-05-08T20:02:00.001-07:002007-05-08T20:02:23.081-07:00

Monarch Pass, CO To Ordway, CO180 milesWe woke up this morning and realized we were in the middle of some beautiful mountains (kinda hard to see that when you're driving at night). I noticed that along the way, there are lots of signs that warn of cattle ahead. Yet we never saw any. We did see plenty of deer, so I'm thinking they should replace all those signs with deer warnings. Or maybe

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-41744374708987983592007-05-08T12:01:00.003-07:002007-05-08T12:01:17.563-07:00

The BoB trailer has two cotter pins that secure the trailer to the bike. These are attached by a cheap piece of rubber. The trailer will not attach without these easily lost pieces. When you do lose one of these pins, a spoke broken earlier that day can be bent to the proper spape and works well (don't worry Alex, we did find the pin eventually).No matter how warm your body is at night in your

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-21345757494475503692007-05-08T12:01:00.001-07:002007-05-08T12:01:12.454-07:00

So this will be a short one too. Yesterday I really pushed it to get my century ride in. Hmm I'm thinking I shouldn't try to do centuries in a snowstorm while climbing up 6,000 feet. That ride really took a toll on my body.By the end I think everything hurt, but I will mention just a few things here. My knees had sharp pains (yes both of them and in odd places too), my shoulder had a knot

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-76505070989570078862007-05-07T16:21:00.001-07:002007-05-07T16:21:10.737-07:00

Cedar City, UT to Henrieville, UT93 milesSo, Dana tackled one of the biggest mountains we will experience on this trip. He climbed 4,000 feet to a top summit of 10,000 feet. I drove the U-Haul as he biked. Every hour or so, I would drive until I caught up with him, then pull over at the next area, wait for him to catch up, then he would come inside, thaw out, and eat. Let me tell ya, just

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-18996331723290672562007-05-05T21:15:00.001-07:002007-05-05T21:15:33.498-07:00

well the roads out of Cedar City were snowed in today. One of the roads is still closed so we have to route around it. Luckily it does not add many miles and it takes off some altitude.While we were in town of course I went to see spider-man 3. More importantly we discussed options for the mountains. I called and called and called to see what we could do. Some of the options we considered

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-72836255289430555962007-05-05T07:02:00.000-07:002007-05-05T07:01:59.417-07:00

Grafton, UT to Cedar City, UT 51 miles When we left the free campground near Grafton, it was a beautiful morning. But as we got closer to Cedar City, we could see the dark clouds moving closer and looking more and more menacing. At one point, the wind (a headwind, of course) really started to pick up, which often foretells rain. We pulled out our rain gear and piled on our clothing and pedaled

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-10033105382132128122007-05-03T20:25:00.001-07:002007-05-03T20:25:37.738-07:00

Hmmm oatmeal with dried fruit, cream, coffee, tea, toast with jam, and all inside an RV. This morning could not have been better. Our friends from last night invited us over for breakfast! I tell you, I really am happy we have crossed into Utah (ok I know they are from Oregon, but we met the in Utah) where people are downright FRIENDLY.Ok here is the deal... I want to start out with an

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-5028363132612806652007-05-03T19:09:00.001-07:002007-05-03T19:09:03.696-07:00

Jacob Lake, AZ to Mt. Carmel, UT 54 miles (May 2) You may have noticed we haven't posted in a while. We were in an area that didn't have reception, so we couldn't send in our posts. Be sure to read back a few days to get caught up. We also noticed that most of Utah and Colorado doesn't have service either, so expect a few lags in our posts. But fear not, we will continue to post as often as

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-82319416114407429402007-05-03T19:04:00.001-07:002007-05-03T19:04:05.523-07:00

Tuesday May 1-danaOh my goodness. Last night we stayed in Cliff Dwellers at 4,000 feet elevation because it is the only stop before Jacob Lake (which is at the top of a huge mountain). We thought by looking at our photocopies of our lost maps, that we only had about 2,500 foot climb, it looked like Jacob Lake was at 7,000 feet. Well as you might have guessed, we were wrong. Dead, tired,

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-87812043789361814242007-05-03T19:00:00.000-07:002007-05-03T18:59:51.378-07:00

Marble Canyon, AZ to Cliff Dwellers, AZ 10 miles(April 30) We chatted with a Navajo woman this morning and she told us that the road to Ciff Dwellers was flat. I guess her definition of "flat" is hills with more than 1,000 feet climbs. Perhaps if I grew up around mountains and cliffs more than 4,000 feet tall, I'd probably think that was flat too. But since I grew up in the cornfields of Iowa,

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-30209211806889101092007-05-03T13:33:00.001-07:002007-05-03T13:33:30.791-07:00

Sunday April 29-danaWell do any of you know what it means to "Bonk"? It is sorta like hitting the wall or crashing. Well this morning started off ok, I was primed to ride. Halfway into the day I bonked big time. I thought I may fall asleep on the bike. I could not keep up with Heather at all. I think it has to do with that muscle relaxer I took last night. I think I will not be taking one

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-35293798157680812662007-05-02T17:57:00.000-07:002007-05-02T18:38:38.760-07:00

Some of you may have noticed the lack of posts over the last few days. We have been travelling through areas with little to no cell phone reception, so sending them was difficult. We are trying to reach Zion National Park today which hopefully has better reception, so there will be more to come later tonight if that's the case. If not, it should happen by tomorrow.-dana

Dana and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998078232837646116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-60040757087643698792007-04-29T08:15:00.001-07:002007-04-29T08:15:32.670-07:00

Tusayan, AZ to Cameron, AZ 61 miles I'm feeling a bit better today. My cold has moved through the "hacking up a lung" stage and I'm now on my way to recovery. Dana has taken all of my weight, and my bike now has nothing but a handlebar bag. And guess what... Dana is still faster than me! That really makes me feel like a wuss, but at least our paces are a bit more similar. We saw the Grand

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-40365788828080129852007-04-27T20:40:00.003-07:002007-04-28T20:17:04.956-07:00

Ok so last night was pretty cold. I have a vent on my bivy sac at the foot area for warm nights, also makes packing it easier. Last night I forgot to close it, it works really well for letting the heat out. While I was feeling chilled in my bag I was imagining what it would be like to have one of those fancy RVs not more than thirty feet from me..... Woman: Honey I'm a little chilly...Man: No

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-24447600447512697622007-04-27T20:40:00.001-07:002007-04-27T20:40:40.302-07:00

Ok you have heard it before that my new clipless pedals rule but I have been holding back a bit. I heard everyone falls at least once with clipless pedals and I did not want to brag about how I never fell and then fall the next day. Yesterday I had my first fall. I was riding behind and next to Heather about 100 yards from the Bedrock campground entrance when she slammed on her brakes and

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-15145065838061516532007-04-26T19:35:00.001-07:002007-04-26T19:35:21.363-07:00

Red Lake, AZ to Valle, AZ 19 milesSince I'm still sick, we're still taking things slow. I'm starting to get sick of this. I'm sick of biking all day long. I'm sick of setting up camp every night. I'm sick of stuffing myself so full, I can feel the pasta wiggling in my esophagus. I'm sick of rice and beans every night for dinner (and my butt is sick of it too). Someone told us that after the

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-16112555946895666112007-04-26T14:13:00.001-07:002007-04-26T14:13:20.034-07:00

You can send letters and cards of encouragement to the following locations. Please try to send items a week in advance to give enough time for the mail to arrive to the post office. The Post Office will hold items for up to 30 days (except in Berea, KY: they hold items for 2 weeks, unless you write "please hold for 30 days"). Also, the dates do not guarantee that we will arrive on that day. The

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-24920479837558082692007-04-25T22:39:00.001-07:002007-04-25T22:39:46.269-07:00

-danaToday was a short day of riding just six hours on the road and 27 miles. As you know from this morning Heather is not feeling well so we really got a late start. We hit the road at noon today, with a large climb of 2,000 feet (this seems to be our max climb in one day) looming in front of us. Thankfully most of the climb we had to ride on I-40. What that means is we generally were going

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-53176889441948570902007-04-25T08:35:00.001-07:002007-04-25T08:35:10.841-07:00

Well it is the morning of April 25, Heather is still not feeling well so we slept in. We will be heading to a hostel up in the mountains (Red Lake, AZ) and let her recoup there.For now I am just wondering if this picture of Heather will post through email... If so then expect more to come.-dana

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-86377830464615372772007-04-24T21:14:00.001-07:002007-04-24T21:14:27.485-07:00

Chino Valley, AZ to Ash Fork, AZ 37 miles This morning, we ate beakfast with the other people that were staying at the Bed and Breakfast. They were there to train for some shooting stuff in town. They started talking about the weather and complained about how it hailed on them yesterday (I don't blame them, I would've complained too). They had to run for cover and wait it out. Then they asked

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-73021592663212941292007-04-23T22:09:00.003-07:002007-04-23T22:09:09.189-07:00

For all of you reading this, friends or family, you are invited. If anyone wants to join us on any part of our ride we would love to have you. You can bike for a day or a week it is up to you. If you just want to camp out and don't want to bike, hey that's cool too, just drive along from campsite to campsite and we can just hang out there. This trip is not about arriving in DC this is about

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-28991708310288362722007-04-23T22:09:00.001-07:002007-04-23T22:09:04.201-07:00

Robin: "Holy weather front Batman. The potential precipitation reached a critical temperature and solidified into some crystaline form. Then it proceeded to precipitate and adhere to everything." Batman: "huh?"Robin: "It's snowing!!"You guessed it folks, today at 6,100 feet, it started to snow on us! Oh boy today was a test of wills I think and we barely won out thanks to some help from the

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-30789722489830001182007-04-22T18:56:00.001-07:002007-04-22T18:56:23.545-07:00

Wickenburg, AZ to Yarnell, AZ27 miles27 miles isn't far, but when you climb 3,000 feet, it sure makes for a long day. The last 10 miles were 9 to 11% grades, so we were ready to call it a day when we arrived to Yarnell. Along the way, a bunch of old-fashioned cars passed us by. You know, with the skinny tires and no top that our grandparents probably drove back in the day. I thought it was

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-10631455082730154952007-04-21T20:04:00.001-07:002007-04-21T20:04:52.514-07:00

Well our trip into Phoenix was a 180 mile detour but well worth it. We had a blast there and would not trade it for the world. We are back in Wickenburg at the Horsepitality RV park and this time they are more "Horsepitable"One thing I forgot to mention earlier about our sleeping last night. I heard two animals one off in the distance sounded like it was being attacked. That one did not

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-80817898017571750312007-04-21T19:20:00.000-07:002007-04-21T19:19:51.723-07:00

Gilbert, AZ to Peoria, AZ56 milesWe started off our day with a sad goodbye to the Hirning family. They really took care of everything for us, including laundry, delicious food, a soft bed, and some good trail mix for us to snack on. We stopped by the Sequoia Charter School for the Deaf and gave a presentation and answered questions from the students. I must say that we were very impressed with

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-18756554717627744102007-04-21T11:51:00.003-07:002007-04-21T13:41:51.255-07:00

If some of you are reading this thinking that maybe you could make our trip a little better I have thought of some ideas how.It would be nice to have a water proof sign or two (not laminated, those leak) saying1: In vertical large block letters about 11 inches long and 4 inches wide, maybe bright yellow with black letters, a sign that says-"DEAF"2: Anouther sign of similar design reading "

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-72168035909336595782007-04-21T11:51:00.001-07:002007-04-21T11:51:17.988-07:00

Well I am laying here at the side of the road on highway 74 north west of Phoenix. We did not make it to a camp ground last night and had to pull off into the desert. We had just enough time to make camp cook dinner and crawl into our sleeping bags before we lost the light. Every night before we go to sleep we clean up and cover everything with their water proof covers, just in case. Last

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-18852003855872500972007-04-19T22:10:00.003-07:002007-04-19T22:10:29.462-07:00

So we took a full day off here at Eric and Terri Hirnings. They were nice enough to accomodate us for two nights. So we could really feel rested. They have been fabulous to us, from doing our laundry to feeding us. All the while taking care of their three beautiful children Emma, Mathew, and Tori. What a great place to rest up with great people. Thanks for taking care of us.Talking about

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-87636481610683725552007-04-19T22:10:00.001-07:002007-04-19T22:10:24.467-07:00

Sitting on the side of the road this dude walks up to us to start chatting. This guy makes the machines that make the bottles for most of Americas household bleach and pool chemicals. Ironically he says he does not use the stuff. He was a fountain of knowledge on chemical topics. Here are some of the things he attests to. Try at your own risk.Dairy queen uses soy milkclorox II cures

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-13734344629367753402007-04-18T23:30:00.001-07:002007-04-18T23:30:34.286-07:00

Wickenburg to Tempe, AZ86 milesWhat a long day! We left early this morning from the Horsepitable RV campground, which wasn't that "horsepitable" at $34 for a tent site. As we left, Dana had two flats. On the second flat he got about 5 offers for help. Some people offered to use their compressor and one motorcyclist offered to give him a ride into town. Dana also got a broken spoke later in

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-28132879347853091912007-04-17T21:17:00.001-07:002007-04-17T21:17:17.410-07:00

Yipee we are in Wickenburg, AZ (65 miles). About 70 miles outside of Tempe and we will be at Eric's house tomorrow evening.Some of you may have noticed that when Heather writes the days seem pretty tough and when I write the days seem easier. Well let me assure you that is not because of the person writing. It just happens to work out that she gets to write on the really tough days. Well

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-90285053156145925102007-04-16T21:20:00.001-07:002007-04-16T21:20:23.796-07:00

Blythe, CA to Hope, AZ 59 milesRemember a couple of days back, when I said that my shoulders felt as if explosions were going off? Well, it doesn't feel like that anymore. Instead, it actually feels better! What a relief! Now if only the rest of my body would feel better...Yesterday, I was fighting some pretty strong sidewinds, when all of a sudden, before I could realize what was happening,

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-70888319029507190662007-04-15T21:25:00.001-07:002007-04-17T00:00:23.533-07:00

So after we finally caught up with Heather we dropped out of the desertinto the valley were the Colorado River flows. I remember reading a sign many years ago, I think it was in Fresno, CA and it said "food grows where water flows" and I thought, "well duh". As we rounded a corner today and got a good look at the valley I really understood that sign better. It was such a contrast in geography,

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-35082656408638027632007-04-15T21:23:00.001-07:002007-04-15T21:23:30.763-07:00

Today I want to start with emphasizing what a great group of people we were with last night and this morning.Roy and his family really took care of us. They set up cones arround Ryan's tent so the dune buggys would not hit him. Heather and I got an empty trailer to spread out in. We got a fire pit at night and great conversation. This morning they topped off our water gave us coffee. And

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-16264344082318341912007-04-15T02:44:00.000-07:002007-04-15T02:51:12.696-07:00

Check out our new Pictures & Maps section on the left side of this page. It will be updated regularly throughout our trip, so keep coming back to look for new content!

Dana and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998078232837646116noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-58130333986182478982007-04-14T20:31:00.001-07:002007-04-14T20:31:11.880-07:00

Brawley, CA to Glamis, CA 31 milesRemember a couple of days back, when I said that my shoulders felt like someone put electrodes in them and every time I move, I get short bursts of electricity? Well, I don't feel that anymore. Instead, it feels like someone implanted mini cherry bombs in my shoulders, so that every time I move, I feel mini explosions through my muscles. I really don't think

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-84366013254073843432007-04-13T22:45:00.001-07:002007-04-13T22:45:35.910-07:00

Last night was fun, Ryan and I went into town for a beer. The folks in there were crowded around us, asking, where we were going and what we were doing it for. This one dude (whose name I never did figure out) was trying to talk to me. About the only thing I could understand through his drunken, slurred, Pensilvania accent was "let me slow down for you" unfortunatley the only thing he slowed

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-16157615318791981202007-04-13T06:55:00.001-07:002007-04-13T06:55:02.782-07:00

Somewhere between Alpine and Pine Valley,CA to somewhere near Calexico, CA 60 milesRemember a couple of days ago, my shoulders felt like someone put razor blades into them? Well, I don't feel that anymore. Instead, it feels like someone put electrodes in, so every time I move my shoulders, a burst of electricity shocks my muscles. We had a bit of rain this morning, but fortunately, it stopped

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-640713363777340482007-04-11T21:14:00.000-07:002007-04-11T22:53:45.818-07:00

Short post. who put a mountain here?? I did not realize until andrewpointed it out yesterday that we had a 4000 foot mountain to climb today.We could not make it over. We are at 3000 feet now and about 10 miles fromthe nearest place to camp. We tried Viejas indian reservation. Found a rvpark and some big lady with a mean personality shoed us off. She said ifwe biked on the reservation she has

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-70952055663055066492007-04-11T14:19:00.002-07:002007-04-11T14:19:01.792-07:00

So we are stopped for lunch now and I thought I would share with you some of the people we have met the last few days.Yesterday some dude stopped on his bike to start chatting with me. Turns out he just got done with a 9 month stint going from canada to mexio the across the US or arround it not sure wich. He just got back 2 months ago.Yesterday again this older than me guy 60s I think pulls up

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-69240644346567547782007-04-11T14:19:00.000-07:002007-04-11T14:19:00.025-07:00

Met a guy named Steve today up in missin gorge buy the mission trails park dam in san diego. Gave us some good advice that we took on the up coming roads thanks Steve. Now here is the funny part, keep inmind we are on a park trail in the middle of no where and steve is just som random person who stopped to say hi, WE KNEW HIM! Met him last time we were in san diego at the REI meeting for

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-58071886004905090032007-04-10T19:11:00.000-07:002007-04-10T19:39:43.456-07:00

Southern Carlsbad State Beach to San Diego25 miles One question keeps popping up in my head over and over the past few days: WHAT THE HECK WERE WE THINKING??? Yesterday, my butt hurt so bad I wore both of my biking shorts, one on top of the other (both have padding sewn in) My shoulders feel like someone put razor blades into them and with every move, I can feel them cutting into my muscles and

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-44030014835855138442007-04-09T21:31:00.000-07:002007-04-10T16:35:47.049-07:00

Many tales to tell today but I will start this one out with one simpleword... "Ouch!" A bicycle only makes contact in three places: the feet, the hands, and thebutt. Let's just say our feet hurt the least right now. We are bothpretty sore. We did not make it to San Diego today but that's ok because our mileage ispretty good. We are averaging 60 miles a day. I thought today would be a40 mile day

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-92143355511462687452007-04-08T21:21:00.000-07:002007-04-10T14:26:50.815-07:00

Los Angeles, CA to Huntington Beach, CA63 miles We left our apartment this morning at 8am. We rode for 63 miles before setting up camp at Bolsa Chica Beach State Park. We stopped by Dana's brother's place, and he joined us for 20 miles or so before heading back home. For lunch, we had hummus and chicken on corn tortillas. As we were getting ready to leave, several people stopped by to ask where

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-27021215270430733922007-04-07T16:06:00.000-07:002007-04-07T17:04:59.831-07:00

You can send letters and cards of encouragement to the following locations. Please try to send items a week in advance to give enough time for the mail to arrive to the post office. The Post Office will hold items for up to 30 days (except in Berea, KY: they hold items for 2 weeks, unless you write "please hold for 30 days"). Also, the dates do not guarantee that we will arrive on that day. The

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-46784493396190180802007-04-07T14:57:00.000-07:002007-04-07T14:59:22.621-07:00

Check out our press release and pass it on to any press people you are interesting in passing it on to. Thankshttp://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgwx93qr_5d8vc43

Dana and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998078232837646116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-44701268476025987962007-04-07T14:35:00.000-07:002007-04-07T14:41:26.186-07:00

Well we had planned on leaving last Tuesday, but that did not happen. So we moved it forward to Friday, but that did not happen. So we postponed it to Saturday, but that did not happen. finally we are all set and ready to go. looks like Sunday is the big day. Turns out that packing up all your stuff and putting it in storage is actually a big endeavour. I guess we just did not focus on that

Dana and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998078232837646116noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-76439470508041297022007-04-01T21:50:00.000-07:002007-04-01T22:19:09.545-07:00

Some of you may remember the previous post about our route on here. Well, a few people asked to see a visual representation of our route, so here it is. Here are several links for several different maps showing segments of our trip, or you can just look at the overview. Please keep in mind these are not exact turns and directions (cause that would take forever to do) this is just for you to

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-39246586230392688372007-04-01T14:57:00.000-07:002007-04-01T15:13:42.397-07:00

We had a great time at our "Fuddraising" party at Fuddruckers last Thursday. We want to thank those who came, as we enjoyed the company, as well as the wishes for a safe and happy journey.Several people have been asking us when we plan to leave. The answer is: we don't know yet. We plan to leave sometime between April 3 and 15. We will keep you posted when we feel more definite.

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-73636267828267565982007-03-19T06:15:00.000-07:002007-04-02T18:26:19.141-07:00

Well I just spent some time reviewing our list of things we need to bring with us. Over the last several months we have been slowly checking things off the list. I was amazed to find we have gathered together everything we need to leave. Now all we have to do is pack up all of our stuff and get it into storage. The date is coming up pretty soon. We are shooting for this Thursday April 5th. It

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-43255820261449428192007-03-14T17:04:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:24:34.999-08:00

We are having a farewell party to see us off as well as raise some money for the Discovery program. If you're in the Los Angeles area, you're more than welcome to come! When you order your food, present the flyer, and 20% of your purchase will be donated to the Discovery program! You can also click on this link to get a PDF version of the flyer that is better to print. You must have the flyer

Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02308961954647924078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-73598358487370429102007-02-18T23:49:00.000-08:002007-02-21T14:45:17.800-08:00

Here's an overview of our route:These are all of the cities that have a population of 10,000 people or more. There are many smaller towns along the route. If you are in the vicinity of our trip, it would be great if you can host us for a night. We would appreciate a roof over our heads and a homecooked meal. Be forwarned: We will be burning about 4,000 calories each, per day, we just might raid

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-79715544545482822602007-02-05T21:12:00.000-08:002007-02-16T22:13:45.535-08:00

Last Friday and Saturday (February 2 and 3), we went on a "practice run" from Los Angeles to San Diego. Our purpose was to give us an idea of what we're getting ourselves into and to see what things we won't really need to bring on our trip, as well as what we will need that we didn't plan to bring. It was a 130 mile trip, and we planned to camp overnight at San Onofre State Beach Park. Alex,

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-80581427800598991872007-01-16T17:18:00.000-08:002007-04-07T17:09:03.344-07:00

There are many ways that you can help us in our endeavor to raise money for the Discovery Program...-Donate to Gallaudet University Personal Discovery Program. There are several ways you can do this.1. You can click on the button at the top left of this page (First Giving) and donate directly to Gallaudet via credit card.2. You can click on our paypal button on the left and donate directly to

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641553953863198348.post-25095576652561771262007-01-14T19:16:00.000-08:002007-01-23T00:36:07.134-08:00

Welcome to our blog! I thought it would be fitting to use this first post to explain how we arrived to the decision to bike accross the United States. During the summer of 2006, Dana started biking and found he really enjoyed it. He told me that he was thinking about biking accross the US. I thought the idea was ridiculous! But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to join him. But

Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103895288426043776noreply@blogger.com3