A piece of cake compared to yesterday

       After writing my blog last night, I called it a day snd hunkered down in my sleeping bag and was asleep before my head hit the pillow. The wind and rain picked up to the point of waking me.  Though the family size industrial grade rent was securely fastened to its  wooden platform,  the wind was doing its best to lift the edges and shove me around. Unbeknownst to me, with the  door flap staked open the driving rain was able to penetrate the screen covering the opening.  The rain was blasting through in as a fine mist and hitting the wall seven feet away where I was sleeping.  I woke to find water in the tent and my mattress and part of my sleeping bag soaked in water.  Camping has its drawbacks but I still love being out in the elements, it is refreshing.  Try sleeping outside for a few nights and then sleep inside,  it is claustrophobic.

Upon waking Doug texted me with a picture of breakfast on the table.  Yogart, granola, fruit and coffee, a perfect breakfast for the ride ahead of me.  With the sun breaking through I pedaled out of Egg Harbor City outskirts.   Took a few turns and eventually reached route 9 which I stayed on for the duration.  Stopping for lunch after thirty miles, I ventured to see if any warmshowers members were near Cape May, my destination. On my second try, I contacted with a member in Wildwood, Jack Morey. Literally, He was just about out the door for Nantucket.  Nevertheless, he put me up in his oceanside five story hotel and apologized that he couldn’t take me to diner.  VERY nice place free of charge; I love warmshowers.org. Room service helped me with my gear and made themselves available for anything I needed.  The view from my second story room was a panorama view of the beach and crashing surf stretching for miles.  One night its a tent and great company, the next night its luxury accommodations with me just to talk with.  

Long tough day

 Seaside Heights faded quickly in my rear view mirror  after I shoved off sat 7:40.  I climbed a substantial bridge to get onto the mainland and continued on into a head wind similar to yesterday. Making slightly better time than yesterday, things looked promising when suddenly my rear tire went flat.  What a total drag particularly since had a new inner tube with “slim” To seal any punctures.  All the bags can off, the bike turned side down, the wheel removed, the replacement of the tube with a new one, reattachment of the wheel and finally reloading the bike.  I was not a happy biker and let me pit crew at Mystic Cycle Center that I was not pleased. Back on the road again for a few more hours until I crested thirty miles I stopped for some cheese and an orange at a super sized liquor store thinking it was a grocery store. Back on the bike again the wind continued to hammer on me and with scattered showers my legs were talking to me, they weren’t happy.  Three times I struggled getting my poncho on and off again.  Each time used my rain gear I ended up a sweaty mess,  even with air flowing through. Rain gear on a bicycle is never a satisfactory arrangement but no gear at all is worse.  

Forging onward I decided to contact Doug Walker, the warmshowers contact Bruce and Sonja had given me.  He got back to me with a thumbs up.  However he was twenty-three miles south west away outside of Egg Harbor City.  Once again  google map sent me almost ten miles out of my way.  I stopped twice along the way for vitamin drinks and anything loaded with sugar to supercharge my system.  The wind eased off but it was a test of my will power as the miles clicked off. At sixty-two miles, I arrived grateful to have made it. Doug was there to meet me and set me up in a large industrial tent resting on a wood platform he had made. At sixty-one his wife had just divorced him after seventeen years of marriage. With several houses and out buildings on his property, he was clearly in need of someone to help him bring the dwellings up to snuff. Through a combination of renting them out including airbnb he is trying to cover the property taxes and cost of maintaining the property.

After a hot shower we went to his favorite Italian  restaurant where we both had superb dinners.  Along the way we talked and seemed to have a whole bunch in common including our gay sons. Through a super natural series of events he has found religion but is not locked into any religious organization.  It was quite interesting and seemed very much on the level. Anyways on our way home he showed me the way south for tomorrow.  If it pours rain  tomorrow Doug said I could stay for another day.  What is the rush anyways.

First day on the road into a stiff head wind

 Up at 7:00, had a street side cafe breakfast next door to the Freehand Hostel (about double what it costs in New London). My ride down to slip 5 for my 10:50 ferry ride to Highlands, New Jersey was a breeze.  Once on board the boat jetted along at about twenty knots as it passed Lady Liberty, Ellis Island and under the Verrazano Bridge.  Once on terra firma around twelve noon I found the coastal road and stayed on it for most of the day.  The problem being is that I bicycled into a strong headwind the whole time. Gearing down to make it tolerable, my speed dropped from an average of ten mph to just over seven mph.  

Mile after mile the shoreline was packed with houses many of which were lavish displays of one’s wealth.  Many were of respectable taste but many were, as I liked to refer, high tacky.  It mystifies me why people pack large opulent trophy houses onto tiny lots surrounded by other tightly packed houses.  

I packed it around 5:45 when I arrived at Seaside Heights and found several motels.  With the pandemic I am skeptical of airbnb accommodations which only offer a private room. Warmshowers.org had no one in the area so I settled for a no star motel. The first thing I did upon entering the room was sanitize everything I might touch.  Next a hot show and a trek to a convenience store to round up something health to eat. No restaurants were open.   The town is a classic New Jersey seaside town and with it being late September in the midst of a pandemic, the place is a near ghost town.  This means less traffic and a safer ride. Let’s pray tomorrow is free of any serious rain and no head winds.

A challenging first day

   Bounding out of bed at 7:00,  my mission was clear, load me and my bike and onto the train, get to NYC,  cross the Brooklyn Bridge, find the ferry terminal for tomorrow’s ride to Highland, New Jersey and get settled into my hostel for the night.   The first day is always challenging and the anxiety leading up to it invariably deprives me of many hours of sleep. Helping through my pre-trip jitters Betsy made me an outstanding send off breakfast of french toaster avec blueberries, sausage, coffee and an my daily sliced up orange.  Over the weeks she has pitched in helping me get through all my fall maintenance around the house. Without her help and support I would gave been hard pressed to get done what I did.   Perhaps, with some encouragement, I hope she will join me on one of my sojourns.  It was so nice to have her at the station seeing me off.  

From the time I rode out of my driveway off to the New London train station, everything went smoothly. Praise Jeeeessus!  When the train arrived in New London the conductor guided me aboard (not easy given the size and weight of my fully loaded bike.  Just a few weeks ago, Amtrak began accepting bikes all the trains. Each car has two upright racks but the train will only allow two bikes aboard, at least until the kinks are worked out.  Removing the front wheel and bags the bike neatly fit into the rack with two securing bars locking the bike into place.  The car was virtually empty which was a relief given all the germs floating around.  Even with the mask requirement, having no one around was a bonus.  On the outskirts of New York I reattached the wheel and loaded on all the gear.  Once there, the conductor helped me find the two elevators to get me to street level.  With my gps set I began sampling the New York riding conditions.  First of all, the traffic was amazingly light, very uncharacteristic of the city. The designated bus lane gave me additional space.  I arrived at the hostel high rise, checked in to my single room, shed my bags and headed off to the Brooklyn Bridge.  Once on the wide east river bike and pedestrian lanes, I cruised right along enjoying the passing boats and skyline.  Finding the bridge was easy but getting onto the pedestrian/bike way had me winding through the side streets and asking for directions. The GPS was useless.  Once on the bridge the hoards of humanity made my ride over and back somewhat tricky.  Suicide bike riders and totally oblivious tourists had me on high alert.  The wooden planks raddled beneath my wheels as I peddled along and overall it was an experience I am glad I insisted on doing.  Having circumnavigated Long Island and made to the East River,  I thought I should technically begin my trip from the east side of the Brooklyn Bridge.  Connecting the dots is important if I am to truly ride the entire east coast of the US.  New London to Winter Harbor Maine, New London to Montreal, Jacksonville to Key West, and  circumnavigating Long Island leave an eleven hundred mile stretch to complete. So here I am. After completing the bridge ride, I rode further south from the bridge and located the ferry terminal from which I need to take a ferry tomorrow to Highland, New Jersey.  Thirty minutes later I was back at the Freehand hostel where I settled into my 16th story room.  A hot shower followed by a pleasant sidewalk dinner at a neighboring Indian restaurant.  It was a nice way to finish up the day.  New York seems so different with so few people walking about but I enjoyed it.  Tomorrow, I catch the 10:50 ferry.

Brooklyn Bridge to Jacksonville, Florida

 Weeks of bulling my way through the usual fall maintenance and preparation for my ride south from NYC to Jacksonville, Florida, I am ready for liftoff. Covid 19? Staying home is more dangerous than being on the road.  On an everyday basis, the knuckle heads greet you without a mask even grabbing my hand for a shake.   Hello, who is on first? Riding solo is pretty much a solitary existence. My only concern is where I stay for the night and entering stores for food.  Two dozen masks, a water bottle filled with sanitizer and keeping my distance when talking to anyone While keep me safe.  Six feet is way to close. Camping, road side motels and properly set up warmshowers accommodations is the other half of the safety equation. With a reservation for me and my bike on Amtrak (only two bike spaces available on each train), I am bound for NYC where I will check into a hostel after riding from Pennsylvania station to the Brooklyn Bridge.  Having ridden New London to Maine and  Montreal, circumnavigated Long Island and ridden Jacksonville to Key West, I am connecting the dots.  Monday and Tuesday rain is almost certain but nothing l new for me.  It is all part if the adventure.  See you in New York.