Four States In

After almost four weeks of being on tour, I finally have access to a computer and spare time to write.

Let's start with where I'm at now:

Currently staying in the historic county jail of Farmington, Missouri. It has been renovated into a very nice biker's hostel, complete with air conditioning, showers, beds, and wifi. What distinguishes this place from the others is its spacious layout, modern decor, and well kept bathrooms; offering its guests a wonderful homey feeling. Farmington is a nice little town that seems to be thriving--from what, I do not know. I got to visit the first music store I've seen, a locally-owned shop called Music Makers. The town also has a surprising number of other retail and food options as well, which is a rare convenience as of late. I'm glad that we decided to hide from the rain today and stay here. 

So what's been going on since the last time I posted (in the beginning of Kentucky)? Well...

The Trans America Trail--also known as U.S. Bicycle Route 76--creeps along each state via non-interstate roads, often taking us through the more rural parts of each state. Every so often, we go through a "larger" town (population ~10-20,000), giving us the chance to visit a bike shop or order chain pizza for once.

The Appalachian mountains in Virginia and Kentucky were intense. Winding through narrow, shoulder-less roads as huge Mack trucks loaded with coal or lumber careen past us. Climbing up thousands of feet in elevation for hours in the blistering heat, only to descend the same distance in a matter of minutes going in excess of 40 miles per hour. Getting chased by dogs uphill. Harassing dogs on the flats and downhill. Jumping into rivers and streams to cool off. Having lunch breaks on the edge of cliffs and scenic valley overlooks. It was all an absolutely thrilling experience, albeit challenging.

As far as lodging goes we've had access to a variety of campsites, community centers, churches, hostels, and homes. I remember thinking in Kentucky about how nice some of the churches were in contrast to the poor communities that surrounded them. The middle of Kentucky was clearly more affluent by the freshly paved roads, modern houses, and sophisticated farm infrastructure. Plus these places were closer to the bigger cities like Lexington and Louisville. My most significant memory from western Kentucky was that every gas station we stopped at seemed to have a country store and diner attached to it. And in each one, you would see the old, retired regulars having their coffee and eggs with a lit cigarette holstered in an ashtray next to their toast. It was like going back in time.

Illinois went by pretty quickly. All I can really remember is just flat land and farms. As we neared Missouri's border we found a flooded Mississippi River, the surge pushing out far onto the banks. We crossed into our next state from Chester, IL (Home of Popeye) to here in Farmington. The topography is much more hilly that Illinois and will continue to get more mountainous as we come into the Ozarks. Afterwards, in Kansas, it will be flat and hot until Colorado.

I've been trying to figure out how to elaborate my personal feelings about the tour for the past hour, and I really can't put it into words. But I can say that there is no substitute for this tour. It's real life. My bike, my belongings, and I exist in the spaces that are immediately available to me. I take the good with the bad, and there is no matter more important than the present. It seems surreal in comparison to my everyday life before the tour; but it's actually more normal now than ever and I love it.

There. I hope to post again before we get to Colorado :p

- Chris