Ode to A Honey Badger

Sometimes it’s not easy

Without making you all feel queasy

To tell you how wonderful the Honey Badger is

Riding along on Trusty in front

Of the rain, wind and hail he took the brunt

Pelted daily with flies and bugs

Even then, he was free with the hugs

From time to time there were broken spokes

But the Badger would just laugh and tell some jokes

When his hernia arrived and caused him so much pain

He simply dug in his heels and upped his game

Yes, the Honey Badger is a treasure and a half

With the unique ability to make us all laugh

So thank you, AHB, for being like that

You’re loved by us all, but especially by Kat.

Thanks sweetheart, I couldn’t have done this trip without you. You’re amazing.

Kat x

Dedicated to my cycling partner

For the past year we have been writing blogs for your and our entertainment. We were careful not to give too much away concerning who had written each blog, but we know a few of you could tell anyway!

No more guessing required for this blog! Its me Anthony ‘the badger’ Carey, and I write this brief eulogy in recognition of Kat ‘baby face’ Allison and her amazing efforts, contributions and support during our Epic Journey. There are far too many examples of her utter brilliance to write about, but I feel compelled to remind you of one such occasion when she fainted and then fell off her bike through sheer heat exhaustion, yet still got one her trusty steed without complaint and pedaled in agony for another 20 miles …awesome!

Kat you are great and thank you for helping me along this trip.

Anthony x

There & Back Again

Wow …what an adventure! We’re back in the United Kingdom, sipping wine and sharing stories with our friends and family. The trials and tribulations of snow in New Mexico, extreme heat in North Dakota and tropical storms in North Carolina are but a distant memory.

Leaving New York City is always an emotional and difficult thing to do, and waking up at 5am this morning made everything that little bit more difficult. So it was at 6:30am we were looking back over our shoulders in the back of an iconic NY cab as it emerged from the Queens Midtown Tunnel, gazing mournfully one last time upon the pulsating NYC skyline, patting ourselves on the back (aka snogging like juveniles) and shedding more tears.

The journey to NY JFK Terminal 7 was a blissful one. As soon as we arrived in the terminal building carrying our Panniers and Pan B’s we were greeted by the ever professional British Airways Ground Crew who treated us like Kings and Queens (Anthony hates it when he’s treated like a Queen) and showed an authentic interest in our journey. We have to give a big THANKS,HUG, KISS and WE LOVE YOU to the lady who changed our seats …you know who you are …you really made our day.

As we boarded the 747 the King & Queen treatment continued. We feel it’s unfair to single out individual members of the cabin crew, but unfortunately we didn’t write down everyone’s name. So we would like to thank Amita and Carola and all the cabin crew on the 08:40 BA0178 flight from NY JFK to LHR …WE LOVE YOU TOO. For those readers who haven’t traveled British Airways …three words …Just Do It!

Landing at Heathrow reminded us of how important family is. At the arrivals gate were David, Sheila, Susie and Leo who had driven over 3 hours to be there for their daughter/sister/aunt and James and Lyn who had the easier but no less important task of driving the 1 hour for their son …thanks Mum and Dad (and sister and nephew) for being so totally awesome … we’re loving you more.

Back in Olde Blighty now and enjoying the moment, but missing our American and BA friends …don’t forget to visit us in sunny London!

Us x

The Fat Lady Sings

It’s been a few days now since we finished our incredible journey. At times, it seems hard for us to remember what we have just done. But then when we look at our photos, it transports us right back there. Yesterday, we took Trusty & Steed up to Toga Bikes, where we bought them from a year ago, and had them packed up for shipping. It was an emotional time, and seeing them today all broken up, but fitting snugly into the boxes, it was hard not to shed a tear. However, hopefully, they will soon be back with us in the UK and ready to explore some of that fine land.

After some consideration, we decided to bring our flights forward, and will be flying back to London first thing tomorrow (Tuesday), arriving Tuesday evening London time. We’re looking forward to seeing our amazing families at the airport, and stepping back onto UK soil. Though we will miss the US desperately, and are sorry that we did not get time to see all the people whom we would have liked to have seen in New York.

We have many people to whom we want to say Thank You.

~ To those who have performed great acts of kindness when we have needed it most on our journey ~

Bob & Susie (Pinos Altos, NM); Jim & Susan (Fort Bragg, CA); Debbie (Fort Bragg, CA); John (Santa Cruz, CA); Oscar & Elizabeth (Petrolia, CA); Tracey & Jonathan (San Francisco, CA); Alfonzo (Glamis, CA); Jane (Prescott, Ontario); Jordan & Carrie (Orange County, CA); Garrett (Baton Rouge, LA); Marilyn & Bernard (Round Top, TX); Nick & Rachel (Detroit Lakes, MN); JB Royer (Round Top, TX); Farren (Newport, WA); Bob & Kris (Sagola, MI); Holly and Matt (Hayward, WI); Jim & Edie (Bodega Bay, CA); Lu & Jerry (Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH); Kevin & Sonja (Glendive, MT); The guys at the Dude Rancher Lodge (Billings, MT); David & Ramona (Ann Arbor, MI); Heather & Matt (Escanaba, MI); The Staff at Rockwoods (Otsego, MN); Anthony & Alexandra (Westport, NY); Kevin, Scott & Zac (Auburn, ME Fire Department); Dave & Kelly (Sunset Beach, NC); Meg & Dan (Twisp, WA); John (Georgia) and his granddaughter (Sarasota, FL); Catherine (Petoskey, MI); Pat & Chava (Los Angeles, CA); Bob & Janet (San Diego, CA); Valerie & Paul (Portland, OR).

~ To those who have done our laundry for us (a matter close to our hearts), or allowed us to use their machines ~

Cindy (Titusville, FL); Tony & Lisa (Wolf Lake, MI); the staff at the Holiday Inn Express (Cleveland, OH); Abigail (Branford, CT); Sonia (Winthrop, WA); Evelyn (Glendive, MT); Jeremy & Erin (Stillwater, MN); Brenda & Bruce (Middlebury VT); Jami (Bisbee, AZ); Chris & Deborah (Safford, AZ).

~ To those who bought us drinks, food etc ~

Bobby (Blanco, TX); Rebecca (Ridgefield, CT); Molly (Portsmouth, NH); Margaret (Harrellsville, NC); Anil & Gita (Derby, CT); Louis & Al (Middleboro, MA); Heather & Dave from Ocean Spray (Middelboro, MA); Keith (Naples, ME); Hayley, Steve, Dawn & Matt (Huron, OH); the staff at Chipotle (Bowling Green, OH); Laura (Minneapolis, MN); the guys & girls from the Thunderbird Camp (near Lake Bemidji, MN); Maddie (Wauconda Café, Store & Saloon, WA).

~ Each and every one of you that has donated to MS ~

~ Continuing support from Multiple Sclerosis Charities~

Laura (MS Trust UK)

~ Our followers, and especially all those who have commented on the blog ~

~ Our friends and family at home, who have been a constant support ~

~ Special mention for consistent commentators on the blog ~

SB, TMG

~ The owners and staff at many of the bike shops that we have visited during our trip ~

Toga Bikes (NYC); Bath Bike & Ski (Woolwich, ME); Freewheel Bikes (Minneapolis, MN); Missoula Bicycle Works (Missoula, MT); Adams Cycles (San Diego, CA); Performance Bike (Tucson, AZ); Clearwater Cycles (Clearwater, FL); Bay Cycle & Fitness (Panama City, FL); High Peaks (Lake Placid, NY); City Bike Shop (Traverse City, MI); No Boundaries (Boyne City, MI).

~ Interesting cyclists whom we have met on our way around the US ~

The Rolling Rev (MI), Dave (TX), Wolfram (TX), Brian (TX), Russ & Laura (TX), Matt & Page (NM), Brian & Paul (CA), Eric (OR), Pete & Jenny (WA), John (WA), Paul (WA), Alan & Chris (MT), Dick & Arlette (MI); Mike (IN).

Finally, thanks to those who have made recent donations: SB, The Groveenders, Sue V, Ashvin, and Laurel & Terry.

It’s been an incredible adventure.

Us x

Cycle Facts

States = 33

Distance = 13,261 miles

Ave Distance = 59.37 miles per day

Duration = 347

Cycling Days = 236

Time in the Saddle = 1,057 hours : 28 minutes

Total Elevation Gain = 444,316 ft

Total Calories = 964,014 C

Max Speed = 50 mph

Ave Speed = 12.5 mph

Ave Bike Cadence = 62 rpm

Us x

Mission Accomplished!

Looks like we made it

Look how far we've come my baby

We mighta took the long way

We knew we'd get there someday

They said, "I bet they'll never make it"

But just look at us holding on

We're still together still going strong

We guess that you probably would not have expected Shania Twain to be our choice of lyrics for our blog today… perhaps Jay-Z “99 Problems but the bikes aren’t one”! But, we’re truly overjoyed to be back here in Manhattan, 13,250 miles after we started.

We have a LOT more we want to say, but we need to go out and get a few things done…oh, and do a little bit of celebrating too. So, for now, we’ll just say thanks for all the comments on yesterday’s blog, and thanks to Lucy, Sue, Bob & Janet and Julie & Paul for your generous donations.

More tomorrow…

Us x

There and back Again

What can we say? We’re in Nyack just 27 miles away from NYC. A place we used to frequent on our other bikes, TC and Canny, when we lived in Manhattan. For those who don’t know, TC and Canny are thoroughbred versions of Trusty and Steed: taught, light and very fast racing machines.

So it was, after a short 26-mile ride from West Point, we arrived via an off-road trail along the Hudson River, with which Trusty & Steed coped admirably, at the Runcible Spoon in Nyack to reminisce and have our picture taken by Sierra.

After some great coffees, cupcakes and scones we cycled the remaining mile to our hotel, cleaned the bikes (it was raining again all day) and chilled for a while before setting out to the Thai House for our final Thai meal of the trip. Needless to say, it was the best Thai food we had had.

We can’t believe tomorrow will be our last day! Just one day left for the rest of you to follow Lisa, John & Sofia’s example and donate to MS – thanks guys.

Us x

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

So, it appears that the weather and cycling gods are both going to keep testing us until the very end. Today, the rain started literally as we stepped out of the front door of our hotel in Ridgefield, CT. Initially, it was a light drizzle and we had notions of it remaining that way. But it was not to be.

We cycled out of Connecticut, crossing the New York State border only a few miles into today’s ride: the last State border of our journey… another significant milestone. It was a fairly straightforward trip, and there was limited opportunity to stop for a break. But when we climbed a long steep hill and passed a scenic overlook in the Hudson valley, just before Bear Mountain Bridge, it was too tempting to pass by without a brief stop. Pulling over to look at the misty view and take a breather, all of a sudden the heavens opened. There was no shelter to be had, and so we simply stood and got very wet indeed as we stuffed a couple of energy bars into our mouths, and kept hoping for the rain to stop and the clouds to lift, so we could take a couple of snaps. Alas, no mercy.

As we reluctantly set off again to descend the hill in the pouring rain, freezing through to our core, out of nowhere Trusty had managed to get a puncture in his rear tyre. So, back it was to the scenic overlook to execute the repair, oh, and get a bit more drenched, and a lot colder! Heaven knows how Anthony managed to get the tyre back on, but he did, and it was plain sailing after that to cross the Bear Mountain Bridge and cycle to our hotel in West Point, NY.

It’s a historic place right on the gate of West Point military base, and has been offering hospitality to military men and women for many years, as well as the odd president from time to time! Despite this grandeur, it’s actually quite a down to earth and reasonable place to stay, and best of all it has its own restaurant, so we didn’t have to set foot outside again tonight…

It’s a short ride tomorrow to Nyack, a town that has a special place in our hearts since it was the turnaround point for our favourite ride out of NYC when we lived there, and also has one of the best coffee shops/bakeries around (which we hope will be open).

More rain tomorrow! Kat's Dad, David, will no doubt sympathise with us as he tackles a sponsored walk of 54 miles along the Weaver's Way in Norfolk over the next few days. We wish him luck and hope that the weather is kinder to him than it is being to us.

Finally, a huge thanks to Squid for your generous donation.

Us x

Hanging on by a thread!

We posted a holding Blog yesterday because we were very tired last night, after a torque busting day of cycling followed by a late night of enjoyable eating and drinking.

With just 4 days of cycling left, we woke up yesterday morning in Branford to a welcome break from the rain and wind. However, despite the weather being perfectly set to blues skies, bright sun and mid a 60’s temperature, everything else was on its final legs. Steed (Kat’s bike) was making all sorts of noises from every single moving part and Trusty’s nuts (and bolts) were shearing and literally hanging on by their final threads. Even our clothes are looking threadbare and rather unsightly. We were feeling a little worse for wear ourselves. But, motivated by the short 46-mile ride into the very chic (if slightly snooty) town of Ridgefield, we set off with a slow and relaxed pace, which was fortunate. Although short, the ride was not what we would describe as flat. With over 4,000ft of climbing and an average speed of under 10mph (only ever done 4 other times) yesterday was one of the most mentally and physically demanding days of our cycling career.

We took a break halfway through at a Subway in Derby, run by Anil and Gita, who were very kind, giving us some food and drink gratis …thank you guys. The remainder of the day was just Hell! Climbing hills so steep we couldn’t help pulling wheelies and found it difficult to control the bikes at times. Our hellish day ended (not soon enough) as we arrived at the Elms Inn and then went for dinner at the Elms Restaurant next door where we met Mark, Deb, Jon and Rebecca (thanks guys for today’s comment).

… we slept in this morning, took a walk around town, had lunch outside watching an organised parade of dogs and their owners pass by on some kind of sponsored walk, then came back to the hotel to chill some more and watch Rocky IV on TV. We’re not sure where to eat tonight, but it will be a bit more subdued than last night’s outing, as we’re back on the road tomorrow.

And thank you Bill C for the US donation, we really appreciate your generosity.

Us x

Holding Blog

We had a really tough day today and are very tired. However after meeting Monica, the manageress of our hotel and then late night drinks in the restaurant next door with the wonderful Rebecca, Mark, Deb and Jon we're feeling great again ...more tomorrow!

Us x

Catch a Falling Leaf and Save it for…Today

It’s Fall in Connecticut, and it’s beautiful. We know that if we were here just a couple of weeks later, the colours would be even more vivid, but the leaves they are a changing, the squirrels are scurrying around with huge excitement at the abundance of acorns, oh, and did we mention that the weather is closing in!

When we woke this morning, a flood watch and wind advisory were in effect for our area and we were seriously thinking about the option of staying a further day with our friends at The Whaler’s Inn in Mystic, and condensing a couple of our remaining days into one. We were seeing pictures of torrential rain, and hearing about winds gusting up to 60 mph. It was not pretty. But, strangely, outside our window, the roads were dry. There was wind, and not just from the pork and veal we consumed last night, but it really wasn’t that bad. So, why not stop making excuses and just do it?! As Jim and Edie say, it’s all about extreme perseverance!!

Well, less than a mile into the ride, the rain started, and we pulled into the side of the road under a tree to do the necessary with the rain gear. Good job. Seconds later, the heavens opened and within minutes rapids of water several inches deep were gushing down the street. We decided to set off again anyway (trees aren’t that much use with that amount of rain), and immediately found ourselves dodging hazardous flotsam that had been ripped off the trees and were now being carried along with ease by the torrent of water that covered the area that had just a few minutes ago been a bike path/shoulder. Cresting the hill, and riding our brakes down the other side, we were closing our eyes tight as the wind blew the rain directly into our faces and, well, pretty much everywhere….

Eventually, the rain slowed down and, although we were only 16 miles into our journey, we decided that we had earned a stop at the “Dunkin Dog-nuts” in Niantic: apparently America runs on it, so we thought that we would try cycling on it today. We chatted with the two lovely ladies who served our coffees and jelly donuts, one of whom has a sister who was recently diagnosed with MS. We wish them all the best, and will be thinking of them.

A few miles further on, after a bit of rain jacket hokey cokey, the rain finally stopped. Yay. And after 55 miles of riding, we were pleased to arrive at By The Sea Inn & Spa in Branford, CT while it was still light. The lovely Abigail, Abby, Abi (it depends on her mood as to how she spells it) not only showed us around, but also did our laundry for us, and then drove us to our restaurant for dinner (it was raining again by then). Abby – we love you!!

Dinner was a wonderful affair. We had read online about Le Petit Café, and saw that it had good reviews, but really it was stunning. It’s a tiny unassuming place that is a little piece of France in the middle of Branford, CT. Having gorged ourselves on all manner of rich food and wine, we were set to leave when Roy Ip, the chef, came out from the kitchen for a chat. He’s originally from Hong Kong and trained in French cuisine at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. We couldn’t believe that such authentically French food could possibly have been born as a result of Roy’s single year of training, but whatever the explanation, he’s certainly a man of great talent, and grace.

We’re now chilling out on the comfortable bed in our room listening to some chill-out Jazz….”Jaaaaaz” as John Thompson would say. On the road again tomorrow, and hoping for the sunshine that is forecast. Our friend, the Rolling Rev, will be glad to hear that we’re heading inland away from US1 (we agree with the comments, though it was actually great today), and that we have a tried and tested route down the Hudson Valley to get us back to NY in a few days time.

Us x

33rd State …done!

Our vision was to actively take part in a life changing experience that would broaden our appreciation for life. We embarked upon a mission to cycle around the perimeter of North America and along the way set ourselves many goals and targets. We’re on schedule and have successfully reached many goals, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing. We’ve missed a few targets, such as not cycling through the Grand Canyon and falling short of 14,000 miles. However …drum roll please …today we reached another goal, our 33^rd and final state, Connecticut (CT). It’s not long now until we complete our mission and realize our vision.

Being so close to ‘Mission Accomplished’ it would be very easy for us to get ahead of ourselves and lose concentration, which is not something you’d want to do when cycling the final 200+ miles into Manhattan. Therefore, with sensible heads screwed firmly on, we jumped on a bus to leave Newport over two impressively large and busy bridges, which did not permit bikes. When safely back on the mainland, we removed Trusty and Steed from the rack on the front of the bus and breathed a sigh of relief. It’s never easy sitting on a bus witnessing a grumpy driver executing every move possible to try to dislodge the bikes and run over them, only to turn around and say “sorry guys it was a mistake!”

Giving the grumpy bus driver a two-fingered salute (English style) and saying farewell to Kathleen, a lady we got talking to on the bus who suffers from MS, who gave us that extra bit of inspiration to push us along the final stages of the trip, we were back on the bikes and making our way toward Mystic, CT. The cycling was 50/50. Half the trip was on a scenic beachside highway and the other half was along a busy state highway. The shoulders were wide, the road surface was great, the traffic was thin but very fast and scary. We made it to the CT State line, shed a little tear and pushed on to Mystic. Arriving at our hotel we were faced with an Internet connection that didn’t work in our room and the realization that we had lost our cell phone …bummer.

To be honest guys we’re extremely shattered and are looking forward to being back in NYC and then the UK with family and family.

Us x

Finding the Road into Rhode Island

Today was… well, today was one hell of a day. It was the day when we passed our 13,000^th mile, and ventured into a new state, Rhode Island, but it was also one of the toughest days we have encountered in the whole trip.

The 64 miles from Plymouth, MA to Newport, RI should have been fairly easy. It looked like a long straight road with a wide shoulder, followed by a good stretch of bike path, and then a quick jaunt over the only bridge into and out of Newport that allows bikes.

Unfortunately, we did not bank on the fact that our long straight road was super busy and scary dangerous at the junctions. And apparently, cycling on it was prohibited… oops. We only found that out several miles into our ride, at which point we decided that we had better respect the rules of the road, and get the hell off! Problem was, we didn’t have a map: we are going off-piste for this last bit of our trip, skirting round the coast rather than following the ACA route inland. And, as you can imagine, the Gamines were a fat lot of use in such a crisis.

Still, with help from some wonderful people along the way today, we got here safely, and before dark… phew. A huge thanks to Louis, the owner of the Louco gas station in Middleboro, MA and Al, the owner of Middleboro Car Care next door. Al gave us some great directions to get us on our way, and Louis packed us off with some gratis bottle of Smart water. Then, when we had followed Al’s directions, we stopped Dave, who was out running in his lunch hour from the nearby Ocean Spray Corporate Headquarters, and asked him if he could direct us for the next few miles. Dave invited us into HQ and to the front desk, where Heather searched online for suitable directions for us all the way to THE bridge, and added to our liquid refreshment tally with a selection of yummy Ocean Spray Cranberry energy drinks – thanks you guys, you’re amazing.

After battling a fierce headwind, dodging drains and potholes in the road and trying to stay out of the way of the armies of cars and trucks gathering behind us during rush hour, we were relieved when the ride was over. Arriving in Newport, we were struck by all the beautiful buildings as we made our way to The Cleveland House Inn, our hotel in the centre of town. Jeff greeted us warmly, finding a safe place for Trusty & Steed to rest their weary heads overnight, and recommending a great place for two starving cyclists to eat (that’s us). The whole experience at The Moorings restaurant was superb, especially the food. We also had a good chat on our way out with Sean (bar manager, we think) who is planning to sail around the world with his wife – now that would be a real adventure! We wish them luck.

Finally, we want to mention Christina, the wonderful breakfast lady at the Best Western Cold Spring in Plymouth, whose daughter, Linda, is sadly suffering from MS. We were moved by Christina’s description of the challenges that Linda faces day in day out. When we hear stories like this, it makes a day like the day we had today not seem so tough after all.

Us x

Plymouth Rocks

Today, we’re really shattered again! 43 miles into a very strong headwind to get from Boston to the historic (Pilgrims, Mayflower, Rock, first Thanksgiving, English settlement, etc.) town of Plymouth took its toll.

Still lovin’ y’all

Us x

A Rainy Day in Boston

Although we’re only a few days away from the end of our trip, we found our non-cycling day in Boston still filled with the usual activities. While doing the laundry, we looked with a wry smile at the state of some of the clothes that we continue faithfully to wash, and agreed that their days were numbered. We booked the last of our accommodation, and had the usual frustrating time plotting the GPS waypoints for the next few days worth of routes. We’re off to Plymouth, MA tomorrow and then down into Rhode Island.

Us x

Tri-State Ride

It’s late, we’ve just finished dinner at a local Thai Restaurant and we’re back in our very comfortable hotel room watching TV and of course writing the blog.

The day began with us waking up at 7:30 this morning, packing our Panniers early and then meeting our fellow guests over breakfast. Lori, a super fit athlete, and her friend Joy were on a shopping and general pampering break, whilst Alice and Bill were visiting the area to attend a variety of theatrical and musical events. We all chatted for ages before eventually saying our farewells and going our separate ways.

Our plan for today would take us through 3 states, ending up 71 miles SW in Boston, Massachusetts. For the most part the ride was great. The tail wind pushed us along beachside highways at speed, with grand views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Sun shining bright. As we sped along, we saw hundreds and cyclists riding in the opposite direction as part of an organised ride from New Hampshire to Maine. We sympathised with their situation, with many of them displaying painful expressions on their faces as they struggled against the brutal headwind. …been there, seen it, done it.

The final 15 miles into Boston were pretty hairy! Not only did we have to battle against rush our traffic across many an 8-lane highway on awful road surfaces, but the light levels were dropping and we had to ride with extra vigilance. We had a few close calls with the traffic, but made it to our hotel safely.

Not long now.

Us x

The bands of Jupiter trump the rings round Uranus

It was a HOT day today for our 60-mile ride from Portland, ME to Kittery, ME. Negotiating the busy streets of Portland to start off, we were glad to make it onto some of the bike paths that led out of the City and down to the Coast. Yes, we couldn’t resist dipping out toes in the Atlantic Ocean again… in fact we were desperate for a swim, but we made do…

Battling a strong headwind, we were pleased to roll into our hotel by around 4.30pm, with plenty of time to relax and unwind before strolling into town, and across the State Line! Weird but true, as we walked across the bridge over Badger Island (yes, we paid homage to the Badger), and into Portsmouth for dinner, we actually walked into New Hampshire.

We ate at Pesce, a wonderful Italian restaurant serving lots of fresh fish. Hi to our fabulous server Molly – we had a fantastic evening – thank you! On our way back, there was a man in the street with a huge… telescope, with a line of people ready to look through it. Not knowing what all the fuss was about but not wanting to miss out, we joined the line, and soon found ourselves looking at Jupiter, with its Bands and 4 moons visible… totally awesome.

Then it was back across the bridge to our comfortable B&B for some GPS route planning, TV-watching and chilling out. A long one tomorrow through NH and into Boston, MA!!

Us x

Portland, Maine

Another short and sweet blog today guys! We woke up fairly early today, had breakfast, returned the Ford Escape to Hertz and then whilst Kat was planning where we would be staying for the next few days, Anthony watched Ironman2 on HBO.

At 6pm we were in a cab from the hotel to the Old Port area of Portland for dinner. Our cab driver, John was a Yorkshire man (preparing us for our NYC nights with Pat and Tim), an ex-bodyguard who has been living in Maine for the past 10 years and seems to be enjoying it. Being dropped off at the restaurant, we could see it was a popular place. No tables were available when we arrived but with help from Megan our server and Caitlin the Maître d', we were seated within 20 minutes and enjoying a lovely meal …thanks Caitlin and Megan.

Back on the road tomorrow, exactly 11 months on the road.

Us x

The Great Escape

OK, so this time, we are talking about the car. Today, we hired a Ford Escape and retraced our steps/tyre prints along the Maine coast by driving from Bar Harbor Airport to Portland, ME.

After a great breakfast at 2 Cats, across the road from our hotel, and a quick word with the resident cat at our hotel (a rather elegant grey feline with white socks and a hunting physique), we were on the road again. We cycled the 13 miles back across the island to the airport, this time finding a much better route that kept us away from the traffic and somehow also managed to have a better road surface as well… how does that work again?

Once in the rental car, we couldn’t believe how quickly we were eating up the ground, including the road works and dug-up road surface… but we also experienced a strange phenomenon. In the past, we have noticed that walking is no longer a natural movement for us. Our muscles ache as our legs try to go in a circular motion, and we keep expecting to be able to see people behind us in our helmet mirrors. When we realise that we don’t have our cycling helmets on, our heads feel strangely naked. Today, driving along, Anthony found himself taking his left hand off the steering wheel to point out pieces of debris on the road as he gently swerved to avoid them. We wonder when we will start to be normal again?!

Anyway, averaging around 50mph rather than our usual 12, the 125 miles went by in a flash and we arrived at Portland airport, and our hotel. We took advantage of the Manager’s reception in the lobby, knocking back a couple of free glasses of wine, before ordering some Thai food. Tomorrow, we’ll find our way into the city centre to have a look around, and then it’ll be back on the bikes again.

Us x

Go South

Drum roll please! Tomorrow we start heading south along the Atlantic coast. Our final 500’ish miles take us on our final leg into Manhattan. Not quite believing what we have accomplished this past 11 months, we spent most of today in automatic pilot, researching hotels from here to NYC and of course, doing the laundry. On a disappointing note, we did realise that our final mile count would be closer to 13,000 than 14,000. We blame that on the snow in Arizona, which stopped us from cycling the Grand Canyon loop …you didn’t expect us to blame ourselves for the shortfall did you?

We’re about to go out for a nice celebratory meal, get an early night and tomorrow morning start on our way to Portland, Maine.

Us x

p.s. we have returned from our celebratory meal later than planned thanks to the lovely time we had with Cerri our server at Mache Bistro

The Cadillac Escapade: An Excellent Ride

No, we’re not talking about the SUV favoured by the hip-hop crowd and notorious for being involved in drive-by shootings. We’re saying that today we climbed 1,532 ft up to the top of Cadillac mountain, the highest spot on the North Eastern Seaboard, offering 360˚ views of the surrounding area. It was stunning. And, without the bags on the back, Trusty & Steed were light as a feather, making the ascent a true “ride in the park”. The descent wasn’t bad either…

Despite the fact that we were supposed to have a “rest day” today, we decided that our surroundings were too outstandingly beautiful to either sit indoors chilling out, or even wandering around the cute town and drinking lattes etc. So, after a relaxed morning, we hit the Bar Harbor Bike Shop to pick up a map of the bike paths – Hi to Steve and Jessie – and then pedalled off into the distance…

Having reached the top of the mountain, we did the touristy thing and wandered around the loop at the top with all the other visitors, snapping away on the camera. As we were starting to head down the mountain, we bumped into Mike and Krista, who had hiked all the way up the mountain and were looking to catch a ride down... oh, we should also mention that Mike was “very funny”! We had a chat about Northern California, where they are from, and especially Gualala, CA, where they are building a vacation property, and which was one of our favourite places on the California coast.

The way down was lots of fun… it would have been more fun for Anthony had he not caught up with the cars in front and even overtaken a couple of them, but it was still a blast. Then we finished the ride by following a few of the well-groomed carriage roads in the area, away from the traffic and through some lovely wooded areas with lakes and streams etc. Bliss.

Tonight, we went back to Café This Way again, which didn’t disappoint. We’ve decided to take a further rest day here tomorrow, and then instead of backtracking by bike on the same (and only) route, we’re going to get a rental car and whizz back along the coast, freeing up some extra days to explore some new areas on our way back down the coast towards NYC.

Finally, we have two HUGE Thank You’s. Kurt, Ross and Roger Leedy, thank you so much for your amazing donation. We hope you enjoyed your trip around New England on the Harleys. Susan and Jim, thank you guys for your generosity; it’s so kind of you. We’ve been thinking of you a lot and hoping all is going well over in Fort Bragg, CA.

Us x

The Far East

Let us pause for a while and consider what we have achieved! Firstly, we are at the most Easterly part of our trip, Bar Harbor (longitude -68.206558) on the Atlantic Ocean. The first time our Epic Journey spied the US Atlantic coast was on October 20, 2009 gazing out the window on board a British Airways flight holding position before safely landing at NY JFK. Secondly, we met an extraordinary amount of fantastic people today: Lesley, Paula, Danielle, Tim, Jack the beautiful chocolate brown Labrador, Muffy (she isn’t a vampire slayer) her husband David and an inspirational hard working American called Matt. Thirdly, we had 6 comments on yesterday’s Blog (3 of them should have been on today’s but we published it late …sorry), which made us feel great, so thank you Susie aka David & Sheila, The Rolling Reverend, Laura (you’re brilliant), Lesley and Paula aka david.

So, why was today a most wonderful experience? Well …leaving Bucksport this morning under clear and sunny skies and a refreshing chill in the air, we began our 47-mile ride into Bar Harbor feeling relaxed. The first 20 miles had to be navigated carefully, as in places the road surface was as bad as a couple of days ago and the traffic was pretty heavy, but we made it through without mishap and, just as we were ready for a quick break, we cycled into the lovely town of Ellsworth. Searching for somewhere to rest a while, we stumbled across a fantastic coffee shop called ‘Maine Grind’ and as we tucked into our cup cake, pain au chocolat, beer and coffee, we met Lesley the owner and Paula her friend. Chatting for ages before eventually saying our goodbyes, we wished we could have stayed longer, just chillin’ with Lesley and Paula in the sunshine. But of course it ‘aint over till the Fat Apple sings, so we parted company and carried on our journey along a picturesque highway heading toward Bar Harbor.

The road into Bar Harbor was also pretty busy with lots of RV vacationers and 18-wheelers finishing their shifts. Occasionally we would look to our right and catch a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean peering through the gaps between the huge houses that occupied the prime real estate, gorging on the fantastic views all to themselves. It was shame we couldn’t see more because we would have liked to take some pictures. Not despondent and hoping for better views tomorrow, we carried on up and down the surprisingly hilly terrain. At the top of one of the final climbs for the day, just as we were beginning the descent, we passed by two cyclers who we would meet later that night over dinner.

The Quimby Inn was our hotel for the night. Greeted by Tim and Jack, we parked our bikes in the shed, moved in to our room and kicked back and relaxed. We’re not too sure why, but we have been finding our rides quite difficult of late. In comparison to the gargantuan rides completed early in the trip, it’s baffling why our recent ones aren’t a ‘ride in the park!’ If any of you have any theories…please share. So after a brief rest we got ready for dinner and made our way out to Main Street. Walking through the hotel reception we got talking to Danielle, the other owner, and shared stories. She explained that she hiked for 6 months, completing 2,174 miles along the Appalation Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine] raising money for MS in honour of her mother and like us, doing something challenging for herself. Again we had a long and great chat with Danielle and are very impressed with what she achieved.

Downtown Bar Harbor is a lovely little place, full of great shops and bustling with activity. On Lesley’s recommendation, we found a great restaurant called This Way Café and were tucking into some great food, when a rather healthy looking couple sat down on the table next to us and said “are you two cyclists?” “Yes were are” replied Anthony, “how did you guess?” To which David replied “your skin colour”. We all laughed, knowing that in rich affluent areas of America you don’t see many black guys! David and his wife Muffy explained that they noticed us whizzing past them down one of the final descents into town. We noticed them but didn’t recognize them in the restaurant, which is understandable ‘cause all white people look the same you know! We spoke for hours about all sorts of stuff and had a great time. David was especially interested in how fast we went down hill as he thought he was going at a fair clip. Muffy found the descent quite hairy, so she road on her breaks for most of it, which is fair enough. We explained that we were also pretty scared on the descent with all the big potholes in the road, taking it easy and keeping our speed below 35mph.

We had a great day today and are looking forward to our rest day here in Bar Harbor.

Us x

Quack, Quack, Oops

We awoke to the sound of ducks on the river below our window. They were a raucous bunch: a few white ducks with orange bills, a couple of black ducks, and a whole stream of grey juvenile delinquents with a lot to say for themselves. By comparison, the Mallards were impeccably behaved!

After a hot shower, a couple of breakfast bagels at the café next door, and a large coffee, we were well and truly awake, but still not particularly enthused about getting back on the road. It’s difficult to explain really. Perhaps it’s our bodies telling us that we have been pushing them too hard for a very long period of time, or it’s a psychological thing because we are so close to the end. Suffice to say that we gritted our teeth and jumped back on Trusty & Steed, knowing that we only had a 36-mile ride today from Camden, ME into Bucksport, ME.

The roads started off as their usual challenging selves. The road surface in Maine has been particularly difficult in places with small or no shoulders and the worst kind of broken up road surface: long, wide cracks in the direction of travel… just big enough for a tyre to slip down and throw you off balance. Still, we stayed upright and soon rolled into the small town of Belfast where we were chuffed to find a large Co-Operative supermarket. We haven’t seen one of these since Bozeman, MT and consequently ran around like kids up and down the aisles wowed by all the fresh and good quality produce. We decided to buy some cheese, crackers, wine and fruit for dinner tonight, and left feeling like all was good with the World. We also met a nice couple outside, and chatted to them for a few minutes before heading off again.

The road improved dramatically after Belfast, and before we knew it, we had arrived at our motel in Bucksport. We found that we had completed over 2,000 ft of climbing, despite the short distance we had travelled, but didn’t feel too bad for it.

We’re looking forward to an evening just totally chilling out, putting our feet up and watching TV. Bar Harbor tomorrow: the North-East turning point of our trip.

Us x

The Breaking of Trusty!

Today was a day to remember! Not for the scenic beauty, but for the catastrophic event of Trusty. Before launching into the details of our crazy afternoon, let us tell you about this morning.

Last night we had decided to implement a ‘get out of bed early go to bed early’ strategy. And so it was that this morning Anthony got out of bed at 7:30am. Showered, dressed and packed we both left for breakfast before 9:00am, where we met Pauline and Grenville originally from Derbyshire (England) who were visiting family in Jersey and then taking a vacation up the New England coast. Following breakfast we were back in our room making final decisions about what bike gear to wear to ensure we didn’t get too cold on the ride (the temperatures have been dropping recently). By 10:30am we were outside at the front of the hotel in the searing heat (yeah we were surprised too) taking layers of clothes off! We started to pull a small crowd. Chatting to a few people we explained that we were cyclists and not voyeurs with a fetish for black skin-tight clothing.

Waving goodbye to our new found friends we set off on our 55-mile ride toward Camden. The going was tough but not difficult. For the first 5 miles, the road surface was horrendous and the traffic was thick and fast. But we soldiered on and as luck would have, 1 mile later we turned off the main road and onto a quieter and smoother version. All was good as we crested the brow of our first hill climb for the day and began a gentle descent down the other side. Whilst freewheeling with carefree intent, Anthony decided to pick up the pace a little and put some torque through the crank. At that precise moment everything went crazy! Seriously, we had no idea what happened, but the resulting image of his back wheel, spokes, rear derailleur, chain and cables meant that cycling was off the menu for today (see photos).

Fortunately our mobile phone and the prompt service from a nearby taxi company, was instrumental in helping to save the day. Jerry our taxi driver picked us up in the middle of nowhere and drove us to the nearest bike-shop, Bath Cycle & Ski where Jesse fixed everything, Davis grilled some chicken on the BBQ and Marnie was really nice. We must have spent 4 hours in the shop whilst Trusty was put back together again and we give our full gratitude to Jesse, Davis and Marnie for getting us back on the road. By the time all was present and correct and after receiving a very kind donation from John Bouchard, it was 5pm. Rather than begin a 50 mile cycle with the last 3 hours/30 miles being completed in the dark, we called the cab company again and had to spend dollars to get ourselves to Camden. Thanks to Tony our other taxi driver who got us to our destination safely and still with daylight hours to spare.

Strangely, we were still tired and hungry for fresh good food when we got to our hotel. Our prayers were answered, as just 2 blocks from our hotel was a great (utterly great) and honest restaurant, The Long Grain. Run by a couple from Bangkok, the meals were very tasty, made with organic ingredients sourced from local farms. We met more lovely people and especially enjoyed our time spent with Paul and Julie, who were vacationing, having their own kayaking adventure …good luck guys, it was great meeting you.

Back in the hotel room watching House, we hope tomorrow will be less adventurous.

Us x

Cream Crackered

For some reason the last few days have taken it out of us! It’s strange because the people we have met recently on our trip say to us “you must be in great shape by now” after we describe our adventure so far. And we would agree with them: we should be. Yet we find ourselves with aching muscles and just wanting to spend all day sleeping, or at least lying down, and doing as little as possible.

So, being kind to ourselves, that’s just what we did today. We ventured out briefly to wander up and down the small, cute high street in Bath and buy a latte and cupcake (!) but otherwise we limited our activity to some essential admin and (of course) laundry. Following our stomachs again, tonight we will go out for a quick bite to eat and then try to get an early night… zzzzz.

On the bikes again tomorrow, heading North East along the Maine coast.

Us x

Time to take a Bath!

There’s this lake …and it’s very long. The name of this lake is Long Lake and it is a very beautiful 11-mile stretch of water surrounded by a dense ridge of trees that are in the throes of changing their colour from green to kaleidoscope. Our B&B, The Inn at Long Lake is perched on a little hill at the southern base of the lake. Looking out of the window as we woke up this morning, we were greeted with a vista akin to a Turner painting …it was wonderful. We had a lovely breakfast with Keith the owner/manager of the Inn and once again chatted about all the things that were wrong and right with the world. We’ve picked up so many pearls of wisdom whilst on this trip we’re beginning to feel like an aromatic plant with grayish-green leaves! Wishing Keith well, we set off on a 55-mile roller coaster of a ride toward Bath, ME.

Our starting elevation this morning was 350ft and our finishing elevation was to be 100ft, so today’s trip was supposed to be short and simple. The weather was playing ball and despite starting later than planned we still had loads of time. What we didn’t plan for was (i) over 3,600ft of climbing: “How is that possible with a net descent for the day?” you ask …well it was possible, and it hurt; and (ii) two stretches of road being closed, with very long detours, 2 miles and 15 miles respectively.

Approaching the first ROAD CLOSED sign, we duly cycled past it ignoring all warnings of no THRU ROAD. A mile later at the bottom of a very steep hill, we were confronted with a giant-sized hole in road, filled with all sorts of construction equipment. The way was shut and there was no route across …funny that! We reluctantly about-turned, pedalling back up the steep hill and took the short detour, as instructed. It was getting later and we were getting tired, the realisation that ‘short n simple’ were not going to be the adjectives for the day was becoming apparent. We took a quick break at the side of the road, refuelled and began again. 10-15 miles later we approached a second ROAD CLOSED sign. Learning nothing, we were about to cycle straight through, our usual Modus Operandi, when fortunately, Anthony had a rear wheel puncture right next to the “road-closed” barriers. We say “fortunate”?! Because, as Anthony was fixing the puncture, Kat removed the Panniers from Steed and went on reconnaissance down the closed road …15 minutes later …Kat returned and explained that there was no way to cross the road. Apparently a massive crane was fixing the road next to the river, when the road suddenly gave way …the river claimed both the road and the massive crane. The road was now closed for different reasons, as the county departments work out how to get the crane out of the river. However, as luck would have it, during her reconnaissance, Kat had met some burly firemen who said they would escort us across a private field avoiding the collapsed roadway and more importantly the 15-mile detour. Thank you Thank you Thank you Kevin, Scott and Zac for saving our lives (we know you save lives everyday).

Despite experiencing another rear wheel puncture, we struggled up many more steep hills and made it to our hotel in Bath, ME at 6pm, just before the rain started! Dinner at Solo Bistro was very nice and we were happy that tomorrow would be a non-cycling day.

Us x

The Maine Event

OK, so we went to bed last night saying “we’ll be up early tomorrow morning…NO EXCUSES”. Well, here are the excuses… (1) the washing machine broke with our laundry in it last night, causing a delay and leaving us with half-dry clothes that we had to hang up before finishing the rest of our duties and turning in for the night; (2) we were woken by our not so light-footed neighbours stomping up the hallway stairs and once in their room (directly above us), proceeding to march back and forth into the early hours for no apparent reason; (3) at 1am a gaggle of drunk girls stumbled into the car park outside our bedroom window cackling loudly, looking for the keys to their car and setting off their car alarm 4 times for a minute at a time; (4) at 2am the car alarm went off again, at which point Anthony went outside to “sort things out”; (5) we’re just not very good at getting up in the morning (especially applicable to Kat); and (6) the dog ate our homework.

Despite all the above, we did manage to get up at an almost respectable time, and drag ourselves to breakfast at our hotel, where we were instantly woken up by the guys on the table next to us. Kurt and Ross are brothers who are on a trip with their Dad, Roger. They’re all riding Harleys, and they were full of beans this morning, chatting away to us about our trip and about journeys they have made before on their Bikes (of the motorized variety). Their energy and enthusiasm gave us a bit of a boost, and by the time we set off, we were ready to tackle our first challenge of the day: the small matter of a 2,855 ft climb to the top of Kancamagus Pass.

It was quite tough starting at the bottom of the climb, as our little leggies were a bit tired after the last few days of hills, but once we were into our stride, it was a doddle. The weather wasn’t really playing ball, however, and we were doing our version of the Rainmac Hokey Cokey… you put your rain mac in, you take your rain mac out; in, out, in, out, you shake it all about; you don your Gore-Tex trousers and you turn around; that’s what it’s all about … oh the rainmac hokey cokey etc etc... rah, rah, rah… repeat to fade…

Anyway, 14 miles later, we had reached the top and the rain had pretty much gone away for the day. Instead, it was freezing cold, so the long trousers had to come out as we prepared for 20 miles of descending. But we’re not complaining – it was a stunning view, and we’ve been quite enjoying getting back to a bit of hill-climbing and hurtling down the other side. No land speed records today, but a lot of fun!

After 69 miles we arrived at our destination for tonight, Naples, Maine, and a charming B&B called The Inn at Long Lake. We were welcomed warmly by Keith, the owner, and later wandered out to dinner at a local Brewpub, Bray’s. With no TV to keep us up tonight (ooh, did we list that as an excuse for our late night last night), it’s 10.15pm, we’ve done all our chores, brushed our toothy pegs, and are ready for bed. Let’s see what time we make it up tomorrow?

Us x

P.S. Don't forget to check out the photos.

The Hotel New Hampshire

We met a lot of lovely people whilst staying at The Norwich Inn and leaving this morning was no different. After a large and very fulfilling breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, we scurried back to our hotel room to get the bikes ready for our long ride over some serious climbs. Making our final lubrication and pannier fastening checks in the rear car park, we got chatting with some fellow cyclists who were just about to begin a 35 mile ride in and around the area, and 2 ladies, one of which we met the night before, who were sincerely interested to hear our story a second time. We eventually finished preparing the bikes and managed to cycle all of 20 meters to the General Store at the front of the hotel, to buy fluids and peanuts, when we got chatting again! to the two cashiers in the shop. One of which, Ben Ryan, is the son of Lloyd H Kasper –Dept of Neurology, Dartmouth College MS research and Director of local MS Clinic. We hope they’ll be following the blog.

So it was a busy morning and despite our early’ish wake up, it was 11:30am by time we got rolling. The featured item on today’s menu was sauteed hills in a hill reduction with a side of hills and hills! It rained on and off all day but for the majority of the time it was bright and sunny around us, fairytale mists crowning the mountains high above us, and a slippery wet sheen beneath us. However the treacherous road surface didn’t stop us from enjoying both sides of the mountains! You must understand that when sweating blood and tears for over an hour climbing a steep high mountain, all you can think about along the way is getting to the top, and when you get to the top you feel like a God. High and full of euphoria, you are then eager to feel like a kid again and zoom down the other side …and we wanted to feel like kids again So you will all be pleased to hear that, 6 miles from our destination soon after conquering the last ascent, Anthony became ONE with Trusty and hurtled down the slippery wet mountainside, sweeping around bends faster than Lewis Hamilton managed to do in last weekend’s GP and broke his land speed record. A very respectable 50mph/80kph in the wet…awesome and scary! Needless to say the final few downhill miles brought us to our hotel in the ‘shake of a lamb’s tail’.

Dinner was a rushed affair this evening. Tomorrow’s ride will be a longer, higher and harder, which will require an early start tomorrow morning… …no excuses this time. We also had to do some laundry and plan some routes.

Everything was done in time, apart from the blog, so apologies for the late posting. Before we go, a quick mention to Joseph, Anthony’s son, who is doing a charity fun run on September 25^th, raising money for cancer research …good luck Little Fella. Our followers can donate to Joseph’s cause by clicking here –-> donate to cancer research cause Joseph is keeping fit and doing something good.

A new state today, another state tomorrow: Maine.

Us x

Only Happy When It Rains

Hearing torrential rain pounding down outside our B&B in Middlebury, VT from the early hours of the morning, through until the alarm rang out at 7am, we thought that we would cheer ourselves up by having a massive argument to start the day! Well, they do say that when it rains, it pours.

Anyway, by the time we had finished yelling at each other about nothing, it was around 11am, much later than we had intended to leave for our 66-mile ride into Norwich, VT. On the positive side, the rain had stopped!!

The day started with a long and steep ascent over Bread Loaf and the Middlebury Gap, which stirred Anthony’s “hisnia” up nicely, followed by one of most precipitous descents we have experienced on this trip: a 12% gradient where we accomplished a max speed of 46mph while dodging the many pot-holes. After all the climbing, the downhill was over in a flash. Hmmm, that helped our mood no end…

Knowing that we had a long day ahead of us with a further climb towards the end and worrying about fading light, we decided that we didn’t have time to stop for a break in any of the cute little towns that we passed through. As luck would have it, around 35 miles into the ride, the rain started again. Being forced to pull over and don our rain gear, we took the opportunity to pack down a few choice tidbits from our handlebar bags, which actually made us feel a bit better. From then on, although we could see clear blue skies ahead, behind and either side of us, a large black raincloud hung directly above following us for the next 20 miles, emptying its ruin upon our weary bodies without respite. We guess we deserved it… miserable gits!

As we continued on, Kat noticed that a lot of the places in this area, including our destination for tonight, Norwich, seem to be named after places in Norfolk: not only Norwich, but Thetford and Brandon too. And then, as we were cycling through the town of Sharon, Anthony spotted a road sign that helped us crack a smile (see photo). We noted that there are a lot of Sharons in Norfolk too.

Once we laughed and smiled, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and we turned off the busy main road on which we were cycling and onto the unmade Quimby Mountain road. Usually we would have done a great deal of tutting, rolling of the eyes and cursing about the road surface, but for some reason, Trusty & Steed came into their own, and we really enjoyed our climb over Quimby mountain. On the way, we bumped into David, who was out walking his Boxer dogs, and looked pretty surprised to see us (it’s a quiet road). We had a good chat with him as we got our breath back and found that he’s a keen bike rider too.

After a few more steep sections, it was downhill all the way into Norwich… yee-hah! We love our room at the Norwich Inn, and had a great meal in the restaurant here, ending the day in much better spirits that starting it. Tomorrow, we’ll be leaving the beautiful Vermont and moving on into New Hampshire. We can’t believe that we don’t have more photos, but since it’s rained almost constantly since we crossed the state line, we’re not going to beat ourselves up too much.

Us x

Breakfast in Bed

As non-cycling days go, today would be classified as an ‘Hors Catégorie’ Rest Day’. We started this morning with a healthy breakfast in bed followed by Brenda & Bruce doing our laundry for us (big thanks for being so selfless). The remainder of the day was seriously relaxing. Apart from customary route planning and reorganising the NYC accommodation to accommodate the premier standards of the high rollers who will be joining us in the Big Apple, we spent most of our time chilling out in our room watching TV.

We’re back on the road tomorrow.

Us x