Fin!

Feeling: Elated at being able to throw out my incredibly manky socks.

From the last post, I forgot to mention my most recent and worst bit of abuse I've suffered on the bike. As I was leaving Lansing someone threw a bottle of what I believe was used chewing tobacco at me. These kind of things are annoying, but like all the verbal abuse it does no damage so you can just carry on cycling. And then when you meet someone watering their crops just down the road who lets you borrow their hose to wash all the crap off you feel good as if you've had a small victory.

Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain, Chicago IL

Yup. 3063 miles and I'm in central Chicago IL. From the beginning I wanted to get to Chicago as I loved it on a previous visit that lasted only an afternoon between airports. At about half 2 on Friday 27th July I pushed my way through the crowds to reach the Cloud Gate in Chicago's Millennium Park and my personal finish line. There were fanfares and shouting and cheering and congratulations and all of it in my head in the last few miles. Once at the park, nothing. You want to be able to let it all go and celebrate with everyone, but you can't because you're all alone in a foreign country surrounded by people who don't know you, don't know what you've achieved, and have achieved more themselves. Plus, the journey isn't fully over yet - there's still that simple matter of finding somewhere to sleep, along with selling the bike, buying a ticket for the bus, finding plane tickets home, and finding new socks as yours need hammering out before your feet will fit in them. I always thought that that 'new pants feeling' was the best, but no, it's all about the socks.

Lets have a look at the numbers...
3063 miles.
15 State capitals, 18 States.
108 days, of which 70 were on the bike.
28.4 miles per day average over the whole trip, or 43.8 miles if you only count the cycling days.
Maximum distance in 1 day was 85 miles from Williamsport down to Harrisburg PA.
Countless gallons of Powerade drunk.
Too few gallons of chocolate milk drunk.
1 train ride (but in my defense it was through New Jersey).
1 crash with 1 trip to hospital. 4 other very minor injuries.
1 bike, 1 new wheel, 2 new tires, 3 new spokes, 3 sets of new brake pads.
Just over 1 stone in weight lost, and a couple of inches from me waist.

My reflection in the Cloud Gate - the finish line in Chicago

What now for this blog? Well, I've still got some things to say and the fun isn't over yet so things will be continuing until I'm home in early September. Many thanks to those who've sent me messages and spoken to me through various means, keeping me sane and cycling (they're not mutually exclusive, it just seems like it).

The End Is Nigh!

Drinking: Chocolate milk by the gallon

So the last significant post was back in Indianapolis where I'd covered 2500 miles and reached 14 State capitals. I've been slack in keeping up with the blog and taking photos, but I've not been slack on the bike. I've now got 15 State capitals and 3000 miles under me belt, and also crossed a timezone somewhere (I'm entirely confused this morning).

Welcome to Michigan - A Meth Watch Community

Cycling up from Indianapolis towards Lansing, there really isn't much to say. It's all flat and there's nothing but corn fields. Everything looks the same from the west side of Ohio, through Indiana and into Michigan. On me travels I've seen a number of different communities such as the neighborhood watch community, the bike friendly community (usually just as the hard shoulder ends forcing you into the traffic), even a golf cart friendly community. As I entered Michigan I was assured that I was entering a meth watch community which tells you a little of the area.

State Capitol, Lansing MI

Despite Michigan being full of 'chemists' I've met some amazing people and had a great time starting off with lunch in a really small place in Albion, The Red Lunch Box Cafe. Just a shoebox of a building, painted red, but run by a family and with most of the family there. I usually end up in a Subway or something as most towns seem to have only 'bar & grills' and nowhere that looks intriguing or enticing. Meeting a group of people who are friendly, welcoming and interested in who you are and what you're doing just makes for a better experience.

And so began a long weekend of CouchSurfing and drinking, starting off in Eaton Rapids (20 miles outside Lansing) where I stayed with Karen. Myself, Karen, and her son, Tom went into Lansing to visit the Michigan Brewing Company for a flight of beers and some food. Other than that, it was just a relaxed evening watching TV and fussing over the dog.

My first night in Lansing was nice and quiet drinking homebrew with Kuba, his girlfriend Sara, and their housemate Ben. I had the same conversation with each of them about how little stuff I have with me, but it was a much needed evening of just sitting down and doing nothing and throwing a screaming toy monkey with a cape into a ceiling fan. If you've ever done something similar and felt like you've wasted an evening, you're wrong.

Breakdancing at Vacant Lansing

Next day it was off to meet my second host, Pam. We went down to the market for some food, wine tasting (5 free samples, or 10 if you're me), and a basil plant, before going to an old outdoor swimming pool in the shadow of a power plant. Once more of Pam's friends turned up to sort out specifics for a wedding, Pam and I went to Vacant Lansing (expect nothing). The organisers had sent out a couple of clues as to the theme  and a Google reference for the location, but that was it. One of the big attractions of this event is that no-one knows what will be involved until you turn up. They take over a vacant building for one night and explore how the space can be used to draw attention to the area and hopefully begin regeneration while raising funds for a worthy charity at the same time. We had a 90s theme with beat-box and break-dancing, arcade machines (I suck at Pacman) and some painting things going on. After that, more relaxing and drinking the wine bought at the market earlier and making Smores (Smores and wine is not a classic combination).

Drinking day number 4 began with breakfast followed by ruthlessly decimating the wedding playlist that had been worked on the day before. Seriously, no wedding playlist is complete without the half past 10 Chesney Hawkes, Jon Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams combination of cheese. Things got a bit complicated then as a number of plans varied and intertwined as I was supposed to be cooking for Kuba and playing kickball, but got an offer of frisbee and volleyball at the lake with Pam. I forsook the cooking and kickball in favour of frisbee, volleyball and a pint before heading back to Kuba's for a friend's birthday and much more drinking.

I can confirm that drinking does very little to prepare you for a 65 mile ride on a really crappy road in ridiculous heat. I was in agony when I reached Grand Rapids, but I had somewhere to stay as one of Pam's friends, Jeff, had agreed to host me. With another of his friends, we went for a tour of the local breweries to complete the 5 day drinkathon.

Meeting and staying with people is amazing and makes for a much more interesting and fun time, however it is pretty tiring and I wouldn't have made it anywhere near as far as I have done. Think I'd still be languishing in New York or Pennsylvania if I'd have been CouchSurfing the whole time.

Warren Dunes State Park, Lake Michigan, MI

Since the Lansing drinkathon, I've made it to Lake Michigan which I'm following round to my final cycling destination - Chicago - the end is nigh!

Apologies

So, I know I'm well overdue a blogpost. There is one coming, but right now I'm knackered after a weekend of drinking, partying, sports and drinking followed by 116 miles in 2 days in high 30s C heat with even more drinking at a number of breweries. That, and before Lansing there isn't really much to say - one corn field looks much like the next several hundred.

Actually Michigan, but could be anywhere between Columbus and Lansing

IN Indy

Listening to: Human Fly performed by Brown Bottle Flu

State Capitol, Indianapolis IN

Three achievements to report here: 14 State capitals, 2500 miles and 3 months in the States. From here on in, I'm making use of the B2 visa.

Following on from things going randomly right in Richmond, my public request for a couch in Indianapolis was answered by a teacher called Brandon who has an entire summer off with nothing to do other than party. Events were started with a trip to a brewery where they do tastings much the same as they do in wineries. Great concept, but a fair amount of beer to get through in one go and by the time you get to the last beer you can't taste anything nearly as well as when you started.

Original LOVE sculpture, Indianapolis Museum of Art

Another day, and another art museum - the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Decent collection of art, and home of the first 'LOVE' sculpture, but not as good as the Columbus Museum of Art. The IMA has a better collection but just doesn't inspire the same connection with the art. There are some good quality gardens that are well worth the look around though. The best thing to cure a day of culture? A bar where you turn up with your own giant goblets for cheap beer (cheap crappy beer anyway).

Canal District, Indianapolis IN

After a little confusion I met up with my second CouchSurfing host, Becs, and do I fancy going to see a band? Of course I do! We were driven down to Bloomington IN by one of Becs' friends after we picked up her previous CouchSurfer, a crazy German guy by the name of Axel. Arrived at the venue and nothing. Band haven't shown up. Bit of berating on Facebook over dinner and the gig's back on! First time I've seen a 3 piece punk band play with only 3 bass strings, playing to an audience you could count on your fingers, but quality version of Human Fly. The guitarist and bassist were both in separate bands in a battle of the bands playing across town. We did the groupie thing and headed over where there was a crowd so big you'd have to take at least one of your socks off to count the number of people. 1 beer, 1 hairy bear, 1 share of a fishbowl, 5 bands and home at half 3 - decent evening.

I think I now know what my next plans are. I've been cycling for 3 months and I've covered a significant distance, but if I carried on cycling I'd have to really bump up the distance cycled per day and I'd still miss a lot of sights. The massive three people who answered my question on Facebook have confirmed that stopping cycling and doing a bit of sightseeing is the right thing to do. The plan then is simple: cycle to Lansing MI for capital number 15 and follow the lake round to Chicago IL. Sell / give away / abandon the bike and continue the journey by train or bus most likely in some kind of loop going to Seattle, San Fransisco, Utah, New Orleans and work my way back to New York to fly home again. If anyone has any suggestions for places to visit then leave comments, send messages, Skype, email, etc. etc.

Sometimes, Things Just Go Right

Listening to: Sly & The Family Stone (on vinyl)

Columbus OH

With my second host in Columbus, the lovely Kristen, things started off with a late evening. From nowhere a load of people turned up, largely thanks to an app called GroupMe and there was plenty of talk about bikes. Really good group of friends and housemates who were completely relaxed and laid back with each other. After a day wandering round an area of town called the Short North and doing my best to avoid the sun, we headed out to a club that plays proper 50s rock 'n' roll. In my slightly "worn" t-shirt and trousers I thought I'd be under-dressed for a place like this, but no, not even close.

Ohio - it's flat

Leaving Columbus, I nailed 75 miles to get to Englewood, north of Dayton. Finally, my fitness is back good and proper. I'm now well and truly in the flat part of the States. I'd heard that it'd be flat, and it really is. Not even 4 years in Oxfordshire can prepare you. In Maine there was ocean to look at, in Vermont there was mountains and forests, in New York there was lakes and wineries, in Pennsylvania there was plenty more mountains, but in Ohio there's just flat fields. As I approached Englewood I was cycling along a ridge when I heard a jet engine with the unmistakable sound of afterburners and I knew that something decent was overhead. Just about kept one eye on the road as 4 F/A-18 Hornets flew past in a tight 4 diamond formation - only America's equivalent of the Red Arrows, the Blue Angels.

From Englewood I headed to Richmond, Indiana. Along the way I met another cyclist (Ross), heading towards California, in a petrol station. As we were both heading to Richmond we rode together to meet his Richmond contact through WarmShowers (Aaron). Once there we had some icecream and spent the afternoon playing guitar, violin and accordion with a songwriter friend of Aaron's, Nathan. I am incredibly jealous of these people as they're so creative and can connect with each other through music and write songs together with no apparent effort. The unexpected and unasked for generosity of people has been shown again today by Aaron who prepared dinner for both myself and Ross, and also found a friend nearby who could host me for the evening so I'm now staying in a massive old house with the incredibly kind Kurt. Sometimes things just work out and work out well. It's a great feeling to be a part of it when things do work out like that and I hope that I can be on the giving end of random generosity once home again.

America - Fuck Yeah!

(Sorry Granddad, it's a reference to Team America. You won't like it.)

Everyone is wearing: Short shorts.

4th July fireworks

Columbus Ohio - State capital number 13, over 2300 miles covered. I arrived in Columbus on 4th July, an important day in America celebrated with quality foods such as burgers and hotdogs, and by blowing shit up. Independence Day celebrates America's independence from British rule. A key influence in this was the raising of taxes on the Colonies without representation in Parliament.

Taxation without representation is tyranny.

A tyranny that Americans fought against and upheld the principle as a cornerstone of their democracy, unless you live in the nation's capital, Washington DC, in which case you get taxed as much as anyone else and only have one guy in the House of Representatives who can only listen to what's happening and not vote and that's it as far as representation goes. Independence Day is a reminder that America is free from British rule. That Britain no longer has any say in its direction or development. That Britain can claim no responsibility for America's growth and rise to superiority as a global superpower. That Britain can no longer claim any responsibility for America's foreign policy, warmongering or crippling debt. That Britain is free!

Fine pair of beards

My stay in Columbus began with meeting my WarmShowers host for a few nights, Josh. Got to say - he has one luxurious beard. 4th July in America wouldn't be 4th July in America without a cookout and fireworks and I've been fortunate enough to experience it. We headed out to a friend of Josh's for burgers, hotdogs and beers with an impressive collection of beards on display. On the way to the park to watch the firework display, we were surrounded by kids with glowsticks. Looked like something out of Avatar and not something to be tried on a bad acid trip. The fireworks came complete with patriotic soundtrack that everyone claimed not to like or listen to and yet they all knew the words. We missed the start of the fireworks as they were set off a little early to miss the approaching storm (another one - this 40 C heat with 60% humidity is just crippling; the dew point was 25 C the other night) which we just about avoided on the way home.

Mobiles constructed by visitors to Columbus Museum of Art

In COSI, yup, another science museum, I thought I had a new favourite museum. The first exhibit about the ocean was just incredible. There were water jets and games and fun things all over the place in a space that looked like a cave with a giant statue of Neptune looking over things. After that though, somehow I just couldn't connect with the rest of the exhibits. There seemed to be too many things that were for kids and just there for the sake of fun and the educational aspect didn't really come across, or there was just displays of things that were a bit boring and didn't inspire. So, Connecticut Science Center remains my favourite museum for now. Honourable mention for the Columbus Museum of Art though. Not the biggest collection, but with post-it notes and set questions all over the place, materials to make sculptures and tags with emotions to make you find a piece that conveys that emotion, the museum engaged visitors with the art better than any other museum that I can remember. Any place that has a collection of shapes and holes and tunnels and asks kids to make a quality fort with supplied sheets and cushions has got to be doing something right.

On The Road Again

Let's set the scene and have a look at what can possibly go wrong.

• Have I been up until half 2 drinking? Of course I have (great evening with my couchsurfing host, Iva.).
• Have I woken up early resulting in very little sleep? About 6, and unable to get back to sleep.
• Are my energy levels at their peak? Not quite, but getting there at last. Good enough for a 40 mile ride easily.
• Do I have enough energy? Maybe not. The ridiculous temperatures suppress appetite so I've not been eating quite as much as I should.
• Are there any conditions that may make cycling difficult? Only some massive hills, temperatures in the high 30s, and a new fear / caution of picking up too much speed and the abundance of potholes, rocks, tree debris and roadkill littering the roads.
• Are there any holidays coming up that may make hotels more full than usual? It's only the Saturday before 4th July.
• Have there been any natural phenomenon in the area that could cause people to seek refuge in hotels? There's been a massive storm that's knocked out power for millions, so, yes.

I left Pittsburgh and took things easy knowing that I had loads of time to get to Steubenville. I left Pennsylvania, crossed West Virginia and made it into Steubenville Ohio for about 7, so later than I'd have liked. Cycling up and down some serious hills in really high temperatures is tough. I'm taking on 6 or 7 litres of water everyday to keep hydrated. Every single room in Steubenville and neighbouring Weirton was taken due to some university event. Every single one. So what to do? After a bit of looking on the internet the best option seemed to be cycle 25 miles or so south down to Wheeling where there are more hotels.

Left Steubenville looking for the scary Market Street bridge (metal grid surface, slippy as hell, not fun on a bike) which I completely missed leaving me on a busy duel carriageway. It got dark, and then the roadworks began. Lanes filtered into a barricaded single lane surrounded with concrete only just wide enough for these stupid sized trucks they have over here. There is no way I'm cycling along that so resort to something that I've had to do before: use the hard shoulder of the other carriageway going against the traffic. This worked out for a little bit, until that too became a concrete encased single lane. Well, back to the last turn off and see if I could follow the road. Brilliant. That's right, Brilliant Ohio. From what I saw of the town it was anything but, however it did get me back onto the right road. Only a mile or two further down the road, more roadworks. With things even darker, these roadworks aren't going to be cycled. As ever, if you don't ask, you don't get, and after asking I got a lift past all the roadworks. Cycling in the dark is not fun. I've done it before and I ran over a squirrel (kind of like a squidgy speed bump). As you cycle along and see something in the spotlight ahead of you, you only have an instant to figure out if it's a rock or a bear and how to avoid it and the pothole on the other side of it (assuming you see the pothole, but best just to assume it's there because it probably is). Fortunately I only ran over an opossum (crunchy) so made it to Wheeling safely. First hotel I came to, I didn't even make it to the door before I was told that it was full, and that all the other hotels are probably full too due to a major baseball event going on. At half 10, this is not news you want to hear. Next hotel, and they were full too. However, give the story of cycling 2200 miles and they can check a couple of rooms as one may have checked in and then checked out again making it available. Half 11, and I have a bed. Result!

Evidence of the storm - more and more common across Ohio

Getting further from the East coast, I can begin to see more signs of the America we all know and love (to take the piss out of), especially as I partook in what must be a Sunday (if not daily) tradition for the elderly, the obese, and the elderly obese: the KFC buffet. I broke with tradition and even had some of the vegetables on offer. Struggling through my third piece of deep fried chicken, I saw a guy load up a plate with nothing but chicken. There must have been 6 pieces. And as I was leaving, he'd loaded up a second plate, again with nothing but chicken. Nothing has made me crave Mum's cooking like this before. In fact, nothing has made me crave Mum's cooking before. But, this reminds me of a conversation I was listening in to in Harrisburg (I was just in no fit state to make a coherent argument at the time). Someone was saying that they didn't want a socialised health care because they didn't want to pay for some obese person's medication. That is forgetting one simple thing though - economics. Surely, in a country with over 50% obesity, any insurance company must generate money by ensuring that the payments from every two policies covers all the usual costs for accidents etc for 2 people, and the diabetes and dialysis treatments associated with obesity for 1 person. As there's so many fat people, everyone's paying for the crippling rates of obesity anyway.

On my travels I've been reunited with an old friend - the humble Mars Bar. Before I've bemoaned the lack of the Mars Bar because it's just so full of sugar which is essential for cycling, but it's been found again: the Milky Way. Those in the UK will know how confusing this is and why I couldn't find the Mars Bar; while the Milky Way is related to the Mars Bar, it's just not adequate enough for a serious sugar fix.

The benefits of getting lost in Ohio

Back on the road, I missed a turning. Getting lost can have its benefits because the scenery is awesome, however the roads suck. Several miles of gravel pathway, not too unlike a certain picnic area I was at not too long ago. Got horrifically lost, but eventually made it to Cambridge to find that all the hotels were full thanks to the recent storm knocking out the power everywhere, apart from 1 hotel charging $150 plus tax, and there wasn't even a breakfast! I'm going to be well happy once the power's back up and everyone stops staying in motels. And when it cools down a little.

Blind Date

She likes a bit of rough and tumble but has been known to crack under pressure. Say hello to helmet number one!

Helmet number one!

Up next, she's fun and fruity and promises to protect your melon. It's helmet number two!

Helmet number two!

And last but not least, helmet number three. Bold and and a little bit blue, she's sure to turn a few heads.

Helmet number three!

Well Cilla, it's been a lorra lorra fun, but tonight I'm going to take home helmet number three! And why is it I always look like I'm gurning in my photos? New helmet though. Same as before, but a bit more vibrant and with fewer scuffs and impacts.