Unexpected States and Losses

What a crazy set of days that have gone by – I’m alive and well, but desperately need a shower, or I’ll take a hose or anything just to wash this salt that is on my body and turning my clothes into something like they came out of the 1960′s with the tie-dye like sweat patterns. I went to sleep last nite to let my drenched clothes air dry, and when I woke up they were still just as wet. Oh well, put them back on and move forward, rather than dirty up another pair of clothes since – yuck.

I left Pittsburgh on Sunday morning after saying goodbye to Erin, Sera and Kate and headed in the direction of Over the Bar Bicycle Cafe (OTB) – Of course I became lost after trying to navigate over one of the many Pittsburgh bridges, and was saved by a man from Mexico City named Eli who took me almost all the way to where I needed to be. OTB was great, a completely bicycle themed cafe with a fantastic menu, of course all named after different pieces of bikes – bikes hanging from the ceiling, bike art underneath the see through glass on the tables, painted seats, and their own Pedal Pale Ale – it was great! It was absolutely hopping in there at 2pm as many cyclists returned from a large group ride. I headed out and stopped at the local REI outlet, as I’ve never actually checked one out in person before but drooled a many of times on their website. I found an Otterbox IPhone case which should protect the outside of my phone (which is actually just an mp3 player/wifi scanner now) from drops (which I’ve done), getting it wet (which I’ve done), and from destroying the screen (which I’ve done). It was on sale so I couldn’t pass it up, not much more than what DealExtreme.com was selling but with a 1 month shipping time. I’m having enough problems finding shipping addresses so jumped on it.

OTB Bicycle Cafe Table Art

I’m not sure if I’m being tricked by my GPS lately, but it seems to be sending me on the most hilliest routes possible and not following anything that I have planned on its complimentary computer based mapping program called BaseCamp. It’s starting to frustrate me, and while I’m getting some awesome views of valleys below, it is sapping the energy for me. Finally I found some stable ground and headed west for the final journey through Pennsylvania, stopping outside of the town of Washington and camping out behind a shipping container in the back of the Walmart. It was nice, the first time I was able to pitch the tent without the fly on, yet my camping spot selection leaved a bit to be desired, I was on a serious slant, but still managed to get a good nights sleep.

South Side Pittsburgh Mural

It wasn’t long after that I crossed into West Virginia, catching one last hour of riding on Bicycle Route S which I followed for the majority of the way across this very unique state. I wasn’t doing too well with the hills that were in my way, partially because of a lack of energy, a sore butt, and the fact that it was in the high 90′s. Luckily most of the first part of West Virginia was a slow downhill descent which helped to cool me down. It wasn’t till the final 10km (always the final 10km which get you) is where I had to climb a hill with no shade that destroyed me entirely. I collapsed on the side of the road, tried to make my heart from beating so fast, and dragged myself over to a bank that was closed and lied down with my legs up in one of the Drive Thru ATM lanes. I must have nodded off as I only awoke when I felt a car coming close to me, scaring me back up and I figured it was time to go. Of course I didn’t have to take that hill, but the GPS figured it would be a good torture session for me. I have a few other mechanisms to verify my routes from now on..

I made it to Wheeling, West Virginia where I had a place to stay and pick up some mail that was sent to me. I rode around the deserted historical downtown area and crossed a unique suspension bridge before turning right back around and wanting to find shade, air conditioning or anything that would be open on this Holiday Memorial Day Monday. After some fumbling I found a grocery store and proceeded to shove a BBQ chicken inside of me in record time, and continued to hydrate myself, as I’d thrown myself completely off balance. I think I spent $14 in hydration that day, ontop of the 8 litres of water that I drank throughout the day. I heard it was 98 degreees – not as hot as some of the other times I’ve ridden, but with the humidity it turned everything into a sticky mess.

It was a pleasant surprise staying with Becky, a biologist and her greyhound dog Casper, although we weren’t able to connect until about 9:30pm we stayed up until way late in the night exchanging travel stories, sharing some laughs and having a few beers. I thanked her for allowing me into her place not to mention accepting mail for me and hope that she will continue to host travelers as it was her first time hosting vagabonds and nomads, yet was heading out to do the same thing in less than 2 weeks.

I had a chance the next day to ride across the old Suspension bridge in Wheeling which took me onto Wheeling Island, I don’t seem to recall taking another bridge to leave the island, but being surprised that I was now in the state of Ohio! OK then, I’m in Ohio, and since I don’t like turning backwards I figured it wouldn’t be a bad thing to do for the next few days while I head into Lexington Kentucky. Some of the hills were downright devastating in the hot mid day sun, and I continued to hydrate myself and refill at each gas station I passed. I think I was up to 10 litres consumed by 2pm and I must have sweat out half of it at the same time. Helmet Soaked, Sunglasses steaming up, socks and shoes soaked and gloves are no longer giving the grip that they once did in dry conditions.

I rested for a few hours before heading out on what I expected to be a slow descent from the top of a mountain only to get lost for 20km and ride on a dirt and gravel road, at least the sun wasn’t as intense and I still managed to do 30km in about 2 hours. I was in good spirits, albeit soaked and looking for a safe place to stay. I found a rest stop next to the highway, yet couldn’t find an access point from the side road I was on and continued forward finally noticing a graveyard on the side of a hill in Old Washington. I shut off my speakers on my bike and headed in through the exit hoping to find a safe place to sleep. Riding around the graveyard in various directions I could only find a secluded space on a hill again and close to the interstate traffic which was quite noisy with semi trucks. It wasn’t until then that I noticed that I had lost one of my speakers, I guess I bumped it when turning it off disconnecting the cable and having it fall out of its DIY mount. I swore a few times not wanting to have to go searching for the speaker which has been run over,  rained on, snowed on, dropped in mud, and generally beat on for the past 17,000km and walked all over the graveyard until it became dark with no success in finding the small red piece of electronics. I set up the tent and collapsed inside after a quick dinner of Lentils and a Poptart and tried to get to sleep – only I couldn’t sleep properly as I was constantly woken up from the road traffic. I somehow managed to make a turban from my sleeping bag which blocked out the sounds further increasing the effectiveness of my earplugs and maybe managed to get 3 hours of sleep,packing everything up at 6am not wanting to get caught in the graveyard, and eager to resume the search for the speakers.

To cut the story short, I’m down one speaker, and a bit sad about it – I’ll have to pick up a new pair, but first need to find a mail drop to send them too, as I’ve only found them being sold online. Time to drag out old mono recordings of the Beatles or something for the time being.

I’ve decided that a route change is in order as well, I’ll still be heading into Lexington, KY but going to keep staying east and bypass Nashville Tennessee and stop at the Bonnaroo Festivalin Manchester, TN. I have an opportunity to work in the Sanctuary, which involves helping out festival goer’s who have become a bit too festive with their consumption of alcohol and other things, and think it will be a great experience, along with being able to see these atists (which a tonne of them I’ve never heard of and want to be exposed to new sounds!): Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, Buffalo Springfield feat Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Rick Rosas, Joe Vitale, My Morning Jacket, Lil Wayne, String Cheese Incident, Robert Plant & Band of Joy, Mumford & Sons, The Strokes, The Decemberists, Ray Lamontagne, Bassnectar, Iron & Wine, Girl Talk, Primus, Dr. John with Original Meters and Allen Toussaint Performing Destively Bonnaroo, Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Pretty Lights, Florence + the Machine, Superjam ft. Dan Auerbach and Dr. John, Explosions in the Sky, NOFX, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Galactic , Beirut, Big Boi, Scissor Sisters, Gregg Allman, Ratatat, Global Gypsy Punk Revue curated by Eugene Hütz, Robyn, Warren Haynes Band, Lewis Black, Deerhunter, Opeth, 420 Comedy Blaze hosted by Cheech Marin featuring Ralphie May, the stars of Workaholics and more, Atmosphere, Old Crow Medicine Show, John Waters, Bootsy Collins & the Funk University, Henry Rollins, Wiz Khalifa, Bill Bailey, Matt & Kim, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, The Del McCoury Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Mavis Staples, Henson Alternative’s STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG , Béla Fleck & the Flecktones (the original line-up), Chiddy Bang, The League Live (Paul Scheer, Nick Kroll, Jon Lajoie, Stephen Rannazzisi), Jovanotti, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Loretta Lynn, Donald Glover, G. Love & Special Sauce, Black Uhuru, Cold War Kids, The Walkmen, The Gregory Brothers, Devotchka, Wanda Jackson, Neon Trees, Portugal. The Man, Sleigh Bells, Amos Lee, Best Coast, Dãm-Funk & Master Blazter, The Sword, Shpongle Presents Shpongletron Experience, The Drums, The Black Angels, Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub, School of Seven Bells, J. Cole, Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea, Wavves, !!!, Junip, Anthony B, Kathleen Madigan, Freelance Whales, Justin Townes Earle , Ryan Bingham, Eugene Mirman, Deer Tick, Band of Skulls, Sharon Van Etten, Abigail Washburn, Black Joe Lewis, Omar Souleyman, Twin Shadow, Kylesa, Ted Alexandro, Man Man, The Low Anthem, Alberta Cross, Railroad Earth, Jessica Lea Mayfield , Ben Sollee, Smith Westerns, Graveyard, The Head and the Heart, Karen Elson, Tim Minchin, Dennis Coffey, Beats Antique, Forro in the Dark, Tig Notaro, The Knux, Hannibal Buress, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, Phosphorescent, Craig Baldo, Futurebirds, Hayes Carll, Nate Bargatze, Hanggai, Lelia Broussard, The Sheepdogs, DJ KRAZ, DJ Logic, DJ Neil Armstrong , Gypsyphonic Disko, Hesta Prynn, Jared Dietch, Motion Potion (San Francisco), Aaron “Woody” Wood, Andrea Belanger, The Apache Relay, Aunt Martha, The Band of Heathens, The Beautiful Girls-Mat McHugh Solo & Acoustic , Black Box Revelation, Bobby Long, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, Chancellor Warhol, Chris Harford and the Band of Changes, Civil Twilight, Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, Cristina Black, The David Mayfield Parade, Deas Vail, Fences, Fine Peduncle, Gary Clark Jr., GIVERS, Greensky Bluegrass, HANNI EL KHATIB, Infantree, J. Roddy Walston & The Business, Jamie McLean Band, JEFF the brotherhood, Kellee Maize, Kevin Hammond , Kopecky Family Band, Lauren Shera, Lionize, Matthew and the Atlas, MiniBoone, Miss Willie Brown, Parkington Sisters, The Pimps of Joytime, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, River City Extension, Rotary Downs, Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside, Shahidah Omar, Uncle Skeleton, Tristen, Walk the Moon, The White Buffalo. Whew!

It’s a 5 day festival and I’ll have to push  myself a bit to get to the location, but I think it will be worth it overall, providing I take care of myself with hydration, ride early in the morning and late into the night, and don’t try to take any shortcuts. I’ll figure out where I’m going to go after the festival, but still aiming for New Orleans.

I’ve also closed a few other doors in my life recently – certainly positive changes, and will help me overall in terms of finances, health and well being – but I’ll talk about that in the next post, as I’ve got to get 30 miles in before the heat of the mid day sun. Maybe I’ll be able to luck out and find a place where I can watch the Stanley Cup Final Series between my hometown Vancouver Canucks, and the Boston Bums.

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