It's Always Something - And Sometimes It's Multiple Somethings... : ))

One of the things I have come to accept as I have been riding my bicycle across the country is that there really is no such thing as the "perfect" ride. As the title of this blog suggests, there is always "something" that makes it a challenge, and sometimes it can be a combination of several things, thus making it really, really, challenging.

Take weather for instance: It might be clear, but then it means it might be warmer, or windier. I might have a tail wind, which is usually welcome when riding a bicycle, but in my case, since I am traveling so slowly, a tail wind means there is no "relative" wind and I am traveling in the equivalent of an air bubble where perspiration does not dry and overall cooling is limited. Or if I have a headwind, or even a cross-wind, which I have come to prefer, a little wind is good, but too much, and I'm cycling through pea soup.

If it's cloudy, then it might be somewhat cooler, but there is the additional threat of rain. It might be hot, with the rain helping to cool things down, or...just make it that much more humid. It might be hot, and dry, which helps with drying perspiration, but then I have to be extra sure I'm hydrating more, and the heat, especially with No Shade Anywhere, can take its toll pretty quickly.

Time of day is also a factor. I've come to prefer a later start so at least it is cooling down at the same time I am wearing out, but that has meant riding into the night on several occasions...something I have actually come to enjoy...except for the bugs, that tend to come out more at night. Just as I was crossing a long bridge into Columbus I got zapped by a big ol' beetle right in my left cheek, not to mention the all too frequent "gnat in the eye". I tried wearing a lighter pair of safety goggles for night riding, but I've stopped using them because they refract oncoming light so badly it makes it nearly impossible to see anything. Instead, I've learned to just keep my eyes squinted a little more to protect them from the bugs, and I tend to tilt my helmet way forward to block the blinding lights of oncoming traffic.

And then there are the road conditions. I might have access to wide shoulders...only to find they are covered with chip-and-seal (i.e. they are made from a layer of tar with small bits of gravel scattered over the top, and that's all, no "finishing" of the surface to make it smoother). I've noticed this to be the most common in Texas thus far. The pavement may have very distinct seams every 20 feet or so...not much to notice in a car going 60 mph with a reasonable suspension system, but for me, it's a bump to my bike, my butt, and my trailer over each one, and this can go on for miles at a time.

On the other hand, the shoulders might be smooth...in most places...but then be littered with gravel and pieces of truck tire treads, or old shoes, or pieces of wood, or who knows what. And...if there are "rumple strips" or "sleeper bumps" as I like to call them, then I have to endure hammering over those to avoid everything else that might be piled up in the shoulder. The shoulders may be full of fissures, ridges, and pot-holes, like they were in Louisiana making them completely unrideable. Or...there might not be any shoulder at all, forcing me to ride in the main lanes. This latter case, however, and just for the record, has not proven to be a problem. As I have been telling people lately, most people do not want to be involved in an "accident" of any kind no matter how "crazy" they might be as a driver. If nothing else, they don't want to see their insurance rates go up! : ))

Sometimes the roads might be fairly flat. Truly flat doesn't happen often, there is usually just a little bit of grade and, for me, a long up-hill grade means No Momentum as much as a shorter, or steeper up-hill grade. Of course, going down-hill for a while afterwards is always a plus, unless the down-hill part is Too Steep as I found out on my way to New Braunfels (more about that later). Furthermore, flat roads can become very monotonous as well, especially if there are not many markers along the way - small towns, changes in vegetation, an overhanging tree for a bit of shade, etc.



Even riding through Florida and Mississippi along the coast, where the roads were mostly at sea level, I still had to deal with much higher overpasses and bridges that were built to accommodate the larger ships sailing through the region.


Finally, there are the physical factors that I deal with. Did I get adequate food or enough sleep the night before a ride? How many days and miles in a row have I been riding? Did I hydrate sufficiently prior to getting on my bicycle? Did I take enough but not too much anti-inflammatory medication (generic "Aleve" for me)? Is it "that time of the month"? Are there enough places to stop for more water along the route? Are there any places to actually stop and rest as necessary? Depending on how long the ride is, do I need one pair of riding shorts or two for the extra padding?


Dare I say...the Devil is in the details?! : ))

On July 3rd, I had many of these factors coming into play. I'd stayed up fairly late talking with my host Chris and his brother and his friend Casey...again. However, I managed to get a relatively early start in spite of that, leaving Chris's apartment in Columbus around 8:20 AM. (Sure, I wanted to leave earlier, but that's just the way it worked out.)

Although the roads were in pretty good condition, there was a lot of chip-and-seal, it was really hot, I had a slight tail-wind giving me that air-bubble effect, and...then...there were...the hills. As you can see by the attached image, those hills, though not extreme, were up and down and up and down for pretty much the entire ride. I don't think I was able to go much more than 1/4 to 1/2 mile without facing another hill. That dropped my average speed from 6 to 8 mph down to more like 4 or 5 mph.

Nevertheless, I persevered. Even when I started this particular day, I knew it would be one of my most difficult, if only because I would be traveling 70 miles, my longest distance yet, in the Texas heat. I did not, however, realize until I was fully into it that the hills would be virtually non-stop. I had been in a bit of a rush as always to get my course plotted, and notes taken, so I failed to look more closely at my route map and the info on "elevation changes" at the bottom. Truth is, I don't think I really wanted to know because I knew it would not make any difference one way or another. I would just have to do what I had to do, no matter what.

As I had done on so many other days, I simply paced myself. Opting for slow and steady "turtle power" rather than racing anywhere, with the exception of racing to get to the McDonald's in Weimar before they stopped serving breakfast! : )

On approach, I wasn't sure if Weimar had a McDonald's or if I would make it in time, but when I saw those "Golden Arches" a mile or so directly ahead, at the intersection of the access road I was on and the main exit off of I-10, I looked at my watch reading 10:20 or so and thought, "Maybe, just maybe, I can make it".

I pedaled as hard as I could, up another hill (!). I think I got in the door at 10:27, sweating and breathing hard, with a line of people in front of me and only one person at the counter to take our orders. My heart sank when the manager turned a lever over the packing station and the breakfast menus disappeared as they were replaced by the lunch/dinner menus. I guess the woman in front of me got the last of the sausage biscuits. However, when it was finally my turn I made it clear to the clerk that I had made quite an effort to get there before 10:30 and I really hoped they'd still be able to accommodate my order for oatmeal and two Egg-McMuffins (one for then and one for the road). They were able to "take care of me" as she put it, so my extra effort did not go to waste. Furthermore, while I was there at the McDonald's I was able to make contact with the Fire Chief in Luling which eventually led to my being given the opportunity to stay at one of the two Fire Stations there.

I made one more major stop in Schulenburg at a place called the "Iron Horse Filling Station". I took advantage of the "Pizza Buffet Special", although I knew better than to overeat, so I paced myself on that as well. I talked for a while with one of the staff who took interest in my mission after seeing my bicycle parked outside the building. She graciously added her name to the membership roster for the NAPF and was even kind enough to let me have my lunch for free. I made sure to get a re-fill on all of my water bottles, before once again heading down the road.

It was about 2:00 PM when I left Schulenberg. It would be another 10 hours before I reached Luling. I took HWY 90 which was relatively quiet, and once the sun set, I had the advantage of clear skies and a full moon making it much easier to see...easy enough to see my first Live armadillo for just a few seconds before it disappeared into the tall grasses along the side of the road.

When I arrived in Luling, I was once again graciously welcomed by the on duty fire fighters there. Special thanks to Keith, who gave up his sleeping quarters for the recliner so that I would have a bed and a room to myself. I took a shower, stored my cold-food, rigged some lines between my trailer and my bicycle to dry my sweaty gear, and went to bed, letting everyone know that questions would just have to wait until morning!

And, sure enough, there were a few questions the next day, including some from the "relief" as they came to work around 9:00. Since I still had another long ride ahead though, I didn't want to stick around too long, so I tried to get away as soon as I could, loading up on water, and with a couple of doughnuts for the road thanks to Nadi.:)

It would prove to be insufficient, however, to get me to my destination in New Braunfels. I had been making very slow progress all morning, more hills, this time a stronger cross-wind, high heat, chip-n-seal roads, and then one particularly steep hill that I tried to take at full speed, seeing how the opposite side was just as steep and I wanted as much momentum going up it as I could get.

About midway down...there's a change in the sound of my trailer, from its usual hum to a grinding rattle. It was still rolling though, so I figured it was something to do with the wheel bearings, or maybe a change in the roughness of the road...until I stopped at the bottom of the hill to take a closer look: Turns out, the solid rubber tire had come completely off the plastic rim of the left wheel, so the rattle I was hearing was that plastic rim against the road.

I propped my bicycle up as best I could along the side of the road and started walking back to see if I could find the tire, thinking if I did find it, I might have a chance to force it back on the rim. One lady passed me in a white car and I tried to get her attention so that she would not run into my bicycle parked ahead, then, as I turned around to see her go up the hill, I realized my bicycle was no longer propped by the side of the road, but had fallen into the street. As I was walking back, she returned to make sure I was okay, then another vehicle came by, this time a big, black pick-up truck. It too made a u-turn at the top of the hill and pulled off the road once it reached my bicycle, about the same time I did.

And, so, I was ultimately "rescued" by Cody, who assured me he was not crazy or anything! No, he was just a good ol' Texan, an "angel" in his crisp white shirt, who happened to show up just when I needed him. Although we looked for a little while longer to find the lost wheel, he was sure it would be a much better idea for me to just let him load up my bicycle and then take me to New Braunfels himself, to which I reluctantly agreed. I wasn't reluctant because of Cody, just that this would be my first "break" from my "geographically continuous route under my own power."

I saw from the passenger side of the truck, that yes, there were still quite a few hills left in my journey, and it was clear and hot, and given the painfully slow pace I had been on since morning, in part because of the 70 mile ride I had completed too few hours before, I accepted the fact that I was "done" for the day anyway. Even though I had been willing, even "surrendered" to endure whatever lay ahead, it seems "the Universe" had other plans for me, and losing my trailer tire was enough of a "major mechanical failure" to finally get me off the road.

However, the lift from Cody also meant I got to New Braunfels closer to my originally planned time. My friends Cassey and Michael came from San Antonio to pick me up there and we had dinner at a local, though "traditional German" restaurant. (As Michael commented, we were in "New Braunfels" after all, so it seemed only right to go to a German Restaurant! : ))

I spent a few more relaxing days with Cassey and Michael, watched most of the episodes in one season of "Top Shot" hosted by Colby Donaldson of earlier "Survivor" fame, and returned to New Braunfels to await the arrival of a set of new wheels for my trailer.

At this point, I have gone ahead and purchased at least a one-way plane ticket to Santa Barbara (all I could afford right now, and that thanks specifically to the generous donations from Chris and his brother Stephen back in Columbus). I am not sure if I will make it all the way in the time I have left, but I am going to try to make it to Weatherford, Texas, and then my Aunt and Uncle will be driving me the rest of the way to Dallas where my friends there will make sure I get to the plane on time.

I'm really looking forward to the NAPF workshop, excited by the possibilities of what we will learn together, and the opportunity for me to get clearer on what my mission can be or will be after I get back to Texas. I'm kind of at a "half-way" point right now, so it is a good time to re-group, re-organize, re-energize, make some assessments and changes based on lessons learned, and see how to get myself the rest of the way across the country as I continue to Pedal for Peace!

Thanks again to all of my readers and to everyone who has offered their support thus far whether in the form of food and shelter, cash donations, signing up for membership in the NAPF, and/or emotional/moral support. It has all been meaningful to me and I am extremely grateful to be able to keep doing what I am doing because of that support.

Not sure how many more blogs I will be able to post between now and the time I leave for Santa Barbara, but know that I am still "on course" and I will be back with updates as soon as I can. : ) Also, I am still looking for more people to become NAPF members to contribute to my tuition credit. If you would like to sign-up, please send your name, zip code, and e-mail address to me at: llbell_100 (at) Yahoo.com.

Thanks again, Everyone! : ))

"Rain Tag" from Houston to Columbus, Texas

Before I reached Texas, everyone was telling me how hot it was going to be...and DRY...It has been hot, for sure, but dry? Not so much!

Dodging rainstorms has become something of a preoccupation for me. I'd like to think that my experiences are teaching me more about how to read the weather, at least what is in my immediate area. Traveling from Houston to Katy and then Katy to Columbus, I had several occasions to try to dodge the rain, which I was able to do more or less successfully.
For instance, one of my first shelter stops was under an overpass just as I was leaving Houston. While I was standing under the overpass with my bicycle, a little frog came jumping by. As I could not see any safe place for it to get to without possibly getting run over, I maneuvered my rig to delicately balance the bicycle upright, with the trailer positioned perpendicular to it acting as a "kick-stand". I then went frog chasing for a few minutes, until I could catch the little guy and ease him into a drain that was close by, figuring it had to lead to open water at some point (a la "Finding Nemo" : )). Unfortunately, my bicycle prop did not work as well as I had hoped, and my bicycle slid down to the ground, but with no major damage. (To have an idea of how hard it was raining, notice the water "jetting" out of the drain in the third column from the front!)

I had one more storm front to out-run that day, pulling into a walkway at an antique mall, just in time. I decided to hang out for a little while, eat some of my snacks, and even talked with one the shop owners about my trip. I didn't take a picture while there, but you can see the walkway in this picture I snapped off of Google Street view! Just imagine a few more cars in the parking lot and the rain pouring down.

I did manage to get to Katy, and although I was wet from sweat, rather than rain, at least the rest of my gear was still in good shape. I met my Warm Showers host, Tecky, and his family, and friend Kris when I got to the house. There was plenty of food and really great conversation and even a potential job offer, should I ever want to work for the oil industry! (Let me bring Peace to the World first, Tecky, then I might take you up on that! : )) Kris was really enthusiastic about wanting to join me on my trip, but as you can see by the picture, his bicycle was a little too small! (Hee, hee!) However, I did give into his plea to let him try to ride my bicycle, and he did for about 30 seconds, so now he knows he could haul a lot of stuff, too, when he's ready to do his own cross-country trek.

From Katy to Columbus, I was once again dodging rainstorms. The first came after me just as I was entering Brookshire. With dark clouds looming up behind me, I spotted street lights flashing maybe a couple of miles ahead and so I started pedaling hard. The rain was just starting to come down as I passed, and then realized the lights were outside the Fire Station and the Fire Station trucks were pulled out of the bays leaving me plenty of room to bring my bicycle inside, which is exactly what I did.

I was greeted by one of the volunteers on duty who had no problem with me parking my bike until the rains passed. Which they did eventually, but not without leaving me enough time for some cheese and crackers, some of my finger salad, and conversation with Stephanie, the first female firefighter I've met on my journey thus far!


Once it seemed this particular storm had passed, I headed on down the road. However, there were still A Lot of dark clouds around and the last thing I wanted to do was get caught, out in the open, with no place to hide, especially while crossing the Brazos River, where I had to get off of the I-10 Frontage Road and onto I-10 itself in order to cross the bridge. Seeing at least one line of rolling clouds coming up behind me, I decided to take shelter under the bridge rather than trying to cross it right away. And even when I did finally venture out, the clouds still looked pretty scary.

Sure enough, only a few short miles down the road, and once again, pedaling as hard as I possibly could, praying that the rain would not catch me, I just managed to duck into the bays of a truck stop, safe from another downpour. I availed myself of the facilities, bought some postcards, and a sandwich at the Subway store, and then I was back out again, this time with the skies still cloudy, but at least a little more sunny...for a while...

Back on the frontage road, I made a few stops here and there as illustrated by this video:Quiet Moment on the Road to Columbus. During one of those stops, three very nice ladies who just happened to see me from the highway, stopped to see if I was okay. I was able to tell them about my trip thus far and my "mission" and they were very generous in their offerings of prayers and even on-the-spot donations, for which I am very grateful, as always.

And yes, the sky was somewhat clear for a while, but, sure enough, still about eight miles from my destination, and just as the sun was about to go down, I spotted another storm over my shoulder, coming on strong. For the third time in 50 miles or so, I was pedaling as hard as I could, especially because this storm looked more powerful than the others that had almost overtaken me earlier in the day.

Climbing an exit ramp I spotted a clump of large trees with overhanging limbs, that were not surrounded by thick grass and thought to try to seek shelter there, but as I could see houses down the road, I took that path instead. Looking for any broad overhangs of garages or of the houses themselves, about 200 yards away I spotted an Empty Carport! I rode up to the dirt drive, noted no evidence of recent tire tracks, and assumed the house was not occupied. I pulled my bike onto the carport just as the rains were beginning to fall onto the metal roof. Seconds later, there was another torrential downpour. Mentally, I took out my "Rain Tag Score Card" and chalked up another one in my column, having just managed to avoid being "tagged" by this last storm. So I was "winning" 3 to 0!

Another hour or so riding in the dark, including crossing the Colorado River by moonlight, and I finally pulled into the apartment complex of my young couch surfing host for the evening, Chris. Along with his friend, Alec (not pictured), we managed to get my bicycle and trailer up the two flights of stairs and safely stored in the apartment. I enjoyed my hot shower, and then spent the rest of the evening engaged in conversation with both Chris and Alec, conversation which continued into the wee hours of the morning. As it turned out, this would be a pattern that would be repeated the next couple of evenings as well, with Alec, and then another friend, Casey, and then with Chris's brother Stephen! : )

Nevertheless, before continuing my trek, I had a couple of days to "recover", and to help Chris with a bit of a "Kitchen Makeover" as well - something that was greatly appreciated by him AND his brother, AND his friends. I'm expecting updates from all of them to see if Chris can keep up with his "home work"! I suspect he will now that he has a better idea of why it is so important! : )

What Are You Willing to Do to Make World Peace a Reality?

To Whom It May Concern - My Current Subscribers and New Readers in the Reddit Community:

What I am communicating below I have also shared in part under the sub-Reddits "IAmA" and "Bicycling". I understand that I am new to the Reddit community. Nevertheless, the responses I have received thus far have been pretty disappointing. I would really like more feedback than just up or down votes, because, as necessary, I am willing to learn how to communicate more effectively, in general, and in the Reddit environment in particular.

I know I can come off as "odd" to people at first, but once they get to know me, they realize I am "for real", that I really am a decent, sincere, passionate, and compassionate person, and one who really does want to make a difference in the world in the best way I can, or think I can.

Not to be overly dramatic, but I'm choking-up, crying even, as I write these words, because I'm thinking about all that I have been through, and deliberately chosen to put myself through over the last several weeks and months, in order to do just that: To make a difference in the world - To live my life according to the principle of non-aggression and to REALLY help bring about World Peace, through very deliberate and intentional effort...a lot of effort...and with the knowledge that more effort, even extraordinary effort, will be necessary in order to reach that goal.

In many of his talks, author and Peace Leadership Director for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Paul K. Chappell, points out that all too often, people believe "World Peace" is a naive dream, a joke answer to a beauty pageant question. I follow his logic, however, when he points out that thinking we can continue the way we are going, and survive as a species, is even more naive.

Here come the tears again...as I am feeling how much I Love Human Beings - my "species". And I Love this planet, and I don't want to see humanity, or this planet destroyed by anyone, for any reason. That is why I am doing what I am doing.

It would seem by the responses I have received thus far on Reddit, that at least some people think there is something wrong with that, either the "naive dream" of World Peace, or my particular approach to trying to make that dream a reality, or my way of writing about it. Again, hard to say what their "issues" are by a total of up or down votes and not very many comments or questions.

I am sharing this post with the "Anti-war" Reddit, because, I'm thinking, maybe I'm just trying to communicate with the wrong groups of people on Reddit. Or, at least, I should start with people that might be slightly more inclined to hear me out, rather than throwing myself to the "pack". Maybe those early decisions and postings were more naive on my part, even if I do not feel the same applies to my conviction that world peace is possible and that I can do something, even lots of different things, to help bring it about.

As the saying goes: Live and Learn!

Given my endeavors of the last several months, that statement could not be more true! Because I have Learned A Lot from all of my life experiences of late, probably more from the mistakes I've made (like not knowing how to price things for maximum returns as a seller on e-bay) than from what I have done well - like keeping myself safe on my bicycle, alone, on the road for over 60 days and 1200 miles now, from Jacksonville Beach, Florida to Houston, Texas.

For members of the Reddit Anti-war forum, you might find this blog I wrote some time ago relevant: The Power of Love and the Principle of Non-Aggression and the follow-up to that, Evolving Plans - NAPF Conference in July 2012.

The "evolution" process I mention in that latter blog has brought me to where I am now: 1) As I mention above, I have completed 1200 miles of my cross-country bicycle trek. 2) I have published over 50 blogs since the inception of the idea to ride across the country. 3) I have raised enough money to get me this far, maybe a little further, but I am going to need a significant financial boost to get me to California in time for the workshop. 4) I made a deal with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation to sign-up new members in exchange for credit towards my workshop tuition. This has proven to be a lot more difficult than I expected, in part because I have not had the venues where I could meet and talk with a lot of people at once. Instead, I have signed-up most of my Couch Surfing and Warm Showers hosts (with about 30 different stops so far), the "hosts" of the various camp-sites where I have stayed, even clerks at the motels and hotels, where I could. I have also signed-up a few random people that I have met "on the street". But, even over 1200 miles, that has added up to only 150 people, or so, and I need at least another 270 new members to "close the deal". Most recently, the NAPF did give me the option to sign up 100 of those remaining members prior to July 21st, and the rest after the workshop, as I plan to continue my cross-country journey from Texas to California.

Since I've been on the road, my expenses have come from the few hotels and motels I've stayed in ($220); and campgrounds ($45), cycling gear/maintenance ($85); "admin" - some shipping, printing, money transfer fees, ($150); food/electrolyte water, toiletries, bug spray, and sunscreen ($585). All that comes out to about $18/day and slightly less than $1/mile.

I think I left Jacksonville with just a little over $200, sold most of my portable solar gear to one of my hosts in Seacrest, Florida for $340, and the rest of my expenses I've had to cover with donations. According to this website, What It Costs.com, costs for cross-country bike trips in the U.S. can range from $2500 to $8600, so I am definitely coming in on the low end of that range so far.

In addition, I opted over a year ago for a much cheaper (in the long run) pay-per-use phone, and no Internet service for that phone or my iPad. Unfortunately, that has made it a lot more difficult for me to be as consistent with my blog updates, or figuring out where I am or where I need to go (with no on the road GPS service), or even to contact potential hosts, but I am doing the best I can with all of that.

By now you may be wondering, why did I not make sure I had "enough money" to do everything before I left? Well...1) It would have been hard to know that amount without the day to day experience. 2) Having never done anything like this before, I did not want to ask too many people, or other major sponsors, to support my efforts until I had proven more about my abilities to do what I am doing. 3) Once the NAPF Workshop became my goal, I had a limited time-frame in which to complete my ride, so I had to get on the road. And as experience has shown, I should have left even earlier than I did, but...I was having to fundraise right up to the day before I left Jacksonville, when I sold my '73 VW Super Beetle...for $300. One more trip to the grocery store, and that left me with the $200+ I mentioned leaving with earlier.

As for now, my most critical "needs" are: 1) To sign up another 100 people as members of the NAPF before July 21st. Those names need to go through me, in order for me to get credit for them. (This has been another one of those frustrating challenges because there is no way for people to offer a reference to me when they sign-up or donate directly through the NAPF website.) Consequently, if by chance you, as a reader of this post, would like to be one of those New Members, I need you to send me your Name, E-mail Address, and Zip Code, via my e-mail address: llbell_100@yahoo.com. Membership is free. You will receive the NAPF "Sunflower" newsletter once per month and you may hear from me, although, thanks to Yahoo making it very difficult to send out mass e-mails, it is actually a lot of work for me to update people that way...or put out requests for donations. Consequently, I can promise you I won't be bombarding you with e-mails, and I am not a "big company" that sells info to other "big companies". And I don't ever plan to be, so your info is as safe as it can be in my Yahoo contacts list.

2) I have priced air fare on Southwest from Dallas-Love airport to Los Angeles (LAX) at $159 one-way, plus $48 for a shuttle bus from LAX to Santa Barbara. That money I need ASAP in order to take advantage of lower costs with advance reservations and I can pay for my plane ticket directly out of my PayPal account. If you would like to make a financial contribution to my efforts, especially for this immediate need, you can do so through the PayPal "Donate" button located => over there => in the right-hand column of this page. (After the workshop, I will be spending some time with another relative that lives in the area before returning to Texas. Clearly, I will need air fare for that return flight as well, but I am focusing on my "immediate" needs with this particular post.)

In exchange for your support, I promise: 1) I will not give up my personal struggle for Peace in this World, 2) I will not give up on my goal to attend the NAPF Peace Leadership Workshop in Santa Barbara, and 3) I will not give up on my goal to complete my bicycle ride across the U.S. and continue to "Wage Peace" in whatever way I can after that.

Furthermore, I will not give up on my species, and all the human beings I know and love, and those I have yet to meet... and ride my bicycle into the woods to live out the rest of my life, alone, as a primitive survivalist! : )) (Although, thanks to Tom Brown, Jr. and a couple of weeks of Tracker/Survival school, I might just be able to do that if left with no alternatives that allow me to continue to live my life freely, and without aggression towards my fellow human beings, and with "work" that is genuinely meaningful to me!)

I know a lot of people out there who would also like to "run away" from all of this, but I have realized that isn't really the best option. We are here, we are all in this together, we have this truly amazing system for communicating with one another and sharing information and resources, and Now Is The Time, if ever there was one, to make this world a better place for all of us to live, and grow, and learn, and most importantly to Love and Be Happy for generations to come.

So with respect to my own "Life Work" as I see it now: I am completely convinced that the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and especially Paul K. Chappell, are on the right track to Change the Way People in this World THINK about Peace, about personal and national "security", and especially to change the way we think about who we are (and are NOT) as human beings. I know, that even with my strong background in social science and psychology, I learned so much more from reading Paul's books - so much more that is of Critical Importance right now. Yes, I wanted to ride my bicycle across the country anyway, but the understanding I got from reading Paul's books, and the encouragement I received from the NAPF, is what "tipped the scales" as far as my Actually Doing what I was otherwise only "thinking" about doing, and "planning" to do.

But, honestly, all I have ever really wanted to do in my life, and it is truly heart felt when I say this, with tears rising to my eyes again...All I've ever really wanted to do was to Be of Service to others. I've done so in smaller ways throughout my life, but now I want to do it in a Much Bigger Way - I want to help bring Peace to the World.

Just because achieving World Peace is a much bigger challenge, does not make it less important, or "naive" to try to accomplish. On the whole, human beings have as much of a history of achieving greatness as they do for destroying themselves. I would rather stand on the positive side of that ongoing story, rather then the negative. At the same time, I am humble enough to know that this is going to be a Group Effort. I realize there are limits to what each person can do by themselves. Nevertheless, I am definitely willing to do whatever it is I Can Do, and that is what I Am Doing right now. Trust me, this Ride of My Lifetime is taking everything I have to give...and I wouldn't want it any other way.

What about you? What are you willing to do to make World Peace a Reality?

Baton Rouge, LA to ... Tennessee!?! : ))

Having covered over 835 miles in 44 days to get to Baton Rouge, LA to spend some time with a friend whom I have not seen in 25 years, I have been offered the opportunity to travel with him to spend some time with other college friends kayaking, camping, and possibly even caving in the rolling hills of Tennessee.

Although I hesitated at first, because of the time it would take away from my bicycle journey, I have also had to acknowledge that my last 60 mile push into Baton Rouge really took a toll on me. Coming up on four days now, and I am still suffering from some rather disconcerting swelling of my calves and ankles, as well as a tightness in my chest/diaphragm making it a bit hard to draw a full breath. I am hoping the back and forth of the heat of the sun and cold of the waters in which we will be kayaking today will work their magic to reduce this swelling. Furthermore, there is a big bonfire planned for Saturday night where I will have even more opportunities to talk about my trip with friends and friends of friends.

As suggested above, this is going to take a bit of time out of what I had originally allotted for my cross-country transit to Santa Barbara. Nevertheless, at the pace I've been going, I would have been hard-pressed to make it by July 21st anyway, and, although I have not said anything about it so far, I have always had a "Plan B" in the back of my mind, just in case it looked like I was not going to be able to make that deadline.

So, "Plan B" is as follows: I will go as far as I reasonably can (at this point I am aiming for Tucson, AZ as I already have a definite contact there). Then, I will take a bus from Tucson (or wherever I get to) to Santa Barbara. I will attend the Peace Leadership Workshop from July 22nd through the 29th. Then I will take the bus back to Tucson and proceed west to complete my bike trip. What happens after that is yet to be determined! : )

I have already priced the round-trip bus ticket, at between $212 and $300. I will definitely be looking at other, potentially less expensive options as well, but that is what I have to plan for right now. In addition, one way for me to lighten the load, and therefore to speed up a bit, is to NOT carry as much of my own food with me. However, that in turn means I have to spend at least a little more on food I purchase along the way. I'm estimating those expenses in total to be about $40-70/week. I also need to consider carrying more water and electrolytes (store-bought sports drinks or electrolyte powder from Cliff Bar), as the next several weeks through Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona are going to be particularly difficult because of the heat.

In other words, I need to raise between $450 and $750 to get to Santa Barbara in time to attend the Peace Leadership Workshop. This does not include any additional money I might have to raise for the $850 tuition, part of which I Have been able to cover so far with New Member sign-ups (i.e. over 100 names and if I can get those 100 or so people to sign up more people, then I won't need to sign up all of them directly myself). (I have some more direct e-mail work to do in that area, but if I do not have your name, zip code, and e-mail address on my list yet, and you want to be added, please let me know as soon as possible.)

So, that is "where I'm at" right now! A little annoyed with the leg-swelling issues, but hoping the rest and change-up of activities will help with that. Still extremely grateful for all of the support I have already received from friends and "strangers" I now consider friends as well. Still needing more of that support to continue my journey, so please use the PayPal "Donate" button in the right column if you would like to help me along my way.

It has been an Amazing Journey so far! I wish I had more time to write about it, but being able to keep going means, taking more time to focus on fundraising and saving "the rest of the story" for later, and I apologize for that, but that's the reality of the situation right now. Kind of like when public radio stations do their fundraising, you have to "make the call" and help them reach their fundraising goals before they go back to their "regularly scheduled programming"! : )

So, please, "Make the Call" (i.e. make whatever donation you can via my PayPal "Donate" button. : ))

Thanks Everyone! Here's to "Turtle Power" and "Keepin' On, Keepin' On!"

Mississippi: Take Two

In the winter of 2003-2004 I was a Navy Electronics Technician stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi attending calibration school for what would turn out to be my last duty station at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, in Bethesda, MD. Lance Armstrong had already won the Tour de France five times. Inspired in part by his efforts and his courageous life story, I bought my first Really Nice road bike, a Specialized Allez Comp, from "Conte's", one of my favorite bike shops in Norfolk, VA. Although, I took my "mule" to start with, I later had my "thoroughbred" shipped to Biloxi, as well. The host I am staying with now, helped me assemble it once I got here, and I think it's kind of cool that I am back here again, after over eight years.

Things have changed though. I was here Before Katrina and the BP oil spill. It is interesting to see how the area has recovered...

Leaving my host's house in St. Martin, I had to make a "memorial" ride to The TatoNut shop in historic downtown Ocean Springs. There is a monthly "TatoNut" bike ride that ends here and for good reason: It is one of the best places to get doughnuts that are actually made from potato flour. I decided to get two for "lunch" and two for the road.

They re-built the Biloxi Bridge. Now it is four wide lanes plus wide shoulders and a pedestrian path on the southern side.

There is a long, concrete boardwalk now. The prior one had been made of wood, large chunks of it in places, all of which was torn asunder by Katrina. Thus released, the wooden beams caused significant damage themselves, being blown by the winds and storm surge. I took my time on that path, even sharing the sidewalk with another pedestrian who became curious after seeing me and my rig. He was gracious enough to take a picture of me when we got to the Biloxi Lighthouse.

Apparently, the laws about where casinos can be built have been changed, so they no longer have to, in effect, float on barges.

There is a HUGE unfinished "Margaritaville" structure, concrete and steel, that is a bit of a blight on the coastline of Biloxi. Not sure what might happen there, but something tells me some creative urban gardeners might be able to do roof top gardens and talapia underneath? Who knows? But, I hope, along with others in the area that it can be re-purposed, and soon.



Most of all though, I especially appreciate the sculptures that have been carved into the trunks of trees, still standing, but otherwise sacrificed in the storm.

So far, it has been a pleasant stay. I've had to deal with some "bank/money issues" that have been a bit of a


drag, and it has taken my time, energy, and attention away from everything else that I need to be giving my attention to right now, but I am persevering.* (The rest of That part of my story will have to wait for the book! : )) There are some long stretches ahead to get me through the rest of Mississippi and Louisiana, and then...there's Texas!

Call it fate or luck, but I do appreciate all the help I have been getting recently from George Throop, whom I met on the way across the Big Bridge just west of the Florida/Alabama state line. He has been walking from Washington State and has left a trail


of friends and hosts in his path, whom I am now getting to network with in reverse (more or less). (Find out more about George here: EnjoytheWalk.org)

Not sure exactly what my path will be through Texas, but I can pretty much guarantee another visit to Austin - this time on my trusty "mule", rather than the "thoroughbred" I rode there in 2004, as a participant in the Lance Armstrong Foundation Ride for the Roses! : ) Looks like Lance just won his first Ironman 70.3, in a while, back in Florida (Lance Armstrong Back On Top).

Too bad there are no competitions for who can carry the most cargo over long distances by bicycle. I think I might be in the running for that one! : ))

*I did determine that I have access to my PayPal funds more quickly now, so if anyone reading this wants to pitch in, I am, as always, open to receive. Thanks! : )