Diary

18 June 2009 DAVID IS IN NEW YORK!!!! He touched Manhattan Island just before noon! It has been raining all day. There was light rain for the first 20 miles and then hard rain for the last 20 miles. He took US Hwy 1 all the way. He cycled through Newark, New Jersey and the traffic was awful! He was honked at a lot and the cars were fighting him for space on the road. And the rain… there was lots of water on the road and sometimes the low spots had 1 foot of water in them. Of course, every time a car passed David he got splashed with filthy road water. He is soaked to the bone. David was not allowed to cycle across the bridges or through the tunnels to get to Manhattan so he took a ferry across the Hudson River. Once there, he made a bee-line to the hotel, checked in, took a nice hot shower and bundled himself in bed to try to warm up! Later on today he will venture out in the rain, buy an umbrella and see the city. And then tomorrow is available for site seeing as well. His flight is on Saturday from JFK International and he arrives back in the UK on Sunday morning!
In total, David has cycled (per the odometer on the bike) 3,414 miles from Long Beach to Manhattan, New York!

17 June 2009 David had another hard day of cycling. Unlike the desert stretches where a hard day was cycling straight for a hundred miles in the extreme heat with not a car on the road; these urban segments are difficult because nothing is in a straight line, there is heavy traffic and there are loads of stop lights. Regardless, David has covered 57 miles today! On his way out of Philly he was able to see the Liberty Bell and cycle past the Independence Hall where the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Later on today David cycled across the famous Delaware River. (Side note: David’s favorite painting is Washington Crossing the Delaware). When he crossed the Delaware, David crossed the state line leaving Pennsylvania and entering New Jersey. David has rewarded himself with a Wendy’s burger for dinner and another ice cold Frosty. He is staying the night in near New Brunswick, New Jersey. David is 40 miles from Manhattan Island – his destination!!!

16 June 2009 Today David has taken it easy, “only” covering 53 miles to Philadelphia, PA. Even though he has done fewer miles than normal, it has been tough going since there have been lots of steep hills. It is also very difficult to negotiate the urban traffic with its stop lights, cars changing lanes and drivers not looking for cyclists. David did make it to Shonda and Michael’s home by mid-afternoon. When he got there, Shonda threw his laundry in the wash while David had a rest and sat in Michael’s robe drinking a nice coffee with demerara sugar – heaven! This break will make sure David is rested up for the next two days of heavy city cycling on his way to New York, New York!

15 June 2009 Densely populated areas are very difficult to cycle through and today was no exception. David cycled through Baltimore, Maryland today on US Hwy 1. Even though it was a highway it had lots of traffic lights and the highway cut through many derelict and dangerous neighbourhoods. David felt terribly unsafe and was shocked by the poverty and crime there. So he cycled as fast as he could and managed to get through Baltimore by midday. He then continued on to the Pennsylvania and Maryland state line, which is also the Mason-Dixon Line. David stopped when he got to the state line to take loads of pictures of the famous line - made famous during the American Civil War. David cycled 70 miles today with the last 20 miles being over lots of very steep hills. He stayed the night in Nottingham, Pennsylvania, readying himself for the big push to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he will be staying with friends of Jennifer’s. (Thank you so much, Shonda and Mike!) David should be in New York by Thursday evening, June 18th!!!

14 June 2009 Today David crossed the Potomac River from Virginia to Washington D.C.! David was thrilled to see the US capital. He did lots of sight seeing while he was there. He saw the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. He tried to go up the steps to see the statue of Abraham Lincoln up close but the guards would not let him take his bicycle all the way up the steps. He was able to see the Vietnam, Korean and World War II War Memorials and Capitol Hill – though he decided against cycling up the hill. =0) And he called his family in the UK from in front of the White House. David then left D.C. and cycled to Laurel, Maryland, covering 80 miles today.

13 June 2009 David cycled across Virginia today. He has now travelled through lots of American Civil War and Revolutionary War historic areas. David has passed loads of monuments and plaques. While he cannot stop to read them all, he does stop to take pictures of the interesting looking ones in hopes that he will have time to read them when he gets home. David covered 84 miles today getting to Fredericksburg, VA. He ate dinner at a Dairy Queen with a yummy Oreo cookie Blizzard for dessert. He found Fredericksburg surprisingly hilly, which made getting to a hotel for the night tough. David went to the first area of hotels in Fredericksburg and found them too pricey. David visited the second area of hotels in Fredericksburg and found them too scary. In fact, David was about to check into the least rundown of the no-tell motels when a drug bust went down in the parking lot with a K-9 unit! David turned right around and left. He then proceeded to the third grouping of hotels in Fredericksburg. On the way David came across a soul food restaurant with live music and a line of classic muscle cars on show out in front. David was in heaven! He chatted with the restaurant owner, the musicians and the car owners. He had such a great time. The band even sang songs in honor of David’s trek with traveller and cycling themes! It made the hassle of finding a hotel worth it. He finally checked in to a Motel 6.

12 June 2009 Today David broke the 3,000 mile mark on his trek! His grand total at the end of the day was 3,022 with 94 of those miles being covered today on his way from North Carolina (NC) to Virginia (VA). He began the day just south of the state line. He started out on US Hwy 1, which runs parallel to Interstate Highway 85. It was a nice morning, only a little overcast with light wind blowing to David’s side. He did manage to save 2 more suicidal turtles today; but David has decided that saving three turtles is his limit as he just can’t keep stopping every time he sees one. David was getting close to the state line and he decided to make a run for the border on the interstate highway. David was able to stay on the interstate for the last 20 miles going out of NC. At the last minute, a NC State Trooper came up behind David. This State Trooper really wanted to pull David over; but he had to take the last NC exit before the state line leaving David free to cross into Virginia on the interstate. But the NC State Trooper must have called his good buddies from the VA State Trooper’s office as David was promptly pulled over 3 miles into Virginia. Fortunately, the VA State Trooper, named Senior Trooper Kevin R. George CCPS, was really nice to David. He took a picture with David and chatted with him before kicking him off the interstate! =0) Trooper George has even left a message in David’s guest book! That evening the weather became hot and humid with lots of threatening clouds; but no rain. David stopped in Petersburg, Virginia (south of Richmond, Virginia) and stayed in his favourite motel, the Super 8.

11 June 2009 David is cycling hard today to cross North Carolina. He has been dealing with rain since getting to the east coast. Fortunately the wind is to his back today and it is pushing him onwards. Today David accomplished a good deed: he rescued a turtle from crossing the highway! He picked the little guy up, turned it around so faced away from the highway and placed him in the grass so it could find its way back to a creek or river. <awwww….> As a reward, David had Wendy’s for lunch for a cold and chocolaty Frosty. Though, David did make it clear that Frosty’s do not measure up to Dairy Queen Blizzards. =0) David has had to deal with quite a bit of traffic as he cycled through Raleigh, NC and the weather turned rainy after lunch. While cycling, David noticed the large, dark storm clouds right behind him. It would start to sprinkle and then would speed up to try to outrun the storm that was about to hit. He did this several times until he found a gas station to pull into. He did it just in the nick of time as just as he stopped the heavens opened up! So David was high and dry and he only had to wait 30 minutes for the storm to pass. David says that he cannot cycle through the thunderstorms since the wind comes in all directions and the rain is pouring down making it very difficult for drivers to see David. Plus he would get drenched each time a car would pass him. David was a bit sneaky today, he did manage 30 miles of the trip on the interstate which was very smooth and without traffic or stop lights. David cycled 86 miles stopping in Henderson, NC; which is only 19 miles from the Virginia state line.

10 June 2009 David has crossed another state line and is now in North Carolina. He cycled 83 miles and stopped for the night in a “No Tell” Motel in Sanford. The motel was dirty and it smelled funny; but at least the sheets were clean. And David was just a short walk from the grocery store where he was able to pick up some fruit and milk for breakfast and lunch tomorrow.

9 June 2009 The weather has played a big roll in today’s ride. David stayed on Highway 1 and covered 81 miles to get to Cheraw, SC, which is just south of the North Carolina state line. Of course, 20 of those miles were in the rain. David’s total mileage at this point is approximately 2,750 miles! WOW!

8 June 2009 This morning David started out in Georgia, but very quickly crossed the state line into South Carolina. He wanted to take the interstate into South Carolina, but there was road works which had the shoulder closed so he took Highway 1. Plus there were signs on the interstate saying no bicycles. The weather was very hot and humid and there was a lot of traffic on the highway making todays journey a bit more difficult. David stopped and ate lunch at Bojangle’s Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits – which is apparently famous for their iced tea. David had trouble ordering from the menu as he wasn’t sure what a fixin’ was. So he ordered tea and they but they brought him southern sweet tea, which David likened to tea flavoured syrup! =0) He took it back to the counter and asked for unsweetened tea and the lady behind the counter almost refused since everyone likes their sweet tea. =0) David ate dinner at Hardy’s and he has found a new love: Hardy’s $6 burger! David covered 96 miles today and stayed overnight at the Motel 6 in Columbia, South Carolina (the capital of SC).

7 June 2009 Today David was feeling much better. He set out for Augusta, Georgia and was doing fine until a dog (an American pit-bull/Labrador) began to chase David. Usually when David is chased by dogs they stop at the edge of their front yards or at the end of their street; but this dog chased David for 4 or 5 miles!!! David would get ahead of it and then David would get to a hill and the dog would catch up. He just could not out run it. So David stopped and decided to confront the dog so that hopefully after a few growls and some sniffs the dog would be satisfied and go home… Well, the dog did just that until David got back on his bike and set off. The dog reappeared out of nowhere and chased him some more! Finally, the dog just lost interest and stopped chasing him; but before that he sure gave David a run for his money! =0) Shortly there after David needed a break so he stopped in the quaint little town of Warrington, Georgia. David was seated near a restaurant on a bench and he struck up a conversation with an elderly couple sitting nearby who were waiting for their family to join them for lunch. When the family came, David began speaking with all of them about his trek. David does enjoy talking to people about the amazing adventure he is on. Well, it was time for him to set off again to get in a few more miles before lunch when he was wolf whistle at by a woman who then also waved him over to her table. The table had at it two retired couples and they wanted to know what David was doing as they had passed him on the road earlier that day. David got to chatting with them and just as he was about to go, one couple (Ann and Gene) gave David $20 for the Dallas Furniture Bank! The lady who wolf whistled at David before offered to say a prayer for the recovery of his painful butt. =0) It has been raining on an off today but David still managed to cover 90 miles and make it to Augusta, Georgia; which is just a river crossing from South Carolina!

6 June 2009 David woke up today feeling rather poorly. He had a bad night’s sleep and a sour stomach. He thinks he may have picked up a 24 hour bug from somewhere. Because he was feeling bad he only covered 39 miles today and stopped at lunch in Milledgeville, Georgia. David decided it would be best to rest up a bit and try to feel better rather than push himself too hard and make himself more sick. Because he had stopped early he was able to speak to his wife, his mom and dad, his sister and her family, and his brother and his family who are all 5 hours ahead of him in England.

5 June 2009 David is definitely living up to his new ‘Marathon Rider’ title today. He has now travelled from California, across 8 states, 4 time zones and is in the middle of Georgia. He will now head northwards across 5 more states to complete his journey across the US and end in New York. David has been trying to stay ahead of the rainy weather all day. But during the last few miles to Macon, Georgia, “the heavens opened up” and it started to pour down with rain. David did stop off at a gas station to dry off a little and try to wait out the storm. While there he spoke to a homeless man who told David his life story. David has been surprised by the number of homeless people he has seen on his trip. It makes him feel very lucky and thankful. After cycling 88 miles, David found himself in Macon (rhymes with bacon), Georgia. Tonight he stayed at the Super 8 Macon West. Super 8’s are David’s favourite since breakfast is included with the room fee and they serve a nice breakfast. =0) As an added bonus there was a Wal-Mart AND a McDonalds across the street so dinner and fruit for later were covered.

4 June 2009 Today the MK Citizen published an article about David. He is now known as the ‘Marathon Rider.’ Please see the link to MK Articles under the American flag.
The patchy rain yesterday was just an introduction to the massive storm front that was hitting the southeast US. It rained solidly all day with some light spells and some really heavy spells. So unlike the majority of the trip, David was actually cold and wet instead of really hot and dry. David said that the streets were like rivers as the rain was coming down too fast for the drains to handle. He did cross the Chattahoochee River today, which is the state line between Alabama and Georgia. But he might as well have been swimming as the water level was over the bridge! Unfortunately, David was unable to take pictures today as it never stopped raining long enough to get the camera out. On a lighter and drier note, David stopped at a small convenience store/ gas station where there was a bunch of old farmers hanging out and eating lunch. David spent about an hour there just chatting with them and enjoying their John Deere caps and their accents. Besides crossing the Georgia state line, David also crossed into the Eastern Time Zone. David stopped for the night in Columbus, Georgia, having travelled 92 miles today.

3 June 2009 The goal today is to get to Montgomery, Alabama, which is only 60 miles east of Selma down US80. Since it was a relatively “light” day, David thought he might have some time to get new tires for his bike. While looking for a bike shop he went off the beaten path a bit and found himself in a VERY bad neighborhood. In fact, it was the worst he has ridden through yet! He quickly made a U-turn and high-tailed it back to the highway. Since that didn’t pan out, David turned in early to give his body a much needed and well deserved rest.

2 June 2009 Today was another 107 mile day from Meridian, Mississippi, across the Alabama state line, to Selma, AL. He crossed the state line about lunch time and got off the interstate and onto good ol’ US80, again. David did have to stop in Uniontown, AL for an hour or so to wait out a storm front that was too intense to cycle through. But once it passed it was smooth pedalling to Selma.

1 June 2009 The heat and humidity were awful for today’s ride through Mississippi; but that didn’t stop David from travelling 107 miles to Meridian, MI! He stopped for lunch at a Popeye’s Chicken in a little town called Forest, MI. While there he got talking to some really nice people. It is great that people are curious about what David is up to that they ask him what he is up to. While the conditions weren’t great, David was able to stay on I-20 the entire day making his journey smoother with fewer stops. For dinner he went to Wendy’s and had his first healthy bite to eat in ages – a caesar salad… Though it was coupled with a burger, fries and a large frostie!

31 May 2009 David left Rayville this morning bright and early on I-20 and cycled as fast as he could to the State Line to avoid being seen by any Louisiana State Troopers. He was actually able to cycle the entire day on the Interstate instead of using the slower route of US80 – he made 92 miles making his total mileage so far 1998 miles! In fact, two patrol cars passed him and they didn’t do anything; they were not interested which was great by him. He crossed the Mississippi River into Mississippi before lunch and was so surprised by the width of the river - it is huge. David then stopped for lunch at a KFC. When asked about which he liked better, KFC or Popeye's, he said, "I'll have to try each of them again a few more times to make a decision." David did remark at how different the KFC’s menu is in the US than it is in the UK – there are no fries on the menu anywhere! David did see an interesting site in KFC… He saw an older gentleman with a very grey mullet, pony-tail combo (business in the front and so much party in the back it has to be put in a pony tail) with a belt buckle as big as a plate! David has now run across a new problem: the local accent. He cannot understand the locals and they cannot understand him. The heat really got to him today; he felt a bit wobbly a couple of times even though it was only 90 degrees. David had a flat tire outside of Clinton, Mississippi, about eight miles from Jackson which was his goal for the day. It was extremely difficult to change the tire due to the bugs attacking him. The bugs were relentless regardless of David being covered in bug spray. They got into David’s eyes, all over his head and body. They made a do-able chore of fixing a flat almost impossible. David saw a Super 8 motel and decided he was stopping there; but he didn’t see the sign for the hotel located on the service road until he was right next to it on the highway. So instead of going down to the next exit and doubling back, David climbed down the embankment and went over a fence to get to the motel. He really likes to stay at a Super 8's because he gets a full continental breakfast, cereal, OJ, coffee, pastries, and bagels early in the morning and he can do laundry. He just goes to the laundry facilities with a sheet wrapped around him and puts all of his clothes in the washing machine. He comes back later still wrapped in the sheet and puts all of his clothes in the dryer. I bet the other patrons are quite amazed at the site. David thinks he will need to find and purchase two new Schwalbe tires for the bike. This task may be harder than expected since the bike shop in Fort Worth, Texas, did not have them when the rear tire needed to be changed out at the bike service last week – or rather 500 miles ago.

30 May 2009 Today David was not going to take any chances so he cycled on US 80. US 80 took David through little towns where everyone was sitting on their front porches and waving at David as he passed by. David enjoyed this so he would always wave back. Well, David was cycling by a house with about 6 people in the front who were not waving. He then waved really big to get their attention and then they all waved back, which pleased David immensely! He was particularly tired today as he got very little sleep last night, so he “only” cycled 78 miles. David stayed the night in Rayville, Louisiana and had Popeye's Chicken for dinner.

29 May 2009 David crossed into Louisiana today. For his route, David started on Interstate Hwy 20, but he was instructed to get off the interstate and onto US Hwy 80 by a State Trooper via a blow horn. David had to keep cycling on I-20 to the next exit to get off the interstate. But before he got to the exit, David passed a cop who had someone pulled over for speeding. He could hear the officer yelling at the truck driver to, “Get out of the truck!” David had to cycle around the scene going around the truck. Well, he startled the cop who thought the driver was getting out of the wrong side of the car. The State trooper pulled his gun on David much to David’s surprise. And the Trooper was surprised it was David and not the trucker. David then made a bee-line to the exit and off I-20 and towards US-80. After a scary day and 100 miles of pedalling, David reached Arcadia, Louisiana, and stayed in a run-down hotel, which was a dive; but the sheets were clean and it was only $35 a night. Of course, the manager at the dive motel was behind bullet proof glass, there was blood on the ceiling in his room and the walls were paper thin. David had to wear ear plugs to sleep because of the noises from the parking lot and the train that came through town at 2am shaking everything in the room. For dinner David headed to a Sonic Drive-In. The lady who brought out his food tried to short change him $7! David was certain it was on purpose; but he didn’t want to say anything as it was a small, rough town.

28 May 2009 Today was a leisurely 92 mile bicycle ride to Marshall, Texas. On the way David stopped just before Longview, Texas, at a Dairy Queen for a mid-morning Blizzard ice cream snack. He was very disappointed to find that they were out of Oreo cookies. =0( David made it to Marshall without much to report, except that he still wanted an Oreo cookie Blizzard. =0)

27 May 2009 David left a bit late this morning because he did an interview on the radio! A very good friend of Jennifer’s named Rich Hancock is a radio personality on Rational Radio (online at www.rationalradio.org and on the radio on 1360AM) on the “Rational Radio Report w/ Jack Bishop” show. He interviewed David bright and early this morning at 7:15am about his cross country bike ride and why he has chosen the Dallas Furniture Bank as his US charity. After the interview David had to get back on the bike. He hated to leave Jennifer’s parents’ home as he was so happy and comfortable there; but he needed to begin his 95 mile trek down I-20 to his next stop - Canton, Texas. Fortunately, the wind was with him today and it was overcast – perfect weather for another almost 100 mile cycling session. David had a tough time finding a place to stay as Canton is a flea market town and First Monday Trade Days was this weekend!

26 May 2009 Today was a rest day at Jennifer’s parents’ home in Fort Worth, Texas. (Thank you Margaret and John for letting David stay over and for taking good care of him!). David did not squander his time, though. He read all of the messages left on the Coast2CoastUSA website’s Guest Book and spent some time e-mailing some new pictures to Dave, the webmaster. David also went to Performance Bicycle (5531 South Hulen Street, Fort Worth, TX 76132, p:817-717-3478) to have his bike serviced. They gave David a HUGE discount on his bike service as a donation towards the charity bike ride. They gave him 10% off of parts and did not charge him for labor - and the bike needed a bit of work after travelling over 1500 miles! Since David’s birthday is right around the corner, Margaret bought David a new saddle (that’s cyclist speak for bicycle seat) for his bike to help relieve his sore bum a little bit. =0) Kelly and Mark came over again for dinner after work so David was surrounded by family and friends.

25 May 2009 David was eager to get to his adopted home in Fort Worth, Texas - Jennifer’s parent’s house. So he cycled as fast as he could, covering 103 miles and arriving in Fort Worth at 5:30pm to a very warm reception! Jennifer’s parents (Margaret and John) were so excited to see him! Margaret has been acting as David’s base camp throughout the ride helping him find hotels and giving him a speak preview of the ride ahead. So she was particularly thrilled to see him as she has been in contact with David all along. Kelly and Mark (Jennifer’s best friend and her husband) came over to have dinner with him and Jennifer’s parents. David was so happy to see familiar faces for the first time on his journey.

24 May 2009 Sunday was overcast and threatening rain all day. There was also wind; but this time it was going David’s way and assisted David in covering the miles he needed to make up for yesterdays lost mileage. David did have to take a break in Putnam to dry off and get out of the wall of rain that drenched him. At one of David’s stops he met a gentleman by the name of Billy Ray who was also on a bicycle. He was about 65 and he and David started talking about his journey. Billy Ray told David that about 10 years ago he just got on his bike and cycled across America and everywhere in between covering over 7,000 miles! So with that in the back of his mind, David was inspired to get back on the bike and cycle onward. David made it to Cisco, travelling 119 miles! The extra miles covered today made up for the lost mileage yesterday so he is back on track to be at Jennifer’s parents’ house Monday night!

23 May 2009 David began his morning with breakfast in the hotel and took his mid-morning break in Stanton where he had coffee and doughnuts. He then stopped at the Dairy Queen in Big Spring for lunch. So far the weather had been okay with only light rain with light wind that had been blowing at his side. Just beyond Big Spring the light wind and rain became a large, slow-moving thunderstorm. The rain was coming down too hard and too fast. The puddles were so deep that he could not tell if they were just puddles or potholes filled with water. David was hoping to get to Sweetwater; but he was halted by bad thunderstorms and lightning. He did get to Colorado City covering 87 miles.

22 May 2009 Today it was raining in the morning so David got a later start than usual (7:00am) while he waited for the rain to let up. Since it was overcast, rainy and the “wicked” winds were strong and against him; it was very slow going. He did have his third puncture today, which isn’t bad considering the miles he has covered. According to David it was actually a joy to get off the bicycle saddle and fix the puncture as his bum is getting to be a bit sore. He did take a break at 4pm in Monahan. He was so frustrated by the horrible weather and the slow progress that he was about to call it a day since he had been riding all day and had only managed 38 miles… But he got back on the bike and miraculously the storm winds were with him! He averaged about 22 miles per hour all the way to Midland and arrived around 7:30pm. There were lots of overpriced motels in Midland so he stayed in an independent, local hotel for a much better price. Though sheer determination and a little help from the ever changing Texas weather, David made it to Midland covering 97 miles.

21 May 2009 Today was another long day – 93 miles to Pecos, Texas. Today the wind was actually with him until the last four miles when it changed direction and came at David from the side. On his journey to Pecos David travelled through the ghost town of Toyah. David said that there were only a handful of people near the town; but the town itself was deserted. It was so eerie as it looked like a regular town but there was no one to be found. It was the same on the outskirts of Pecos, but fortunately the main part of the town was still active with people and businesses. David has been trying to stay on the interstate as often as possible as it is straight, smooth, with fewer things to puncture his tires and there are no traffic lights. Unfortunately, when he gets to the big cities he will have to stay off of the interstate and ride on the side roads. But for now it is smooth sailing on I-20!

20 May 2009 As ever the weather is a big character in the ride. Today was a great day for cycling with temperatures between 85°Fand 90°F with light wind and it is overcast. David ate lunch at a small café in Sierra Blanca, which is half way between Fort Hancock and Van Horn, where he was surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. Just before Van Horn he crossed into the Central (AKA Texas) Time Zone. David covered 100 miles today and he saw his first sign for Dallas today – 533 miles! He has now officially completed the first third of the ride! And he’ll be at Jennifer’s parent’s home in just a few days!

19 May 2009 For David, getting through El Paso was a challenge due to traffic lights, drivers not looking where they were going, and having to anticipate every move around you. David said that El Paso is a large, long, narrow city that had some scary looking places that he wouldn’t want to see again. [I don’t think El Paso wants him on their tourism board – LOL!] David made it to Sabine, Texas at around 1:00 pm and took a break at a 7-11. He then rode on against an exhausting easterly wind for the next 23 miles to Fort Hancock, Texas. A cool front had come through cooling it down a bit, producing a thin cloud cover. But, the constant, never ending wind has still made the ride difficult. Tonight he checked into the only motel in town aptly named the Fort Hancock Motel. True to form, David did ask if the motel manager would give him a break on the price of the room, and David said the “motel manager just looked at me as though I had lost my mind.” He’s now travelled approximately 950 miles – that 20 more miles than the Lands End to John O’Groats bike trip he took last year!

18 May 2009 David has made it to TEXAS! More specifically, David made it to Northern El Paso and has been declared “one tough hombre”! David started the day at 7am and stopped for lunch in Las Cruces at 2pm where ate at Dick’s B-B-Q. After resting a bit, he started toward El Paso on State Highway 4. He had to get off the interstate when he entered the city. This makes it harder to get through the city, but safer. The wind was calm in the morning; but it picked up as David left Las Cruces making the last 15 miles really difficult. David’s joints were bothering him a little, but he “felt really good” to cross over into Texas. David rode 93 miles today making his mileage total to date… <drum roll please…> 893 miles!

17 May 2009 David had a bit of lye in this morning till 7:00 am and then started his trek. Today will be a shorter day, "only" 64 miles to Deming, New Mexico. He was considering going all the way to Las Cruces today (the next town after Deming), but that would mean cycling over 100 miles! The wind blew from the east the whole time today making every mile very difficult. The weather has been strange for the area being 10°F warmer than normal and with winds coming from the east, not the west. David had lunch at Dairy Queen which was 22 miles from Deming – are you noticing a pattern yet? Just before he got there he crossed the Continental Divide, which really cheered him up. David then set off for today’s final destination. He arrived at 7:32pm mountain time very frustrated. He is frustrated due to the fact that the maps and the GPS system is showing nothingness between the little towns out in the desert, yet gas stations, grocery stores, and Diary Queens appear out of nowhere! What this means is that sometimes David is carrying extra water, which is really heavy, when he really does not have to. And, his body hurts anywhere it touches the bike. He was able to purchase a small bottle of Aleve at Walmart and some groceries for the next morning. The Motel 6 was east of Deming by a few miles, which puts him closer to his goal for tomorrow.  David’s rebel cry is to be in his adopted home state of Texas by nightfall Monday.

16 May 2009 On to Lordsburg, New Mexico, and across another state line! The mountains were very beautiful today and David saw his first cloud. The cloud covered the sun and it made the day so pleasant not to have the hot sun beating down on him! Temperature was 95°F today and nice, as he had started out early again. David ran across his first live snake today! David was cycling along and saw a rattlesnake. He thought was dead as all the rest of the snakes he had seen were dead. This one was coiled tightly as David passed on his bike at 20 mph. David knew he would have to go out into the interstate highway to get around the snake and the vibration of the bike disturbed the snake and it sprang out at the bike. About 100 feet down the road David discovered he had another puncture in his tire. He wasn’t sure, but thought the rattlesnake may have punctured it! David stopped for lunch at Dairy Queen for a rest and a DQ country basket and then began the last 18 miles to Lordsburg. The afternoon stretch was a bit more difficult as he had a strong easterly wind in his face the whole time. David stayed the night at the Super 8 hotel in Lordsburg.

15 May 2009 Today David’s goal is to reach Wilcox, Arizona. In order for David to have the energy to get up and go first thing in the morning, he buys fruit and milk the night before. He then stopped at a Denny’s for lunch at Benson. He had gone up a hill only to come down into a valley to reach his first stopping point. Thankfully the east wind in his face had subsided making cycling rather enjoyable. Just after lunch he began the long climb up Lime Mountain. The climb came in stages of hills instead of a direct hard climb. At the end of the climb were Johnson, Arizona, a Rest Stop, a Diary Queen, and a fabulous view! David took several pictures. As he took off, he felt a wobble in his back tire. So, he took the punctured tube off, put a new one on, straightened the pokes and started off again. And, again, he still felt a wobble. This time it was more serious, a spoke was broken. He did bring spokes but for a professional bike repairer to use. The only thing to do was to try to figure out how to fix the problem... In all it took one hour, but he did it! David figured out how to get the broken spoke off, the new one on, straighten out the spokes, put back on the tire, and did some minor adjustments. David arrived at the Motel 6 in Wilcox around 6:00 pm Mountain Time. David had one last mishap today. The back, red light on his bicycle fell off at some point. After signing in at the hotel he went to a Five & Dime store that carries lots of odds and ends. He found a light and it fit perfectly. He rewarded himself with pizza at Pizza Hut. David was very pleased with himself, as he had cycled 75 miles today.

14 May 2009 David was up and gone by 5:30 am heading towards Tucson, Arizona!!  He said he hasn’t seen a cloud in a week making the air very hot and dry.  The bottled water along the way tasted horrible - he couldn’t believe they drink that stuff!  David couldn't cycle on the Interstate through Tucson so he travelled on the side roads.  It turned into a very intense day, with a lot of traffic and cycling through no-so-nice- neighborhoods.  David tried to time his cycling so that he did not have to stop at lights because he uses shoe clips to keep his feet from sliding off the pedals and sometimes it is difficult to get your feet out of them at short notice...  And today was no different.  At one point he came to a red light and just coudl not get his feet from the clips in time and he fell over!  So he has suffered a few bruises and some scrapes; but his pride is probably the most bruised.  David made it through Tucson and checked in at the Travel Inn where he stayed the night for a great rate again!  Because he set out early for Tucson, he arrived earlier than expected so he got to do a little bit of sight seeing!  David cycled to the Airplane Graveyard/Bone Yard in the Sonora Desert on Davis – Monthan Air Force Base.

13 May 2009 David was up early again today and ready to cycle 72 miles to Eloy, Arizona.  David made several stops for cold big gulps along the way.  When David got to Eloy he went into a bar where he saw his first real spur wearing, just “got off the horse“ walk’n, leather tanned face cowboy.  Behind the cowboy was an Indian!  David was dying to take a picture but restrained himself for fear of being shot or scalped!  He stayed at the America’s 1st Value Inn having negotiated a great deal for his stay.

12 May 2009 David was up and gone by 5:00 am to start his trek to Gila Bend.  By 9:00am he had covered 48 miles, but it was now starting to get hot.  He got to Gila Bend by 5:00 pm, covering 89 miles in spite of the heat and constant wind against him.  Tonight, like many of the other nights David scopes out the hotels in town.  When he gets to his destination he haggles with the motel operators to get them down to their best price and then takes it - but only if it good enough.  =0)  So far, he has saved himself quite a bit of money!

11 May 2009 David got to have a “lye in” this morning as he does not have far to go today. He will be headed to Wellton, Arizonia. When he got there he rode around a bit and got a chance to chat with several local town people.  He cycled by the Desert Motel but didn’t check in and went on to a Dairy Queen for refreshments.  While there he met a very lovely couple, Mike and Kim.  They offered him a place to stay for the night at their ranch.  David was very pleased as this put him 6 miles closer to Gila Bend.  David had a wonderful time on their 34 acre ranch with four cats, some dogs, and a couple of horses.  Mike and Kim took David to meet their neighbors, Joe and Johnny, at the next ranch.  These genuine cowboys said that they had just about broken every bone in their bodies!  David has some great stories to tell when he gets home!  He will rest well tonight and be prepared for the surge of energy he will need tomorrow to cycle to Gila Bend.

10 May 2009 Yuma, Arizona is about 68 miles from El Centro, California.  The goal is to get to Yuma then to go on to The Foothills, which is a small town on the other side of Yuma.  David is trying to get as close to Gila Bend as possible as the trip from Yuma to Gila Bend over 100 miles.  David knows it will be impossible in this kind of heat.  The heat is really beginning to get to him and everything is just plain sore.  It was a very difficult ride up the mountain taking as many breaks as possible giving his body a rest.  When he stops he video tapes himself, he is always saying that he is HOT, very HOT!!!!  On the way into Yuma he did get off of the interstate and rode on old US80 going through town and he made it to The Foothills.  David has decided instead of going to Gila Bend in one day in this heat that he will go to Wellton, Arizona tomorrow instead and then leave for Gila Bend from there the following day.

9 May 2009 Today the goal is 72 miles to El Centro, California.  The wind is blowing slightly from the East, no clouds, no place to get out of the sun, and it is between 95-98°F.  He is wearing a long sleeve shirt to help keep the sum off his arms where he is already burnt.  He is using lots of SPF 30 sun lotion; it’s just the reflection of the sun on the highway that is unfortunate.  He stopped a few times at rest stops for shade!!!  Even though he filled up with cold water and cold Gatorade, they become hot almost instantly.  Once he left Pine Valley the lush trees became desert so he is cycling downhill but it is HOT!!!  At one point he could see Mexico.  The National Guards were everywhere; there presence was definitely felt.  David could see the fence bordering the USA and Mexico.

8 May 2009 It is HOT!!! and David has been worried about running out of water so he has been loading up on water to carry!!  Today he cycled from from El Cajon to Pine Valley which was a total of 31 miles; but he was exhausted from climbing from 127 feet above sea level at El Cajon Motel 6 to 513 feet above sea level at Alpine where he had eaten lunch to the top of a 4000 foot mountain ridge and then down to 1175 feet at the Pine Valley Inn Motel.  He said he had to constantly use his breaks on the way down the mountain as he could’ve gotten up to 50 mph.  He tried not to look to the side of the mountain as it was a straight drop down.  He took pictures of himself at 3000 feet above sea level and again at 4000 feet.  It is very beautiful scenery as he is in the Cleveland National Forest.  He was stopped by the El Centro Police as he was cycling on the interstate which the officer didn’t like and he was forced to cycle on old US Hwy 80.  The problem is that this road is  very old and very bumpy and some stretches are just not there. 

7 May 2009 Today David is cycling along old Hwy 8. David has said that the roads are pretty good which is great for someone riding a bicycle. He is riding along old Hwy 8, and will do so for as long as he can then get on the interstate highway. He plans to getting to El Cajon by the evening and stay in the Motel 6.

6 May 2009 The Coast 2 Coast USA Charity Bike Ride Begins!!!
In the UK: Jennifer takes David to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) for his 11am flight. David ended up having to turn the handle bars and remove the front wheel of his bike to box it up; but the staff were very nice to him - he was the guy dressed in florescent orange with the BIG box.

In the US: David arrived at Los Angeles International (LAX) about 4:30pm. He picked up his boxed bike which would not fit on the conveyor belt at LAX, went through customs and then put his bike back together. He then boarded a bus or two taking the Metro from LAX to Long Beach (deciding not to cycle through south LA). At Long Beach David put both the front and rear wheels of his bike in the Pacific Ocean, which is the tradition when cycling across America. He will do the same once he gets to Coney Island and the Atlantic Ocean. He then set off to cycle 20 miles down the beach and then to “The Sand Piper Hotel” in Oceanside when he stayed the night.

21 Feb 2009 I plan to spend most of the weekend in my new cycling trousers to break them in.
The weather has finally improved this week. I've been cycling with the dog every evening and
this weekend I'll ride to my parents' house and to my brother's house.

19 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: Ron Hill high-quality Bikester (specialised cycling trousers); Colour: Black with HI-VIZ reflective details
E-bay purchase: HI-TEC Series 724 Running Trainers

15 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: 5 more tubes of NUUN Hydration Tablets
E-bay purchase: Satelite Windproof / Waterproof Jacket in bright orange!

12 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: Bright orange bike safety flag with mount

08 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: Cycle water bottle cage

02 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: 2 short sleeved and 3 long sleeved shirts for the ride

01 Feb 2009 E-bay purchase: 2 Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres
E-bay purchase: 1 pair of Schwalbe inner tubes

27 Jan 2009 E-bay purchase: Gel padded blue cycling gloves

22 Jan 2009 E-bay purchase: Black baseball Cap w. Hi Viz Reflective Trim
E-bay purchase: Lots and LOTS of reflective tape in blue, green and orange for the bike
E-bay purchase: Iron on Reflective safety strips

11 Jan 2009 E-bay purchase: Bicycle mirror with flexy stem

11 Jan 2009 E-bay purchase: A 1 litre sports water bottle and raleigh seat post bottle cage and mount

09 Jan 2009 I picked up the touring bike today. It has lots of places for reflective tape.

04 Jan 2009 E-bay purchase: I won the ebay bid for a nearly new Galaxy Touring Bike! I plan to pick it up on Friday.

28 Dec 2008 Today I booked my flight from London to Los Angeles and my flight from New York to London for the trip.
I depart 6 May 2009 and I will be returning to the UK on the 21 June 2009. I've allowed for a few extra
days in my itinerary just in case I need a day for or two for bike repairs.

28 Dec 2008 E-bay purchase: 3 tubes of NUUN hydration tablets