Jeremiah Watt

Promise you this will draw the entire ride across USA to a close. It is the information that some of you have been waiting for, and I guess some of you have been dreading would come............no matter what the case here it is.
Some fun stuff first then on to the contest winners, the numbers below represent averages and are not scientific by any means.
-The total trip was 3517 from Cayucos California to First Landing State Park in Virginia
-The average speed of my ride was 12.8 miles per hour
-The number of pedal stokes for the entire ride 1,846,425
-Total calories burned would be 140,680
-To make calories easier to understand I done a cowboy conversion and it would equal 410 PB&J for the ride
- Total Gatorade consumed was 1.5 swimming pools worth..............er, quite a bit
- Total photos taken is 3170 or an average of 44.2 per day
- Longest riding day was 96 miles
- Highest mountain pass was Loveland Pass at 12,000 feet
- Day with the most passes to ride over was back in Nevada at 6 passes over 6,000ft.
- WINNER of guess at longest ride in a day was Serge Monsanto who guessed 98
- WINNER of most frequent blog commentator was Darren Romahlo
- WINNER of the send a pie contest was Per Kronvold from Sweden
- WINNER of the Prayin'est Blogger is my good buddy Rob Schlosser,,,,,,,,,,,thanks buddy
- I will be sending out some things to folks who took the time to send along concise thoughts on the "PULSE QUESTIONS", for some reason some of the folks who answered these questions sent them directly to my home email address. Anyways sure appreciate all of you keeping me in your thoughts and Prayers.
- JW wieghed the night before he headed out and was 213 pounds with his work cloths and boots on
- JW wieghed in at 184 pounds when he reached Virgina Beach
- JW gained just over 2 inches in thigh diameter and .75 inches in calf diameter
- Total load at its heaviest point was 93.5 pounds.............Poochy Maggie too heavy
**** I sent back my Video Camera and its mount along with 3 batteries and 6 mini DVD tapes. Also I sent back my Laptop and 2 batteries for it along with a mess of cords to plug the rascal in with. I had a small belly gun and holster and decided to send it home along with a handful of shells............my shotgun and angry eyes.................the extra set of false teeth and monkey chow.................ah, my flip flops and beach pail.........that's about it I guess
- Giving you an honest miles per day ridden is tough, mainly because I feel that so much of my time was consumed in dealing with the BLOG and LIBRARY problems. So I just won't bother because the National LIbrary Association would be upset if I blamed them for my slow pace, and I sure can't be to blame for the slow pace............so who else is there???
THANKYOU AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE FOLLOWED AND ADDED TO THIS ADVENTURE.
From: Jeremiah Watt

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

SATURDAY OCT 29- My trip on the bike was over, and now I could relax and just go see the sights of Virginia for a few days before I got back on the plane and arrived home to the reality of running a business that I have neglected for the last 2.5 months.


I don’t really feel that it has been neglected, since I had my most able partner at home taking care of things, that being Colleen and my kids whom work so hard at keeping the shop going.


I had some time to kill before I could get on the plane, with that time I decided to take a drive and cross the famed Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The bridge is really a neat thing, since it crosses the Bay on what is both a Bridge and a tunnel. For most of the way you are on top the water, but on two occasions you drop down on to the Bays floor which then allows large ships unfettered access to the Bay and all the shipping that takes place within these ports.


Once across I drove up along the coast to Poconoke City on the Maryland State line. I turned and headed back south along the main road and stopped in Cape Charles which houses the oldest existing Court Records in these America’s. While in the Cape, I had a chance to visit with Dave who has been fisherman off the coast of the Atlantic for some 26 years now. It’s a love says Dave, it becomes a passion. You are obsessed with the catch, the size of the water, and the weather overhead……………it’s more like a dance than a job according to Dave.



The water across the Chesapeake was rough and very windy, blowing some 35 miles per hour, so Dave was sitting in the fishing harbor waiting for the wind to subside and his boat could then leave. The fishing has not been real good this season according to Dave, but you know the high’s and lows are all apart of the whole process of being a fisherman. So I got a lesson on fishing for Conck’s, and Skates, as well as the larger fare like Tuna and Mackeral. All in all, as bad as I am afraid of water, I am glad I like beef and stay on shore. The little town of Cape Charles is real picturesque but it was a Saturday so the old Court house was closed.


Back across the Bay Bridge, and I was hungry so I stopped at the Jewish Mother restaurant, now this is really a place too eat contrary to its funky looks on the outside. I would highly recommend it if you are on Virginia Beach, and by all means come hungry because the servings are a good size. And do not skip desert, I think that may be the best part of this place. Before I could head north much further I had too ship my bike from the UPS store.


Then with that done, I could head north and start the next day up in Yorktown. I drove as far as Oyster Bay, and found a place to stay that wasn’t too expensive……..trying to keep the costs down I have been gone so long from the shop. The Motel had a computer for guests too work on, but it was real poorly equipped with software, and so I got text only worked on that evening till about 10:30 pm.



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SUNDAY- October 30th I start the day with a little Continental Breakfast downstairs and work on the blog till 10:30 approx. Now I have to tell you all that I have been Praying for the chance to get to a dominantly Black Church for years, and I Prayed for the same this morning as well.


This is exactly how it turned out. I left the parking lot just after 10:30 and headed north on towards Yorktown, and after about 3 miles I saw a sign that said Colossians Baptist Church……….so I just turned in, I didn’t have much time too waste in looking. Indeed I knew s soon as I hit the parking lot that I had maybe hit the Church that I had wanted to hit for several years now. I guess out of fear, I sat near the very back of the Church………..I was not sure of what too expect nor was I sure of why I should be fearfull………..but I was. A young fellow, named Jamal came by, and said hello but also told me that I should move ahead and I would then be able to hear better as well.



I did just that and sat about midway up. Now I won’t get onto a soap box here and try to relate the entire Sermon to all of you………but I do want to stress just how great the music was. It was so deep and rich with melodies and the music accompaniments, so totally unlike anything that I had grown up with in Canada, nor even my home church in Coalinga for that matter………and we have a good Praise and Worship Team.

Then the Minister, Pastor Evans came out and it got even better, you talk about being uplifted and invigorated with the passion of Jesus………Pastor Evans goes into what I will call a chant for lack of knowing the real name for it, but some of these lasted for up to 40 minutes with the sweat just pouring off of him as he delivered the sermon. And all the time that this is going on, there is music crooning out in the background and then rising to a crescendo at times during a lull in the sermon.



Folks, it was fantastic, one of the neatest Services that I have had a chance to too attend, and a great finish to a bike trip like I had just done. I left the church after such a warm farewell from everyone, it was now 4pm
Onto Yorktown, a short ways down the road. I began with the Moore House in Yorktown, this is a building sight more than a actual house. And while I was taking pictures of this house I met with an 83 year old fellow Lou Williams.



What a neat fellow, as we talked about the current state of the elections, the current state of secularism in our schools, and the current state of imprisonment of the human spirit by the God Police. Lou has genuine concerns for the taking of our spiritual freedoms by way of the Court Bench and what may soon be a day when we do not have a State Religion, but rather a time when we have a NO RELIGION MANDATE.


The current crop of youth are completely dismantled spiritually says Lou, they have no real depth to there character nor their family lives and so have no real sense of what it is to be American and appreciate what has been bought and paid for by men of generations before them, I was in awe of how well worded he was. We prayed and I was on my way as was Lou.



On to Yorktown and the rest of the sights, to see the Commemorative put up by the Colonists to show gratitude for the Men of the Colonies whom had died in this War, and to the French who had been our sincere allies in the War. It got me to thinking that maybe what we had done during the second War was in fact just making us even for all the help the French had given us during our war of Independence, for surely as most Historians would tell you.

That these America’s would not have been victorious had it not been for French aid, troops and ships? I went on to Williamsburg and got a Motel room, even a little cheaper than last night, but one that had a computer in it so I could work on the blog site.

I bought some food at a deli, and ate in my room. I headed downstairs too work on the blog, but at about the same time a large group of teens came along and had a Pizza party in the same room as me. I got too visiting with the teachers or chaperons that were with them and found they were all from England. Well this turned into a 3 hour visit about what to see and where to go in England.

For you see next year, in the month of July we are headed too England as a family and see the sights, so how opportune it was to have this chance too visit with them about this subject. I worked till 3:35 am and had a wake up call for 6:45am because I did not want to miss any of Williamsburg that next day.

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Oct31st -Monday I had a small breakfast and headed out to take a walk in Williamsburg and then onto Jamestown I thought. But the sights of Williamsburg proved to be so splendid, that I was there till almost 4pm and still had not made it to Jamestown. So I headed out with a few groceries to make a sandwich and went to the newly opened Jamestown Museum. I ate a little and called home as I was eating……………SURPRISE……….my darling wife was flying in to meet me that night in Norfolk.

SO I took a quicker trip through the Museum than I would have normally so I would have time to drive back into Norfolk for Colleen. The Jamestown Museum is a very interactive type Museum, and the displays are just great, as is the information that they make known.

It’s about 9:45pm and my wife arrives at the Norfolk International to spend a few days with me, we can celebrate our achievement. Sorry but we had a night alone, I didn’t even bring the blog into the room, so don’t expect me to bring YOU into the room………..forget it, I will see you tomorrow!

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Nov1st- Good morning.........and NO, don't even ask. It'sTuesday and we had driven back to Williamsburg so that Colleen could see the place as I had the day before, and the truth is that there is enough too see that it is easy to spend two days there and enjoy each moment of it. I was elated at having this chance to see my wife, the 72 day sojourn had taken its toll on me more from the mental standpoint than from the physical side of things.



We headed strait to Colonial Williamsburg from the Motel after a light euro-breakfast. Interestingly when you are in Williamsburg, it is difficult to determine when you are in the Colonial district and when you are in the day to day business district, as by laws must dictate that all business maintain a Colonial feel and spirit, anyways it all plays into giving you a great feeling.




The Colonial District encompasses a lot of acreage as well as a broad scope of crafts and business that reflect what took place back in the days of Colonial Williamsburg, so for a person interested in that sort of thing needless to say a lot of time can be spent learning. We participated in an evening Ghost Tour as a part of the Halloween Scene, this was really fun, we had a huge fellow in a Black Cape as our tour guide, and we went to 3 different buildings on the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg and story tellers would then relate either a historical account or a folk tale to us in candle lit rooms, with that dark atmosphere and story all playing into an intriguing evenings entertainment.




We walked for a while and talked about the night the business at home and it was time to us to go to our dinner reservations at the King’s Arm Tavern. This is a Tavern that specializes in serving the traditional dishes of the day, and serving them to you in the traditional manner of the day as well. We had Peanut Soup, just great. A steak of Shoat (pork) in rich red wine sauce, a Wild Game Pie served with red Current Jelly, Fricassee Rabbit, Oysters, Venison and Shoat Sausage, Colonial Ham Pate, and Sweet Potato Stew……….. wow what a great meal, served to you slowly allowing time to talk and reflect rather than all heaped on the table in a five minute course.



We finished off the meal with Virginia Rice & Custard Pudding in a Vanilla Sauce as well as Southern Pecan Pie. Our time was over at this point, the next day at 8:15am we were on the plane headed home to the hugs from my kids that I was missing so much. Of all the things that may have been perceived as being difficult to deal with on this trip, it was the lack of affection I could share with my kids that I found to be most difficult too deal with.
Opinion on Performance………keep in mind that this is my own opinion on how well I was served by certain items and Articles that I used while riding across America. My appraisal is my honest view, and not just a carte blanc endorsement of any one item.

BIKE USED- Merlin full Titanium was just great no complaints or suggestions required here. It was not a custom frame for me specifically but one I horse traded for and then had to make work.

COMPONENTRY- I used all Shimano Ultegra components and they performed with out any flaws nor complaints. Something that I did learn in all of this is that the Shimano Brand offers the widest selection of gearing configurations of any and all of the cycling component companies out there today. Younger riders may climb just fine in a 10x2 situation, but older riders may need some gearing advantages not offered unless you go to a Shimano setup

SADDLE SEAT- although many of you read about the teeth comment in regards to my saddle seat, and you must know that for approx 10 days I did switch seats. The truth is that I switched back to my Selle Anatomica Saddle seat made in all leather with a cutout, and I want to say that I think it is the best seat that I own and I do own quite a few. What really changed here was not the comfort of the seat, but rather the actual physical setup of the bike. What I did change was the overall height of my handlebars, then I changed the level of the handlebar setup, and lastly I changed the distance that the seat sits behind the handlebars of the bike. I found great comfort with these few changes.

BOB TRAILER- I never had any problem with the Bob, it always pulled very well and tracked cleanly behind my bike. The problem that I did have was in my inability to stand into a climb and thereby give my derriere somewhat of a break at times, all of this changes with just an elimination of excess weight being carried in the trailer. By the end of the trip I could stand easily, all because of reduction in trailer weight.

SADDLE BAGS, made by Trek. Now these do fail and you may be wondering how. Yes, the pockets and what not all hold your items, but the truth is that the bag keeps trying to fall off the rack………..not really fall off but rather sag its way off the rack. So in order to fix that I tied a tight strap around the entire bag to help hold it upright, which helped a great deal. The biggest failure of this product was that it is nowhere close to being water resistant never mind water proof. Any time you ride in the rain, you can count on all items inside of the saddle Bag System getting soaked completely. So I would fail this item for sure.

Mavic Elite Wheels, performed very well in all and every situation.

CELL PHONE SALVATION- I have found that my service from Cingular is completely unreliable. If it had come too a place where a life and death was at hand I am convinced that the Cell would leave me stranded. As poor as the actual coverage was, I would have been better off with two tin cans and a piece of string. The only place that my Cell Phone worked, was when I was in a large urban area, but even then it was not always a guarantee of having a connection. So I would rate it as very poor performance.

CYCLING CLOTHING – of course I had several brands like most folks, but I do want to say that of the brands the Pearl Izumi had served me very well. In truth nothing failed, it just didn’t wash up as easily nor maintain its elasticity in the legs and butt as well as did the Pearl brand.

FANNY PACKS- One other item that I would mention here, and you may wonder why………and that is the traditional Fanny Pack that many of us carry. I too started my trip with one on my waist carrying things more important to me. They are made to sling around the waist and most are carried against the lower back or against the stomach………..but consider where all the sweat goes even if all you are doing is simply walking around let alone exerting yourself. That’s right strait to the fanny pack………………..and I found it presented a problem with documents and cards I was carrying along with me. My cure was simple, and I think makes sense if any manufacturer is reading this, I inserted a homemade waterproof membrane made out of a piece of milk bottle plastic inside of each pocket and thus eliminated the sweat from permeating the pockets contents.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I just couldn’t sleep with all the thoughts of having reached the coast but not put my foot into the ocean yet, and so I was up by 5 this morning of October 27th a Friday. The camp was packed up and rolled into the water proof bag so that I could leave it for the day.

It was dark enough that I felt best walking on the shoulder of the road rather than ride my bike and chance getting hit. I walked for the first 3-4 miles, taking in the varied sounds of the urban and city area that I was now in. At all times I am within probably a half mile of the coast yet I still had not seen it. And then finally there it was, as I climbed on my bike and rode over the last high bridge down onto Atlantic Avenue along the Virginia coast line I caught my first look at the Atlantic and my destination.

I had been wondering just what my emotions would be in having ridden this trip, I had heard from others that emotions run the gamut from extreme sadness to complete tearful breakdowns, to that of swearing to never do anything as foolish ever again. I rode in amongst the high rise Hotels that dwarf the beach front, and make my way out onto the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, and the sandy beaches that make up this portion of Coast.

I had promised to stick my foot into the Atlantic as a final culmination of this now 72 day trip, but I couldn’t because the ocean was frozen solid………..I am just kidding. I asked two elderly gals to handle the photo details for me, and with delight they did so. From the sand I headed back to the boardwalk, and then on up the coast to the end of this portion of the ride at First Landing State Park and the Lighthouses that at one time protected ships coming into to these harbors. There is the Fort Storey Army Base around the Lighthouses, and plenty of coast line to ride along and see things. It was a 19 mile plus jaunt up to that end of the park, and then I rode back down so that I could call home and let them know that I had made it. I stopped and had a huge pancake breakfast when I got back down to Virginia Beach boardwalk area, and called home to let everyone at my house know that I had made it. Then I headed off to the Library at Virginia Beach to work on my blog.

Once my two hours of Computer time for the day were done and I could stay no longer. But I did meet a very neat elderly man just as I was preparing to leave the confines of the Library. His name was Lyman Hall, and he was a WW2 vet whom had served on Wake Island and on the Yorktown just before she was sunk. Lyman is working on a book that takes in the accomplishments of the men who had served in the Pacific Theater.

What a great guy to talk too, he was so proud of the men, not of himself but of all the other men whom had served and many whom had died in that service. But more than any thing he was excited about someone taking time to visit with him about what had happened over in that area of the war. I can’t help but feel honored when I get a chance too visit with fella’s like Lyman, and I am thankful that when things got real bad back then, that we did have a generation of men like Lyman.

I rode on to the south and picked up a rental car and then decided to work on getting my bike ready to ship home. I bought some cleaners and a bag of rags and rubber gloves. I spent from about 4:30 till 9pm that evening getting my bike cleaned and dismantled, and my Bob trailer ready to carry home as a part of my luggage with me.
As for this ride well I am done. I have no regrets, nor tears, just elation at having made it the entire distance with no serious problems.

Do I have any relevant words of wisdom for the many whom will read this and then want to follow in my footsteps.........well yes I do as a matter of fact. Dreams can only be lived when we are out there engaged in the life that God has set before us. To sit on the sidelines of life will leave you feeling vacant and unfulfilled, in the end you will have nobody but yourself too blame if that is what life looks like. I didn't leave home to find myself, shoot I know darn well who I am thanks, but I did leave home to find out more about my relationship with Jesus Christ.

My own walk was a matter of making foot prints and thats all, I had not found a reason to get engaged in the matters of what Jesus wants for ME. Do I have a crystal clear picture today becasue of the ride.......shoot no. But I also do not believe that GOD wants to show me the whole view iether..............just draw close Jeremiah and we will walk a wonderful walk you and I. Ever find yourself wondering,,,,,,,,,,,I wonder what this or that piece of country looks like,,,,,,,,,,,,,,or maybe what this or that region of the country may live like? I cannot think of a better way for any of us to get too know the beautiful country that we live in better than getting out in it. I will get off my soap box now, as I do understand that God knocks at the door of every man's heart at different times and not at my time schedule.

I owe all of you a round of thanks for the constant comments to the blog site, within the comments there has been much encouragement and Prayer offered up by many. I humbly say thanks to you all, anyone of us would appear to have made it by our own strength when in truth we make by the strength on loan from others who encourage us. So I say THANKS to you all from this last day of the blog as it pertains to my actual trip across what I firmly believe is the greatest country on this the earth that God has made.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Just yesterday I had called the Virginia Dept of Transport and asked for road directions around the heavier traffic of Norfolk, as well as a KOA Campground to shoot for that next night.

Armed with that information, I headed out the next morning to make my assault on the beaches of Virginia. I would ride over the north end of the Great Dismal Swamp first on what had been described as the most dangerous piece of road on my map so far, and so it was that I found it to be maybe one of the easiest. Now one thing here about bad luck, or bad karma, call it what you will, but I had the flat tires today like I had back in Missouri.

By 9am I had two flats on the back tire of my bike. By 5pm of this day I would be fixing my 6th flat of the day. The real culprit was a tiny piece of stone that had pierced my tire and rolled around undetected by me at each tire changing and then once the flat was fixed it would have rolled to a new position to flat in a new location. I was getting real tired of flats on the rear tire by the end of the day, let me tell you.

I rode in large loop around the outskirts of Norfolk, and a much larger loop than was needed when I look back on it all now. Really the worst piece of road came near the end of the day when I got onto Princess Anne Road around the south of Norfolk, this is where the real road rage idiots came into being. These guys were genuinely ignorant drivers on this little piece of road, non the less, bad enough to have me pull over to have a cup of coffee to cool off a little.

I as fixing my 6th flat of the day, and just about to enter Princess Anne road, when a lady stopped to see if I needed help with things. As it turned out, she too was a bike rider and had herself rode the entire USA when she turned 70 folks………………..yes, I did feel a little like the town weenie at this point. We had a good visit, and we exchanged cell phone numbers and promised that we would try to go for supper if I made it to the campground that night. That was enough impetus for me to get back on and get to pedaling up the highway to the KOA campground.

I finally made it to the camp ground at about 5:45 that evening, camped in the “PRIMITIVE SECTION” which means that for 20$ they will give you a flat spot to pitch your tent. I took a long shower, which was something that I really needed.

It was about 7pm, when the lights of the car pulled up beside my tent and Fran, the lady biker and her husband Fred pulled up as they had said they would and once introductions were over we headed out to get some Sea Food. We went to one of their favorite restaurants, and I ordered Crab Cakes, Fran had Salmon and I don’t remember what Fred ordered at the moment. The meal was fine, the food was great but the visit was the best part of it all. To be able to visit with another rider whom had suffered on some of the same hills, who had rode in some of the same heat, and who had struggled with the same rolling eastern terrain, now that was great……….and like I said Fran had done it all at 70.

Fred was an avid cyclist as well, just not as full throttle as Fran. This Fran, now 73 is a 8000 mile per year rider………..now that’s a fair serious rider in my books. Fran is a retired Virginia School teacher, loved her job, and the kids she taught but glad to be able to retire and enjoy other things as well. Fred on the other hand had retired from the Navy, he was a Submarine designer, as well as an active submariner as well when he was younger. In all they had many more years of cycling trips planned and being in a chair was not in Fran and Freds plans for several more years yet.

The biggest goal was to get the trip across Canada done. Fred & Fran many thanks for you kindness and hospitality, I wish you all the best when you make the trip. I was back in my tent that night by about 10 and sleep would not come easy till sometime after 11, because I was camped on the low altitude inbound lane of a squadron of Fighter jets training just a few miles to my west. Boy howdy, when they came in it would just rattle the screens on my little tent, and almost make your ears hurt when they rolled over head. But finally sleep came and I was out. What a great day, another one of the 70 plus milers and at a good speed to considering the wind and the traffic.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:35 PM | Permalink

I am very close to being done with this bike trip, and now details begin to play into the whole process., things like what roads thru a city like Norfolk, where to ship my bike from etc. But anyways let’s not get ahead of ourselves with it all.

I was up and riding, cold but riding, its just before 8am, and I have all my cloths on and still my toes are a hurting from the damp cold of the Atlantic Coast. I ride for a few miles and come to the Hungry Bear quick Stop into which I head for coffee and a biscuit to aid in the warming process. It’s a very welcome break, the toes were really stinging, and yet I had had even colder mornings than this………..the difference must be the humidity.

From there I head further east and ride the narrow back roads of coastal Virginia, logging would seem to rule in this area and you have to be aware of the fast moving log trucks here.

I stopped in Stoney Creek to see if there was a Library to which the answer was NO, but I was welcome to make use of the computer set up behind the counter at this tiny Pharmacy. I thanked the fellow and jumped on to get some names of bike shops and campgrounds in and around Norfolk area , with that done I could head on down the road. I was just leaving and getting my bike turned around when Billy Towlin came along on his scooter.

Billy was heading in for some medication, his health not being the best, he started having heart problems back when he was 39. Has now had 4 strokes, and two by pass surgeries, but thanks to great Doctors and the Love of the Lord says Billy, I am still here today. There was no mistaking the thankful heart that Billy had for the Lord, we stopped and Prayed together and Billy commented on the greatest generation on earth, that being the group of veterans whom fought in the second world war, and what a loss will be felt in this country when the last one passes away.

Billy genuinely feels a sense of urgency for the country given the attitude shown by the youngest teens in the USA today. There is no way to know what will come about, and I feel that the best youngsters in the world today are without doubt US kids, they do have a much different attitude towards our country than did thier grandparents.
I rode on from there to Homefield, to be honest the country was now getting just a tad boring since it was so flat, with much more Pine trees now than ever before, and logging was the largest source of income for this region. At Homefield, I would turn south and head towards Courtland, but before I got there I would go thru Littleton and Sebrell on my way to Highway 58,

Smithfield Virgina, not that I am in that town, but one of my stops relates to that specific town which derives its fame from the delicious smoked Hams that they make there. I stopped at a road side Hog Sale, there were many trucks lined up, all carrying hogs to this tiny local marketplace. While I stood around watching what was going on, I talked to Moore, a fellow in charge of moving the hogs down the alleys at this sale barn, and he told me that the best end of these hogs would go to Smithfield to the smokers in the region. It was a fun stop, mainly because I found out just how famous the Smithfield Hams indeed were, and have been for a long time. But also for the noisy distraction that the hogs added to my ride.

I doubt there is anything that can attain the decibel level of that of a shrill squealing hog, being prodded down a barn alley or a sale barn. The place had a hog smell, and that alone made it time to move on before that smell got into all my clothing as well.

I rode on just down the road and there was a small Produce and BBQ stand on the side of the road. I decided to get some juice and maybe some fruit to eat. Now this particular stand had some unusual fruit. This is the sort of fruit that is grown as a specialty item. I bought two varieties of Apples, they being an Arkansas Black Twig not commercially grown for over 60 years, and also a Stayman variety. I ate the Black Twig first, it is a larger apple with a deep Red skin, the apple was very crisp and quite sweet……..I had concluded that this had to be the better of the two.

The Stayman has a very mottled skin color, not a real attractive appearance, but tin the end this was the apple that I thought had to be one of the best I had ever ate. With a belly full of apple, and some Gatorade it was time to hit the road to Courtland and then on into Suffolk.

I was a little lost in Courtland and stopped at a feed Mill to ask for some directions from two fellas standing outside the Mill. Now each of these fellas was older than I, and they were real puzzled looking when I stopped in front of them and pulled out a map to ask for directions. What the Sam%$$#@ ya doin with this here rig, says Art the older of the two. To which I replied I was just riding across America with it, and I am not sure of which roads to take at this point of my journey. Well *&%%$# says Art, you likely to get run plumb over on that road out there 58. Heck we ain’t looking for some idiot on no bicycle out on the road………ain’t no body rides no bike round these parts says Mort a helper at the Mill.

What ya wanna ride a fool bike across USA for anyway, this some kind’a money makin ride, asks Art. No, I try too assure them I am no soliciting funds for a Charity, I am just riding for the pure fun of it all a challenge to myself to see if I can make it. Well that is the &$#@dest thing says Art, to need to ride a bicycle a’crost America just to see if ya can. SO, I ask now that they have expressed their excitement over my ride, do you fellas know of a backroad that I can ride that will get me down to Suffolk and keep me out of the heavier traffic.. Well says Mort, they ain’t no real good road to take since the big ol swamp stops you comin from the south, and two rivers stop ya from the north, best ya kin do is ride out on the 58.

Where does ya sleep at night asks Mort? Well, I sleep each night out on the ground, I have a tent but we are on the ground I tell him. $#@@&% says Mort, ain’t that just a little cold? Well yes I tell him, but not unbearable cold, just a little chilly is all. Where does ya eat, asks Art? Ah, the eating, yes once again its not great but hey we do eat I tell them. Now its mostly noodles and soup but I do get fed I assure them. And you decided that ya wanted to do all of this here sufferin for fun, says Mort. Man I am sure glad I ain’t needin no challenge in my life………….they both had a good laugh and I felt that maybe my time was done here, no matter what I said I was not going to win them over to the sport of cycling.

So, I hit the road south and east on 58, it was a 4 lane road with about a 6 foot shoulder. I could really crank the tail out on this road with a good surface and someplace to ride. I was determined to make it as far as I could towards the city of Norfolk, and then pull over to camp for the night with just just one day ride left.

And so it was that at the junction of #13 and #58 I rode past a Church and made camp in the bushes right behind this church. There were no comforts like a Pavillion, just the sanctuary of the Church. I had ridden 75 plus miles at an average of 17.4 miles per hour for the day. I felt pretty good about it all, and was in a good position to be able to finish up the ride the following day.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:33 PM | Permalink

I do agree, that a hat is just a hat……………but only when it is somebody else’s hat and not your hat. When it is too be your hat, it becomes very important that the hat reflect the character of the wearer and that it emphasizes the physical attributes of its wearer. The hat should have character, just like Jeremiah has character but honestly, sometimes shopping with Jeremiah is a real pain. Here is one coffee drinkin’ cowboy with no sense of style………….none.
Jeremiah and I headed into the local Walmart to find the hat for him too wear that would impart warmth for him at night………..finally I though, that just maybe I could have a little influence on Jeremiah at such an important junction in this trip. Style should have been my middle name, flamboyant could be my last………..now, too see if I can sway Jeremiah’s most utilitarian sense of fashion.


There is no doubt in muy mind that this was the best choice for Jeremiah, the fuzzy cap would have been both warm and stylish. And it done wonders for JW's skin tone........not too mention that faux furs are red hot this year..........you don't want to know what ol'utility fashion had to say about it!

This Black Beret would have gone miles in repairing our damaged international politcal integrity, the French may have actually have softened thier stance on this years Tour Winner, but no international integrity just doesn't play inot JW's choices....he has no sense of world good will...........none

Now, even I do not think that the Pink flop was right for Jeremiah, a little too warm and a little too MO-Town for a cowboy cyclist

Flops are in this year when it comes to the woven look, and the colors needed by a fellow with high cheek bones are the softer floral pastels. The cut of the hat is perrfect for JW, as he has sort of an egg head, this would have thickened his head a shape just a little..............the wording that killed the sale was "hey fat-head, try this one".

NOw this outfit was the killer approach for me to have a such a great ensemble in the cycling kit bag would make you the envie of the peloton I told JW, and the colors well there perfect they go with all the colors of the cycling clothing scene I assured him. Yes just great said Jeremiah, I will look just dandy doing a summersalt right into the ditch after that great long scarf gets all tangled up in my front wheel, won't I look smart then eh MR. STYLE MAVEN!!!!!!

Now after I had listened to his thoughts on the scarf outfit I had to agree, but at about the same time as his monolog on sensibull clothing I noticed the brown fur hat made of sableike fur.........YES I KNOW.........OKAY just button it for a minuet would ya buddy. Sableike's for your information, are critters that can only be found in old growth forests of artificial christmas trees..........if we don't trap in these forests how do you expect us too manintain viably sustainable artificial christmas tree groves........................HUH? Besides, if more Americans would expose themselves in fur, we may win Vladameer Putin over too our cause. But no, Jeremiah thinks it will get to stinkin whenit gets sweaty, and he thinks the fur will tickle his ears to much.

Okay Mr.Utility Fashion...........what is possibly wrong with this one I ask...........it's tight which is something you LYCRA KINGS like is it not. And it is just long enough to cover with out
flapping/popping/whistling/snapping/flopping/wrapping/twirling/ or any other ING words that you can think of for a negative.................what do you mean it looks to sissy for a fella like you, I protest.
After all of that intense effort, my advice was shunned for nothing more than a black Scotch Cap that came below the ears. Well that’s it, no more traveling with JW on these sorts of adventures when in the heat of decision making he opts to follow his own advice rather than mine any ways……………so clearly as far as JW is concerned fashion has no place where long distance cycling is concerned. Well if that’s how he feels, fine, I will remain at home………and we see who he calls on when there is a Tornado or another demonic Tangle’foot to deal with………then he will wish that he had taken time to pay heed to my counsel.

Good nIght Jeremiah, and may God Bless you!!

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:32 PM | Permalink

I spent the better part of this day just riding, I didn’t make any effort to find a Library. I did work with my new camera and some pic’s, I just hope that the photo thing all works out because it is not a very good camera as I had to start. It’s 25 degrees on the bike at 7am, and I can’t stop the tears from filling my eyes as I ride in this cold morning air.


My fingers and toes are trying to quit, and I pull over at the first quick-stop I hit that morning after an hour or so of riding. I have a great biscuit and sausage, and a couple cups of coffee. I made attempts to fire up a conversation with different folks but nothing really came about…………….they seem fairly suspicious of a grown man in LYCRA???? I did watch one very interesting customer.

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The fellow was a huge round built man, not that tall but of equal girth to height. He sat and nearly flattened a chair in doing so, and lit his first cigarette……..he seemed somewhat fidgety and careful about things like placement of the ashtray etc and it was fun to watch the antics that he went thru, with the pointing of his cigarette and the moving of either ashtray or lighter being a constant habit.



He now sat in front of me, oblivious that I was even in the room, and he lit a second cigarette before the first was even out, he seemed puzzled by which to set down. There came a point in which he was served his biscuits and gravy, and he at that point sat eating the meal before him, with a cigarette going in each hand. He sat and ate without ever setting his two different length cigarettes going with one in each hand………taking alternate puffs on each cigarette as he shoveled in the meal from the Styro tray. That may have been the highlight of quick stop choreography for my trip.



I am warm enough and start riding again, I am taking roads on what is known as Lee’s Retreat. This is the path that Lee & his Troops took while trying to get away from the Union Army. I rode on past a small barn being built and saw two fellows out working, one that caught my eye was peeling some logs. So I pulled in to visit with Dave and Tommy Nelson, they were in the midst of building a country style green house for a lady friend.



Both had grown up as Air Force brats, and traveled the country from base to base with their parents. Then they each done a stint in the Air Force and headed into civilian life. They liked the sense of accomplishment that they felt while being a part of the Service, they both thought that having given over a part of their own lives to service had been good for them both. Now however they found themselves having to hussle to make a living in any manner that they could, and log peeling and carpentry was what paid the bills.


I pedal on to the Nottaway Courthouse, another in a string of places and occasions that Lee visited with his Generals etc to decide the conclusion of the Civil War. The Nottoway Couthouse, was one such occasion in which Lee joined his Generals and received information from Union spies as to activities on the other side, the news was bad, the trap was about to close about them all. The road leads on then to Pamplin City, the scene of the best known Clay Pipe making center, and how important the pipes where to soldiers of both sides in this War.


The remains of the Kiln are now an historic site and thus preserved. Then on down the narrow back roads to Blackstone, which used to be a garment and textile district but now secures it’s lively hood from the Army & National Guard Bases that surround it. The evidence of what used to be a busy manufacturing district are abundant, now they stand idle and folks remain unemployed, but clothes are cheap at Wal-Mart etc so no one is too upset.

I eat at a real Restaurant today, the Farmers Café in downtown Blackstone. I have a Chicken Fried Steak, and a piece of pie that does not measure up to what I had a Frannies. The afternoon turned out sunny but very cool. The last few nights had been very cool, and so I took to Walmart as my savior and buy a couple of heavy weight work socks and a heavy wool scotch cap to wear at night. The whole matter of buying a hat is difficult, because you just have to find a hat that is YOU.

Then on down the road we go, the country is really flattening out now, the sides of the road have more and more standing water. The roads are narrow, the sky growing darker and McKinney is my next town to go thru. There isn’t much there and I just breeze thru, the primary source of income seems to be logging and farming Cotton in the region from Appamatox to here thus far. I need to look for a place to pull over and camp for the night, the ground is so wet in thru here that I would really like to find a high spot or a table to sleep on to help stay dry.

Not long after the Town of McKinney, I pass a private hunt club on the side of the road, they have a lodge or meeting building and many out buildings some look to be used for horses while others must surely be for dogs, and some of the others for storage. I considered sleeping under the roof of the Pavilion, and am about to do so when I notice that the door to a small storage room is actually open and not locked at all. Well, this is looking quite inviting with the coming night and how cool it is as well as the fog that I know will shroud the place by morning. So I enter into this building that is used to store such things as shooting targets and miscellaneous electrical and plumbing supplies.

Older chest freezers and tarps, but in amongst it all is something I really don’t like the look of, yes and there are 4 total, they are shed snake skins, large diameter solid black snake skins……………..but Poochie Maggie, take a look at that one………..that must have been a huge snake last year. I pull out the largest snake skin and it comes in two pieces it measures over 9 feet in length, the next skin I could get picked up comes in at just over 5 feet and another that would have been 6 feet. I had to think hard about sleeping here, but reasoned that with all the cool weather they would be denned up someplace by now……………….right…………I mean, surely they would not be out and about with me here tonight. I decided to NOT DISTURB the corners and what lay on the floor of the shed if possible………..no sense waking up unsavory sleeping partners. So I laid out one of the blue tarps underneath of my bag-o-sleep, and then threw my bed down on that. There was power into this room, so I set my useless cell phone to charging as well as my camera batteries. I woke up every few hours and changed my batteries for the camera, the cell phone takes a little longer to get a charge so I only charged 2 batteries for the cell phone over night.
Not such a bad day in all, I had 61 miles in travel, and got to see and meet quite a few folks. A decent supper of Tomato Soup and Noodles, and a dry place to sleep, can it get any better than that?

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:30 PM | Permalink

I am in Appamatox, this is the farming region in central Virginia that seen the signing of the end of the bloodiest War in America, the Civil War. It was on this ridge of high ground that seen the southern Confederacy succumb to the strength and strategic planning of the Union North.

Amidst farm roads and small farm houses was waged a bloody confrontation by the two sides, one in which casualties were high and the stakes even higher. A well laid plan by the Union Army to catch the Confederacy in a pincer type movement was well orchestrated bringing about the surrender of arms by the defeated south. It is from this battle field that the “beginning of a time of healing” would begin, and as history would show us………………….that time for healing would start even as the Confederate troops laid down their arms in surrender.


There are many written accounts of Union Officers demanding that the Union Troops show respect and even “Honor Them” with a salute was ordered, as the rag tag soldiers of the Confederacy laid down the arms they carried. I actually found the whole description of the events to be quite moving as you read excerpts from diaries etc of the men whom where there at the time from both sides of this civil conflict.

The battle fields and buildings are all quite well preserved and or restored, and you can really get a feel for what it must have been like.


It was a very cool day, and not a day without it’s problems by the way. My good old camera had finally died, or so I thought. I sat for several hours outside of a small store from who I was borrowing electricity to charge a camera battery………………but no matter what I done I could not make my camera come to life. And so, after several hours of that sort of waiting around, I bought a very cheap digital camera in order to finish up the trip with. I rode in to what is now downtown Appamatox, and met several folks of interest.


The first, a couple from Michigan whom had retired and sold everything to head out on the road and travel, travel where and as far as they wanted each day. They had now been on the road for 3 years and saw no end in sight, they still had places that they wanted to go.

So we visited about the many places that all of us had been, and about the places that all of us would like to some day see. We visited about what kids are missing in the teaching of History these days, and how a proper education with regards to history can lead to a sense of respect and reverence for a country and not one of disdane as we see so often today in the youth.


But even more fun was the next fellow whom I met as I walked across the street to what I though was an open European Style Bakery.

Sadly, the bakery was closed. If any of you have had the chance to visit a real European Bakery you would know why I might say it’s a sad day when you find it closed………..but we will not go into why JW thinks the euro-bakeries are so much better. I met John Selver an elderly, rotund fellow whom carried himself like one well educated , and having done well in life.

John was a lawyer by trade, and a Copy Right specialist by practice. His primary job from 1970 up until his retirement in the latter 90’s was to buy “technologies”, meaning the process and the patent for such applications. This was a fascinating conversation for me, because I had no idea that such an occupation even excisted. John traveled for long periods within mostly western Europe, but on occasion into the Eastern Block countries as well as into Japan and Korea.

The job entailed looking for cutting edge developments that as of yet had not hit the street, get them bought and then the process protected by copyrights etc. From this conversation sprang a discussion about what is missing within the youth coming up in the business cycle today.

And the primary ingredient would be passion, a passion to work, a passion to develop markets and ideas…………Collin Powell is often sighted as the one whom talked about “fire in the belly” for public service………….but in this case we are talking about having a desire to go and simply be productive and not look to the world as if for some reason that living is OWED to you. The largest contributor to poor scholastic performance thought John, was the sense of being owed by someone, rather than a sense of needing to generate for ones self.

And to top it off, the education in our sciences and computer technologies is leaving our youngsters behind at an alarming rate. Sadly many parents look at their children and make the assessment that their kids are quite adept on the computer because they are always on it playing games…………..but the truth is that kids in some third world countries are writing the code to play the games, while our kids simply play the games, says John.

I head out of Appamatox, and on towards Farmville. The sky is dark and heavy with pending rain……………..or maybe snow as it feels quite cold. We are headed almost due east towards the Atlantic now, and the country is flattening out into the great coastal plain, so the riding is getting a little easier in regards to hills etc.

The ride to Farmville was a fun ride, quite fast and with lots of pretty roads to ride. It was while I was riding thru downtown Farmville, that I came upon two older fellows unloading a rather heavy filing cabinet. They sort of gave me a strange look as I rode past them on the side of the street, and an even stranger look when I parked my bike and went over to give them a hand.

The filing cabinet was indeed a heavy old brute for a Law Office type, and as we made efforts to move it, another really big guy stopped and helped me get the job done. As it was the case was simply too heavy for the two older men, but with a little effort we got the cabinet over to the freight elevator, and once again I was on my way having done someone a good deed for the day.

My intention was to stay at a city park that night, but having stopped for coffee, and inquired as to the Park I found out it was once a gain a Park plagued by the drug deals of the town.

So I decided to hit the road and take my chances as I rode too find a good place to camp. I rode on another 10-12 miles and the night was coming on much too quick, so on this night it would be a ruff camp, setting my tent up on some sandy ground at the edge of a small clearing. I had some Tortellini & Mushroom Soup for supper………….it was such a cold night I ate quickly and headed into bed.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:28 PM | Permalink

My camp was well enough placed on a very desolate road, but that doesn’t stop the roaming of a way ward hound at night. It was while I sat by the fire that evening that I thought I had company from some sort of critter just out beyond the glow of my fire’s light. I could here the steady rustle of feet upon the leaves on the forest floor, never too far from where I sat, but no close enough to see.


And as it turned out, it was a dog, sounded by growl and foot fall to be a fair sized one. He haunted my camp and tent all night long, I would be woke by his sniffing of my tent, and when I rolled over it would surprise him and cause a deep menacing growl to come forth in his surprise. He was there till the time I unfurled the front flap of my tent in the morning, then he departed like a wraith as I came out of my cocoon.


The morning was a wet and foggy one, I head out more or less lost, my maps certainly had not been the best guide to the position I now found myself. So, there is not much that can be done except get to pedaling. I am headed off the ridge, and down deeper into another holler, the shroud of fog conceals the brilliant leaves that form a canopy over my head, I can hear before I can see, a swift running creek somewhere below me in the holler.


The road really gets bad in spots and I opt to walk down certain sections. All totaled I rode for about 10 miles before I came to a spot that would reveal any houses, I crossed 4 single track wooden bridges over swift cold creeks, complete with very pretty waterfalls in one case. Finally I had rode enough and made enough turns that I thought I would eventually just screw myself into the surface of the Virginia landscape and remain lost forever………………but as it turned out I came to a larger road with no marking, not paved mind you, just larger so I took a hard right.


For almost three hours, I roamed in this area of heavy forest and stream, the fog gave way to a sullen sky, and what little color the trees could muster in the given light. I finally met up with a road that was paved and headed in a direction that I could find on the map. I took the turn that would take me to Lynchburg, I was in need of finding a Church for service on this day. The road is fairly hilly and with good shoulder, so I was able to make up a little time from the slower going of the morning.


The time was passing for my ability to get into a Church Service, when I seen a sign that claimed a Church within 6 miles but I felt that was to far to make it and I kept riding, but just a couple hundred yards and I seen the white Steeple for a church and made a U-turn and headed in to the Brookhill Weslayan Church. I was made welcome, and the service was one of gratitude for the Pastors whom had served. When the service was over they had a great meal sort of a Pot Luck affair. I was about to leave feeling guilty about not being a giver to this occasion but before I could escape from the parking lot, a tall gal named Barbara came over and informed me that I would be very welcome to join in the meal with the congregation. So that is what I did, the visit was great, the meal was even greater with many southern style dishes having been prepared.

By about 1pm, I was back on the bike and headed on towards Lynchburg, which was only another 15 or so miles down the road. I stopped when I hit town, because I was in need of a cup of coffee, but I also wanted to see if my Cingular would finally connect and I could make some calls, then, there was the need of another CF card as mine was almost full and I had been on a photo ration program as of the last 3 days. I finally found the Staples so that I could get a CF, and it was right across the road from a Mall and from there I could call my local Pastors son and have a quick visit.


I had all of the deeds for the day done, and it was time to hit #460 to the south towards a real famous American historical town called Appamatox. But before I could see any of the sites I would need to find a place to call camp tonight. Now that is a nice camp I thought as I rode my bike up the grade towards a small church on my right and it even has a nice pavillion to the back of it. So it is that I set up camp, a nice meal of YES you guessed it, soup and noodles and two cups of Tea.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:26 PM | Permalink

To use an age old phrase, "you would have been hiding under a rock" in order to have never heard of the Blue Ridge Parkway....................which make up the bulk of todays ride. Ever find your self wondering as to the splendor of Gods Creation, well if ever you do, just take a short ride on this fabled piece of American HIghway and see for your self that we have a Glorious and Imaginative God working in our lives.

I had foiled old man cold thru last nights camping, I had as I said placed my camp inside of a ball diamond vendors hut and slept in a cool but not near as cold as it could have been night. For it was indeed a quite cool night. I rolled up camp and headed out to the nearest quick stop for coffee and a muffin to call breakfast. Then as soon as I could I got into the Buchanan Library to work on the blog once again. I worked strait from a few minutes prior to Nine, till exactly 5 minutes before 1pm. I went right across the street to a little town Cafe, of the sort that I have been missing so much on this trip, and I had a nice Chicken Fried Steak before I tackle Bear Wallow Gap.

The road that heads out of Buchanan to the top, is a rated climb of 9% with some steep sections in it. If my research is correct it is one of the 5 primary climbs out of many along the Blue Ridge that avid cyclists rave about for its difficulty. I found myself anxious, not in a fearsome way but rather in anticipation. I had parked my butt in a chair thru the morning and now find myself in one of the cleanest sunny days I have seen in few. They have a news type show out this way called " Catch the Color", and in this news report they rate from 1-10 the areas along the parkway in regards to the quality of fall color that will be seen..............and my destination and entire ride for that matter are rated a 9 out of a possible 10.

When you leave you follow and cross the James River several places, and feel the start of the climb within just a few short yards of Buchanan. I was ready, I had the right amount of groceriess in me, the right amount of wieght in the trailer I really felt good today. I just climbed, no hitches except for plenty of cars and no real shoulder to get off on. The shoulder is gravel which is firm but not real packed and it starts right at the white lined edge. There you are, climbing in amongst what feels like a painting in the works, you look ahead out on the road seeing the reflection of intense sunlight on the spiralling blacktop.................which gives way to resplendant color as you slowly make your way up the grade and on too the next bend in the road. The overarching camnopy of trees is made up of Beech, Oak, Maple, Ash, BUtternut etc.......so the colors are rich , glorious and in a wide array on the Master painters pallette today. I cannot say that I really had a day in which I have just wanted to quit.........but if you did this sort of day would give you inspiration to keep on going. WOW, what a beautiful day to ride a bike and know without fail that you are riding in Gods hands.

The climb up is stiff but even pulling a trailer I did not find it to be unbearable. The other thing is that I have been in constant practise trying to stand into a climb as I pull this trailer. And in the begining as you know I have stated that it is impossible, and indeed it was when the trailer was heavier. But I have reduced the trailer to some 30 plus pounds and I now find the climbing quite easy with the trailer. So as YOU would have already known the wieght does matter greatly.............I stood into the climb for a distance of 3.2 miles of the total 5.6 mile climb.............and I stood without stopping a single section. And on this grade you leave brilliant collor and climb into splendor at the top.

Almost that easily I was there at the top of a fabled piece of Americas road system the Blue Ridge Parkway, the entire piece of highway was constructed to do nothing but explore and appreciate the gifted hand of Gods creation and it runs for some 1000 plus miles. And do not make the mistake of thinking that once you have climbed to the top of the ridge that the climbing is over and a easy ride thus begins.............for it is not that way at all. There are plenty of climbs that are in the "grunt & fart" catagory. I took a left at the top out onto the Parkway from Hwy 43 that I had come up on. The road is constantly undulating and wending its way amidst the peaks of the Blue Ridge, my destination for the day was the Peaks of Otter area.

The down side of todays ride was the volume of vehicular traffic on the quite narrow roadway. In most cases the drivers were going quite slowly since they too were out to see the colors. But there was also a lack of careful attention on the part of the drivers and a alot of kids out driving way to fast for the weekend color watch that was in process. Given all of that, I found myself watching the color very little and really keeping an eye on traffic around me, by Peaks I was tired and needing a break. From my side of the trip, I can say that it was the beauty of it that proved to be the ruin of it..............the Peaks is such a beautiful area that the car and people count up there would rival that of LA, and so it was that finding a place to take a picture without ten thousand of my human brothers in the same pic was difficult. The traffic according to a Park Warden I talked to is heavy and more congested going north since many folks are returning that way towards the DC area making a weekend trip out of the "Catch the Color" weekend.

I made a decision to turn off the PArkway a little earlier and head down some backroads towards Lynchburg. And so it ws that I peeled of onto a steep downgrade and headed down towards road #634. The pitch down was much like the one I rode coming up, and I had to ride the breaks to keep from over running the corners. I turned left onto #634 and stopped at a family orchard to eat a few apples. The road is a narrow and winding affair that snakes it's way across the foothills of the Appalachin range and comes into Lynchburg from the north side. There are several intersections that I have to watch for and several turns that need to be made. As I ride the road is constantly deteriorating, getting narrower, no paint, no shoulder and soon enough no blacktop iether, I am down to a gravel road single track width. Very few folks or places to stop and ask as I ride. I met a lady out walking with her muzzled dog, and I stopped to ask for some directions................well the lady panicked and made gestures she was going to unmuzzle her dog on me. Now folks I dont want to be too harsh here, but really some folks could stand to watch a little less of Law&Disorder............and I know that there are bad folks out there. But really a man in spandex riding a fully loaded bike would hardly seem to be the best candidate for an axe murderer.........but this lady apparantley seen me as "Jeremiah the Ripper"...........so, no directions and a feeling that the lady could use an infusion of air pressure.

I rode on and down into a deep holler that was called Lister Mill Road. The grades were steep and all gravel, it was washed out in many of the corners and that forced me to get off and walk around the washed out areas........I was really beginning to wonder about the road I was on. It was almost dark when I finally pulled over and pitched camp amongst the trees on a ridge that I was riding down . I gatherd a few dry pieces of wood, and scrapped away a very deep layer of leaves exposing rich wet earth and started a fire to cook some sausage over. I sat by the fire and had a cuop of tea, headed for bed at about 10 after listening to both Coyote and Fox compete for air space in God's Amphi-theater. The sky was clear and stars were out in abundance, Owls hooted and dogs barked away the night time intrusions of the wild animal kingdom that haunt thier yards each night.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

As Jeremiah's EGO, I have not been asked or better yet given much opportunity to speak of my own expieriences during this ride, it seems that what ever JW says is how it was. I remind you that it took ME to bring out the truth of the night in the Park in southern Colo, and don't forget that it was ME who had to lay out the details of the Tornado back in Canvas. So rest assured that when I speak, I will speak as a voice independant of that of JW and with a voice of clarity and reason..............I will not fall prey to the "excited tourist routine"!!!!

We would be fools to think that a cross country trip of this magnitude would go without a hitch or flaw of some sort, and old Tanglefoot was just such a hitch. You can't get chased by dangerous animals from one coast to the oterh and just by mere coincidence escape all comers..............yes indeed I do know how powerful Jeremiah's legs have become, lets be resonable though.

This incident happend in the worst of situations for a cyclist, and it happend just like I am about to describe. I would suggest a box of tissues and maybe something to drink before we get started it is not a story for the weak of heart. If your a hairy legged MALE type ( for my nephew Walker I have chosen leg hair not facial hair of which he has none, for the measure of a man) , if adventure includes a degree of dangers that go unseen in the day to day suburban world, then this account is just what you need before the Sunday Football game.

The road ahead is wending it way up a long series of inclines that lead to a peak of sorts over to the Buchanan side of a mountain range, the pitch is a 6-9 percent type. The colored autumn leaves have been flattened as colored pavers against the blacktop by last nights rainfall, now the sunshine gives them a renewed brilliance in thier last gasp of presence in this years life cycle. The grass along the edge of the road shows a brilliant green amidst the fall foliage of weeds and leaves, burrdock and ragweed abound. You could hear it before you could see it. I was aware but was he, was JW listening or simply lost in one of his "Oh, look at the color" days. You just never know with JW.

As I rode there with JW, I thought that I was the one aware and ready but I found that indeed I was the one a sleep at the switch so too speak. I seen it too, that moment in which ol'Tanglefoot's foot left the safe haven of the grassy road's edge..............and he entered himself upon the ROAD GLADIATORS COLLISEUM. I was prepared because I had heard the barking off to my right and my focus had shifted from leaves to the danger that my fine tuned radar had sensed. But I was not as ready as Jeremiah, indeed I was not. I mean ol'Tanglefoot had only placed but one paw onto the roads edge, his awesome long black claws scratching the surface of the blacktop making sparks fly. We had been caught on our cycle in a low slow gear at the pre-precipice of a steep incline ( thats an uphill for Walky and Duster ), the time left to react was but a nano-second since our enemy had approached without narry a bark. The barking we had heard was from another adversary in a different yard................Tanglefoot indeed understood the tactics of guerilla battle and administering lethal blows to his would be victims..................he had played his first move in this game of life-chess, with his desceptive practise of laying low within a ditch as an unwitting rider passes by.............ambushing his prey in guerilla fashion.

The speed of Jeremiahs one deft movement is still a blurr of amazement to me, and folks, I am not given over easliy to being impressed by any one least of all JW. HIs foot unclipped and his leg was over the burdensome saddle bag in one lightning movement, the second foot left the pedal just as the bike was laid over to its side. I found myself scrambling up off the ground in a rather hap-hazard fashion not being able to react near as fast as did JW. Like a cornered cat JW hit the defensive crouch stance.................

body low with legs wide set, the center of his immense gravity as close to the ground as it could be placed. Primordial man has been given an inherent desire to survive, in some men it runs strong and pure...and in others well its been all but bred out by the urban lifestyle, with JW the instinct to survive as the hunter gatherer that he is runs deep and strong. This may be a greater challenge for ol'Tangleffot that even he was prepared for.

The eyes were fiery red with anger, a throbbing and intense lust for the eating of his intended prey,........the claws dug deep into the roads hard surface as Tanglefoot's body lurched out onto the blacktop to face off with his now prepared assailant, his neck extended his, his back up his own crouch low in the expectant stance of a victor.........it was just another day of lunch in spandex for him. It was survival or burial for Jeremiah. I couldn't believe my eyes as I sat in the safety of a lower limb of a nearby tree........I don't want to mention my own family background and the Leakey Family side of things. The speed of Jeremiahs movements was like watching a grand master of Kung Poa a classic ballet of life and death...........leathal and fluid in one smooth move each counter offers his quarry a difficult tactical decsision to make....a game of chess for ones life...........one false move could could leave an opponent exposured to victoryor defeat. A mistake here would be painfull, and potentialy lethal. Boy Howdy, I was sure glad my side of the family was of the tuck tail and climb a tree type.

There it is, its the stunning blow, the one fient that would take ol'Tanglefoot off his strong right legged stance and leave him exposed to an attack counter move from the low left side.

You cannot know these sorts of things as JW does so instinctivly unless you have voluntarily placed yourself in dangerous situations....situations just like this or worse, say........... serving pancakes to a group of kids at AWANA's. It all happened so fast and with such deft movements that even Tanglefoot himself was caught up before he could open his mouth in retailiation to the move. HIs legs taken out from under him by a swift roll and grab move from JW, the roll came from under the menacing head and extended neck of Tanglefoot.

Being as how the point of purchase or grip was from so low around Tanglefoots body it renderd his jaws of little use. One last critical placement of body wieght for JW, and Tanglefoot found himself now unside down and of no harm to any passerby....................yes, you could see defeat written in this animal's eyes. He knew that he had been bested by a BEAST much fiercer than he had expected................the confidence of this silent "ditch attacker" was now shattered................he would forever be a changed animal after his encounter with my buddy, my ride partner, good ol Jeremiah

Uh, huh, huh...........hey, Jeremiah is it okay to come down now..............you not going to just turn him loose are you Jeremiah. This is what I so like about my buddy JW, you know what he said, man I am so touched. " No my friend, not till after you have had time to hide in the saddle bag, and then I will turn him loose in his ditch lair from which he arose. But don't be concerend for the next passerby, because as the famous war tactian Sun Shoe has said if you defeat an enemy physically he is defeated forever but retains respect...........defeat him Spiritually and he will remain an enemy forever without respect."

And so ends one of the most spectacular and dangerous encounters with that menace of the roads ways Tanglefoot of Botentourt County that I have ever witnessed..............and I think that all of america's cyclists will reap the benefits of this one episode by my buddy ol'JW. For they can now ride in complete safety within Botentourt County thanks to ME and Jeremiah.

For my children, Pine Winslow and Nevada Colleen.........whom I love!

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Well I did have a roof over my head at least the semblance of a roof. But the rain and wind beat me out this time and morning came both slow and cold for me. You know how it is when you are tenting in the rain and you know that you are slowly getting wet as the night goes by...........but there is really nothing that YOU can do about it. That was my night at the Blackwater Church. The wind came up just after I tucked in as did the quantity of rain that fell.

The wind to my misforune blew the rain in at a slant and over time filled my stairwell with rain up the bottom half of my sleeping bag,,,,,,,,,,,,,and from the waist up it just kept it moist instead of soaked. I did not notice in the darkenss, that when I laid my tent doen first that I had indeed covered a drain hole. Having done so meant the water that did trap was slow to leave...........it also assuered me of a steady supply of bugs to pick off thru the night.

I headed out just after 7 towards the actual town of Catawba, the map said 10 miles, and the ODO on the bike read 22.5 when I hit it. The wind this am is firece, I have not had a terrible time with wind for the most part but today was a struggle into the headwind.So it is I stopped at Catawba Store and bought a huge coffee to warm up with. I had 2 Fig Newt's and called her breakfast. The next town up the road is Fincastle and the road gets very narrow, untended and cloaked in heavy trees and a fair scattering of dissident dogs.

I finally took a sharp turn to the south at about the 10 mile mark adn this changed the wind to a left side wind for me and made pedallingh a little less burdensome. I was pooped by Fincastle, and pulled into a little roadside diner and had a Burger and Fries. It was a welcome addition to the Fig Newts that I had a while back, I think that the tum-tum apperciated it...............I know the legs did.

Fincastle is in Botentourt County, which by the way used to be of such an extent that it included Ill, INd, Va, Mich, Minn, Ohio and a part of Penn as its boundries. Assigned to Lord Botentourt of England back in 1762 I believe. And the locals pronounce the word os (Bot-en-Tot), I cannot tell you how bad the French must cringe when they hear us pronounce a name such as this.

The town of Fincastle resides on a steep hill,,,,,,,,,,a very steep hill that I had to push my bike up since I came to a stop sign at the bottom and was in the wrong gear to get on up the hill. At the top is a psectacualr Courthouse adn set of buildings dateing back to the latter 1700's as well as a Museum for the county.

The curator, Anne gave me a full and descriptive background on the importance of the area for coal, logging etc. In the end bad directions and hard to find signs would see me climb that darned hill back to the top a total of 3 times after the first push to the top...........I was really ready to leave the town by then.

I am headed due south towards Buchanan as my final days end but I had several miles of very narrow road adn many hills to pull in getting to that point. The overcast sky has given way to bright sun interspersed with scattered clouds, the vibrant colors of the overhanging trees makes the miles and hills slip by mostly un-noticed.........but nothing makes the dogs dissappear.

I was dogged good that day by at least a dozen. Adn thus it was after many miles of pedalling that I cam e to the easy portion of my trip, the last 8 miles inot BUchanan ar RIGHT along the rivers edge and thus they are also mostly flat.

NOw so that you do understand that MIRACLES do happen, and PRAYERS are indeed answered..............I heade strait to the town Library to wrok on the blog once again. And these sweet gals said......"why of course you can work on pics sweety, just let us know what you all need and we will help make it work for you" Excuse me I said but do you ladies actually work here"...................... Poochie Maggie, I couldn't believe my good fortune.

So, I got my junk off the bike and worked till 6pm, closing time and got several days worth of pics up in that time.I made an executive decision and decided that since they are open on Saturday from 9am till 1pm that I would work on the blog all that time. By the time the Library closed it was getting close to dark and I still had no groceries for the night nor a place to camp.

So I got directions and headed for the grocery store described by the towns folks as "third world", and they are not lying. I thought that I had maybe slipped thru a magic time portal and stepped out into the Russia that we visited last year. Boy Howdy, this was a bleak store to be real honest. So I bought some crackers and a block of cheese, along with some soap and what not for washing clothes.

I headed back to the other end of town right along the river banks and went to the local coin-op laundry. I washed everything, and dried everything including my tent. I pinned some of those smelly things you put in with drying clothes........to the inside of my unruly bag of sleep. I ate crackers and cheese while this all got done up. It was VERY dark and already very cold for 8:30pm, and the search for a camp spot had to start now.

SO it was at 8:30pm that night in Buchanan, while walking the streets and trying to figure out where to camp for the night that I met R.J Cash Jr..........actually I met his great looking car first then RJ. RJ, had his car parked out on the street under a glowing neon sign for the old timmey looking town Theatre which I thought looked very fitting given it was a 1938 Chevy. The car was a real beauty, done up by RJ when he was just 18 along with the help of his Grandfather.

Its the baby of RJ's life, and is kept inside and driven just on special occassions. I got to talking to RJ, and learned there is more to the man than just these hot rod cars...........in just a few words I found out that RJ is a devout Chiristian, and had lost the real love of his wife a few years back...............that being his wife. Tears streamed down his cheek just that quickly as we talked, and shared our stories of how and when we first gave our selves over to Christ. I came away with this, that all marriages would be better off, if we cared as deeply for our mates as a guy like RJ did for his................it made me ask myself if indeed i LOVED MY WIFE AS DEEPLY AND IF SO...............WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I TOLD HER SO!!!

I outwitted old man cold that night. I took a wallk down along the rivers edge, where I had seen a baseball diamond, and there I found one of those buildings where they sell hotdogs during the games that was not locked up tight. Yes, I went right in without asking permission so I could avoid a little cold. I threw my pad and bag out on the wood floor and slept quite well..............and without by the way any guilt.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You know as any cyclist on a trip such a s this will tell you, you just never know whom or what you are going to meet on any given day. I never set about to make this trip in a given amount of time, jsut ride it, enjoy it, and record it. This day saw me packing up camp on the side of a holler above a fast flowing river, fog had moved in over the night and had thus far impeded my travels till about 8am. I set about my ride that day intent on getting to the route 460 between the rush hour traffic times.............I didn't really know what to expect for traffic to be honest.

I rode along in the still fairly dense fog, with all my clothes on and stopped to visit and take pics of two fellows out feeding there Jersey heifers. We got to visit and talk about the Virginia Dairy business, the lack of subsidies for farmers and tthe low price being payed for milk. We got to visit about the cost of replacement hiefers and how long a good producing Jersey will milk versus a good Holstien.........I didn't realize there was such a difference. I was utterly amazed at how much more productive a Jersey was compared to a Holstien ( Those are the Black and White spotted ones).

Any ways it was good to smell the silage and step in the remnants of yesterdays silage before I hit the road once again. I didn't ride more than a mile or so, and as I rounded a cornere and came down a road lined with planted Pine trees I met a pickup with two fellas in it and the driver had rolled his window down and was flagging me to a stop. Yes, I said flagging me...........now this is different I thought.!

The driver introduced himself as one Bob Coffey, and begged me to turn around and ride back to his house just back up the hill a wee ways, I relented since he also informed me that he to was a cyclist...............the silent fraternity of cyclists is small and tight, and to maintain my status amongst my brotheren I must comply. I ride back the shart ways to Bobs very comfortable little farm, as he actually raises cattle on his 60 acre farm. Bob, on this day was with a hired man named Ernie and they were just about to start some fence work on the top of the hill when they mat me. Bob told me that he and Ernie were going to celebrate that afternoon when the work was done, and they were going to gather as they burned Ernies 1962 version of a Walmart work shirt. I told ernie it would be a small fire, since there weas only 3 threads and one button left to burn.

BOb and his wife Mary are indeed avid cyclists having done almost all of two different cross USA trips. Mary, as Bob confesses is a stronger rider than he, his still plus 6 foot frame requires a lot more energy to take on the hills. Bob, a retired Virginia Tech Enginneer whom specialized in Plastics, now farms and cycle's. But just recently there have been a feqw health issues that have kept Bob close to home and off the bike......................but those will all be taken care of by mid spring Bob assures me and then its back on the bikes which they have quite a few of hanging in thier garage as well. And so it is that I spent over two hours sitting in their home enjoying a couple of great cups of coffee, and a great round of "spoked adventures" and friendship with two PERFECT strangers.

Dowen the road, with renenwed energy and out over the New River Bridge, up and down the many hills that dot the landscape between myself and the meeting of highway #460 running east to Blacksburg. I stopped at a quick stop as I hit the highway, they had a small sign advertizing homemade frie-pies.................just had to do a comparison. WOW.............I am hooked>>>>>>>>>>poochie Maggie these are good. I had the Pumpkin and would love to trade this lady my NOODLE recipe for her Frie Pie recipe.

I visted with 3 fellows from Mexico, all came across to work in the forestry industry which is thriving by the way in Virginia. They tell me that jobs are very easy to get, pays very good, and not one of them had any forestry expierience before coming up here. So it was that Geraldo, Pepe and Fernando wished me well as I headed out on to 460 and Blacksburg.

The day is cool, the boken clouds have fellen pery to solid cloud cover and the temp on my bike is falling steadily. There are four good hills to pull in getting to Blacksburg which is the home of Virgina State Technical School. It is a very busy town as I head right into the heart of it to work on the computers at the Library. It is a frystrating hassle, working with very suspicious Library crews, as in this case they had aTech student who overseen what was going on in the computer lab.

Even with his help, and being moved over onto the latest and most efficient Computer within the Library it proved to be a fruitless effort. So I spent from 1:45 till 4:50 that afternoon and couldn't take anymore of it. I headed out into a steady rain, and no groceries on borad yet. I found out that the only grocerie store was way back up hill from the direction that I need to to be going, and so made a mad dash back to get something to eat. Once I had some groceries, I was determined to get out and away from the city limits to set up camp.

At this stage I am riding in full rain gear, into a cooling evening and a setting sun, my initial portion of the ride was downhill into the beautiful Catawba Valley, and even with the heavy cloud cover and rain it was still a pretty sight. But I was riding and not taking pictures at this point. I was Praying for a nice covered Pavilliion behind a Church to once again offer me sanctuary from the weather..................the Lord, well he had other ideas.

For instance lets see what Jeremiah thinks if I dont give him the perfect shelter........will he still be pleased with me and continue to Pray and say thanks..............or is he one of those fair-weather believers...............lets just see. I rode across a narrow bridge and off on my left side there was a Church that say on a small hill. It was late enough that I thought it may also be my last hope of a place to put up foir the night.

The Church was not the perfect sanctuary that I had hoped for............."what gives I thought, I Prayed for full cover"?? I looked around at the camp situation, and came to this conclusion. There was no ideal Pavillion, there was no picnic area period..........but there was a narrow roofed stairwell, and tyhat would just have to suffice in the current situation. The bottom of the stairwell was full of leaves and debris, so I took my old license plate I carried with me to burn on and used it as a scoop for the leaves etc.

AS I cleaned I realized I had quite an assortment of multi-legged crawling bugs with hard shells................and those Centepede's with 2 million legs and about 3-4 inches long.....................ah, well, like yah, a bunch of the rascals. So I done my best inpression of a cowboy going primordial nativist..................I done my best impression of an Irish Jig for several minutes till I could see a drastic drop in numbers. Once again the license plate came in handy for the ............you know the slimy insi......well the guts that abound after such an event.

I didn't bother with a tent, just threw the tent down first and my matt and that was follwoed with the bag of sleep. Dinner was sort of a covert operation since there were many houses that faced this direction, I didn't want to alarm folks with a blazing fire. I did have a bout 5 deer come to join me...........till they heard I was having Venison and Noodles.

I bedded down by about 8 with 2 hot cups of Earl Grey Tea. So after all that I had done that day to get some miles behind me, I made it only 28 miles doen the road.................but I did have new friends to show and share for all of it.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:23 AM | Permalink

Good morning and thanks for coming along with me for the spin this morning. I had spent the night in a private Ruritan Campers Club set up that provided me with a roof over head to shiled me from the spotty rain that came thru the night. It is 55 degrees at 7:30 and very heavy fog for me to get started in, I dont feel to bad since this road has such light traffic, so I put my tiny tail light on and get to pedalling.

I have a fair amount of my clothing on, matter of fact there is very little else that I can put on, the fog and damp just seems to cut through everything I own. I hope you are warm enough to make it, the little town of Bland is not far off now. So, there we are , you and I and struggling up yet one more grade amidst the cloaked but still colorful leaves of the fall folliage..............when out of ALMOST nowhere comes and goes another cyclist.

Poochie Maggie, it all happens so fast that you are really wondering if what you seen was real or not. It just had to be, but nobody had time to speak or stop and share words amongst the back road fraternity of velo-apsirants.

So we may as well just keep pedalling and get the ride to Bland done, my breakfast of two gulps of morning air is now wearing off and I could use a cup of hot coffee, and I think will buy a gatorade to throw on the trailer for later. The sky is beginning to break a little and even show alittle blue hidden there amidst the leaden clouds of this Virgina morning. The coffee tastes great and it is not a $5.00 cup of Star.....something either. I have been trying to get on my cell phone.......YES that almost useless Cingular outfit I am using.

I have an Uncle in Canada whom has passed away and I was wanting to call my Aunt and talk to her. I have been watching for payphones but none so far on my ride up this holler, I even bought a phone card just in case I found one.

I get back on and keep riding, mostly north by by northeast, we are riding along a river, but not along a river bottom but more up amongst the hills that bank the river. Besides that we are heading to the crest of the Eastern Continental Divide for the Appalachan and Allegany chains of mountains, so the last 15 miles or so have always had a grade to them. I am in one of the prettiest spots that I have ridden to date, the clouds have dissolved leaving those white billowy picturesque type clouds and sunshine, the leaves are looking like stained glass windows now with the sunshine illuminating thier resplendant autumn colors. Wow is it ever a pretty ride, it is so pretty that I am forgetting to keep an eye on the traffic coming from behind..................well I will be darned.

NOt sure where he came from, but there is another cyclist coming up from behind as I am climbing this grade at a relaxed tourist pace. Say he is older than I am and wow, I have to hump up to stay up as he pulls along side. You know, us cyclists we sorta snobbish at times.............I am immediatly analyzing his ride.........silently in my mind you how you do..........it goes like this.

The man, fit, tall, and dressed like he spends time on the bike.........legs look like al ot of time on the bike. The bike, an old steel frame Paramount...............YIKES I say to myself........as I stop to pick my false teeth up................my God, he's riding a 3 speed and I am grunting and farting to keep up.............OKAY JEREMIAH don't panic, just look for the tiny chord that leads to the electric motor, there has to be a catch here someplace.

So it is that we stop at the top of the grade, and my visitor is the same fella whom I passed in the fog earlier this am. HIs name if Gene Oliver, and he is retired from the Rail Road Company now living in one of the tiny towns that dot the western Virgina landscape. Gene is an avid cyclist, and has ridden in both Europe and all over the USA. He has never done a cross USA trip, but would like to. Gene is very active in ultra marathin riding, it is an age catagorized event in which each rider sees how far they can ride in an alotted time.

To date, genes best is 375 miles in 24 hours non-stop. Folks, now I am here to tell you, that I am in no sort of condition for that sort of thing. Gene, tells me that he and I are standing on the hill that actually forms the crest of the Appalachian Divide for this east cost range. I just have to ask Gene about his bike, why the old 3 speed, and is that your standard ride. Well, as it turns out no, Gene is like most bikers in that he has several rides hanging in the stable at home..............yes I said stable. Since Gene is a horse raiser and a cyclist as well. BUt back to the ride, he likes the ride from the steel frame, and the work out he gets from doing a 3 speed in these hills.

But when I enter the competative rides says Gene, I ride a carbon fiber framed bike and a Dura Ace 20 speed componentry. Gene is also a leather saddle seat fan, looked just like the seat that I am using on this ride. Each day begins with a 45 mile spin, almost no matter what the weather looks like says Gene..............it has to be real bad to keep me off the bike.

So it is that we meet on the road , and depart heading the same direction but one rider is going alot faster than the other. I ride on for several more miles and off to my right on the top of a ridge I spot a tower and it makes me think that I should try my Cell-Phone once again just in case. Wow Mama, my Cingular is working. SO I get to talk to my Aunt Lucy, then my wife and also my older brother Niel. It was good to touch base and let them know that I am still alive and fine.

It is time to stop at the next small town Library and do some catching up on the blog. So it is that I pull in at 12:15pm and work on text only till 4:05pm, by 4:20 I am on the road and committred to riding like a mad man and see how far I can make it. The sky is such a rich blue, and I am being showered with falling leaves from the trees that canopy the road. The crrek is a fast running creek on this side with a rocky Limestone bottom which leaves the creeks very clear and with many tiny waterfalls in their course.............just beautiful.

I am really humping along, hitting that 22-25 mile per hpur mark alot as I ride, the terrain is rolling but no pitches that are too steep along this section. Still plenty of dogs, but no close encounters here today. I actually hit the junction of road 100 and sorta confused, becasue the map I had showed 2 small towns that I would pass thru, but I ver seen hide nor hair of them as I rode???? I don't know.....Aliens maybe!! So, I flag down a car and get an update on the roads and directions, then hop back on and hit it due west and up over a steep pitch of a mountain, yes it is a low gear grind for me but the scenery with the falling sun is all worth it. The fact that is is getting darker makes me aware of a need to look for a camp site. I hit the bottom side of the grade and make a hard right onto a tiny little road with out any paint on it anyplace. Looks like a side walk really, this little road will cut across to Maybrrok and shorten my ride a little to the coast.

I zip right along on this road, even though it winds and rises as it traverses the river bottoms and edges of the hollers. All the time I am riding I am thinking about the sausages (Bratwurst ,that I had bought 2 days ago thinking about my friend Fritz), I know that I need to get them cooked tonight and to do it I need to find a safe place to light a hobo fire..............so LOrd, please send me a Church with brother Emile for my Chef...........even just a Church would be fine. The river bottom is full of MAples, and the color on this evening was just glorious, then we rose up out of the river valley and commenced an up hill climb thru White and Red Oaks, these were big fellas with planty of color.

I climbed up a series of short switchbacks, and came around a corner to see the top of a Steeple that was on the hill out in front of me. Hey Lordy, thankyou, now lets hope it had a pavilliaon cover near it. As it turned out it not only had a pavillion cover but also a bar-b-que pit just for me. I didn't bother with a tent, just put my bag of sleep on the table top after I ate. I gathered some small wood and built a nice fire thenlet that burn down to some good coals. I managed to eat 4 of the 6 Brat's, and decided to donate the last two too the Red Foxes that I could here barking out in the darkness. The Brats had been traveliong with me for 2 days, and I didn't want to take a chance getting sick. My campp was the Green Valley Episcopal Church, set amongst the huge Oaks, just a perfect ending to a 54 mile day.
Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I goes with out saying that even if it isnt raining the wet roads will make you wet anyways. When your bike has no fenders etc, and the tires spray up water you will get soaked. BY morning the rain had iether fully stopped or was a light drizzle. I doned my rain gear and some plastic bags on me feet and made for Saltville, the next town, and a larger town that I could buy some groceries for the following day.

I no longer carry any more than just enough water, and just that days food on the bike or trailer. I have shipped home any and all items that I absolutley did not have to have and am traveling with bare essentials only.

I am coming doen hill inot what will be Saltville around the next bend, the road is wet, and I see a Rail Road track ahead............I look in the mirror and move over to the center of the lane for room while I cross and to hit the higher center section instead of the tire rut sections. I notice that the tracks cross at a long diagonal and am just pondering that when I roll over the tracks........................and WHUMP................my fat butt and my bike are both sprawled out across the road before I could say anything or even think it.

Yes it hurt a bit at 10-15 miles an hour, but more than anything I was just sayingh thanks to the Lord that Coal truck was not right behind and my head and helmet could have been stuck between his dual rear tires.............................Can you imagine how dizzy you would be going rounn and round like that before you could get you noggin preied loose and the eyes refocused. I could have been sick and thrown up my Brumley Gap Apples that I ate for breakfast.

I am safe, a little skinned, and the bike has a few scratehs but we are fine. SO, I coast easliy into Saltville, first stoip is for some food and then call home. While I am there I stop by the Library, but it is useless, the Computers are so full of bugs.viruses that using them is a waste of time. I am told that I need to take in the Upper Appalachian Museum next door, since the Curator really knows his stuff.

I take in the Museum, and it is very cool, and yes the Curato Harry does indeed know his stuff. We walk thru time from the first Spanish discovery of this area back in 1521 as they came up from Florida. Then the play of the Salt brine wells during the Civil War. The beggining of an era of experimantation with making of Flouride and Chlorine etc in the area.and then on to the importance of salt once agin in the modern agriculture sector of Americas economy.

I think that I spent some 2 hours walking and talking to this fellow, and another 45 minutes trying to work in the Library, so now I really needed to get riding.

The road out of Saltville is mostly a rising road to the top of the Eastern Continental Divide for the Appalachian region, so I but a badly made treat as I leave a Cheesburger..these folks could take some lessons from In+Out Burgers back in California..............but anyways, I usually do not buy a meal.

Then I am off under grey thinly clouded skies with no sun. The road even in these conditions is just beautiful and Broadford is my next town to make a road change in. I stop at the Broadford store and have visit with Charlie Frye, about such things as Iraq. Being ex military means that Charlie is all for what wee are trying to do in Iraq, but does not think that we can give up control of the military extensions into Iraq and still win this conflict. I cannot stay too long so make my way out, with half a GAtorade in tow. Next stop is the Sprat Creek Store, and a quick visit with MArion Weyhause, a fellow of some 80 years of age.

We talk about the education and the jobs and what not left for kids today. Marion is a grade 6 grad, and made it thru life just fine without anymore..............but these days a man without a University Education just can't make it. But we don't leave any jobs here in America for young folks to do so I don't know what to think about it all says Marion. I agree so that I can get left and on up the road.

There are a ton of hills on this route, and as I said it runs mostly up hill as we head to the crest of a row of Appalachian MOuntains. The houses are scattered, and few and far between on this remote portion of road in Virgina. Every house has its obligatory 5 dogs of every breed and mongrel description from a pedigree look to the metal muncher type with canines.............some just barkers and some with a seroius intent in there eyes. It was on the crest of the VERY TALLEST CLIMB of the day, only fitting isn't it..........that as I am climbing in my lowest chainn ring that I met BUCK.

I am struggling to get to the crest of this hill which comes at the end of an up-hill left hand curve.............I can see some daylight in the trees ahead and figure it is the crest..................htere is just one house left that is a log home high on my right hand side. Iam practising my "STEALTH MODE super COVERT SHIFTING TECHNIQUE", its a little practise that I have gotten into when riding over here in dog heaven. The chain clicks silently into the next lowest gear and I am slipping like a ghost along the road and amongst the trees on this last pitch of the hill.

ANd I hear a large volume "WHOOF WHOOF WHOOF" to my right...........I look up to see a dog, large and chocolate brown coming out from under the sanctuary of a truck on wood blocks "WHOOF WHOOF" again as he comes bounding doen the hill while I am stuck with grunting up the hill. WHOOF WHOOF he sounds, as he jumps from the ditch's edge to the road below and me struggling on my bike. I am really uncertain as to what to do, since if I unclipp at this speed I cannot pedal, and I am only going 4.5 miles per hour and am more likely to just fall over as any thing. BUCK, as I find out his name later..........makes his first pass by me from front wheel to reaer of trailer.........he's growling and barking as he goes......................then he's back with a little more zeal for his job of offereing protection to the entire HOLLEr as well as the distant King of England.....................he gets in close to my front wheel which I have not peed on for several weeks. He's sniffing and checking it close...which shows you how slow I am going up this hill.

BUck looks like maybe a Mastiff and Rotweiler cross.............but he is all chocolate brown.............big slobbery jowls and heavy square muzzle and thick neck..............not at all like my neck. Buck works his way right to my leg on the right side...........and as I am pedalling he places his entire mouth around my ankle above my cycling shoes. He has all of my ankle in his mouth, but he is not biting down, I can feel his teeth but no pain............simple I think...........I am looking at this from the after life and when I look down I will find I have one carved wooden leg and a Parrot on my shoulder. NOt the case, but I have stopped pedalling since BUCK has my right foot in his mouth. Its at this point that I made an anatomical observation, that the human leg and the sphincter are inter-connected ................man I had the tightest hold on that leather seat. BUCK, COMM"ERE BUCK, BUCK YA"ALL COMM'ERE. I learned Buck's name. and I spoke in tongues to him...........english tongues................I Praised God for learning his name, and then spoke to him..........."easy buck easy buck easy buck". Then I pulled out my Smith 357 and shot him....................just kidding, but I would have if I had one. BUck was gone, I was rolling down hill, and a whole man once again. Praise the Lord I said to myself, then decided to just shout it out in case BUck was not yet saved.

Folks, I am riding on Hwy 42 at this point, and it is just so beaurtiful with all the leaves and creeks etc. JUst a picture at every tuen in the road at least for me, and its over cast..............just imagine how pretty it would be if the sun were out. I am headed towards a small town , but the heavy sky that has pending rain makes me consider a small covered picnic area at about 5:15. I am just not too sure if I will make another good camp sight in time before it gets too dark for me to ride. I am camping at the "Ol,Lystery" Pentacoastal Picnic grounds. NO church to be seen, but a roof and it will work for me.
She's a soup and noodles sort of night adn a few Fig Newtons with Tea to finish the day out.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I am up when the chore time call is made by Gregg at about 6am. Gregg's oldest boy Eli is a 4th year student at the Virginia University at Wise and also a member of the Golf Team. Gregg's other boy is a greade 12 Honor Student at BIg Stone Gap Highschool. SO cattle and horses all need to be fed before the boys can leave for school.


With chores done up, I pack my gear and shed the denim for Spandex. I notice on the trip back to Coeburn where Gregg will drop me off that Gregg covers his head any time we go thru a small town where folks may know him..............just not sure what that was all about??? I get dropped right where I was picked up so I do not gain nor loose miles from my trip. I leave Coeburn on route 58, and have a afternoon with plenty of hills to climb before I get off to another road.


During the ride I pass the Old RUssel County Courthouse and also home of Log Cabin Crafts. The buildings are real pretty, but unfortunatly also all locked up. But there was one oddity I should mention. The folks who ran it, had plastic crap of all sorts strung and sitting everywhere. I mean, here is a real neat old log cabin and plastic lawn chairs sitting on the front porch. Here is a split rail froint porch with 2 or 3 plastic himmingbird feeders etc, and it just went on and on.



FOr an avid photographer, it was almost a waste of time trying to take a pic, becasue no matter what you shot some sort of plastic would show up..............I found it somewhat of an irony especially since they had a neat hand made sign claiming Log-Cabin Crafts and Folk Arts??? Okay folks, I know I am being picky here but why do the preserve historic buildings, and cover them with modern plastic trappings???



I rode on till I hit my little worm trail road that leads me north by east up a small valley. I had ridden maybe 10 miles and I stopped to talk to a father and son who were putting up Tabaca in the barn. They were putting up shorts, or end cuts as they also call it. Hard work for maybe 2 months putting up Tabaca.


BUt it is the best paying crop fpor a small family farm, and Albert the father ands son Andrew like doing the work. They feel the Tababca market is much better now that the Government Quota's are removed. And the subsidies are gone, so everyone can get in or out of the market as they choose.


Its raining, so I get a few items of rain gear on and head towards Brumley Gap, I find a few apple trees along the road and avail myself of the sweet delights that come with stolen................borrowed apples really, since I did give them the core back. I carry on this very narrow very twisty rolller coaster road that runs deep between two ridgfes that flank me on iether sie. The ridges are covered with trees from top to bottom, and often they come together to form and arch under which I and the highway run together.

I finally come to Haytville, marked by a Church that sits only feet from the roadway, and actually had to be moved over 8 feet so as to not sit right in the road way. Haytvill, has been here since 1815, and a very good photo of this town resides a little further on at the Saltville Museum. I am about to leave when I spot a rarity out this way.......a lemon tree that I am told shows up in a picture taken of the once town from back in 1875. The tree though not very tall, and with very unusualk shaped leaves has huge thorns on it ranging from 1-2.5 inches long. I ate one lemon just to see what it was like...................I found that it indeed tasted like a LEMON.

I kept pedalling, and watching the sky as it darkened with heavy grey clouds and more rain fell as I rode. I spotted a small country Church with a covered picnic area off to my left, so I made a bee-line for that sanctuary. It had all that I needed, a tabl;e to eat on and a roof to keep me dry. I had a simple dinner of Soup that night, just couldn't bring myself to put noodles in it...........Poochie Maggie, I am getting so tired of noodles.

I also had a dinner guest, a young fella who lived across the street came by for a visit. HIs name is Jaydon, and he is 9 years age. NIce kid with an unfair start too life from the way I see it, but I won't go into family details from this blog. JAydon left me when his Mother called him back home, and shortly after Mom and a man left, I noticed Jaydon came back with Yahtzee and some Cards too play with me. We began a game of Yahtzee, but I noticed that Jaydon was a cheat to the extreme level, and I made subtle mention of it which seemed to curb his enthusiasim for the game. We then tried a game of cards, but the same result was made clear, no such thing as a normal game in both cases it need to be cheated to be enjoyed.

SO, I invited Jaydon to dine with me, and told him a little about myself and asked more about himself and his very extended family. The soup is ready, and I split the can with my young guest............the bigger reason to invite him to eat with me is to engage him in Prayer , and I openly Prayed for Jaydon to know and receive Christ in his life, and that the soup was not too badly burned. To the second part of the Prayer, I know it turned out just great. Then Jaydon showed me a NEW THING.............crunching crackers and putting them in your soup...........I played my part real well, and was amazed at teh great taste this gave the soup..........he thought that this was great.

Then Jaydon left, and I cleaned up my dishes and rolled out my bed on a picnic table. Young Jaydon came back to talk to me a little more. He was very intyerested in California, and had somewhat of a "fairy-tale view" of the state with all folks being rich, and all folks living on the coast in a mansion etc. I told him all that I could, and made acase for what the rest of California really looked like. A car puuled up, and a young fella steps out to chek on Jaydon and see who I am camping at the local Church that so far non of them attend.


Once that is out of the way, I get the same Cal questions from this fellow who is almost 20 and has the same misconception of what the State is all about. These folks leave and Jaydon begins with a leg pulling story about how he needs top smoke cigarette butts to avoid having bad headaches. SO, as he produces a butt, we talk a little about the properness of a boy 9 smoking, but more about the long trerm results of smoking period. Finally I tell Jaydon, that he is welcome to visit with me, but not smoke when he is with me............Jadon leaves for home......

About 1/2 hour goes by and Jaydon is back but this time with his future Step Dad, who may be all of 25 at the most. Thie fellow Steven, a nice guy raised locally and having not left the county is all fired up about California and has the identical notions that all the rest have had.........California is MONEY, MOVIESTARS, MANSIONS..........
SO, we talk about it at length, what we look like, what we produce and what we do for jobs out that way. All this time Jaydon is smoking his cigarettes under the protection of his about to be step-Dad who at one point asks for a cigarette from Jaydon. We talkm hunting, we talk bears which there are plenty of, and we talk PANTHERS something they see often around these here hills. Then in the pouring rain, I am invited to come with them and get some wild Brumley Gap Apples. SO we walk just up the road, and then over a ditch and into a field to pick wild apples at night....................6-8 apples later and we are headed back to my camp site. The apples are very god, quite tart and very firm and crisp................but the outsides would make a Preacher flush.............the skins are a mottled black and red color.............they look like cannon balls from Hell more than a scrumptous apple that they are.
Company is gone, and I crawl into my tent which I have tied to the top of the table.

I am all snuggled in, and I can see headlights pull up to my camp and the screech of brakes.............so, I know it is Steven and JAydon once again. Then I hear Steven calling me outside the tent...........I unzip and talk to them. What they want is too give me a pair of rubber boots to ride in since my cycling shoes are not water proof...........it takes me a while to convince them that I cannot clip in a pair of rubbers like I can the shoes I have. Reluctantly they leave for the last time.

It rained all night, and I hear of anywhere from 1 inch to as much as 3 inches fell, and I don't know the exact as to where I camped...............but I do know that it rained steady all night...................but baby I was dry. Thanks be to the Lord, and these Churches with a covered Picnic area.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

JUst becasue we sat up late does not mean that we get to feed late..NO Sireee BOB. Gregg was up and rattling beds by 6am, and there were cattle to feed. SO we bailed out, got the feed loaded and headed out to the feed bunks to feed. With every one working in unison, it doesn't take that long to get morning chores done, and the fog hadn't even started to lift by the time we were headed to town for Breakfast.

A good breakfast under our belts, and we were ready to get home get saddled up and bring in not only the 600 pound grass cattle but also Greggs heard of 20 or so Corriente Roping Cattle. Jeremiah Horse back,,,,,,,,,,,,hey what gives I am usually on the ground where I can be of some use!!!!!!!

I get to ride the old Stud, who in fact is broke ebnough to babysit me, so all I had to do was sit and flop........the horse done the rest. We gathered, sorted, wormed and once again found ourselves finshed up and at the roping dummy just before it got dark. The call was made to get the evening chores done up, and we would go to town so I could download some work for my Blog. And with that we bailed into the feeding and watering of the cattle and horses that occupy the Sirron Ranches pens ( Thats NORRIS spelled backwards)

This time we went to the town of Norton, and I got to meet Greggs girlfirnd Jackie, and it was Jackies daughter whom had allowed me to use her computter to put up some opics on the Blog. We had a little more Pizza, watched a FootBall game............I think the third in my life and headed back to the ranch to visit and then let me pack for my Monday departure. We were all in bed by midnight, and ready to get to it.

I know that there are a lot of nice folks in this world...........but some how a Cowboy hat and a silk scarf always seem to make for a welcome stop in life. For those of us who live out west, we sometimes think that we have rodeered all the folks and held onto the ones whom are most hospitable...................but I have just met a few from way back east who must have slipped thru that rodeer and made a home in Virginia. Thanks Gregg, Eli and Jacob for making me feel so at home in my bad taste clothing and all.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This day was a very cool greeting indeed, the tent a a good 1/4 inch a frost on it, and getting undressed-redressed was a little chilly.........thank goodness I have the wisdom to not shave my legs. That highland blood shows up in the hair of both thier men and thier cattle.............hey at least my legs were warm.

My camp was an erie one, since the back drop wasa cemetary, and with the frost in the morning it could have been on the set of a horror film..................."The Camper in HELL"

I get camp packed up, and ride just down the road and spot a Post Office..............and it is open even warm maybe???? SO, I enter in, and find Becky to be very warm and friendly. Then in comes Ganey Summey, and he is the real chatty cathey.....so we vist about all things pertaining to my ride/California. and every thing else that crosses his mind. I learn that the winters are very mild these days, and they used to be real bad when he was a boy growing up in Fort Blackmore.

And boy let me tell you, there comes a flood here too, that is why Fort Blackmore never grew.................sometimes we get 20-30 feet of water comes down the holler. There was one younf fella whjo came in to mail an item and was 95 cents short...............and as it turned out I had my fanny pack open to get out my log book, so I threw down a dollar and told him I would be glad to cover it for him. I never though much more about it, as Becky then related to him that I was riding across the country and had stopped in to warm up. He left saying thanks for my kindness, and me and Ganey continued to visit while it warmed and the fog og the river bottom lifted.

I bet another 10 minutes went by, and I see the same young fella walking back up to the Post, but this time with his hands full of a food warmer. He proudly presented me with scrambled eggs and 2 biscuits and sausage gravey as well as a hot coffee. He wouldn't let me pay him, he was just so surprised that someone from California would pay his Postage he wanted to return the favor. NOw it was me whom felt honored or Blessed. He left as quickly as he came, leaving Ganey and I to visit more.

I rode on some 8 miles and stopped to take a picture of an old train station. I had leaned by bike agianst a small flower planter...............and that was enough to bring out a very suspicious building superintendant. Howdy says Herbert Horne, we don't lean no bikes on the flowers round here. SO, I move my bike to another place less troubling. I take a few pics and he asks if I am writing a book or work for the Government? To which I tell him niether, just riding and taking pics as I go. I ask if I can take his picture, to which he is surprised, and very reluctant....but finally agreees.

I get him talking, and find out that he served in KOrea and also in Vietnam. During WW2 he helped his father break Mules for the Army. He loves to work with Mules and work Horses, they are horses with some sense............those WEST horses, they are just to tough and hard headed to be of anyreal use. Herbert is matter of fact, and I don't challenge a word he says. He goes on to tell me that as a boy, he and friends would ride the train from here in Dungannon over the mountain to St.Paul and watch a movie on saturdays, then ride the train back home before it got dark............those were the days when life was fun, and Dungannon was a real town.

From the town of Dungannon, I have some seroius hills to climb before I can stop in Coeburn. It was made up for by how beatutiful it was to get up in the hills and the canopy of turning leaves. I finally arrived in Coeburn, and had expected some mail for me, but to my surprize the Mail was closed. ONce I found that out, I called my cowboy friend Gregg Norris, and told him I was passing thru town.

Gregg told me to stay put, and he and his boys Elijah and Jocab would in to pick me up. I was not real sure what to expect, since I had never met any of these folks before, all I had ever done was talk to Gregg few times on the phone was all.

A nice 1 ton Dodge Flat Bed Dually idles up, and out step 3 heafty fella's who could have been from Elko Nevada by thier dress........and I greet them all. After which Gregg says to his boys with a wry grin...........lets get this Jeremiah home and properly dressed..........thank god for tinted windows eh Eli.

Gregg lives in Big Stone Gap, the ride was interupted only long wnough to eat a little Pizza, and then on down inot the gap we went. The ridges are a blaze with the oranges and reds of fall here in Virgina. I find that Gregg is very serious about having me re-dressed...........so I shower and then the boys give me clothes between them so I am outfitted in any thing but SPANDEX.

Well, lets go boys, says Gregg. We got cows to feed before we can take Mr.Watt her for supper. ANd so by 4pm that day, I am feeling very close to the lifestyle that I know best..........and Spandex Dreams are quickly fading into my distant past. The day is filled with the bellering of cows as we feed, the click of shod horses hooves against rock, and the smell of hay. Gregg runs the largest cattle back grounding operation in Virgina, and has apassion for good horses as do his boys. So we feed up the cattle, take a look around from the feed truck for any cattle that may need extra attention, and then return to the barn to feed up the large number of horses that fill every pen and corral on the place. Well, as it always is the case, once that is done we can get down to small talk, details of the ride and of course a little roping on the dummy. We peoably rope for an hour at least, and its time to hhave a little more food.

Gregg is a BlueGrass nut, and we listen to the likes of Snoop-Dog and Filthy Cent doing numbers ion Banjo and Fiddle, to be serious it was good to hear that coming out of the radio instead of the other junk. We head into Big Stone Gap, for a little Mexican Food, really its just a chance for Jacob to take a clsoer look at the pretty little Senorita's that work there.....................I may be old Jake, but I am not blind.

It was a good supper, plenty of visitng. I find out that Gregg runs a Scrap Metal Yard, and also buys and sells Herbs. Now this is right amazing to me, because I tell Gregg about meeting BIlly Tignor...............and before I can get the words out of my mouth, he says yes I know, I buy all his Gensing from him. SO, you see the world is smaller than we think.

We head to the house, and visit until3am, way to late for me but I tough it out and enjoy the Cowboy Company.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I just all but froze last night, the bike therm says 22 degrees and later I would talk to folks who said they hit 19 degrees....so suffice it to say it was a cool night in the ol'bag of sleep'

I woke in Sneedville, with folks driving by and honking at me as I dressed..............easy now Mike and Rob, not that I was naked..........but a fella has to get down so many layers before he can add the other ones in their proper order. SO, there I stood at 22 degrees with just my base layer bib shorts on, and looking in my clothes bag for some sandpaper to remove the GOOSE BUMPS, so that the next layer would slide on as it should.

Finally dressed, and now begging to warm up, I have camp put away, the tent is hard with frost and will be wet if the day wearms up.

The take my frozen water bottles in with me to the Quick Stop restaurant. Can I break in here with an observation. Back her, the small town cafe's have almost all given way to the tiny deli cafes at Quick Stops, and its terrible in my opinion. I visit with the ladies that run the thing, they are wondering about my bike ride in this sort of cold. I am just fine really, nothing that a little sun will not cure later on , and coffee will cover up right now.

I am really on some back roads here, and I just love it. There are a steady rythm, of small climbs, some fairly steep, but all just enough to give you enough work to stay warm. I just keep getting run by dogs, they are everywhere, and on this day at least 30 of the boogers ran me. NOw most are in it for the sport, but some come with a blood lust, and that will make you grab a gear and do some cranking. I am just coming up the road, and see a small store so Its about 10:30 and I think I will stop and see what there is inside.

Low and behold, I walk thru the door to be greeted by Steve and ADa as they sit by a pot belly warming there toes. Yes Siree Bob, a pot belly, chugging away right beside the cash register.............so, I grap a pack of crackers and join them to dine and find out just what takes place in Blackwater VA on a Saturday Nite.

As it runs out, not mush happens in Blackwater at all................matter of fact never did. I pay for the food, and take a few pics outside, and exit the area for more road ahead. Its is about 15 miles to the next Junction that I need to be looking for, and It goes by very relaxed, the sun is out, but it is cool maybe 55-58 degrees is all. I come to my junction, and make a left towards a gas station that I can see. I first buy myself a couple of Virginia Maps, and have a coffee while I sit and look them over. An elderly fella comes in and sits having a burger, his name is Billy Tignor and he is a Gensing hunter.

Its pays real good money says BIlly, I get almost 450.00 per pound from a feller up in Coeburn ( you will find out how small the world is in just a few pages). Billy is a retired Pastor, and has taken to hunting Coons and Gensing so that he gets some good hard excercise..........and he looks it since he is in very good shape. Billy suggests a small detour in my ride since I am so close to a very neat item.

It is a 4-5 mile detour that will bring me to a naturally made tunnel thru a mountain, that is right after I pull a few very steep grades to get there. The tunnel, made right thru the mountianside by the boiling waters of a river, runs some 900 feet in total length, and about 450 feet below the sharp rock wall that used to hold it all back.

The tunnel is some 40 feet in diameter, let me just say it is large enough to allow a train to pass thru it today very adequatly, and without the rail ine having to expand or almost no leveliningg of the floor of the tunnel. It was very impressive, and well wirth the ride, the scenery was just great.

But, It was now time to get to the cranks again. I ride south for some 8 miles and turn left to pick up Highway 65 that skirts along the Clinch River. As I am making the turn, a very nice for this area SUV is coming out the same road. How far are you riding says a man driving it, and I tell him . Well isn't that something, we are from California as well, MIssion Viejo as a matter of fact. Have a Blessed trip they say, and they depart.

The ride along the Clinch is just superb, with the modertate rolling terrain, the turning leaves and the small farm steads that dot the countryside. The only negative, was the abundance of dogs that ran me as I went. I rode till as late as I could, and came to a Church on the side of the road. I made camp and called it a day, another very simple supper and this time I wrapped a jacket around my feet, and had all my other clothes on, and saved my towel to wrap around my head, just trying to stop a little heat loss is all. I bundled up, closed the tent and done my best to stay warm.


Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We are up at the Motel, and all things are packed. Right now I am trying to persuade the clerk down at the desk to send a parcel home foe me in the mail, which would surely make it a lot easier for me.

Its a cool grey sky the hangs overhead as I ride out of Clinton Tennessee. I am actually riding past the Appalachian Museum once again, and let me tell you folks I hit it at the right time, becasue it is already very crwoded in the Museum grounds as I ride past. Its about 10am, and I stop for a cup of coffee to starty the days riding in hte hills that come out past Andersonville. There are even signs warning folks of steep switchbacks ahead, so I know that I am in for some climbing.

I am leaving Andersonville, and the cloud cover is trying to break just a wee bit, and every once in awhile you get a look at the brilliance of the autumn colored leaves. There is a lot of exposed rock jutting out along the ridges and down along the numreous creek banks.

They are not lying about the switch backs, I am in them and they are fair steep I can tell. There are no gradient signs posted on theis entire piece of road, but there are some spray markings on the blacktop that I am wondering about. The paint reads gr10 or some were gr13 and many other numbers in between..........so, I dont know. I felt alot steeper that the 7-9 percents I have encountered before, but I am just not sure. When I got to the top my ol legs were burning good, so I know it was a climb.

Once you top out and ride by the tip of the lake on the other sirde the country gets sorta blah by comparison. Ther place is sparcely populated and not very impressive. I ride on to New Tazewell and find the library where once again I can post text but not pictures. So, I post two days worth and head out. Its is sunny for the most part, but not warm. The bike has not gotten over 54 degrees yet, and I have long pants and a heavier top to ride in.

I am turning due south here at New Tazewell, and I find myself on the road that no biker likes to ride. It is a narrow road under construction, and there is no shoulder once you hit the white line that marks the edge of the road. The shopulder that does remain is full of deep heavy ruts from the construction vehichles using it. So as a rider you are left with pucker up Pray and pedal..............and that is just what I am doing.

Not real sure how many miles i had rode, but it was not real fun, a few good hills to struggle up and no room for mistakes as cars went by without any regard for a cyclist. I was hating the road and spotted a gas station. So I took a turn off the busy road to ask if there may be another route or road that would get me where I was going. It was while I was talking to the fella behind the counter and relaying too him my lament about the current state of the road that I noticed a fellow sorts on the edge of our conversation. I paid little attention to the fact, and got tyhe sad answer that I didn't want........and basicly decided that I would have to tough it out for another 5-6 miles and a least two more good grades, which are mixed with the heaviest construction on the road.

So, away I go and just go to pedalling, Prayin and watching behind me the best that I can. I was climbing the first more seroius grade, and getting quite near the top and also thinking about getting off and walking due to traffic and room..........when VRRooooom. Up pulls a small red Toyota type rig, and a fella with a thick beard and long grey hair pushes his head out the window...................THROW THAT RIG IN THE BACK 'N' IL GIVE Y'ALL A RIDE TO THE ROAD YA WANT...........SAVE YA GETTIN KILLED OUT HERE. It sounded like sage advise to me, and I made a hasty decision to do as suggested. I unhook the bike and heft bike and trailer into the back and start climbing into the back myself...................WHAT THE HECK YA DOIN, GET ON UP HERE BOY, Y'ALL AINT RIDIN BACK THAR. Okay I say, and jump out of the back and climb into the passenger side just as a fresh case of beer is being moved off the front seat. DAVE'S MA NAME, he says and his large hand is extended to me. Its the same fella that was listening in at the Gas Station. THIS AIN'T NO PLACE FOR A FOOL ON A BIKE HE SAYS,his words much more slurred than I am able to relate here. In fact, I look at the beer case again, and can see it is un-opened but the speech is very heavy and slurred, and the eyes are very drowsy as well. The truck is rolling and there is very little that I can do about it all now................mentally, I am thinking that this may have proven to be a very foolish chlice in order tyo avoid a bad traffic scenario.

YA'ALL DONE SHOULDN'T BE ON THAT THAR HIGHWAY, THOSE FOLKS WILL KILL YA UP THATR SON, THIS HERE IS SHINE COUNTRY AND FOLKS WILL BE DRUNK AS #%$@@*& UP THAT THAR WAY. The language with this fella is very coarse and has more cussing in it that words used for conversation............so, if you throw in a serious mouthwashing cuss word every three words that may get close. yA'ALL SHOULD TAKE MY ROAD..............%$# HECK i'LL JUST TAKE YA ON DOWN THERE. sHOOT, THOSE THERE HEATHEREN #@$% ^%$#
SHOULDN'T ALLOW A BIKE OUT HERE. Well I say, all I need is to get off right here Dave, and I will take my chances...........and as I am saying this my road is whizzing by me as I speak. dANG *%&$# i AM SO DRY i CAN'T SPIT says Dave, i DRANK A QUART OF vODKA FER BREAKFAST AN NOW i AM READY FER A %$#@* BEER, HAND ME ONE THEM BEER.............WHAT THE ^$##@ DID YA'ALL SAY YER NAME WAS..........AH *&^*(&%$ NEVER MIND JIST HAND ME A BEER. As soon as I hand it to him, he sorta throws it back at me and says something mostly unaudable to me.............and then a string of cussing comes as we pass a Tennessee Sherriff's car, and a string of cussing fills the cockpit of the red rig. IF HE TURNS ROUND, YA'ALL DRINK THAT THERE BEER.

RIGHT HERE says Dave, RIGHT HERE TIS THE ROAD YA'ALL WANT TO TAKE, THAT OTHER &*$$#@ ROAD WILL GET YA KILLED. YA'ALL NEED A MEAL....................HELL YAH YA NEED A MEAL, never waiting for me to reply. YA'ALL NEED TO MEET MY OLD WOMEN.....SHE'S A GOODERN, THIRD %#@@* TRY SHOULD BE A GOODERN he says. YEAH, I THINK THAT i BETTER FEED YA SOME %#@@*& FOOD BEFORE i TURN YA LOOSE, LETS GO TA THE HOUSE AND SEE THAT HEATHEREN &%$##@ BOY OF MINE...........THEN I WILL FEED YA SOME GROUN HOG..........MY GOLDY, SHE MAKES THE &%$$#@ BEST GROUND *&%$# HOG YA EVER ET. All the while, I am trying to aswer but realize that Dave is too far gone to be cognizant of much of what is sayed. We make a hard left off the very narrow road of hows number I have clue, and we are on a very poorly kept vertical gravel road/trail. The red rig, and Dave, now drinking his second beer since we left the main road some 5 miles back is just barely at the weel. I can catch parts of the conversation, as he relates his Vietnam time to me, and the Agent Orange issues are working there way into it all, the wife Goldy may well be the fifth of sixth not the third as he had once sort'a said. We arrive at the top narrow neck of the "holler" that has a single wide sitting at the top at an angle and postion that seem to defy gravity and common sense..................but then, I stop and think of my new chauffer Dave and realize it looks just like Daves very scrambled thinking.

RAT *&%%#@ HERE BE HOME BOY, LETS SEE WHAT THE %$##@ THOSE HEATHERN ARE'A DOIN. Dave exits the rig, and stamps real hard on the stairs leading inot the trailer house................smiles, ............turns towards me and says...........JIST NEVER *&%%$# KNOW WHO OL GOLDY MAY HAVE &%$$#@ VITED OVER TO KEEP TYHE HOUSE WARM. There is a little time lapse, and finally a voice calls Dave on in................just Dave not me..........I stand out side with 4-5 dogs checking out my leg length and the smell of my fingers..............hair is up, and teeth just barely show below a raised lip on one. And then the door cracks again as a small boy comes out, very reserved and looking at me....................in my attempts to speak to him I get no reply at all.............and this goes on for a few minutes. Then he asks if 'thet there bycicle be mine or Daves bycicle".........so I tell him it is mine and the boy just turns and leaves me standing out side by myself once more. Several more minutes go by, my hyena friends are back sizing me up.............when the door cracks and the boy says "Ya'all shude come on in har".

NOw folks, I will tell you that this is a classic paradox , my friend dave cant say three words without a serious cuss word............and his cussin is clearer than his spoken words. He goes on about his heathern wife and kid. I know from the conversation that he has anothre wife just down the road and also a daughter with that wife.......and I won't waste my time with his describing them. SO I enter the trailer, all the lights out, and hte noise on the TV is a noise I have heard before.............and it is on to the very top of the volume setting............i am greeted by a women laying on the couch smoking a cigarette and the boy sitting beside her. I extend my hand towards the women and tell her my name is Jeremiah.................she never moves nor acknowledges me.......just goes on smoking and talking sorta yelling at Dave. The boy watches me closely, the women just smokes and talks loud to Dave. The TV is playing the Jesus Movie, the conversation is filled with more cuss words than real words and I am now sitting at what room I could make at Daves kitchen table/gunshop/small engine repair shop. Folks, I am casught in a culture warp, and wondering what possesed me to make the choice I had made.

Dave is wanting to make me some supper, and all the time I am telling him that I am just fine all I need to to get on the road and ride. I do bnot dare to tell him I want to ride before it gets dark....fearing that he may decide I should stay the night. YA'LL NEED A GOOD %##@ SOUP...............i KNOWS JIST THE KINF DO AS HE DIGS OUT A B&W LABEL CANNED PORK MEAT............ and I just know its all knuckles, lips and buttholes. Then Dave digs out a can of Corn..........and the phone rings..........the boy named Chancey hands to phone to Dave who is now on his second beer since getting home and smoking a cigarette with a load of ash............Dave holds the phone upsdie down and turns the water on in the sink.........................the conversation ensues between Dave and his last wife whom he hates, its easy to tell by the conversation. Its at one point during the conversation, he says that he is washing some disshes to feed a fellow some supper..............he picks up one single fork that had been set in the sink since who knows when and swishes it about under the water for a bit................then with smoke rising heavily up into his eyes he takes adrink of beer and removes the cigarette to carefully point the ash of the cigarette on the blade of the fork he was washing and replace it in his parched lips as he found his beer and finished the conversation in a very gruff tone. BOY, GIMME ANOTHER BEER, I A FIXIN THIS HERE FELLA A SAM'MICH. N' BOY, GIMME SOME HO'PEPPERS FRUM THE WIND'A ...............WHRES MA CIGARETTES BOY. And Chancey was scurrying for each item. I sat frozen, locked in on the conversation and tones of the room, as different oparties related to one anothter and Jesus played as a back drop for it all.............the boy Chancey is attached to both the movie and the reality of his home. He is teasing Dave about being drunk, and Goldy is trying to shut that down, and tell dave that the pork meat is buring on the stove......and Dave insisting that what I need ias a good warm sammich............and I am huntingh a hole to crawl out off.

Finally the pork meat is stuck fast, and I am invited to come on up and fix it for myself...........all there is for me to see is a can of pork meat emptied into a pot and burned to the bottom and I am supposed to make a meal of it............Boy Howdy, I am struggling here. Chance brings me a loaf of bread, and i commence to building the best "ROAST PORK" sammich I can. Chancey brings me some mustard, and I slather some on and then he hands me the Peppers from the window. I sat and ate a hefty pork sammich while Dave drank.......INHAILED.......... another beer. I am ready to get out, the clouds have filled the sky with dark clouds of rain, and have no idea where I really am. JOSHUA,SAYS DAVE, IAM GONNA TAKE YA TO THE BIG CREEK BRIDGE...........THET'LL BE FUN............YA WANNA GO WITH ME LIL'UN. And Chancey is game for this, I have no idea what is up. Now it s Daves turn to take in a couple of sammiches, and he is enjoying the food .........munch munch , smack smack alot, let me tell ya folks.......... alot. GIMME A BEER FER THE ROAD BOY SAYS DAVE. We all make our way to the red rig, and Dave produces a belly pistol, waving it about the truck cab, and proclaims to be a real good shot with it.............the conversation takes a dark turn with gun in hand as dave talks about various things from the past. Chancey and I just sit, quite.

We are now rolling, and back to the main road once again, at least the main troad to daves holler. AS we go, I am trying to find out just where we are, and where I am going compared to where I was wanting to go. Dave takes a hard fast left at the main blacktop, which is so narrow it doesn't even have a dividing line on it. We rip up the road towards some place called Big Creek. WE GONNA GET US A DEER LIL'UN AND EAT HIGH TA'NITE EH LIL'UN........dave waves the belly gun out the window and calls to the Bambi's. The boy wants to drive, and Dave is now considering as he suggestes we should not hit the ditch nor a telephone pole like last time you drove says dave. I am wishing I could just get out and crawl.............even roll a peanut any think but ride in here.........and whre is Big Creek I wonder to myself. WOW..............LOOKY THERE SAYS DAVE, THAT THERE UN'S ON THIS SIDE TO...........the red rig swerves hard at a 400 pond calf that stands just inside the wire fence by the side of the road........blades of grass fly over my mirror, and you can here dirt hitting the floor of the red rig as Dave makes a move to correct the carrening vehichle. %$##@* NEAR HAD US SOME BEEF LIL'UN, THAT THAR %$#@@#@ CALF WAS JIS PERFECT FUR A *&%$$#@ COOK POT...........*&^&%%$# THAT WIRE FENCE, WAS IT THERE LAS TIME LIL'UN.

I find out that I am on a road that leads to Sneedville, which is a town that I was wanting to get to on this day. And after several lurches and quirks in the driving Dave has arrived at a bridge over BIg River. He points strait ahead as I unload my bike, tells me that right up there is Sneedville.................BUT BE CAREFUL SON, THAT THER BE RED NECK TOWN................THEY'LL SHOOT A MAN EASY LIKE. GET IN LIL'UN WE GONNA FIND US A DEER TO BRING HOME TA GOLDY..................TAKE CARE YER SELF JOSHUA AND COME ON BACK UP THE HOLLER SUM TIME........ the roaring red rig does a sharp U-TURN and tailights dissappear into the nite, blue smoke streaming from the drivers window as he waves one last time...............and he is gone. So, how close to hell had I been.........I don't really know. I never got hurt, just worried, Dave done me no wrong, but it could have gone really bad at almost any point becasue Dave had so much to drink. SO, thanks ed the LOrd for once again watching out over a fool...........and as I rode in the cool of the night, I was wondering if that was something that the Lord had really wanted me to see. The other side of another man's life.?

I am riding along a river now, it is very cool and Sneedville is 12 miles according to the sign. So I turn on every tail ight and make for town. I arrive, it is real cool, and it will surely freeze tonight I think. I find a place under a parge Pine tree and beside a Chruch. I make camp, and have a simple supper.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I am up an moving by 7, my camp is packed and most other campers appear to be still in bed, so I slip through the upper camp ground quietly. There is a light drizzle of rain falling and the sky is a heavy leaden grey which promises to make somebody wet by the end of the day.

I ride out of the Norris dam area, and within a couple of miles I come to the Lenoir Appalachian Museum, the Norris Grist Mill, and Bevins Threshing Barn. I cannot pas this up, so I take it in just for you. I will brag that the pictures are great, but they will not let me put them up here in Tenneessee just yet...............so please wait paitiently.

The Lenoir Collection is the sole gathering by one Willaim G Lenoir and he has donated it to the State now as a permanenet collection. The Museeum houses some 8-10,000 artifacts that emcompass all aspects of Appalachian life from the earliest times up to present. From Chiina collections, to crystal, and wood working tools, metal working tools etc.

Very intersting to walk thru and very well displayed. I move on to the Grist Mill, and take a look around, talk to the fellow who explains it all, the Mill is doen at the moment with some wheel preoblems but will be running this summer and grinding bags of corn etc for buyers.

I pedal on to the actual town of Norris, and have Coffee and apple pie.................hey, what are you chuckling about. After that barn storming ride I made yesterday................I nned a little caloric addition to my diet.Anyways, I was going to work on the blog from Norris Library but alas it was closed for Weednesday. SO, I ride on towards my destination of The official Appalachian Museum in Bethel.

It's Tennessee Home Coming Week, and that is what I had wanted to attend. In fact, I had ridden so hard that I got there 1 day too soon for the opening of the event. There were vendors in place for the event and to my luck and amazement I got too meet quite a few folks whom I had heard of and who were also quite knowledgable in Appalachian Lore. Do you remember the Fox Fire Books from back in the 70's, they were just great and I do not know what happeend to all of them now since I never see them around anymore. These books took in all aspects of hand craft and bush or woodsmen lore, they visited with folks who done ewach craft and wrote in depth explanations of how to do each craft etc. JUst great.

ANy ways, one fellow I remember is instrument maker, Charlie Blevins...........actually it amazed me that he was still alive. BUt low and behold, here he is not just showing me one of his latest Dulcimers, but playing it for me as well. Charlie, along with his wife done a great job of explaining all the details of maing instruments, playing, and having a opassion for what we do. Its not in the young folks anymore says Charlie a little saddened.

Back in the 60's and 70's you had a real revival of interest in these pursuits, but today is would seem that once agian it will all be lost. Charlie spent 38 years as a Army Special Forces soldier, and he is a bear of man even today. HIs wife showed me her favorite, a 4 hen scratcher............with each hen sratching and pecking on corn in the center of a board as you sway the board about in your hand............very cute.

I move on past strumming playing musicians, some on spoons, some on guitars etc...........its a cacauphony of sounds and melodies al intertwined at times. I meet a trio called the Ross Trio, a banjo player, a washboard and Harp Psaltry (3 string wash tub bass). These folks play only historic tunes, and it is just great. I loved the old hyms that they done in this manner.

The Museum houses a great collection of buildings that have ben moved in and completely restored to working order, there are canins aplenty, barns, loom sheds, grinding sheds and sawyers sheds. The you have the early homes of the famous, such as Mark Twains first birth place home. And the first Senators home. The log cabins that I really loved, were the ones with an open "dog run" or what some may call a breeze way thru the middle of two attached cabins..........very cool.

The soft melody of an instrument that I was not familiar with caught my ear and I let it lead me to another quieter area of the Museum grounds. And I met and befriended a great gal , Betsy. Who as it turned out was playing a Hammer Dulcimer, and a very fancy one it was indeed. She played some great tunes, and I asked why they had so far off in the corner? To which she replied it was so that folks could actually hear her instrument, since the others around would drowned the sopund of hers out. Hers was soft and quite delicate...............they are the actual fore-runner of the Piano she tells me.

I wonder over to the huge Red Barn Exhibit, and take in another collection but about 3 times the size...........of Appalachian Artifacts. What a great exhibit it is, with all the same sort of things just much more of it.............I am starting to get hungry since I haven't eaten all day. I can smell something that lures me.........yes it is the smell of some great cobbler being cooked in a Dutch Oven of all things. Now this is beggining to feel like home again. Ed Blackwell, is the cook and a mighty fine cobbler he makes. I visit with Ed for quite a while and it is begging to look like some seroius rain coming and it is 4:45 so I ma actually thinking of getting a Motel to charge up my cell phones and camera batteries.
I ride toeards Clinton, and find Circle *, and a cheap room..........everything is charging

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Good morning folks, I am in the town of Fairview, which is on Hwy 63 East up in northern Tennessee. Its a fair warm morning as I awake, it is 59 degrees but with a very heavy fog. Heavy enough that I walk my bike for the larger part from where I camped to where I had poor coffee and 2 eggs. MY tent is just soaked, and my bag of sleep.........well its moist shall we say with a rather pungent odor begining to develope. I noticed that it is taking on its own personality after all that we have been through together.............last night it rolled over on its own........and I was tangled for a good 5 minutes getting it all straitened out again.

I walked a couple miles in the fog, and decided that I would wait it out in a tiny Cafe. I took in my night case and had a shave etc, so I could feel just half house broke. I sat and ordered two eggs over easy and coffee. Well the eggs went down just fine, but Boy Howdy, these folks could sure use some help with there brands of Coffee that was being used. It was bitter, but not as if it had Chickory in it, just plain bitter and about 78 degrees in the pot

Anyways, things improved just a tad, as two Coon hunters took up a table next too me and the converssation was all dogs all the time.................well lets start over, it was all COON dogs all the TIME. SO, as I sat I had this running commentary on best breed, best water dog, best treers and of course best voiced dogs, then we get sizes of dogs and the ability to travel, and then we got into dispositions and color traits etc.

I of course asked a few questions, but in general, I just listened. It was intersting, and I was wishing I could have had an Apricot Poodle lying under my chair so that when I got up too leave these men may have at least one chance to see a real dog.

Its now about 8am, and the fog is lifting enough to allow me on the road it looks like, so off I go heading east to the junction of I-75. The road has some fair large hills, with long steady climbs. Had my firast real encounter with an idiot Cola hauler. Everyone has worned me to be very wary of these paid by the load Coal Haulers...........and this one guy fit the bill. I was actually fully stopped and parked on a wide shouldered section of highway. The bike and trailer are leaned against a guard rail, and I have stepped over the rail too take a picture of some hills off to the south. While I am standing there, I here the engine brakes of a tandem axle coming down the hill and I look up to see what we have coming.

The truck, rather in bad repair, moves over in a long steady line, off his lane and over onto the shoulder..............I am now thinking that he is making a bee-line for my bike and I reach to hang onto the bike frame as he goes by just inches from my means of transportation...............and then he moves back over onto his lane and carries on up the next hill. You go figure?

Plenty of hills more and I am at that junction of I-75, and now looking for Old Highway 63 to the south, which will allow me to skirt around riding on the Interstate. I am ontop of a large ridge and I try my trusting frind the Cell Phone..........whoa, Poochy Maggie, the ol'girl has decided to work. I get to taklk to my older brother Niel and fill him in on just whre we are and what has been going on. It is while I am talking to him, and I am standing over on one corner of the truckstop parking lot, that a near fight breaks out between a man and wife. It seems that she had made him spill his coffee as they were walking out of the shop.........anyways it sure seemed like he was about to beat the tar out of her. SO I took a change of direction to another area of the parking lot. I understand his anger though...............she did waste good coffee. Whoa now, take it easy I was just kidding.

AS it turns out, I have to back track about 4 miles back down a huge hill that I had just climbed in order to get onto the road that I need. Folks, the first 2 miles of this road are covered up with coal haulers who give you no room period.............and I darned near quit the road and turned back. But after that approx. 2 miles, the coal haulers turned onto a different road and I was alone on a aroad caught between two very deep ridges and following a creek as its compass course. What a great road, the sides of the road a deep with the fallen leaves of overhead branches, red, gold, brown and green line the road...............they swirll in the wind as I pass by. The road is entirely canopied with tree branches, and what sun does poke thropugh is mottled and fractured by the canopy. The shafting afternoon sun, brightly illuminates the leaves from behind crating a mosaic of color that gives the waters of the creek a stained glass effect in places. I was really hoping that the 15 miles would las a little longer.

When I broke out of the little section of nirvana, I was surroumnded with the noise that comes with a busy road such as I-75, the trees are farther away from the road now, and businesses line the roadside and crowd trees out to make room. We are now in Caryville (Karah-veil, as it is pronounced down here), and there is a Library rat there, as they say, and I dropped in to work on the blog. I spread my tent in the bright sun to allow the sun and wind to work there magic on it. I noticed while I was getting my tent off the trailer, there was a strain and struggle going on inside the bag itself................no doubt its my bag of sleep exercising its adolescent behaviour.................Ther is nothing like a sleeping bag to contend with when it's hormones kick in.

Okay Okay, I will be nice, my brother warned me I was starting to sound real harsh on the Librarians, okay I get it. I done my best to try to work with this gal , but to no avail. The whole of Tennessee has shut me down when it comes to photos and up loading. SO I typed in some 4 days worth and headed out. My mileage has been rather dismal as of late, with all the stops and photos and hills in a day slowing me down. So I had the determination that I would get to a certain place on this day no matter what. But I had spent over 2 hours on the blog, and it was now 3:45 and I had almost 18 miles to cover.

Folks, now I do have to warn you that even the description of this ride are racy and way too volatile for small children to listen too let alone see in person. Please realize, that since the very beggining I have had one motto to my blogging........tell'em all and tell'em everything. So, if you have small children in the room , mabe make'em leave, be sure thye do not read this section...................it could be way to frightening for thier little "sikeee's"

Folks its true, darned sure is. The folks of Caryville and also of Lake City are even today picking up the pieces that are left of there towns after I stormed them. I rode like a man freshly Demon Dis-possesed.............I sped on over that road in the full drops of my handle bars and my huge thighs powering away like the piston's on a steam-engine. It was amazing, sections of loose black top would explode out of the road as I passed at such speed.........town folks without teeth, just stopped, stood and "staired" in disbelief. They stood in silent amazement, as they watched leaves in thier yards being sucked out onto the road as I passed. There were several small train tresseles over the roadway as I rode, and at each one they are shrouded in tree branches...........I rode past with such force and velocity that the hanging branches were sucked inside the tressles as I passed by the whirling vortex of wind that I had created. Dogs would bark and chase thier own tails as I passed, becasue they just knew there area was being disturbed..........but they did not know by what and out of pure canine frustration they resorted to the onlyy thing that they knew ..........chase thier own tail and see if that was the culprit. Folks, I topped 39.7 mile per hour dragging that thar trailer back yonder, and that was while on the flats not coiming out of a downhill run...............hey listen now, I am not given over to being a braggerd................but I rode for 18.7 miles like a tour champ. I rode like a man with a testosterone patch on each tire>>>>>>>>>

One very earie place that I rode past, and partly I rode last becasue I had a huge hill to climb and the campground was still a ways off and it was very near dark. But I rode past the Memorial Marker for Coal Creek Mine Explosion of 1934 if I remember the year correctly. What is most remarkable about this event, is that the town gathered for a hugeBurial Ceremony, for apprx 134 miners that were still down in the shafts of Coal Creek Mine. Ther was no way that any one could move enough rubble and debris to get too and save the trapped men.......so after 14 days of fruitless digging and 24 hour working to frre the men............a Funeral Service was held for all the trapped men and the church Bells peeled in Unison to mark this solem occassion. It was over a month later, when the men trapped in Coal Creek were reached.............yes of course all were now dead. But what was found makes a huge emotional impact on oll whom read it............that many of the men were still alive and had written there families notes.and thiose notes show that many men lived on for up to 4 or 5 days after theier own Funerals were held above ground.

I rode on, up that hil.................shoot i DIDN'T RIDE IT, i ATTACKED IT. The hill runs about 4 miles and is a fair pull up to the top of Norris Dam. Very pretty, and a nice ride indeed. I finally made it to the Norris Dam, my destination for the days trip. Now to find a camping place. As I ride I spot the East Camp ground, which works out well for me, since that is the direction I needed for the next day. I camp at the east Camp, and as I ride in I can here a mountain melody being carried by fiddle and banjo................just right. The camp ground is stuffed full of trailers, and it seems to me as I pass thru, that each person carries a musical instrument with them. I sit and listen for about 20 nimutes, its all good and just an impromptu jam session.
Camp was simple this night, and the sky almost dark as I find a flat spot.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:11 PM | Permalink

I am up early enough in Allardt, but fog once again impedes my progress down the road. Until it lifts, I am staying put rather thatn ride and staying flat under some rig. I head to the one and only quick stop, get some coffee and sit with the locals who are all doing the same.

There are about 4 at my table, a horse-shoer and a retired Lawyer. Jason , the lawyer, tells me that kids today are spoiled. When he was young, he had to spud tobacah to earn money for School. KIds today, why they want it all handed to them, and quick like right out'a school. I call em "sers and spenders"..........whre'as in the old days we had folks who was "arners and adders". Used to be that when folks made alot of money, they would add to the communities they lived in, a different sense of civic pride was apparent back then.

These young folks today, they appreciate little, and use up every thing they have never adding to a community. I think that is one of the greatest loses that America has today, is that lack of civic pride that at one time made all of America proud. I can't add much, and the horse shoer for the most part agrees with Jason. SO I leave with some things to think about while I ride to the east.

As I am mounting my Irich Rocket, Jason tells me to be sure to take a little time to walk around Rugby, its just maybe 15 miles on up the road from here.............and my wife and I will Pray for your safe trip.

I do just that, Rugby, is a secnd home to the wealthiest that England had to offer to its second sons from the isles. They turned the area into a retreat for the younger aristocrat's to languish during the summer months rather than the Lake District of England which had become much to crowded . And so out of that grew the tiny town of Rugby, with Opera House, and a full Library with hundreds of volumes, a full stained glass Episcopal Church, a Linen Shop, and a Commissary, along with many other fine establishments.

I talked to Josie, at one of the stores that makes up the Rugby community of buildings that greets all comers. Josie, like me, is enamoured with the beauty of the Tennesse countryside. She has a love for the abundant waterfalls that speckle the river-scapes of the Tennessee river ways, and went into a long description of so many that I have lost count of them all. I came away saddened to know that almost non of them lay along the route that I had riddent, most are in the central or southern routes of the State.

We have a great visit, and I leave with a much wider knowledge of the local history now that I had met Josie. I then take in the Spring Hill WIlderness Gift Shop next door, and I find out that many folks who had been local artists dojnf many of the rural appilachian crafts have now passed away and sadly there skills have not been taken up by a younger generation of folks whom hail from Appilachians.

A little further on, and over many hills under a canopy of tree branches I arrive in Elgin.I get something to drink and check out a road I intend to take. Of course taking it is a big mistake, becasue it is a coal mine hauling route, and common sense tells you to avoid it if possible. That choice sends me north onto 27 then 63 east, and not more than 5 miles or so I see a sign that makes my brakes screech to a halt , the sign reads " Fried Dried Apple Pies, for sale" and I just gotta go in to this house which sits right beside the road and see what is up.

After all, and please do remember that all things are now measured against Frannies Pies..............and don't forget to send your pie in as well. I knock on the door and meet Sara Beth at the stove, she just hollers me in, since she has both hands busy right there in her kitchen to which she is busy tending to fried chicken and the smell of corn bread wafts through the house.................I know and love corn bread. Come to think of it, I guess I am a little like a goat, there just ain't much that I don't like to eat..............but good corn bread can get a women married off. Sara Beth, fills me in on all the secrest of making good pie, why to dry and why to fry.........................all of which will be for sale in a later but coming cook book. Hold on there, I was just kidding. I buy two of Sara Beths pies, and have great but quick visit and head on doen the road for Hartsville.

The old saying of it never rains but it pours makes me think of the 20 mile or so ride to Hartsville. I had 4 flats in that distance, and can only attribute it to the sharp crushed rock that dotted the narrow shoulders ???? I nevcer have liked the whole flat scene, and have done my best to avoid it. PS, Chuck, I am sure glad I didn't pull my tire liners. I had told you I would do something a little different with my tent and I have.

NOw, I pack it last, and loose, on top of my trailer, with a cargo net over top. Each time I stop, I gicve it a turn, aor maybe a new fold so the sun and wind hit it all and dry it while I ride. It has worked good now for 2 days, and saves me sdome time in the later afternoon working on drying my tent. It is while I am ridingh, and my continual strugle to work with a Library, that I come on the thought of stopping a a Business for Conputers, and see if I can doen load from there.

I tried this in Huntsville, I meet Sam Phillips and he allows me on to download some pics. Problem is the software used to hadle pics is slow for me becasue I am having to learn my way around the software as I go, and so I only get 4 pics done in maybe 2 hours time. During part of this time we also had to download some new drivers so it would read my CF card. SO, it didn;t really pan out to good iether. I did have a good long visit with Sam, who is an un-abashed Orthodox Jew. We visited about living in what is often called the BIble Belt of America and being a Jew, and how that goes over with the Chritian folks that make up much of the Community.

Then we goty onto teaching in Schools today, and how we are often leaving the brighter kids behind all becasue we cannot pidgeon hole there education with that particular child. And we closed with a discussion on what should and maybe will come of the Iraq confrontation. Sam, as you may guess, is no lover of Buch nor Iraq, and would wipe them out completely..........but understands the reason for going with some degree of trepidation also..since this whole exposure to freedom is brand new to the middle east and its Arabic people.

It is 5:10 and I am out of money, and food and water. SO I tear of down the road to find that Hunstville has nothing for a grocery store nor ATM. SO, about 8 milesz and 3 very large hills later I pull inot a tiny MArket and get some cold food, for some reason, I am looking at how dark it is and just don't feel like cooking at all. So cold chicken it is, along with some fruit. I camp on top of a ridge, between the road and a water ditch..................the dew is already very heavy. My legs are very tired, but I dont want to sit and take a chance ion getting full of Chiggers which I will then aklso bring into my tent. So I stand wishing that I had a small folding lawn chair right now.

Good Night and God Bless
PS- folks, my daily mileage has fallen off badly, so I need to stop talking to folks or maybe just throw the camera away.............but this is my tird day with less than 50 miles per day.?????

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Its Sunday and a figgy wet morning again, I have about 15 miles to ride to the next town and I dont get a real early start just due to the fog. I am camped on one of the many ridges that make up Dale Hollow Lake, and the ridges down to this lake are indeed steep, honestly, I don't know if I could have peddaled back up from the shoreline...........Poochy Maggie, they look like plus 20 percent for sure.

I ride on to Livingston, and take in a beautiful Town Square. The actual Courthouse has a plaque that reads, made in the years 1868 and 1869 by Little Joe somebody, for a total price of $9,999.00 dollars. And folks, this is one gourgeous Courthouse, all the windows decorated with red/white/blue banners and planty of great trees to add colr to the brick building which stands as an edifice of commitment by the folks of Livingston.

I attend Church today in the town of Livingston. A First Baptist Chrurch on the edge of town. I mmet several of the congregation, take in the Lords Supper, and get best wishes and Prayers from several who watched me ride off.

I ride on inot what is breath taking country, the roads are small and winding, covered in a canopy of multi hued leaves, and more of the rock is exposed as we pass byu which adds to the granduer of this piece of road. Even though the hills are now getting much longer and also steeper, it seems that the beauty of it carried you on with out much effort...................you find yourself tired but not wanting it to end.

My steepest hill to date, at least marked hill is shown here at 12%. Just before arriving in Jamestown, I came upon a level Limestone Quarry, usuallu quarries go down into the ground to dig.........but in this case the quarried strait in, that is until finally it colapsed.

I arrive in Jamestown, which is the home town of the most decorated soldier of WW2 one Captain Alvin York. I missed the Museum and the Armoury under his name. I by a little something to snack on, and while doinf so, I throw my tent and bag out to dry. I see a little black mold staring on the tent, and I will adopt a new practise while riding after this day. I bough a little something to dine on later this evening, and so hit the cranks to the east again.

I came to a halt behind a Church which I had stopped to photograoph since the red setting sun on the Church and trees outside of it had caught my eye. I pitched camp out bakc the Church, nobody bothered me, nor even knew I was there it seemed. The tiny town of Allardt had other things to keep it occupied...................COON HUNTING as I would find out. I had a real feast tonight for supper.

I had bought a can of Mushroom soup and a small pack of 3 Cheese Tortellini and mixed those together along with a cup of Tea and I felt I should have had wine but decided to wait and have coffee later at the little quick stop which marks a junction in the road at Allardt.

About 9, I wander up to the quick Stop. There are 3 "tennesee typical" vehicles parked out in the parking lot.............older and very beat up Toyota's or such type of truck with a 2 compartment dog box in the back and aback window or tail gate covered in bumper stickers that say such as "When the Tail-Gate drops the BS stops", or "Hound Lovers make others Howl" etc. I was actually minding my won bisuness for a change and intent on Coffee, since the night was cooling quickly with dew. I got my coffee, and as I exited I was met with a butt end coming out from under the hood of a rather ruff lookin truck........................"How ya doin buddy" a gruff voice asked?

JUst fine I said looking aside to see who asked. And Dale Reagan smiled with fewer teeth than an adult should have, a cigarette hanging from a relaxed smile that crossed his face. I am Dale he said, and stuck his hand out. Dale is a certified COON HUNTING fanatic as it turns out, and there ain't no dog like a good Walker Dog he says proudly as he pats his dog box. So are these the sorta dogs that make coon hunting look as fun as movies like "Where the Red Fern Grows" I ask. Shoot says Dale.

These here are real dogs, that movie stuff just ain;t real. Why you take old BUtch here, signalling which side of the box is BUtches with a tap............why heck you can tell if he's on a squirrel or a deer or a Coon by his bark.............and you outt'a here him set up the howl when its treed. Oh, now "thet there, thet's music son" says Dale with the pride of a boasting grad night parent. You do that on a full moon night like tonight, and light yer'self a fire to keep warm, maybe drink a little shine while the dogs tree..........and son,you got yourself a movie fer shore. Well what do you do when you aren't out hunting Coons I ask Dale? Shoot mostly screw around I guess, I hate fishin so I cant do that, and a job just gets in the way of the best coon hunting............besides coon hunting takes it out'a a man.

Shoot he says, some times ya doin get in till 3 maybe four in the morning...........and a man and dogs need time ta rest, ya'know whatta mean? Yes I assure him, I can see where the requirements of a job may cut into good coon hunting. BUt how do you live if you don't work I ask, maybe a little bolder than good sense would dictate. Ah, shoot thets easy, I don't eat what them there rich folks eat...........a little Souce and greens will take good care of a man............sides I done drive the new rigs..........I need one like this rat here........something dependable in the mud. I takes a few ol'boys out huntin from time ta time, and I sell a few good hound pups along the way. Its done fed me fer nearly 60 years, no good reason to change the ways I see it.

My new friend Dale stepped both of his well mannered coon hounds out of there respective sides of the truck box kennels. I was then introduced to Butch, a large and thick chested, heavy muzzled Walker coon dog.............Butch made it clear he didn't want a pat from some gimpy bystander in Spandex iether. Then out cam ethe pup, BIlly, only 15 months. He has a great voice says Dale, but gets his scents crossed a little just yet, but he will run and hunt just give a little more time to season and he will make a good replacement for ol Butch here.

Its now 10:20 and the coon hunters dispatch as if on que, dissappearing into the night to find a corn patch to commence the nights activities. And me, I walk back to the tent, all the while thinking that if I had asked, I believe that Dale would have taken me on a Coon Hunt that night. You need to know that Jeremiah has wanted to go on such a thing for the longest time. BUt I also realize that with what I have for biking clothes, they would all be tore up on such an outing and I wouldn't look very smart in the morning would I?

Good Night and God Bless......................I can hear dogs, several, barking and at times howling................then barking somemore.............and I wonder if its Butch and Billie out in the night after a coon with only the Moon to show there way?

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This day is apptly named, becasue it is one in which you were always going up or down and almost always under a canopy of trees with turning leaves. I have fell in love with Tennesee, it is so absolutly beautiful at every turn thus far.

I rose up this morning in RBS, to find 37 degrees and heavy fog had rolled in. My goal was to shoot the Museum and then gte on the road to get in a few more miles. Off to the quick stop for some coffee or two. And then take a roll by the Hotels to shoot them before Cyclemo's opens at 8am. ONce I enter the Museum, I try to find out a little more information on what is coming and what are the important items already at the Museum.

Well the "GRAND PIECE" for John the owner who is also a landscape Architect, is his one owner 1936 completely untouched down to the original paint etc Harley. ANd to top it off, the one previous owner was an Uncle too John who willed the bike to him at the age of 14. John has been a cycle nut since he was old enough to walk, and it really shows, becasue every thing that possible pertains to vintage Motor-Ccyles is contained within the Museam. From that we move to a comparative of Harley and Indian war commissioned cycles during WW2.

Then there is the WW2 (mini Harley) cycle that John has, which records show as having been dropped out of a C47 during Operation Market Garden and the battle over Indhoven in Belgium. Its fascinating, even for a neo-phite like me, the bikes are staring to look rather sculptural even to me..........rather than just hard and mechanical. The stories are fascinating, and the search for the collection is every bit as fascinating as the pieces themselves. But the time had come to get on the bike.

It is now almost 11 am, and I hit the road. I find the road all the more busy than yesterday, and find out at the first station stop why that is................Son, its the Roller Coaster Rummage Sale weekend..................did'nt cha know? And it sure enough is, I mean every house has a single table or much more out front for sale and cars are parked any and every place you can imagine. The bargain hunters are every place that you look.

Vehicles pass with boxes tied in trunks, and boxes tied to rooves, and stuff hanging out of pick up truck boxes.it is every where. The road feels crowded today, and in the darkest shady places I feel very vulverable today. and so I ride a little less at ease than the day before. The country side is still very pretty, but I don't have the time to look as I did before.

I stopped in the tiny place of Oak Grove and decide to have lunch, simple a burger and fries. It was while I was here that I had a chance to visit with a Retired Air Force Captain, James Elwood. We visited about his stations and his deplyments, since he had spent time in both Cold Lake Alberta doing test sting on various items, but also his time in Labrador Canada and how cold it is there.

The time in Labrador was also to test items to see how cold worthy the gadgets would be during usage. We moved onto the Korean conflict, and the wasted efforts there, and in his opinion the first time that America sought a compromise to an end, instead of a victory.........which in his view has become a precident when we are engaged in a conflict of any kind. America lost her spine for war back in the early 50's said James..................and I am not sure we will ever get it back. Don't get me wrong, I think that the men and women serving are as good if not better than back then..................the problem is with our Press and the Politicians quite clearly in my opinion.

Our wars are being fought on the battle fields, but lost in the press by a press that is at times very anti American in its views and coverage. You take for example the very controversial topic of loss due to death, I think that one lose is indeed tragic, but when it comes to a military conflict I think that the way that the press portrays the death loss is also a tragedy. Because when you look at length of engagements and troop numbers deployed ..............our losses of man soldiers in Iraq are extremely small statistically speaking.

BUt I fear that the biggest mistake that has been made in Iraq, is in the handling of the war mechanism itself, we cannot win this sort of conflict when the orchestration of it is being handled by an Iraq tribunal................just my opinion, but I don't think we can win it now. And to me, a compromise here is completely the undoing of America. SO I ask, what about the young folks who are signing up, what are your thoughts on that issue, I myself have never served but have heard several thopughts on what type of individual is signing.

Well, says James, I think that the soldier in the Armed forces of USA, is at it's all time best right now. They are all volunteers, and they are being selected by SAT scores and aptitude rather than just needing bodies as in WW2. These young folks are just the best you can get, and I mush prefer the signees to the draft any day just becasue of the willingness of each person recruited.

Don't mis-understand me says James, we can win the comflict in Iraq, it won't happen over a short time simply becasue of how different this conflict is when compared to all of the others we have been engaged in.........but we can win. And to answer the final question, yes says James, the folks who make up Irawq, deserve there chance at a new and free Iraq. It remains to be seen if they can hold onto a free Iraq with all of the other coutries around it willing to sabbotage Iraq's efforts............only time will tell.

Oak Grove is only 5 miles away from where I am supposed to be turning north into Kentucky and once again my stinkin Cingular has left me stranded. I borrow a phone from the waitress and call my wife to get Len Yules home address, he''s the fella that I am going to visit in Kentucky. Well how surprised was I to get my wife on the phone, and then to find out that Len had moved changed plans completely. I was in some ways relieved, since I could avoid the notorious Kentucky Coal Haulers. I can now carry on due east on #52 .

I have used up my last CF card for my camera, and am in search of teh replacement for it in every tiny town that I come to. Finally in Celine, I find a Walgreens and get a 512 card, that will hold me for a while now. I rode on but stopped early enough to let my tent and bag dry out before I went to bed.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You know what I love the most about this country that we live in, its the diversity of not only topography but in human characters. You just never know what sort of a day that you will be having when you roll camp in the morning and hit the cranks to get some miles behind you.

It was a 48 degree morning with a cool wind blowing and overcast as I was ready to leave the Portland Tennessee area. It turned into a little more hilly section of the country than the day before. There was a distinct absence of the pungent "Tabacah" smoke smell lingering in the are as it was yesterday.

I rode only a few miles to the little town of Westmoreland and decided to stop and get something simple to eat. Most of the time if I stop in the morning I try to have some sour dough toast and coffee....................Lordy I do miss my sourdough. On this particular day I decided to eat because I am feeling rather dizzy and make theassumption that it is calories I may need.

I turn the cranks for a few more miles and it is time to find a Library that i can work with and stop at La Fayette to try to get a little work done on the blog. I am soundly defeated after having spent 2 full hours at the key board working on pictures that the lady was suere she could get onto the net for me........with that I decide to move on down the road................very little.

Ther is a parade going on in town for the graduating seniors, and the parade crosses my road.................to which a Sherriff tells me YOU STAY RAT THAR, N I'LL LET YA'LL KNOW WHEN YA KIN CROSS THIS HARE ROAD! So, I head into the quick stop for coffee and a cookie as I am still sort'a lightheaded. I try my cell phone and still nothing. I wait, and wait, about an hour .15 minutes and the Sherrif, smiles and looks at me and waves me on.

Its turning into a cool clear day, and riding requires a long sleeve jersey even though the sun is bright over head. I am pushing into a slight headwind for the whole day as it turns out. Its now into the afternoon and I am on the road to Red Boiling as the locals like to call it. The country side is hard work ion a bike, the hills are getting bigger, but the beauty of it makes each hill quite easy till now.

As I am coming up too the final hill to Red Boiling, I pass JT's Antiques on my left side and up a rather steep little hill, so I decide to tackle it and continue my Xmas shopping. JT, the elder and owner of the establishment is out front as I ride up and dismount..................How fer ya ridin he asks? And I tell him that I am goiong to quit in Red Boiling tonight But that I had stsrted in California.

Good land Son, why'd ya do it on a bike? Well, I tell him, I guess I am the sorta fella that needs a challenge once in a while, not real sure. Golly son, a man can get a challenge in a lot of ways with out workin that hard kin'he? Yes, that is true, but all men need to be challenged from time to time, I think that is the nature of a man. Well Sir, says JT, the Lord he ain't called on me to do nu'thin that there foolish!

SO, from that point on as I strolled the store which was chaulk full of very intersting things I would have taken some of home if I were in a truck................JT would announce to each new person whom entered into the store............"would ya'll be fool enough ta ride thet there "Bycicle" all the way from California. And the resounding answer would be......................"LAND SAKES, DON'T BE FOOLISH..................DID YA ALL BUY THET THERE RIG JT? And he would get the biggest chuckle out of the answers that folks had, and then point over towards me and say............."THET THERE FELLA, HE'S FOOL ENOUGH TA"............ LOOKY THEM THERE LEGS ON THET FELLA...........THEM AIN'T NO CHICKEN LEGS NOW!

Along came a fella who got JT to talkin and off the bike so I could explore the store a little. I looked but did not find that which I was hunting, and so I joined in with JT and his new guest as they both sat up front by the now cold pot belly wood stove. The other fella, as I am introduced to him is Pastor Buddy Davis. Buddy has been a Pastor for some twenty years now, but led a rather different life prior. The afternoon turns into an account of the history of MOON SHINING in Clay county, which was and still is an active SHINE county. Our PAstor friend was a road runner and betwen the two of them they told some great SHINE stories for the next almost 2 hours. I was taught the difference between SHINE jars, and the BALL BRAND #13 BLUE Sealer that some folks try to sell as SHINE jars.

But SHINERS are supersticious fok, and they broke every #13 they got there hands on due to bad luck. The conversation moved onto wood and wood lots in the area and the prevalence of Pine as the newest tree to plant on what had been deciduous hardwood country since time began. The price of Timber at the stump versus at the final yard and where all the profits are going. It made for a very interesting couple of hours, and to share these tales with a PAstor made it all the more fun to be in on.........................I'll have to ask my own Pastor Mike about his background when I get home..................maybe this is typical??

I rode on up the rest of the hill that leads to Red Boiling. AS it turns out, you take a sharp dive down a steep series of hills into the creek bottom now known as Red Boiling Springs. There is not a lot left of the once very popular little town, time. floods and attrition have taken there toll on what at one time had 9 huge hotels to boast about. Red Boiling, as history tells it, is one of only 2 places in the world that has 5 different types of mineral water bubbling up out of the ground. There is one other place in Germany that can boast of the same sort of thing happening there. SO, back as far as 1880's this was ahealth Spa town, and folks with ailments came from near and far to achieve better health by taking the disease diminishing and healing waters of Red Boiling. Over time there were 9 Hotels of very large size built along the creek that spills thru Red Boiling. Each crossing of the creek is covered by a wooden bridge as it was back in the old days. And today, there are 3 very grand hotels left to remind us of Red Boilings days of glory. I really wanted to stay at any one of the old establishments but refrained from spending any extra money.

So it was as I rode the many winding roads and streets of Red Boiling Springs (RBS), that I spotted a new establishment to RBS. On the site of the old Excelsior Hotel, one of RBS most luxurious Hotels, now stands a vintage looking motor cycle museum called Cyclemo's. Now, for folks who know Jeremiah, they know that I am not really into Motor-cycles. But it is here and so am I with a little time to kill till evening sets in. I am very pleasantly surprised, I meet the owners as I enter and we start right in wtih the history and the importance of RBS even prior to the reasons for the Museum. The Museum, at this stage only about 30 days into is actual opening, and only about 30% complete..........is very impressive even for a non-Harlie nor Indian cycle nut. Every rig in the building is a running road bike, each can and is ridden out on the open road. The walls are lined with all of the ephemera that goes with the early vintage years of the brands of Harley and Indian. I start in to take a few pic''s and find my batteries are dead. SO I make the call to go back in tomorrow and take the pictures that I want then.

I head out with the promise to return tomorrow, and ride to the little quick stop an buy a few sausages to eat with my noodles. There is a great little camp place out on the north end, and near a creek, it had tables and a grill place......so I ate soemwhat fancy this night. I walked doen at about 9 to get a cup of coffee before bed. While I was there, I talked to 2 different fellas about the Coal Haulers in Kentucky..................and they both felt that I was really taking chances on riding hte back roads of Kentucky. SO I ponder the advise and walk back to my tent for the night. Its about 10:15 and time for bed, love ya Mom and kids take care.

Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, I have done all the stinking blogging I can stand for a day or so, and I have made myself two promises. To work harder at finding a Peaceful resolution with the Librarians of America, and to kep my blog done up each day from whatever little town I come to with a Library to work from. We will see how it goes.

I had worked way to late and visited far too long into the evening to be up early............but I was. I beat the sun up, and was in the shower to start the day, not sure when I will get another so take advantage of it is my motto. I could hear Chuck and Beth were up and about upstairs and left them to there morning routine while I packed my trailer. I had bought some new duds at the bike shop, a a pair of tights to over bike shorts. And YES FOLKS>..........a new pair of BIB"S. My butt was just a few threads short of falling out of my oldest pair and I had to be very carefull not too hook them on the nose of the ssaddle when I stepped onto my bike for fear of leaving eveything exposed for good...................or bad I guess depending on you point of exposure.

Beth, such a wonderful host while I occupied her basement apartment, fed me a great meal of eggs and ham and some sweet rolls, along with some fresh Orange juice and COFFEE. I was ready, I visited with Chuck for awhile longer about the smalest things he has learned in all his road trips and was ready to ride by 10 am. I thanked them both and told them my home is theres should they ever get to California.

I was riding back roads, those are the ones that look like earthworm trackas when you look at aTennessee Road Map. I have found these to be by far the most interesting to ride but also the most serious canine infestations are here as well. The sky is grey and overcast, the temp running about 60 degrees and the terrain is a gentle roll, not the "grunters" I have had prior to this section. There is a palpable aroma in the air, and there is enough smoke in the already heavy sky to make it just slightly deeper grey. I am now fairly sure that the smoke that fills the sky over head is derived from the tabaccoe smoking barns that are very prevelent in this region of the State.

To me, the smell is pleasant, the smoke is just a little sweeter than regular wood smoke, since the dark tabaccoe that hangs above the smoking fires adds or infuses some of its own odor into the smoke that finally emits from around the roof line of the smoker barns. The heavy humidity and cloud cover make the smoke more discernable than on the clear and crisp days I have rode.There are places where you will see four of five barns all smoking in one little valley, and very often they will be located at the deeper corner of a field down against a tree line or a creeks edge. When you roll it all together, the smokie smell, the rolling terrain and the turning leaves it does make for a sort of magical ride.

I stopped in the little town of Adams to do a little mailing duties which I had been a alittle remiss at taking care of and I do apologise for that. I trode on and seen a sign for the Historical Bell Witch Caverns and decided that I had better take that in....................but, alas it was closed for the winter season. So, I rode back to the main road I had been following and pedaled ona little further to an inviting refurbished School building that was now an Antique Mall. It looke very cool, and I still have one person that I am trying to find soething for for the Christmas Season. I head in, and notice that there are tiny little rain droips now hitting me and the sidewalk both. The mall is full of many items, both good and junk, but the one item that I search for has eluded me once again. But while I am in there, I meet a lady whom is also a biker, and she compliments me on my great shape and the journey that I am on. I have come to realize that there are a lot of folks whom would love to make a trip like I ma doing, but for one reason or another have decided that they can't.

I am informed that right next door is a Church LAdies Restaurant, and they make the best Southern Fried Chicken around...........so, I decide I had better try a little a\nd make my way over to the tiny restaurant that is along the side of the old school building. Well I have to say, I don't eat a lot of Fried Chicken, so I do not consider my self a "Connysewer" of such dishes_-----_------_----_ pie is a different story, SO DO NOT FOGET TO SEND YOU BEST VERSION TO MY ADDRESS. Anyways back to the chicken, itt was very good indeed and the ladies that served it were just as sweet. Nobody offered up any real neat morsels that I could share with you here, except for a brief hisorical account of the Bell Witch................sadly, the one whom related the stories would not allow her picture to be taken.

The Bell Witch, got her name from the hauting of one Jonathan Bells tiny farm house and farm in the 1850's in the town of Adams Tennesee. It is written that on many nights she actually beat up Johnaton Bell, and left him bruised and bleeding, she would throw furniture around the house and torrment the dogs and cats, and after raucous nights she would flee to the Cave that she hauted from. It got so bad, and the stories of it grew to such an extent that one Andrew Jackson (prior to his Presidency) was issued an order to procede to the Bell Farm and investigate the occurences. Now it is also said that the Witch really only haunted the owner and seldom ever acted upon other men or women in the area. But on this occassion when Andrew Jackson arrives to proceed with his Investigation, that the said witch was in a rare and foul frame of mind and she created such a horrific wailing and torrmented the horses that drew Mr. Jacksons carriage so badly that Jackson quickly withdrew and retreated clear down to Nashville. The case was never investigated any further, nor was it ever decided if the Witch was real or not.

I rode on further east, what a great ride it was, the terrain was easy in this section, and the traffic rather light. The rain got heavy enough that I decided to tear apart my bag and dig out some rain gear. Once I had that on I carried on east, Stopping in Portland to get something cold to drink, and some Bagels. While in ther, I was literally accosted by 3 young checkers and a bagger.............where ya from..................where ya goin.............why...............how far........ how many States ya seen .....I tried to answer them all, but between signing autographs and answering I may have missed a few. Yes its true, the checker asked for my own autograph right after I had handed her my plastic card.............gosh, I felt so cotton pickin impotent.

I only have 53 miles in, it is quite wet, but decide I want a few more miles on the cranks before I quit riding. I pedal on another 7-8 miles and am looking for a church with a covered picnic area, just in case the rain decided to get real heavy tonight. That never showed up, but a good church building did turn up, and I camped on the lee-ward side of it to get out of the thin slanting rain that fell with a lot of wind.

Pitched my tent right up tight against the back wall of the Church, and then out on the blacktop, and on top of my old license plate that I carry, I built a very small BUM type of fire so I could cook my hot links and make some Cous-Cous for supper. Supper was good, although maybe a little wet sitting in the rain. I climbed into my tent, zipped it up tight, sdaid a few Prayers and rolled into my bag of sleep. It didn't take long for my eye-lids to give in and I was out I guess by 7:45.

Good Night and God Bless

Libraries visited 16, answer NO.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I was sure that I was leaving on the morning when I awoke, at least it was my plan. But after a waffle and eggs breakfast, Chuck told me to hang around and work on the Blog if i would like. And he headed off to the bike shop to work for the day.

_ MY NEW CYCLING FRIENDS CHUCK WILKINS FORGROUND, AND GREG IN BACKGROUND

So, here I sit, in a not so strange strangers home, working on his laptop and doing up my blog. It is now about 6:45pm, and I have been after it since about 7:45 this morning. When today is over, I am completely caught up, and vow to get each day up as I ride.............come Hell or HIgh Water.

We are all going to supper tonight, my treat to Beth for putting up with a stranger in her basement. I say thanks to both of them, without folks like these these trip would have been very diffucult indeed. Our meetings in life are not by accident, they are by purpose. And from it we should savour each character that we meet, and apply the same caring hospitality to the next stranger that we inturn meet...................the second most important commandement.

Good Night and God Bless

- CHUCKS STEED OF CHOICE WOULD BE THE 3 WHEEL RECUMBENT WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, ADN THIS ONE CERTAINLY HAS EVEN JEREMIAH INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEM

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I have been trying to keep you posted on the travails of the bike as well as for myself. I have told you each time that we need things like tires and tubes etc. And itwas on this morning when I awoke to a NO-DEW greeting, somewhat like Gideon and the Fleece............that as I was packing I noticed 2 very large slices in my rear tire.

Now remeber the rear is the newest of teh tires and has only maybe 600 or so miles on it My front tire is original, and runnng very thin and was my inital concern. The chain, a Wipperman, is running about 400 mile spast its expected life.

So, to my way of thinking, considering jsut where I am headed in the very near future.............maybe a little bike work would be in order I ride the 15 mile ride into Ashland City, and get to the Library to try and do some work on the Blog. The same routine, the same concerns about placing pics on the web site.....blah.......blah......blah Okay, been there done that, I am outt'a here.

But back in I go with my hat in may hand, I need on the interenet to hunt for some bike shops. I make a few calls and find the Cycle Center up in Clarksville..............and Chuck on the otehr end assures me that he has the goods and skills to take care of me.

I go back in and get on the computer to find some back roads to get me the 30 or so miles to Clarksville. The roads are jsut great, very narrow and the country side is changing again, these are hollers around here............which are very deep and steep trough's thru the country side. And there are plenty of exposed Limestone Rock walls that actas fences to the many steep hill sides along the swift clear running streams that fill every valley floor. The colored fall foliage and terrain make it like riding thru a movie set or a psot card. I stop at the Excell BBQ joint to get a little something cold to drink..............and have a flat front tire to top it off. I get that fixed and head on into Clarksville and the fellows at the Cycle Shop.

As luck would have it, the fellow on the other end knows all about a long journey on a bike. Chuck, a retired Army Officer, has crossed America twice and wants to go again for a third. He has also done several cross Europe and cross Germany trips that he has organized with friends. SO, I get two brand new tires put on, also two new tubes and re wrap the bars since I had cut the bar tape failry badly in some of my falls etc. Then there is the issue of the badly worn brake pads, which I have replaced while I am at it. Then we move onto the chain and how much it has stretched and go ahead and repalce it while we have it in the shop................becasue they asure me that the really big hills are yet ahead of me in my travels.

All this time, Chuck is quizzing me on my trip, my bikes peformance and what i have seen,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and are you enjoying it seems to be an underlying theme. It si yes to all, and the performance has been good to better for everything I have taken so far.Where are you staying tonight he asks me.? To which I told the truth, I am not really sure, I guess just get out of town far enough to throw down safely is all. Well says Chuck, why don't you come home with me and stay with my wife Beth and I, you can wash some clothes, take a a shower and eat a home cooked meal with us...........now how does that sound? Well I says, consider me there and with that he gives me a map to find his house and sends me on the way even before he gets there.

Beth, is Chucks wonderful wife, and she greets me like I am family ( bad smelling) but family. She shows me to a room in the basement where I can have privacy and a shower to myself. And that is when I realize I am the lair of a serious biker.............there are without doubt 10-12 bikes doen in the room, they take up the fllor, they hang on the walls and they fill all the corners...............folks, there are bikes. And says Beth, its really only Chuck that rides, i juast ride occassionaly for fun.....................HE RIDES.

Chuck is in love with the recumbents, and they make up the bulk of his velo-arsenal. He has evey style and type that has been made.

I shower up which by the way feels great after almost 8 days of no proper bathing, it was getting so bad even the flies where going avoiding me. I took liberty with the hot water offered, and the soap which actually removed dirt and I could wash it out of my hair for a change. Then I loaded a load of sweatty and grimy road clothes into the MAytag for a litle Tide MAgic.

Chuck arrived at home after shutting down the cycle shop at 6pm.We talked, and that is whe n it all becaem very clear just how much time Chuck had spent on the road ona a bike and in the ditch just as I am making his way in the usual biker fashion. It was intersting, and informative, to learn somethings from someone whom had made the same trip an many others in the same sort of circumstances.

Beth had fixed a grea tsupper of rice and chicken ina vegitable casserole type recipe, along with some buns of a german type and a salad. It all went down easy with plenty of time for visitng, and finding out what every one was made of. We had a great desert of Ice Cream and Strawberries and al turned in. LAst thig Chuck brought down his Wireless lap-top and told me help myself and I won't have to work froma Library.

I worked till 2:30am and finally had to tun in and get some sleep. But I have got to tell you about thesmoking barns as I have tried to phoyograph for you. The barns are full of the dark leaf type chewing tobacco, and the tabaccoe is hun on racks in the barn and then left to dry. But while it is curing, the growers also light smudge type fires on the floor of the barn and that emits a dense smoke up thru the hanging leaves of the tobaccoe above it. The growers do this smoking process for some 4 solid weeks during the early fall. I will take a big chaw just for my web followers and let ya all now how good raw plug tastes.........................well maybe not. I chewed heavy 2 cans a day for some 6-8 years so I don't really want to get started all over again. But I do admit, it all smells really great when you are standing in the door of the barn as I was.

Good NIght and God bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I slept like a log, and didnt even stir till 7:45. I rolled camp, and was thankfull that the dew was gone, and my cam was realtivly dry on this day. The sky was a leaden grey, and it seemed overly warm for this time of year and day. Maybe it spelled rain, who really knows. I was as it turned out , not more than 6 mile s from the ferry crossing at Hickman............and I was run by two Malamutes in order to get there on time. For $2.00, I ride across the river and land on the banks...........in a brand new State................the State of Kentucky.

I ride the couple of miles into the first town of Hickman, and stop at Memaw's Cafe for some toast and coffee.I visit with folks about the roads I will use and get an idea of the traffic. I notice as soon as I hit Kentuck, that is differnt, its very hilly right to the banks and covered up in trees an
d .............."CudZoo".

A vine that covers everything, and some thing that I will talk more about a little later on. I have to ride back down into Tennessee to get back onto my proper route and my next stop is Union City. This is anothe town in which directions out seemd too lead everywhere but out of town, I felt like a circling goose trying to find that obscure little road that would be my path east with the least traffic. After what seeme like too many miles, I was on it and headed for MArtin, then on east to Dresdan.


As luck would have it, I rode right into town and right to the locati
on of a customer of our sfor the JWP product line that we make. I know that I surpirsed the fellow, and I came bearing good news for him about a opendig order that he was waiting for. The visit was a good one, but Ineed some more miles before the day was done, and so I took my leave from the Fairview Saddle Shop of Dresdan Tennesee and it wonderful owner.

Tenneessee is covered up with hills, and they are getting steeper as I ride to the east. SO, if you in search of easy pedaling, then maybe try Canvas or maybe North Dakota.............but not here. The rollinf country is heavliy wooded and the streams are clear and fast moving. The Cud-ZOO,hangs like a viel from every thing that is above the ground, and like a carpet on every area of flat ground.........................and in its wake it leaves death and destruction of ALL that it lays upon. It starts as a vine from the ground, brought over here years ago to help control errosion I am told.

It will grow more than 1 foot per day,and will climb a glass wall, nothing stops it. It hangs out on phone lines, power poles and trees, and in short order leaves the trees as dead, and then the vine also dies as a result. To me, not knowing much about it, nor of any eradication plans that may be put in place............it looks like the death-nell for our temperate hardwood forests here in USA. I will try to learn more as I go.

I ride to alittle place called Como,and build camp. I am quite excited about camp tonight, becasue I have apackage of 6 wieners to cook. A little break from things that sliter and look like noodles. I had found an old license plate while riding, and i use this to light a very small fire on. The 6 hotdogs without any buns nor bagels go down like steak after all the noodles....................yes, I know. I thought I had a few bagels left, but alas, I had none.

It was only a two dog day, and 55 mile closer to hugging my kids neck whenthe ride is over. I admit that I am at that point where I know I am nearing the last leg and look forward to reuniting with my family. Its not any form of regret in making the ride, nor any wish that it could just end and I am at home. The trip is still fun and adventourous, but I do find my self thinking more and more of my kids and wife as I ride. SOmetimes to the point of being sort of pre-occupied with it, and I have to literally stop and get my mind on the real matters of the day........like the traffic frombehind and the proper roads.

- SOMEDAY A ASIGN SHALL READ- HOME LESS BUM COOKED HOT DOGS ON THIS SITE IN 2006
Good NIght and God Bless

THIS IS A BIRDEYE VIEW OF WHAT YOUR HUSBAND LOOKS LIKE AFTER A TWO BOTTLE BATH AND CANNOT GET THE SOAP WASHED OUT OF HIS HAIR.............ITS THE PORKY-PINE LOOK.........hope i'am still the apple of yer eye.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The dew is amazingly heavy as I rool out of my nights retreat, the camp is soaked like I had just finished the car wash routine all over again. Its 6 am, and a light fog is down against the ground. The temp is a cool 41 degrees, and it looks to be a sunny day once the fog lifts off.

I don't dare get out on the road with the fog and all, so I go over and get somne coffee. i visit with a few fellas who are out to harvest Rice that day, and they tell me of a few roads that will be covered up in water, and few that are clear sailing. A couple of cups of coffee later, and the fog has lifted enough toallow me departure fromthe little berg known as Naylor.

This turned out to be the worst dog day that I had so far, and I am not sure if I would have made it at all if it had not been for it being fairly flat country. I had a total of 18 dogs give me a run and some looked like they could really do some harm if they caught up to you. I think that the super sprinters like Robbie McEwen and Ale-Jet Pettachi must use this dog process to train there powerful sprinting legs. But the worst of all the dog incidents on this day would come right in the middle, as I rode an extreme back road headed towards Malden. As I rode I could see quite a large group of dogs on the left side of the road...........and as I got closer I counted 9 dogs total. It looked like "Mongrel Run",dogs of every size and age and not to mentin no clearly visible bloodline..............just dogs.

It all seemed that I would pass without problems, untiloff to my far right I caught sight of one lone white dog that looked like a white Irish Setter, and he was making a bee line for a small road out in front of me some 200 yards. The dog was soaked inwater as he ran through the edges of the deep Rice field, and I was putting on the gas trying to get past all of the cainine critters before he crossed the road to his buddies. We raced neck and neck, but in the end he crossed just a breath in front of me, and I had to hit the brakes jsut ever so slightly to miss a collision.

At this point I have a total of 10 dogs in one pack on my left side, I am on anarrow rough but paved road, and I am right up alongside of the house from which I think all of these dogs originate............and I can clealry see a lady sitting in an old chair out on the front stoop. The last dog, the white dog that crossed in front of me gave a sharp yelp when he scootched past my front tire, as if he had been hit with a hot branding iron. Of course he hadn't.

RICE HARVEST IS UNDER WAY FOR ALL, BUT THIS HARVESTOR IS BROKE DOWN

He took a look at me and it was if he had finally figured out what I was ........."Lunch on a Titanium Skewer", he groweled deep and bared his teeth and gave chase.............and as soon as he done this why thena ll his cohorts done the same..............some with the zeal of one hungry and other s gave chase like it was a game. I in the meantime put legs to the cranks like my life and not too mention legs counted on it............which they did. All the time that this was taking place, as you know it all rolls together into mere seconds as it transpires..........was wondering when the women out on the front porch would play into this scene. I finally did out run all of that pack, but only just in front of the snapping teeth of the white dog from hell.........and I can't say that I ever heard anything from the women who sat and watched.

COTTON FIELDS ABOUND IN THE SHORE REGION OF THE MISSISSIPPI

I rode into Malden, quite tired and very glad to be away from the dogs, but I was not done for the day with riding nor sprinting nor dogs. I stopped at Little JOhnnies Road side BBQ, I bought a cup of coffee and a doughnut. It was while I was here, that a very elderly fellow, neqar 80's, stopped and talked to me about the bike and trip etc. I relate to him the incedent of the dogs, and he says to me......"ya wanna see somne dogs"...............and he pulls his pant leg up to show me a very fresh and very alerge patch of tore up hide on his leg. Walden, thats his name, used to ride a bike to try and stay in better shape, that was up intil about a month ago.............he was drug completely off his bike by a pit bull dog. And this was a dog not so very far from his house, and a neighbour to boot.

SO Walden says to me, that after I got out the Hospital I told a rice hauling friend of mine about it all................and it weren't more than a week later that my friend stopped by and told me to go back to riding, the dog ahd been taken care of. That same dog was now 2" thick, and his dorsal strip had been replaced by a set of dually tracks for its entire length.

While I was at this stop, I met a trucker who informed me that the ferry I had intended to use to cross the Miss, had been clsoed down. SO I spent a good couple of hours sorting all of that out. My wife made few calls, and in the meantime, I rode on towards the town of New Madrid, to which I made good time. From Malden on east and right up to the levees that surround the river itself, it is all cotton growing country. And any place without cotton, has "yellabeens"onit. They say it so fast down here, that it sounds like one word and not two.............and there is no "W" in the word YELLA. In New Madrid, I get many different directions as to how to find the levee road that is marked as WW, and I think that i ride maybe 10 extra miles in finding my eventual way to it. In doing so I pass a Historical Home Site, made famous during the Civil War. it is known as the hUnter Dawson Home. The tours are shut down by the time that i came by, so I had to just take pics from the outside.

I head out on the WW road, and find it is very slow going, with bad road surface and huge potholes. The road degraded severly the further that I rode. Bt about this time, I also know that I need to find camp a litle early so I can let my tent and bag of sleep dry out some. I made very good time all thing s considered, I made 91.8 mile s that day, and was pulled over to camp by 5PM.

I knew that i could have made my final Ferry Crossing that niht by ^, but I also knew I would have a very wet camp in the dark on the Kentucky side of the river. SO, I opted to camp just shy of the crossing by maybe 5 miles, camp in relative seclussion and let thig s dry. It turned out to be the best choice, the sky is clearing, but the wind is warm anough to do some drying. Camp is rolled out, the tent is laid out to dry, the bag is unzipped and laid in a nearby fallen Oak, and my camp mat laid out as well. Any clothes that were wet lay spread on tree limbs etc. It truly looked like a group of Gypsies had moved in on the banks of the Mississippi.

I built a fire, since there was planty of wood available with the fallen tree. The fire felt good to sit by, as I waited fro the pending darkness, and the supper that i had cooked up. think that the Earl Grey Tea, tasted its best on that night, with the cool breaze that came on with the setting sun. Overall, I was not very impressed with the whole bootheel expeirience of Missouri, it smelled bad, and was to flat for me...................don't get me wrong, the folks was nice..........its the country side.

The sun is down now for several hours, and from off to my right I can hear the constant drone of very slow loving river barges as they traverse frieght on through the night. Every once in a while the stillness of the night sky is broken by the sound of a sreech owl from the trees that offer it santuary just over yonder................and when I hear it's call I half expect Huck Finn or maybe his nemisis Indian Joe to step out of the curtain of darkness and into the light of my camp fire. The night passes by without incident, and I Pray that for all of you it does the same.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Wow, what a night it turned out to be. There was so much thunder that I hadn't even heard the 8-10" dia tree fall just 20 feet from my little abode upon the wooded banks of Clear River. I am even mre thankful as I take in the situation beyond just my tent area, there is plenty of new washes down to the river and many large branches down as well.

It makes the totally soaked sleeping bag and 2" of water that seem to be able to stand at the lower end of my tent seem completely uniportant in hind sigh. A little advice that I can impart to you whom may choose to adventure out on such a adventure as this. I had placed my tent on a fair slope of a bank, and my head was at the lower end of the slope. All night long I kept sliding/slipping towards the watery end of my tent, so my bag got wettest at the head end and just chilled more as the night wore on. And my head was so congested from being at the lowest end all night that I could hardly function in the morning it seemed.............just extra groggy would be the best description.

I packed up my water soaked camp, with the understanding that I would let thigs dry later in the afternoon if the sun come out. It was my sleeping bag that worried me the most. In the meantim it was time to make my way form down on the river bank back up to the highway above me................which as it turne dout was the larger portion of the pain for the night. What had been very hard roads and trails just the night before, where now mirey red clay glue lines. This part of the State at least has a red clay soil, add water in the smallest quantities and you can glue down the groundseat in a saddle.................back home in Manitoba Canada we would have called it "gumbo".

I had a good 5-600 yards to make it from my tent location back to the hard paved road, and the last 200 yards would be up a very steep sloped bank..................it was just a grunt and shove route to the pavement. I was never really sure if it would ahve been better to just unhook the trailer and make it in two trips or suffer thru with one hard trip. In any case by the time I got to the top in one long trip, my feet where 6" inches larger and so were my tires and the traileer tires etc. Matter of fact non of my wheels would even roll by the time I topped out at the road. And I was faced witha good mile ride back into town to boot. So, I done the best I could, using a stick to scrap off all the mud I could, then I started in with the water bottles that i had and washed the chain etc................but this mud is so sticky, it didn't come off very easy at all. Once I done all I could with sticks and what water I had, I decided to just ride and see how much would fall off as I went.

I rode the mostly downhill or level ride into Doniphan, and by good fortune rode into town at the same place that there was a car wash.............now how opportune I thought.............thankyou Lord for the good idea that I just had!! I completely took every thing apart and mostly undressed and began washing every thing that was now covered in mud............everything. Since I was already soaked from the nights gail, it didn't bother me to get my shoes wet a little more. I spent a good hour at the washer, the mud ws very tough to get out of the chain, and out from between the gears etc and derailuers. But after a lot of washing I was finally clean...........now to dry things. The sun was coming up of course, as has been its habit since the third day of creation, and I laid my tent and such out to catch a slight breeze and some sun. I had my first vistor for the day, a fellow whom had been an Army Ranger Special Forces in Vietnam, and he had watched the most washing process and wanted to know where I had spent the night to get so muddy, so I explained it all to him. He thought it quite a humourous way to start the day. He informed me that he had got over 3 inches of rain through the night, while other areas had gotten as high as 3.5 inches. We had a good visit, and I packed up my stuff and headed to theLibrabry for the opening at 9am.

Before it openend, I helped the gals who run it, unload some books that had been donated and just doinf that I think put me in good stead with the staff. This was different group of gals though, much more inclined to help and try to figure out a way to get each person taken care of. SO maybe it was the small town mentality that came into play, not sure. I really think that it came down to the great attitude of the lady whom was in charge of it all, I want to say a special thanks to her. Without her help, I would be many days behind yet.

I met one young fella inparticular whom seemmed quite interested in my trip and especially my bike. Lj, and I visited more than most of the kids at the Library. I worked on the blog steady until about 4pm, and decided that I had better hit the road. My darling wife had suggested I get Motel room for the night and let things dry out, but I wanted to get some miles in. The sky did have a dark cast to it over Doniphan, but as I rode to the east and out towards what is known as the bootheel of Missouri it cleared. There is a place where you ride off of the escarpemnt that all of western Missouri resides upon, and you hit the flats of the bootheel, and this point is quitenoticeable. From clear creeks and thick trees, you ride out into the flats that drain into the mighty Mississippi and all of that slow moving MUD!

MY YOUNG FRIEND LJ,
One thing that is really noticeable is the palpable smel of decay, it is made up of rotting vegetal matter and the occasional Coon, Muskrat and Possum for good measure...............but it is ever present as a reminder that things are different here......................they are water logged and you can see it. Each tire track, ech footprint is filled with water. I stop in a little town called Naylor. And ride around looking for some HIGH place to set my tent and let it dry just alittle before eveneing sets in for good. I finally find a little place near the southern edge of a 300 person town and set camp up and let what drying I can get begin with the setti ng of the sun.
Supper is very simple tonight, I had made an extra sandwich that day, and so I had the same for supper along with some water. Right across the street from where I had camped, there was a quick stop type gas station and groceries............so I ambled over to have some coffe at about 8pm. Ther was a group of farmers doing the same so I sat amongst them and had a visit. I found out that they had 4inches of rain that night, and a total of 13" of rain during one night last week..............thus the water logged look the country had taken on when I arrived. These folks raise alot of Rice, and the harvesting of Rice was being hampered by the excess water. It was during the visit, that i had recounted to me the funniest cycling storythat have ever heard. It seems that one day about a month before my arrival, one of the farmers in the group had just pulled up to the highway from one of the side roads and when he looked left he noticed the arms of a man as they flailed in the air............and then it all came into view. It was man riding a "UNI-CYCLE". The rider stopped to talk to this waiting farmer, and the cyclist was wanting to find gravel roads that would take him on west to Doniphan. His cycle was equipped witha solitary pole that extended north over the riders head, and onto that was tied all his worldly goods, a tent and a bag of sleep, also wtarer bottles etc. To hear that farmer describe it was really funny , and after the visit about roads the cyclist kicked off on his trip further east in that hurty gurty fashion that a single wheeler has.............and the farmer in his 60,s stood amongst us all and done his best impression of what it looked like to watch the rider as he left. He truly missed his calling as a Thespian, and may also have made a great mime artist. The cyclist had ridden from the furthest end of the Smokies in Tennessee and was moving evything that he owned in one trip.............to some place in Kansans wher it wasn't so crowded.

THE FLATTER PORTION OF MISSOURI, OUT INTO THE BOOT HEEL DUE SOUTH

Great stories, and a little information oin what the bootheel had to offer for the next day. I had been chased by 6 dogs on this day and a short ride it was from Doniphan. I was warned that many roads would be closed due to flooding so be sure I checked with locals before I headed doen them.
Man that sleeping bag feels cool whenI get in............sure miss my wife tonight.

Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am finding it very difficult to deal with the blog and Library thing,and there are times when i think that I should jsut quit and get on riding. I barely get time to get my blog pages done up,and seldom have any time to read the commentsthat you folks take time to sendme. For that I do apologize, and only wish that time allowed me to read and respond to each, but I am so slow at typing etcthat time does not allow it. My wife assures me the posts are favorable, and that folks are enjoying it..............so i shall press on as my good friend RANDY so often says.
Don't give up on me, and I will read all of them when I am done with this trip.
Please remember there is a NAtional Pie Tasting to bedone when I get home and also the bike pants are now up for graps between several folks my darling wife tells me.

Boy howdy is it late, and I am sitting in a strangers basement doing this and I feel somewhat strage doing it, but I have come to realize there is that same unwritten code amongst bikers as there is amongst the grub-line cowboy crew. No questions asked, there will always be a bed and a meal for any hat that shows up at the door.
GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It is 52 degrees and a very wet dew shrouds every thing that I own. I pack up, thinking that I will dry things out later on, becasue I am headed to the Doniphan Library to work on the blog. It is so easy to get behind on the blog, because of the Library situation

Its a quick 27 mile pedal thru the hills of "Mizourah", correct pronuniciation there for the folks from "forren" contries. While I am engaged in the ardous task of climbing yet another hjill on my journey to the berg of Doniphan, and bunk bed logging truck passes me and gives me a honk. He tops out the hill, and turns off the highway and onto a gravel side road..........so sharp is the bend that he has to back up twice and then go ahead to finally negotiate the bend. By that time I am once again coming up beside him, he leans out the window and hollers at me............Hey buddy, how ya like the country? Well, that seems like a good a reason as ever to stop and take a drink and get in a visit.

The fellows name is Buster Hancock, he served in Korea, and wanted to know right off if I had served. I told him no I had not, and that I came to USA from Canada. My ears is bad son, ya better speak up a little, says Buster. That danged ol VA, it don;t do a thing except take care of the folks who work in the office he says. I ain't been hearing good since I came home from Korea, I's in the Artillery over yonder says Buster. I know real well, that's where my hearing went to heck, but they want me to bring em proof......................so what the heck am I to do..........set a Howitzer off in her Office. Bring proof, sometimes I wonder if these folks know just how silly they sound when they come up with the rules.

So what do you haul with the truck I ask Buster, I recognise it as a wood hauler but what sort. Well, I haul amost anything, but I try to stick with private lot hardwood, cause it pays the best. You see all that clear cut come up this way from West Plains? Yes I tell him that I did, but not sure I understand the reason behind it all. Well it's simple says Buster, some is rich folks that want a view..........so they bulldoze it off an burn it. The other is folks who have bought into the latest Gov program to clear all the hardwood for fast mature Pine trees. SO, what do you think of that BUster, I ask him. Well shoot, it's crazy, for one it chages our creeks and the I think it will deplete this thin soil over time. This has not been a Pine growing area, ever, and all the leaves and decay that go on with the hardwoods has kep the hills in good shape..............God is no fool, he knows what to grow here.


But the worst part of all is the Gov and there poisoning of mature trees. Well now I have heard of that BUster few dasy ago, but I don't understand the logic of it. Oh, it simple enough says Buster. Having a logger go in and selectively cut out the mature would leave the State forests looking less pristine, so they send forestry students out with "PuntPoles., loaded with poison. They simply stab the trunk in 4-5 places and it injects a small seed that over time takes its effectr on the tree. The tree just dies away from the outer branches down to the trunk, and no logger will ever get to put his saw into the tree and no marks will be made on the soil............and no local will be able to earn any money from the cutting of age select trees...................and this area will be poor forever.

_HEY DARREN MY YOUNG FRIEND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I MADE IT HERE !

Buster never mentioned any political party, nor an affection nor affiliation for one..............he simply seen it as a waste of good renewable resources in and area that could use a little financial up lift. Its pretty simple folks, and I do not pretend to know enough about the workings of any States Forestry to know who is telling the whole truth here. I am simply relating to you what folks whom live her think is going on.

I arrived in Doniphan about 1pm. Doniphan is build on a hill side and all roads seem to lead UP to the towns center. Had to pick up my photo card from a special delivery to the Post Office, that way I could get my photo portion caught back up. The bigger problem, was that of 13 computers located at the Library, only one ahd any ability to handle a photo at all. I had to wait my chance to get on that Computer. I have to say the Librarians here were good to woirk with, and got me onto a computer as soon as I could. I got 1 hour of quality time and at 5:15 I headed out of Library.

The sky was very ominous looking, and I make a quick ride down the hill to check out the RV park..............$22.50 to stay and have a bath. Then onto the Motel and found out it was $39.95 and I could bath twice or three times if I wanted......but still too much. SO I got a few grioceries and skipped out of town to the west, back unde5 a bridge that I had crossed in arriving into town that afternoon. My thought was to just pitch camp under the actual bridge, but upon looking I could see that when I rained it washed out under the bridge very heavliy..........................BOOM.........................BOOM and a crack of lightinig fill the sky.

I conclude that this storm is not going to stand around and wait for me to have a debate on where to pitch camp. SO I head out from the protection of the bridge, and head up the bank of Current River a ways, under some heavy old oaks that line the bank. I find aspot with ample slope to allow good drainage..........................BOOM..................and I unload the trailer.........................BOOM and resounding ear splitting crack.............................I dig out the tent that is still soaked from last night. I chuck the little poles into thier slots, and pull the back pegs down tight, then move around...........................BOOM and a huge flash of white light fill the darkend sky about me. The wind is just ripping thru the tree tops, and BOOM goes the thunder once again.

I don't even have the front pegs in place and the rain comes in buckets. I quickly pound/push the remaining pegs into the ground and just throw my stuff into the little one man tent that I have called home fore too many days now. I wrap up what ever else is left out side the tent in my yellow waterproof sack and bail into my tent. I drag in sand and mud just becasue of the hurried entrance. The tent is so low, you need to be a Yoga instructor to get your muddy shoes off with out spreading mud every where else including the walls. I am in, now to get the bed down and something to eat......................oh yeah, eat.............dang what am I going to eat? The bed is down, and I am laying in about 2 inches of water at the head end of the tent. I am knoshing on Cherry Licorice Twists for supper and the thunder is rattling the screens in my tent. The rain seems to be coming in pails full not drops, so I Pray not for a dry night, cause I ani't that stupid, I am already quite wet and know I will be getting wetter. I simply Pray for the folks back home, I Pray for my Mom who is in the Hospital back in Canada, I Pray for the volunteers at Awana's back in Coalinga, and I Pray for all those folks who do not as of yet know Jesus................because I know that in the morning I will be wet but alive, and if not I know where I will be gone too. Do you?

Good Night and Good Bless..........................BOOM, CRACK....................BOOM goes the night.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

6:15 and I am up, ready to hit the road into West Plains. Its not very far into town, maybe 15-20 miles and it doesn't take me long to get there. I ride right doentown, and take in the ususal town sqaure. I stop at a coffe shop and buy some JOe. It turns out that owner of this shop is also from California, and he moved here some 6 years ago. He retired out of California, under a messy divorce scenario, and arrived with nothing. Today hje has the coffee shop and a great wife.........none of which would have been possible in Califonia he says.

The coffee is good and more folks are coming in. I get to visit with a medically retired truck driver who has now turned Photographer. The area has treated him well also. Good strong ag community they tell me, the best type, casue folks care for one anotehr.
Then the town square bike shop owner shows up drawn by my restless stead which is parked right outfront against the curb of the Coffee Shop. Mike, has had the bike shop now for 3 years, and it just keeps getting busier as he goes. The most of the bikes are youth mountain bikes, but slowly the road thing is catching on he says.

Headed into downtown West Plains, to work on the blog at the Library. I got most of one section done and then got kicked off. SO, I was alittle ticked at the whole process and decided I would do it at another town someplace else. Rode on east on a very narrow road #160. Plenty of hills here to test the old legs and the hills are very sharp. So sharpo that long cars get stuck at both ends in the bottoms and high centerd in the middle at the tops. Thats a little over board, but I want you to know they are very pointy topped around these parts, they didn't knock so much as 1 foot of the top of the hill in building these roads.

I can hear a bussing noise from down in the trees, and it seems like maybe the sound of a saw mill. SO I park my bike and walk the short way doen over the hill and can then see the ruff hewn buildings that make up this back woods saw-mill. I am walking rather carefully, half expecting a pack of dogs to come a running form some covert hiding place......................I am safe as it runs out.

I walk close to the sawyers end of the cutting operation, and give the sawyer internationally recognized handsignals that let him know I am just an ignorant tourist with a camera....................he mouths something that must have been french. I find a safe place and commence shooting the various ends and operations at this 3 man sawmill.

They are cutting Oak, and its not real large stuff. Finally the operator shuts the mill down, and walks over my way. HIs name if Glen, and he is a bear for stout sort of fellow, the sort of thisckness that comes from all day hard work, a smile breaks over his face with ease and I feel somewhat assured that my pic's are okay with him. We visit, about me for awile and my ride, the wheres and whyfore's of it. Then I get Glenn started on the sawmill business, and the forests around these parts. He mentions the clear cutters and that mind set, it is very evident in the West Plains area. A vast majority of it is simply bulldozed and no one is given time nor permission to log it. They just puch it in a pile and burn it in the late fall says Glen. But the real shame is what our State Forestry Service is doing with trees, they refuse commercial loggers unless they will clear cut areas and go back in with a replant of Pine. Thats foolishness says Glen, becasue this area can produce some beautiful hardwoods if managed correctly. BUt once the Gov has ita mind made up, there ain't notyhing going to chan ge it.................and surely not common sense. ANd when it comes to State owned patches of timber, they would sooner poison it that have it logged. Now come on Glen I says, you mean they will kill off mature trees rather than go in and allow them to be harvested? Absolutely.

I rode on feeling somewhot more compatible with what Sam had been trying to tell me just the day before, only he was choosing to blame it all on one adminsitration at one time, and according to Glen at least this has been going on for sereral sessions for sure.
The bike hit 94 degrees on this day and I stop in the town of Alton for some Gator and an Ice Cream bar. From there I rode on out into an area that is know for its twisting roads and wilderness. It delivered both, and was a beautiful ride. I passed over 11 Point creek, and was thinking of camping on the banks, but it was a mosquito heaven. Once I figured that out, I headed a little further down the road..................I should say up the road, becasue the east side is all hill. It is about a 3 mile climb up from the shores of the blue strip of heaven amongst the hardwoods. And once I topped out, I took the first flat spot I could find and set camp up on that.

Good camp, good supper, and a great sunset to lull you to sleep.

Good NIght and God Bless

A GOOD BEFORE SHOT OF JEREMIAH

AND A GOOD AFTER SHOT OF JEREMIAH

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:47 AM | Permalink

I am now some 70 miles south of Springfield Missouri, and headed south by southeast and about to make a sharp turn to the left onto a new road and out towards the boot heel of the State. Its a cool brezzy morning when I roll up my camp here at the little Fairview Country Church. The distance is all sorta smokey looking with the dew rising off of the countryside. The road is gorgeous this morning, with its winding path lined in trees slowly getting ready to turn color.

I have no water on the bike as I ride east, but not real worried, I know that something will come up along this route. I round the bend and come to a juction in the road for me, right at the lone building which as it turns out is a Post Office. Well great I think, I have stuff to mail, and I will ask for water at the same time. Turns out that brother Mo, short for Maurice is the postmaster of Reuter's Missouri. Mo, a retired employee of McDonalds up in Illinois, moved down here into the upper Ozarks to enjoy the pretty country with his wife. MO is aserious Christian fellow, and we share a few stories and then Mo Prays with me for a safe journey.

Now, I will briefly mention here that these folks own dogs............most houses have 4 humans and 8 dogs of all sizes and types. SO I am finding out what a Canine Sprint looks like..................yes, thats me that is getting the constant practise at working my sprinting legs.

Its warming up on the bike, and I am looking for a place to take my long sleeve jersey off when I spot a sale barn. This country has a lot of cattle in it, and I stop to take awalk thru the sale barn and see if we can gte in a visit with any cattle rasiers. I didn't even got the bike parked and had a first visitor, he as it turns out is a Pharmasist, who runs about 150 head of cows ion his 200 acre outfit down in Arkansas to the south of here.

Yes sir, this country if taken care of can handle about a cow/calf per 1.5 acres in a lot of the area and some of the poorer country may take up to 2.25 acres per cow/calf pair. And he informs me that almost everyone hasa few cows, maybe 8 or so on there acreage just to keep the grass down and make a few bucks on the side. I walked the sale barn area, and looked at some fine looking calves. NIOt that I am a judge of cattle mind you, but I can tell when cattle are in good flesh at least.

Stopped a little further down the road, and took in aJunk Store, and done a little more of m,y Christmas shopping here. Still have one person, who has proven to be very hard to shop for. No fault of there own, its just that the things of interest to them are not turning up in junk stores. Rode a tlittle further on down the road, and took a turn into the BIG STORE.

This is an old store located at a busy for this area junction in the road, they sell new and old stuff so I have to take a look. While I am getting my bike parked, two elderly fellas stop and start a conversation with me.........................how far ya ride that thing asks Sam? Well I tell him today just from west of Rueter, but I have rode it all the way from California I tell him. "Shoot if that don't beat all says Wilfred, his cohort and driver, you rode all the way from California, why? Thats a hard one to answer I have found, becasue many folks are looking for a deep and meaningfull reason................and becasue I wanted too hardly sufficces. I told him that it was a goal and no special reason was the impetus for deciding to make a ride like this. Well how far ya going says Sam, the fellow with the cane and needing a driver friend like Wilfred. Well I says, I would like to make it to the east coast if possible, but we shall wait and see what the Lord serves up.

So what do you think of this here country asks Wilfred? I tell him the truth, always the best and safest place to start. Looks like alot of trees and no logging, that puzzles me, and I dont se......................... Hell says Sam, its those damn Republicans, they got these woods so screwed up, we should run'em all out on a rail. Well Sam, I says, help me out but why is it just a Republican problem, I do not know much about your States past administrations so tell me the hows and whys. SO I got a sort of one sided appraisal, of what Sam thought the Republicans had done wronf with forestry management since Noah first anchored his boat here sometiem back. I was convinced that Wilfred may have a different opinion judging by the subtle smile on his face. I am trying to remain neutral during this whole discussion so I can get an asnwer with out a generation of voting prejudice thrown into the mix as well. SO, I break off into another discussion about the Melons these boys are picking out. Turns out these here Melons are grown in the bootheel of the State and are the best anyplace. Well I ain't touching that one with a 10 foot pole, it just felt like a loaded answer to me, so I tell him I am sure he's right.

Sam and WIlfred fill me in on what all the BIG STORE has been over the years and why it's still here and why folks local to it just love to stop bu the Big Store. I fill my water bottles, drink some gatore aid and mount my ride further east for the day. I quit about 6"30 that night, have a 1 bottle of water bath and make a pretty fair supper. I am camped just 3 miles east of Caufield that nite.

Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's Sunday morning and we are headed to Church with the Brennen's. Its a hectic sort'a morning and reminds me a bnit of my own home on many occassions as there are several rigs headed in different directions all at the same time. David is off to the airport, and to be gone for the week, as he is an Instructor of Languages at the Monterray Naval Academy. SO Allison and him are headed in that direction.

My self and the kids get dropped at the Church that the Brennens attend and sit for service. We met plenty pf folks, and the Pastor on this day is a travelling fellow from up in Kansas City. He does a good job of it, gives us some points to think about and closes out the service with an apt Prayer for all of us.

JEREMIAH IS SHOWING A GROUP FROM MISSOURI HIS NEW SOCKS........................
It's time, no more foot dragging, its time to mount up the Titanium Steed and head East young man..........head East. I am given ample warning, that where I am headed I am going to be pulling some hills, and so I leave with just a little trepidation. Never want to be to sure of oneself, since there are hills out there that will make you hurt by the time you get over them.


Allison and the kids drop me off over on the correct side of town, so that I can hit the back road out into the border lands of the Ozarks and the Mark Twain Wilderness. Its a grey sort of day, cool but not cold.mI stop in the tiny burg of Ozark and add a few groceries to my load and make sure that my water is all topped off. And with that I am off to the east, and the Mark Twain Wilderness greets me in Ozark fashion.

The country is very rolling, and the hills are just steep enough to make you break a sweat, but not hurt by the time you top out. There is a steady diet of rolling terrain, and before long you see some change in vergitaion and stream type. The trees are getting larger and much more of the quality hardwoods, the streams are no longer sluggich, but fast running and very clear with rock strewn bottoms. The creeks around here run on Limestone for the most part and in just the right ligght they have a blue tint to them. Very beautiful indeed.

My Cingular cell phone has failed me once again. I could not get out in Springfield, and cannot get out here. I try from hill tops, and valleys both and nothing works. Cingular sounds alot like Jugular to me, and I feel like getting that skinny necked phone salesman by the neck when I get home. Oh well, I will just keep pedaling. I enter into the tiny village of Bradleyville, and some 10 year old calls out to me " Hey are you a homeless bum, we don't want bums around here". I am sitting and taking a look at the map, to be sure I take the proper back road south and east from here. So, I pack up my map, and take a drink and ride over to that young fella, and strike up a conversation with him, I assure him that I am not homeless and not a bum...............we have a good visit and he says he is sorry for talking to me that way....................so I told him not too worry about it at all, and I let go of his neck........just kidding.

I rode on out of Bradleyville and really enjoyed the ride. This is some of the prettiest country that I had been in, inm some ways it reminded me of Europe with it's winding narrow roads and often times canopied by arching tree tops. The traffic was slight to modest at best, and of thise they were also polite, slowing behind you and waiting to take there pass. Since there is NO shoulder on this road, that takes a little of the worry out of it when drivers are polite as these folks are. The sky was getting full and deep with heavy cloud, so I started looking for someplace to holw up for the night. I spotted an old Church on the top of a ridge, and when I got there I found that it had a covered portico sort of affair over a picnic area. So I made that home for the night, pitched my tent and found an old hub cap in the junk pile out behind the Church. I lit a fire in the hub-cap and had a great supper and some tea. The night breeze was cool, and the fire felt good.

Headlights flashed across my camp site, and I just knew that the worst was coming. But as it turned out, it was a local fellow by the name of Beryl, who has very serious breathing problems, and is on full oxygen all the time. When he gets feeling to hard to breathe he goes for a ride in his truck with the windows down, that way he gets a little extra air to work with. Well anyways, Berle retired form the steel mills up in Ohio, and then he and his now deceased wife moved on down here in the Ozark firnges. Been married 54 years before my wife passed says Berle...............fine women, doubt I will ever find another like her. Yes I assure him,. a good wife is a blessing from God for sure, becasue it sure seems like a bad wife comes from that other place of which we do not speak of often. Heck of a thing says Berle, they ain't no place for amn to work round these parts, no sir none..............my oldest boy is 50 years and has never had a full on job anyplace. Good thing I get a pension, cause he lives with me, if he didn't I don't know what he would do. USed to be a man could cut wood about these parts, but now all of that is shut down. Not sure what the Government thinks us folks live on, air I guess. I mostly listened, Berla had a few things on his mind and was fairly just with his critisism of parties and politicians. There we districts, and pocets within districts that were seeing business d
evelopment, but too many areas were falling backwards or just stagnant.

I was pretty tired, and so I heade to bed when Berle was done. It was good to have a vist with a working man, who sees the plight of the folks in an area that he choose to live in when retired and not needing to work. I ponder on that and a few other things as I say thanks for the safe roads and safe trip so far. I for one can feel the hand of the Lord out there guiding and protecting me as I ride. I find myself calling on him more often, not less as I ride, knowing full well that he is as concerned with me as can be.
Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:19 AM | Permalink

Day 38 was a relaxing and fun day with the Brennens in southern Missouri. We stayed up late visiting and then had a late lunch and done a little roping out at the saw horse. As when most cowboys get together, the saw horse makes a good gathering place for all the flat hatters.

-THE BRENNEN FAMILY, DAVID, ALLISON, ELIZABETH AND ADRIAN ALONG WITH JORDIE REGIER FAR LEFT.
I was sneaking by in my spandex in testosteron laden cowboy crowd, I had pinned a little fringe to the legs of my riding pants and I was going unnoticed for now. Lets see how long it lasts till somebody figures it out. We roped for a while then decided that we should head to town so that they could show me and my other Canadian friend Jordie Regier, who as it seems has a bit of a sweet spot for Davids daughter Elizabeth or Lizard as we call her. David figures that both of us would be better off if we had a chance to see the Bass Pro Stores in Springfield.

-ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL CREEK FULL OF FISH FOR PASTOR MIKE????
We head in, and I am amazed at what there is in a store of this size. I didn't really get to do much shopping, I spent most of my time looking over the trophy mounts in hte upstairs Gallery. Wow, what an awesome display of mounts. They had world class critters from every continent and of every type. Included within this display was the Fred Bear Archery Trophy Mount Dissplay. All together, it was a genuine fun afternoon, and no matter what sort of out door interet you have, it will be addressed at the Bass Pro Stores.

Lizard decided that eating some Japanese Food was in order for her birtyhday, and we all headed to a fine restaurant that cooks and serves at the table, sort'a that Benny Hanna fashion. It was great, I ate steak..........which is so typical of cowboys adventure. We closed the evening off with a great carrot cake that Aliison whipped up right in front of us as we sat watching a Neubert/Wolters/Neubert video on starting colts. It was great fun, and a good time spent off the bike.

Thannk you David and Alilison and both girls, for making a smelly and dirty biker feel as if he had been adopted into a new home.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I spent Friday morning In Ft.Scott, and going over the Ft.Scott Cemetary as we ll as the actual Fort from old. Noww this fFort is really gorgeous, but almost to well maintained to feel right............not sure how to explain it but at Larned you felt like you could bump into a Corporal at any moments time. Not so here In Ft.Scott.


The cemetary located in Ft Scott is ranked the number one amongst Military Cememtarys as far as place of choice to be buried. And after that comes Arlington..........that was revealing to me, and how important the location and actions of this Fort have been over the years.




The cememtary can boost its first victiom of an Indian engagement from 1851, one unfortunate Alexander Morrow who died that day, right up to folks that have been layed to rest from the Iraq Conflict. The Cemetary is a well kept place with rows of graves that read from every date and every rank amongst the military.



Ft.Scott is like many other of our frontier established Forts, having been sold at one point in its history back into the citizenry of the town when decommissioned after the west was considered settled. This particular Fort, was decommissioned twice and brought back each time, at the end of the last training campaign for WW2 it was then handed over to the Kansas State Park system for complete renovation and added to Historically important sites in America.


I had done the entire tour of the Fort, and even bought a few little goodies for my kids I have in youth group at Church. I done a little of my traveling Christmas shopping and was ready to get on the road to Nevada, for you see I had now completeely given up on getting down to Nixa on time for Elizabeth's birthday party and see my friends the Brennens. I felt really akward in getting there lay=te and then ruining the day for Liz, so all I had to due was make the call.............................................


I was on the road under clear skies and warm weather, ripping down great roads on my way to another museum in Nevada Missouri. Over here it is pronounced "Mizourah", with no sharp E on the end. We tourists can be picked right out by our pronunciation of words. The little town of Nevada derives its name from a city of the same in Nevada, but once these folks back east get done with the beautiful Spanish word you would have a hard time recognizing it at all.

The Bush Wacker Museum, and all that it makes famous about the bloodiest event in American History, the Civil War.

There were serious border skirmishes between a free Kansas and a slaved Missouri, and one fellow in particular Quantrill lead the largest of raiding parties for the longest time in this soon to be Civil War. These days were known historically as the "Blleeding Kansas" days. Ther are countless books written on the subject, and every other aspect of the Civil War for that matter.

But in it all, Missouri played into the Civil War in many fashiopns, from the raiders of Quantril, to the first real battle between the Union North and the Confederate South, it was in hte mix thru it all and then on afterwards as unsettled state line battles ensued.


I filled my water and headed for the next stop of El Dorado, not knowing that I was being followed by a man wearing dark glasses and looking through two holes in a news Paper. Ever since I had taken my cape off from the day before, I had made a vow to travel in the dangers that all common men travel in each day, and to not use any of my finely honed skills to lessen those dangers.


I rode like a whirlwind the 20 or so miles to El Dorado, and pulled into a small grocery Store to get a little something to drink.......................OH MY GOD< thats when I remembered the phone call to David. So I sat drinking Gator, and getting my cell phone out and cued up...................ring a ding ding Jim-bo, ya got 5 messages. So I listen, and they are Lizard telling me to be sure to ride towards Nixa, and that was at 9:30, and then 4 messages from her dad david and he was on the road hunting me. Folks, let me tell ya, David is a tough nut super spy, he makes tornadoes look like lady bugs as an adversary goes. I am on the phone "Mooey Pronto", and have David live on hte other end.......he is running the highways of Kansas looking for a biker but hasn't found me yet. "Where in the heck are ya, Jeremiah asks David? SO I tell him, and come to find out that we must have pased one another on the road when he stopped to get coffee..................I really think that he stopped to clean his Glock, he was so mad hunting for me.

David, as it rutned out was only about 5 miles down the road, and was in the parking lot in moments from the time that I called. We loaded up the bike and trailer and were headed to Nixa for the big Party. We talked about all manner of things, but for me the interest is what david does for a living. If ever you get to meet him you will be entertained, and ask him to tell you about all that he hass done in life apart from working for Shute's in Nevada and having his own saddle shop at one time. He is the father of two great girls, Elizabeth and Adrian, and the husband of Allison who makes each meal great and all comer welcome.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sit back and I will tell you a tale about a man from California that rode a Tornado thru the Kansas contryside and lived to tell about it. There are some folks whom say that it didn't happen, and then there is me, the sole survivor and the man who safeguards the truth about this miraculous day. The fellow who tackled this perilous day, was no mere mortal, no siree-Bob, this was a man who knew no danger that he wasn't plumb afraid of.

The tent door was thrown back by the jaded traveler at 6:45, and with steely eyes he looked into the heavy sky that loomed up from the south. With gritted teeth he worked his way out of the nylon abode he had found shelter in from the nights abuse, and dressed in the very best rain gear that could be purchased at about any old hardware store. He quickly put on his rain pants, and thena thin top form some cycle shop called Fredricks of Hollywood, then follwed that with a blazing yellow rain jacket. Plastic bags adorned his feet as he croutched low in cat like poise doing his shoes up tight..............tight, as if he was headed into the gladiator dome to meet the weather.

His mind was fixated on his making it too Nixa as his next leg of the journey, you could see it in his hard set jaw that nothing would change his mind in these matters, Nixa it would be. A hush fell over the crowd...............me that is, as our velo hero stood to his full wieght.......ah, scratch that make it hieght and the wind really rocked his rain proof world. Wait a minute, he can't do that, can he. The hero is climbing back into his nylon culvert much like the proverbial groundhog of that infamous day. Why, I will not be able to relate this days events to you without our HERO. Give me a minute to spoeak to him, maybe I can wrestle him out of the safety of the tent, that 10 cent hero ain't going to blow my big story telling break.

I finally convinced that cape wearing velo hero, that he could make it, and better yet he believed me. It was too easy, I just massaged his ego a little and he took a full bite of it. I had to keep him focused as he doned his climate control gear, a pair of bags were deftly wrapped on each of his lowest extremiites....................feet you fool, not the little bugs that eat wood. This was the real "coup de grass" of technical gear. I threw in a little german just fo my friend Fritz.

The camp is rolled up and stashed with accuracy into the bag from which it hibernates. Each item packed with care and attention to detail. The bag is evacuated of air, then rolled tight and strapped up with 3 tight straps. Then he carrfully lays the bag down into the carriage of the waiting trailer................oh oh, I wonder if the hero knows he has his underwear hanging out of the bag he's packing. Okay he has spooted the problem and is cutting of the part that is hanging out................I told ya, this guy really knows his way around the survival game. He was meant to live under the hardships of inclement weather.

The leaden sky is just wating to dump a torrent of rain on our rubber clad, plastic hearted hero, he struggles to make his way out onto the highway. And leans into the bars in the low drop position, you can feel the struggle as the muscle on his back taunts into the strain of the wind. This was destined to be a day in which man and weather would battle for supremacy..................yes,yes, I know, we all knew that the weather would win, but hey don't ruin a good story.

He's leaning into the bars as I said and working thru the 27 gears available to find a rythm, a pace he can hold for some time in the wind. Hold on here, he's off the bike already, and wiping his brow..............he's only gone 75 feet. Okay, okay, its not sweat it's rain, he's going again now. We are underway, and headed due south for Nixa as the next days end. The rain is filling every low spot on the Kansas countryside and each fold and crease in his rain gear. Looks like the neck of the jacket that our hero is weauing is not quite tight enough I can see rain running out the bottom of his jacket now. Boy howdy is it ever raining now, and that wind forces the rain to slant and sting the face of our quickly wearying traveler.

We have traversed only 16 miles of the grey Kansas countrside, and it only took 2.5 hours to get it done. Our weary traveler is under a barn roof looking at a map to see if per chance he should make a change of direction at this point. His acute mathematical mind is telling him that he could be really tired in another 20 miles and would not be in Nixa. With clairty of thought he mounts his stead and takes a sharp turn to the east,................oops, dang near missed the road.......... onto a very narrow back road out across the hinter lands of Kansas. He has chosen to try and skirt this storm front that blows on an ill wind from the south.

There seems to be no need of taking on water on this day for our east bound hereo, it seems like there is water running out of every orifice on his gear.....................I wonder if he ran over a spring by accident. No maybe not, as I watch his progress, I can see that the bulk of the water is iether running down his neck or sprayed up by his 700x23 tires and then migrating to places not so well protected. Jeremiah is passing his first intersection that could be used to travel south at this point, and opting for another road some 20 miles on down the water-logged route. Next stop is south bound number 7. Well maybe not, the rain is starting to bounce when it hits the pavement of front of this Irish Rocket that he rides, and it looks like it is maybe stinging a little more as he rides becasue he has put a spare plastic bag under his helmet on the windward side and he has donned a pair of winter gloves as well. Now hes toasty, or sweaty. A steady rythm keeps this Tornado whipper in shape as he fronts this storm that blows out of the Gulf of Texas, the wind is chilling and I can see the toes being wiggled to keep them warm while he pedals.

Hey guys, I will be back in a few minutes I am just going to run and get a cup of coffee while he pedals. Don't say anything, it doesn't take much for him to come to a stop.

The toes are cold and the fingers are cold, and our Hero has come to the last road headed south for his destination of Nixa. There is a farm truck coming up from the south and our Tornado Whipper walks over to stop the truck and speak to the farmer and his wife. Just be thankful that our cape wearing hero didn't decide to step in front of the slow moving vehicle just to show his status amongst the Hero's of the day..............he could have been run over flat! The weather prognosis is not good says the farmer, a guy dressed like you had better run for yer life cause there's fixin to be Tornados come'n this here way..........................where did he...................

You folks see that rooster spray of water headed north, that's our rubber covered HERO making tracks north towards Fort Scott, common sense is one thing that this man of heroics has plenty of. And he knows full well that if you don't put yer self in front of a Tornado, then nobody expects ya to tie it up. The last 10 miles north took mere minutes, with the gail force tail wind and a terrified cyclist on the cranks.................the country goes by in a blur.

Fort Scoot, and we pick a low life dive that was cheap to hole up in. The hero doesn't realize it yet, but his life is more on the edge inside this establishment than out in the weather. It turns out there is a real rowdy tattoed bunch just 2 doors down, and they stay that way most of the night. But it's okay folks danger, is something that this fella lives with every day of his journey..................and I can assure you that he an I enjoyed watching television from under the bed.

And so goes the tale of riding the tornado that blew in from the south all the way as far north as it wanted to take us. The weather report showed as many as 4 Tornadoes had touched down in at least two of the counties that Jeremiah had rode thru. ANd that in fact the temp for the day had gone from 56 degrees in the morning down to as low as 39 degrees during a paortion of the storm front. There was one town that had 2x6 lumber picked up on one side of the street and thrown across the street and on through both sides of a metal storage building. The was one incident of a loosened road sign being pierced through a fence post.

Rest assured that through it all, and just for you........................our HERO never so much as faltered as he hunted for a sign that read MOTEL.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:18 PM | Permalink

There are those days, and there are those places where NICE just seems to be the order of the day, and in Woodson County which is most noted for its production of world class "Praire Hay".

The hay from this county is bought a full year in advance, and almost all of it is shipped to the Kentucky Bluegrass country for the race horses that are raised there. But on this day, it will be the people of Woodson County that make it a place to go see for yourself.

I had no real intent to stop in the very small town of Yates Center, Kansas it was just another small town and I was rolling.

But the little sign that was posted to invite me to see "Historic Town Square" done the trick, and I was rolling in off the beaten path to see it all. It was fairly early, around 8:30 when I pulled in, and an elderly lady was busy hanging Halloween decorations at the local coffee and doughnut shop............Looks like the place for guy built like me.

I head in and get a coffee and a doughnut from the elderly patron and find a place at the end of the LOCAL table, that's the one that always has a large gathering of local farmers and shopkeepers in for thier mornning brew and chew session.

There are about 8 that make up the group at the other end of the table, and I am trying to think of something I can ask that will give me a chance to start a conversation with them. SO, I ask about MILO, which is a crop I see grown in abundance around here and one I know little about...............so, throw out the question and await a reply. Dang that aint going to work, the reply was about 4 words and the conversation was over..........." we feed it to cows" was about all I learned. So I sat and pondered my next attempt.........

Thats when the eldest patron of this table of elders came my way, and invited me to come and sit down at his end of the table............."but I warn ya, he says, pointing to a tiny sign hanging on the wall that reads - The Liars Club" and he had a wry smile on his face as he stuck his hand out to greet me in the official manner. Then the introductions carried on around the table. So before I sat down at the chair made available to me, I warned those fellows that in 5 minutes they would be very likely to elect me as there next President of the Local Liars Club.........to which they all laughed and I knew that the ice was broken.

From 67 on up to 93, was the age of this group of men, most of whom had been raised in Yates Center and many of these fellows had gone to the same one room school house and some even in the same grade with each other. They had shared years of toil on the farm and also in the streets of Yates Center in business. The one thing that they seemed to share to the greatest depth was a kinship for each other and the little town they proudly called home. Thier little town had none of the latest ammenities, but all of the oldest worthy attributes............no Starbucks, no Borders, and no Bed Bath and Beyond...............no, theres was a town blessed with friendship and respect that ran 3 feet deep.

The group of men I sat with had served in WW2 and Korea. They shared in the plight of battle on soil so far from home, and they shared in the memories of fellas that they knew whom never made it home from the same conflicts that they themselves lived to tell about. They shared in the plight of the young men and women whom have gone to Iraq, to fight a battle that most of us do not understand. One asks, is this a battle of "ideology or religion" or is it a battle of oil domination. Well, none of the members of Liars Club could answer, the bottom line seemed to be that we need to win. Say, do you like Blugrass I am asked by Norman, moving us on to a lighter topic? Why yes, but I am not a musician at all. Just wondering says Norman, Kansas has a world-class Blue Grass festival. The conversation drifts from personele interests to political interests and back again, like the constant rythm of the waves on the ocean, the underlying principle is " what does the stranger amongst us think". I am rather unabashed about my opinion on most matters and so they knew when I left just what it is that drives Jeremiah. The whole process was done with humor and respect for each others feelings and values, most of which we shared very openly. The constant companion to this entire conversation was the BIKE which sat outside, idlly leaning against the wall as if it where the one tired. And each person who walked into the store was promprtly told that I was the fella whom was riding that bike across America. And from there, a knew line of questions would start all over again.

I felt the need to get on the move, and made jsut that declaration, I told them all how much I had enjoyed the conversation and warm welcome...........but it was time I moved on I said. "Why son, you can't be goin just yet, you'll have to hang around or dinner at Frannies". Shoot I said, thats some time off and I got miles to ride yet. Well says one older fella, you ain't seen our Courthouse out in the town square yet have ya? And ya gotta take a walk around the town square anyways says another. By the time ya do that Frannie will have dinner ready, now you get on out for a walk, and we will see ya at Frannies a little later..................shoot, ya haven't even been to Kansas unless ya ate at Frannies. Okay fellas, I get the point, I will be at Frannies for dinner.


I get the guided tour of the Woodson County Couthouse. They even unlock the actual courtroom so I can take pictures of it, and anything else that I may want to to take a picture of. Chris, is my guide and the local historian of the happenings of Yates Center, he's the local building custodian and knows all there is to know. The truth is, they are just as proud of the little town inside this courthouse as they are inside the coffee shop, and with due reason, the courthouse is gorgeous. And very interesting!


From there I take a long slow amble around the town square, which is a little on the beleagured side today, but at one time it was a happening place. There is the bandstand that held not only musical events of all types, but boxing and wrestling on many occassions, not to mention the hot winded campaigning politicians of the time. It all used to happen on this town square, but no more. Those days have given way to television, and the Super Walmart 3 towns away..........and in each small town dust gathers on store shelves and on the benches of town squares all around the midwest. The hustle and bustle of a busy Saturday night have gave over to the slow shuffle of another slowly dying community. But there is a bright note in this little town and a spark I haven't seen in many others...............these folks love there little town and I get the feeling that they won't let go easily of what once was.


I meet Red, a large man for his age, now in his seventies, and runs one of the local Antique Malls. Red used to be Kansas Highway Patrol and also Sheriff of Yates Center. Hello son, he says, been riding a bit have ya? Yes sir, I tell him left a good home and a good wife about 35 days ago and I am not sure why I tell him. We both have a good laugh, and continue talking. Not alot around here for the younger folks to do any more, they most all move into the larger cities or move out of State says Red. Are ya checking out our town square, you should have seen it back in the 50's-and 60's says Red, it was quite a sight back then why this place on a Saturday night was standing room only when a big band pulled into town. By the way,you don't want be missing our Frannies, says Red, you will enjoy that if ya hang around. Yup, I says, I am hanging around so I can say that I ate at Frannies. Thats good Red assures me.

I walked, and cycled the entire town square looked in all the USED stores, and peered into all the used to be stores that now collect dust and cobwebs rather than customers. It was fnally time to cross the Square to the very popular Frannies. The obscure black and white doors, mark the entrance to this dinning mecca....................but for what reason remains a mystery to me. Upstairs I go..........well at least I start until I spot the menu board. A very simple two line menu board greet all comers to Frannies, and it reads dinner $1.00 what ever we serve, and Pie $1.00 per slice, all drinks included. Folks, it can't get any simpler than that. So up I go, I cover the two long flights of wooden stairs without even working at it, and am greeted by a throng of people entering and or exiting a narrow wooden doorway.................gotta be the place I think to my self. When I enter I can spot almost the entire Liars Club and more, sitting right in front is my new friend Norman and a lady whom I learn is Norman's wife Jan. In small town fashion, they invite me to join them for dinner.

On the right as you enter is the kitchen of Frannie and her 1 staff, and a front counter over which she hands you the dinner of the day. On this day, we had a baked potatoe and a healthy helping of green beans and Ham, you can have 1 or 2 slices of buttered bread along with water/coffee and or Tea take your choice. She hands this over the counter to you and then you find an open seat and enjoy the meal and the fellowship with a local or maybe another traveller its a mixed bag. The front of the counter is lined with pies, and on this day, I think that there were 15 flavors of pie, hand made by Frannie each day. Hey folks, I will take this over Starbucks any day!!!

I sit and visit with Norman and his wife Jan whom used to be a school teacher, also a lady who's name escaped me, but she was the most amazing 85 year old women I had ever met. I commented on how well she looked considering she was that age, and she claims it is the walking, folks just don't walk as much as they should is her thought on the matter. And she may well have a point, you may well agree if you had seen her. I know its not all the food, because she sat and ate the same things that I did, including the pie..................but she stopped at one piece while I had 11. JUst kidding, I had 2 flavours. One a new one to me the Goose Berry which I loved, and the other was a Black Berry equally good but not knew to me. I learned a little something here, that there is also a womens liars club, they can hold there own with the men any day of the week.

To finish up the meal, I ask Norman for advice on what to do with the dinner plate I had sitting empty in front of me. To which he informed me to take it up, scrap it off and put it in the sink to be washed. By the time that I had done this, Frannie, yes Frannie in person had come and sat at the table where I sat. She too, had heard that I was riding that skinny contraption across USA. So now being rid of my plates, I asked Frannie if I pay her or what? She pointed to the open Cash Till, and said that I am to do like everyone else has for over 21 years and that is pay the till myself and make the proper change for myself if need be. Wow, I was amazed. Each person in turn, steps up and does just that............Frannie sits relaxed and totally unaware of what takes place at the cash till. She's feeding friends she tells me later, and has no reason to worry or consider honesty. I believe her, and considering how vocal the folks out side of the establishment where about my eating at Frannies, I knew also that she was feeding true friends as well.

Having Frannie sitting at the same table, along with Norman and Dewey gave me a chance to ask a few more questions and to listen to just how famous this little hole in the wall restaurant really is. Frannie has been a guest on almost every television show during day time, and night time television, not to mention the same over in Britian and several other European countries. Too many magazines and Newspapers to remember, and commentary about her business and her cooking covers the spectrum. The little story that I really got a chuckle out of, was by one particular food critic from some city up north. He stated that the food was rather "farmerish" and that Frannies restaurant would not last 6 months considering the ridiculous prices. Frannie leans a little closer to me and says, have a look around there's quite a few farmers ain't there? To which I have to agree, there certainly are, which made her point about farmerish food rather well. And besides she says as she sits back to recline in her wooden chair, I think I could make a dead man climb two flights of stairs for a $1.00 dinner, and she smiles knowing that she had once again made her point...................I am feeding friends here..................and have been doing it for 21 years now since my husband passed away.

The Kansas Politicians have bought her pies to take back to Washington DC, the local politicians have taken her pies to other countries on overseas goodwill trips, and up to Witchita for sessions of State business. Frannie has had the State of Kansas Health Inspector as well as the State Fire Marshall come to work on several occasisions in her kitchen helping her to make up the required pies. In total she makes at least 12 fresh pies per day for the restaurant, and then some for orders from folks whom have ate her pies. But on the days Wed, Thurs and Fri she makes up some 20-25 pies per day and more for Saturday. She informs me that on the day before Thanksgiving of last year, she made 149 pies as orders for folks to have with there dinners.

Without any doubt, Frannie is feeding friends the BEST PIE I have ever had. I know, that is a lot of territory to take in, and yes I agree I have not had your pie or your wifes pie. I feel sorry that I have to make a statement such as this, because I know that my own Mom is out there reaading this and wondering about her own son's loyalty. So because I feel so bad making this rather bold statement......................I offer a PIE CHALLENGE.

Here is how it works, iether you or your wife can make fresh hand made pie, cool it and then ship it to my home address >>>>Jeremiah Watt, 47069 Crump Lane, HC 1 Box 34, Coalinga, CA 93120 USA.<<<<< My wife will freeze each entry until I get home and then we will have a pie tasting to declare just whom among you should wear the Pie Makers Crown. We will notify each person who enters a pie, and award something to the best pie sent in. So ladys, polish up the rolling pin, husbands get out there and pick some fresh berries because the PIE CHALLENGE is stiff competition to be sure.................YOU are going up against Frannie's Famous Pies.

I did finally leave, and rode further east to a little town called Pique whick is now almost "no town". But at one time Pique was large enough to have a huge Live Theater building, lost to fire back in the 60's. It was a frequent stop for Harry Houdini's performing troupe. It is also the home place of Buster Keaton.

Now about the only thing that remains of this once thriving little town along a busy railroad is the great looking Catholic Church.


I passed thru Iola, a town of a little more size than most. I done a little Xmas Shopping on the sly at a local junk store. Hada ride around the town square, and came upon this dedication to Funston, whom must have been quite a soldier. He certainly had a huge impact on everything that he was put in charge of.

With the best of intentions headed to the local Library to get a little work done on my blog.....................but folks, I am telling you.......we have lost control of our local Libraries. The teens here ran the asylum, and I was too fed up with this BS to put up with it.

I called my darling wife, just to let her know about the PIE CHALLENGE, and to let her know I was ALIVE. JUst in case she was trying to claim insurance early on me. She informed me that I was to change my travel plans and head for southern Missouri to visit with the Brennen's some family cowboy friends. Dave and allison, used to work out in Nevada for Larry and Toni Shutte, and we have crossed paths many times, but now that they live In Nixa Missouri, I think that I need to head there way since we are so close. And after all, it is there daughter "Lizard's" birthday...................hate to miss out on CAKE!!!!!!!!!

So with that In mind we talked about the wheres and whys, and I made my plans. I headed out of Iola due east to Moran, and it is now about 5:30 so I stop and get a little something to drink since the bike was reading rather warm. I take on some Gatorade, and while I do so along comes Gordon. Gordon, had served in Vietnam, and was not to happy with the way the troops whom served had been treated upon return home........and he was hoping that the kids in Iraq would be treated better. "We sure can't afford to lose another of these world confrontations says Gordie, I think that we will be in a lot of serious trouble if we let this war slip by unresolved like we did in Vietnam. Say says Gordie, you better be ware of the "chigger's" around these parts.............do you know about Chigger's he asks me? Why no I tell him, I don't have a clue what you are speaking of. To that he pulls his pants up, rather than down to show me real "chigger" bites.......them little buggers will really leave you sufferin if ya ain't careful on where ya set yer tent. So Gordie goes on to tell me to avoid the fresh green grass, and try to stay in the mowed and brown grass or dirt if ya kin find it.

I turn due south of Moran, and ride about 2 miles till I spot some FALT BARE DIRT that looks chigger free, and set up my camp. Quite a wind blowing, and a lot of very heavy cloud is banked up along the southwest skies. I had a great supper of bnoodles cooked in hot tomatoe sauce and a cup of tea. The dew is very heavy on this night.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

SO whats it like to have a day without the wind..................well stay tuned.

Up early, its a fall feeling day, crystal clear with no wind, the leaves are really trying to turn in a few places around Kansas. It is 6:15 and I will be leaving Emporia today, after I say my good byes at GRS and do a foloow up session at Library.

No coffee to start the day, just head strait to GRS since they are open at 7:30 I think it is. I get in and say good bye to my friend Otis, then have short but fun meeting with Kim Pember her title is Comptroller I believe. Anyways, the meeting was informative, and like DJ it was upbeat as well about engraving and the direction that it is going.

With that done, I head for the Library. Yes, I am Praying for a better attitude over this whole thing. Well,I am informed by a new lady that all work from yesterday will be gone...............and it was and that NO I cannot work on photos for the internet.........NO SO, I worked for 1 hour and could'nt stand it any longer and I was out of there.
Rode downtown and found a baber so I could get a trim job, my hair was looking sort'a unruly and the visit with the barber was good. He was born and raised in Emporia, and had a great understanding of the dynamics of the town and area.

I was finally heading south by southeast out of Emporia by 1:30 in the afternoon. I stopped and had a look through a great junk/antique store right at the edge of town. Nothing need, just looking is all. I hadn't road more than a couple of miles and I spotted a great looking old bridge to the right, unlike very many I had seen being entirely built of wood and of the arch type. I road south to a small town called Marion, and this was a neat little town that must have been quite the place during its busy years. Great old brick buildings, all the roads done in red brick..........just very pretty.


The country just gets hillier as you ride in the direction of southeast Kansas, and the valleys here are solid grass. We are riding thru a very famous piece of American geographical history here, since we are in the Flint Hills district. This particular area of USA had had more cattle on during the cattle drive days than any other area of USA. And riding thru it today, there are still alot of cattle, matter of fact two points. I seen more cattle out on the land here than any place................and I seen folks out amongst them on horseback as well. That made me feel good to see.

I would like to make a little of my intense knowledge of Horticulture known to you at this junture of my trip, it is a little piece of what makes Jeremiah who he is. I really do like trees and plants, but kow very little about them in fact. If any of you are readers of the true CLASSICS you are well aware of Hank the Cow-Dog and the reference to "BODARK" trees. That is a term that I have always wondered about. It was while passing they the corner of Canvas that it was all explained to me. The true name of the tree is of french origin and called Beau d'Ark and grows fairly common in Texas where they call it a BODARK.

The same tree in Oklahoma is well known as a Osage Orange, while in Kansas it has come to be called a "Hedge Apple". The Kansas state had a plan from back in about 1890 to encourage windrows and fencing. To bring this about, they would pay a farmer to plant the tiny trees closely, then two years after planting, the farmer would graft the trees into oneanother forming what was known as a living fence or windrow. It worked great, but they soon found out that nothing short of a nuclear holicaust would kill the little blighters off iether.

SO there "now you know the rest of the story", as that other great story teller would say at this point!

Once you pass thru the Flint Hill area, the country gets more trees on it, and the hills also get a little bigger. I ride on thru many little towns, but I don't stop at them all. By the little town of Gridley, I was looking to take a break and it was around 4:30pm. Very pretty little town, as so many are back here. I rode past a HIgh School, and was not really paying much attention, just looking at all the sites..............and thats when I heard this young kids yelling at me. But there was something a little different, these kids where happy and joyous. They caught me off guard, so I turned around and went back and took thier picture as a group.

Right after I took the pic, I got to thinking, man I better explain to somebody who I am. In this day and age, a stranger taking pics of some kids can get you in trouble.

I rode on another 15 miles and called her a day, I had 50.1 miles in with 3 hours of pedalling time............all becasue of no wind!!! I had a great supper and a cup of tea. My camp was next to a wind break, and a creek on the right side so, it made for a cool camp.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Hello folks, we have a day off the bike to go and visit the follks at GRS , these are the folks that build all the engraving equipment, and then after that we headed to the Library to get some work on the blog done.

Its up at 6:30 and pack my stuff into the tent after I rolled my bed to keep it dry. The bike was completely free of trailer and rear seat bag, so it felt very fast under pedal.. I headed in towards town and had a cup of coffee and an order of sourdough toast...........which is something that Jeremiah lives on.

Arrived GRS at 9am, and got to meet Otis a fellow whom I have talked to for quite a few years but not met. Then I had a sit down visit with the owner DJ, and any time you get to visit with DJ you are going to come away excited about engraving. There are alot of neat things happening today in the engraving world, and GRS has placed itself squarely in the mix of all of these events. I hung around and had a full tour of the plant, and then took my leave so I could go downtown and work in the Library.

Now folks, I don't want to get on my soap box in regards to the whole process of working out of a library...........but honestly I think that something needs to be done. Thye have become the modern day equivalent of a pre-juvenile delinquent babysitting service. Heck of a thing to say, because I am a strong advocate of the Public Library structure wthin in USA.................and I believe that the need for a internet component within the Libarary makes each facility more dynamic for the users. But folks, our own kids are not using it for the same intent that we have foreseen the need for. I am telling you it is a bad scene in many of these Libraries.

Well, the Emporia Librarians must have been able to read my mind, becasue we got on like drill seargent and privates, there was nothing that I could do that would soften thier attitude towards what I was trying to get done on the internet.........................I should have stuck with looking up trash and IM-ing my boyfriends like all the teenies that were in the place. After 2 hours I was told my time was up for the day, and that I would have to come again tomorrow and continue. It will be here when I come back ....................oh, yes I was assured by the lady with authority. SO, I took my leave.

I was needing a new rear tire again at 1928 miles, the Specialized Armadillo tire ran for about about the same miles as my first tire a Continental Pro-Kevlar.

Not much to do, but take a ride around town and see what there was in Emporia. It was sort of along night with not much to occupy my time. I bought some ham and cheese, and a Bagel, went to camp cooked some noodles in Snap-E Tom spicy tomatoe juice and had a sadwich to go with it. Read my Bible . read my Teenage kids book and go to bed a little earlier than the night before.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I woke up, groggy, and focused as best I could my Ocular devises on the double set of toes at the other end of my abode. Yes I thought, they were mine, and I was whole................my body was complete..........and covered in nylon............I was moist but not wet. Praise the Lord, I knew today would be good now it was time to roll back the door of tent and see what awaited me. I think that the Lord has the same sense of humor that I have....................there was not even a hint of wind from the south..............No sireeeeee Bob, it was strait out of the north now and just as frantic as the day before.

Hey, you get what you Pray for................I asked for a cessation of all south winds..........that is what I got!!!

I rolled up camp, and had at least 37 miles to get to a town that had a church.........or could have a church. Now I had to meet my obligation from the night before, and I bent to the task at hand and pedalled in a good steady rythm. The north wind only worked directly against me in a few parts of the ride, and for the most part it worked with me and I rode strong.............er, we rode strong. Marion was my Church destination, and I made it at 10:16.............sorry Pastor Mike, but not much different than I do in Coalinga...............and usually in my Spandex as well.


The Pastor at this Church was a young fella, maybe 30 with a little wife and new baby. I was greeted by the whole congregation with a clap and a round of handshakes. I was then informed that just the week before, another biker had pulled into to this Church and was riding from Anchorage to the Florida Keys.........and that he to sought the fellowship of Christ on his journey. The sermon asked us all, to look inwardly at our preparedness and readiness for the secreted arrival of Jesus Christ as it is said.................."I shall come as a thief in the night!" It was good, because I was thinking about that very thing for the rest of my ride that day.

The sermon ended, and I had time to visit a little with the new Pastor, and he was in-particular excited about the commencement of an AWANA program at the Church, and had 13 kids the first night. In addition there was a lady from Witchita, who had never met a stranger nor kid she couldn't put in line.............teaching for her was a passion not an occupation. Anyways, she filled me in on most of the history of Marion, and this Church. She photographed me, left me so awestruck I forgot to get a picture of her.

Man the farms are so clean around here, and there is plenty of very good water since there is plenty of Limestone. The abundance of rock shows up in many downtown buildings and houses.......I just love the look of Limestone. My plan for the day was to get to Cotton-wood falls some 20 plus miles from Emporia. But, I rode so strong, and made one wrong turn on the back roads, that I missed Cotton wood Falls and was on the correct road to Emporia before I knew it.
As I rode into the outer edge of Emporia, I was sort of fretting about finding a RV Park so I could have a Shower and do some Laundry. Bingo, right there, all I had to do was cover one eye and turn right and I was into the RV park. I arrived at exactly 6am, 12 hours from when I got up that day. I rode thru rain clouds all day, felt a few drops but never got real wet. It was cold on this day, and felt like late October, the bike never got over 62 degrees, I wore all my clothes.............including my "tie" Mike.
I done up my laundry first, a good washing and full drying for everything. Camp was up and it was now well past dark as I had a shower. I didn't feel like anything with noodles in it, so I headed for the Flying J Truck Plaza across the Highway 77.

Now for safety sake, after 9pm, I always order a Ham&Cheese Omelette and ask them to burn the fire out of the hashbrowns and the toast to be even safer. A serious mistake at this outfit, there was enough grease on the plate to have my Omellete float. SO I picked around and got enough to fill me up sort'a. Walked back to my tent, called a few friends and turned in for the night.


Good NIght and God Bless.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I had not slept as good in the Motel, as I do now in my tent. My new pad is a full shoulder width, and as long as me and 2" thick. SO I sleep good on this one no matter what position I get into,,,,,,,,which for me can get quite contorted.

Man, I gotta tell ya, this Library thing is really starting to put me to the test................sorry but between Librarians and these punk kids I am slowly one Library at a time turning into Freddy Krueger.


I got out of the Motel sorta late, ate a few doughnuts and hit the road east out of Great Bend. The wind is blowing a gale form the south by southeast and staying upright is a challenge. I ride about 15 miles to Ellinwood, and decide to take a break. I get a cup of coffee at a fast stop, and walk across the street to the wind belted Country Club. I sat and drank my coffee in fair seclusion, and enjoyed all of it. What a great looking Golf Club,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but these fairways are too tight for Jeremiah to play.

The same town, has several Antique stores and I check the lagest one out. Many nice pieces of furniture, but not that thing that I am now looking for on my Xmas list. I had a good visit with the two fellas that own the shop, and find out a little more about the town, and make my leave for the open road. On this day the bike hit 104 with a strong wind for the day. I felt like a raisin by the time the day ended.

Aling about 2 oclock, the wind and sun had about done my old legs in so I found the shade of a tree and took a quick nap. MAybe a half hour or so, and felt good so mounted up and headed out once more. I rode on into the little Scottish Heritage town of McPhearson. I took a quite a ride theu this town, since it had plenty of neat buioldings and gardens to see. And while riding down one street I spotted a Dairy Queen, and my thoughts went into a mathematical calculation as to how long it was since I had anything in the way of ice-cream. My 4mghertz brain spit the answer out almost as fast as I could feed in the required and pertinent information...............YESTERDAY CHUBBY!

I put useless information where it belongs in the Delete can, and headed on in. But before I could get in Eldon and his wife Ruth met me in the parking lot as I dis-mounted my bike. Now Eldon and Ruth are bot hin the later 70's and in very good shape, they keep that way by constant walking and close diatary control.................I told em, that I do the same but don't care for the walking part of it. We laughed and talked about my riding across USA, and then headed into the store. Eldon, being in front, immediatley engaged the young lady behind the counter with a few questions about States capitals, and did she know them.

Better yet, if she didn't know 3 of 5, maybe he should get his Ice-Cream Cone for free. She played a long, and he asked five, she got 1...........her own home State of Ohio. Turns out she is ..................I am going to say this and get a lot of flack from many of my friends..............she is a second year Education Major!!!!!!!

I order my small chocolate malt, and am getting a straw, when Eldon asks me to join him and Ruth. I warn him that I got fair sweat worked up in the wind and heat..............he assures me I am okay. SO I join him, and learn what a fascinating fellow he is. At 79, Eldon is still a fulltime teacher at the High School level, and has refused to retire till he is too old to teach......................which is what he called his banter with the gal behind the counter as well. In his own words a 2 year student should know all the States and the Provinces of Canada without fail. SO, feeling better with a little ice-cream in my belley. I ask him to give me the 5 State test. Which he does, and with pure luck I got 5 for 5................really, I was expecting 3 maybe 4 but not 5. SO I told him that I never made it out of High School, and did that surprise him at all. He told me not at all. HIs own Father had gone to grade 4, and had to quit to help with the family farm, but all the way thru Eldon's College years he could call on his father for help in his studies.

He really feels that the larger part of a good education is in the reading which is being lost, and in practical application.........no matter whether its figuring out quantity of seed per acre, or amount of fence to do a section, or build a grainery...................kids learn it best when they see it applied. We had a great old visit, I told him that we home school, and was curious of what he thought of that principle.

He felt that maybe in todays reality it may be the best we could offer. He also made note, and I think with some good points, that the home school of today has as its cornerstones the same tenants that made American education the greatest in the worlkd up until about 1965 if that far. It was funny that he mentioned that date, and I asked him he had read the book "Into the 21st Century", to which he said he had not. But the author of that book says almost verbatim what Eldon had said.


I have rode in and around Kansas now enough to say that it is very impressive how clean the farms and towns are. It is just beautiful as you ride, the houses are painted, there is plenty of stone work, and the streets are clean, as it is in what I have seen of Europe, there ar planety of flowers out. I didn't do a real thourough investigation, but did dtop and get a few real-estate flyers and in general the housing is cheap by California standards. All of the city parks in town are designated NO CAMPING..........so, I rode on east.

I didn't ride that far, maybe 5-6 miles and it was getting rather dark so I pulled over to a high ditch edge since it had a really wet look to the sky over head. Set camp up, with good drainage, and set up my little stove to cook a meal, I had a fair time getting my little fuel blocks to light up, but I finally got one off and burning. The sky was a complete blakcened mass of cloud, and I though there would be no real sunrise. Reluctantly the clouds parted as I cooked, and the color was just brilliant as it played off of the roiling thunderheads thru which it blazened with reds and oranges. It has been sometime since I have seen color like that sunset, I am sure Sally watched it knowing full well that Joelle was at work with here masterful brush strokes. Thanks Joelle.

The wind really was getting with it as I crawled into my nylon culvert, I was really wondering if my tent would stand the test that this wind would give it. SO I doubled my Prayers, and I insisted I would find some place to attend the Church tomorrow if he would keep me covered in Nylon and not too wet. I went to bed with a constant flapping of Nylon and then along came that rolling heavy thunder..............and about an hour after I went to bed the rain set in. BUt lets not discuss today, what we may have to talk about tomorrow.

Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:21 PM | Permalink

___IT GETS A MIGHT WINDY IN CANVAS________
To say it ran afoul is my interpretation, but don't let me get ahead of myself with the days events. I set my tent up under a serious threat of a night of both wind and rain. I got both, I didn't know until later that most of the area had recieved 1.25-1.5 inches of rain. But the little tent held up just fine, so no complaints at all from me.


So the day started right off in the SLOG mode, and nothing really changed as far as amount nor direction of wind. I was determined that I would make my 60 plus miles down the road no matter what. As it was yesterday, it was also quite difficult to hold the edge of my lane as I like to do. Not only that, but there is no room on the shoulder to be running off iether since you hit soft dirt and a steep ditch. SO pedal Jeremiah, and shut-up.................alright, alright already thats what I am doing.


I came to the Historic site of Fort Larned, and decided that I would make this a stop to learn and show some of you folks what a well preserved Fort looks like. I hope that you enjoy it, because I sure did.


The entire Fort has been restored to its original condition and settings, each room is set up to hold a piece of what made the Fort an important stop as well as a Military outpost for guiding wagon trains and other Military guard type convoys. All totallled I spent about 1.5 hours at the Fort.





Its only another 5-6 miles down the road to the actual town of Larned and I stoppped here and bought a qt of milk and some yogurt. I sat easting my lunch on the curb in front of a road side store. While there a fellow came along ahos name was Micheal, even though he looked very asian to me. Turns out that Micheal is the son of a Vietnam War Ex-Pat and he and his family where moved to Kansas after the War came to an end. My new friend Micheal, just couldn't believe that I would even try to ride a bike across America. We got to talking about life and what we had seen and done, and Micheal pointed to his Restaurant that he owns and operates. I was caught off guard since it is called the Peking Palace. So that made me ask the question why are you cooking Chineses food when your native culture is Vietnamese? Quite simple said Micheal, Americans are very fussy eaters. Its like this properly cooked Vietnamese food is always cooked in fish sauce and has a very strong smell to it.


The fish sauce smells bad, but you can get past the smell, the food tastes really good and in his opinion is fresher tasting than Chinese. So, I can sell any sort of Chinese food, but not real Vietnamese. I asked what Micheal's opinion about America was now that he called it home. And was pleasantly surprised to the answer, because he touched on two facets that interested me but where not asked. America it is true, is a place where you can be and do what you want. When I was a boy in Vietnam, we used to hear it from US soldiers but always wondered if it were true. I can tell you that it is true, here in America I own a restaurant that I could not have today in the corner of Vietnam that I grew up in. I beleive today, as my family believed back then, that America pulled out of Vietnam before they finished the work intended..................and the whole of Vietnam Penninsula would be better of today if we would have stayed. Like Iraq today, we need to be there, but some in America think we should pull from there also. And I think that this will give the same results as Vietnam, which is bad.

After the talk with Micheal, I was joined by Arty who is a truck driver in the local who was also amazed that someone would ride a cycle across America. Arty tells me that he was a machinist over in Witchita, but the product that he made and the Company for that matter have both moved off-shore. The manufacturing jobs that used to be abundant in the larger cities of Kansas are now gone, and the serviving of products are all that is left. SO I got the best job left in Kansas, and thats driving a truck. I do real well at it and don't have to work so hard iether. So Arty, what do you think of the push by many politicians to make the whole "free-trade" policy come to pass? Well thats just plain nuts, I dont know what the heck they expect our kids to do when they get out of school these days, the jobs and job selection are just not there, at least what I can see in my State of Kansas. I drive all over this State, and everyone wants to drive truck, its the last good job left. I thanked him for his insight, and explained to him that I think almost anyone can and could ride across USA if they wanted to.

SO, with that I rode out and headed up the highway. The country is very lush at least to me being from California. The grass is so deep, and the hills not huge just a constant rolling terrain. Another thing that I noticed and am not sure that I took photo's of, is the abundance of hand cut long Limestone rocks cut to be used as fence posts and fence corner braces. Some had dates on them back to the 1885 times. It wasn't long and I was in Pawnee Rock, and there is an old sand stone looking building that was on a corner at one time, but now finds itself like many of us, sitting at rather an ackward angle to the world of today.

It seemed like a good time to get off and check out the Antique Market of Pawnee Rock, and in I went and was promptly met by MArge and her two little Yorkies. I held my poise, stayed perfectly still till Marge could call the raveous little ankle biters back into thier proper corner. Marge had a nice selection of stuff from some nice furniture pieces to books about the west and plenty of antique quilts and glass wear. I was intent on doing some Christmas shopping while out on the road, exactly what I was doing..............but I wont say for who. Marge talked, I listened and ambled thru the many rooms of stuff, and answered back infrequently. MArge kept up the chatter I think even when I wasn't there, but today she had a captive ear. Ah ha, I think that I found what I was in search of, yes its fairly nice, not that I know much about it all...........but was being made in England the best choice and so I ask Marge. Well, folks that started the ensuing dialog that took over an hours time, but I have to say I found it all quite interesting because it revo9lved around the whole of the British Isles. Now this is pertinent to know, becasue the Watt's and a friend are going to the same place next summer, so the more information we can find the better, and MArge was certainly full of that. During the discussion, I mentioned I had teenagers and was planning on atending many of the Churches and Museums in the Isles.......................wow, said MArge! How do you get away with that? I was no entirely sure off the question so asked her to clarify, and once I understood and had assured her my own kids are equally interested in seeing the same things she was astonished. How marvelous she excalimed, since in her opinion what was missing in the youth of America today was an appreciation of the fine Arts and Music. In her opininon, and mine......RAP, was something that should be played to a Hampster if he refuses to roll his little clear plastic ball or something like that. Any ways, we had quite a discussion about education, and where it is going wrong for our kids today.......matter of fact she made mention of some statistics that I would like to get my hands on and see if they are close to true. Her point was that students who were engaged in the arts and or music are higher achievers in all levels of school and have a much lower rate of falling into drugs and crime. The reasoning was, that they are active and in a competative sense engaged with fellow class mates to make the band etc. And later on at the College level, they have an extracurricular endevour that tends to keep them away from the "bad crowd" and out with a better group of kids. It all sounded fairly logical to me, but like I say it would be nice to find some data.

I rode on to Great Bend, and on thru the town. Funny but I noticed that quite a few folks (3-4) yelled stuff at me that was not very nice, this is a first on this trip. I stopped at a Grocery Store and got a few things, plus filled my water bottles. I decided to head further east out of town and away from all these people. SO I rode on, even though the sun was already getting quite low in the sky, I thought that I could find a road side a few miles out of town that would do just fine. And sure enough, maybe 3 mile east of town, there was a simple little park on the north side the road and I pulled into it. Being the only one there, I head right to the back against some trees and under a large tree, just incase it rained as it was looking like it could.

I had no sooner than got off and unhooked my little trailer than another green car drove in, and I never really gave it much notice......................that was until it had made itssecond or third trip past me. And about that time, I thought what is going on here, there is nobody in this park why can't this fella find a spot. So I watched a little closer as he made his circuit around me, speeding up when he was past and slowing right down as he passed me. I watched but tryed to look like I was not...........young fella, Hispanic looking, shor hair, almost looked like a Miltary recruit with the hair cut etc..........car is new, 2 door and has a yellow ribbon thing on rear rt qtr panel. He made at least 6 laps past me and then parked his car about 75-100 yards from me, and facing me. He didn't lay his head back and act like he was even taking a rest..............he just watched intently.

SO, I acted like he was not hter, and went about my business very slowly and methodically. Minutes idled by, and finally I heard his engine start and he made one more pass by me and left out towards town. Whew, I breathed easier now, that was wierd I tought. I got my camp full set up, and things in the proper place. With that done, I thought I would put a new battery in my cell phone and so walked across the road in the park and sat at a picnic table. I had black wind pants and a fairly dark gray top on as I sat working on my phone. The sun had already set, and I knew that I would be making a cup of tea in the dark.............no problem. But wait a minute, theres that dang car again. He turned in and made a beeline to go past my camp, I do not thin that the driver seen me sitting where I was in the colors I was wearing. He went past at least another 6 times, and each time he slowed right down, I could see his brake lights come on each time. Then he parked, just 50-75 yards from me at the table, I was croutched real low now...................scared you say,........no, nothing had slipped out the back yet.

He sat for a few minutes, and then exited the car. And I noticed that for a new car, there were no interior lights come on as he stepped out, and the door closed with barely a sound. He was a smoker, since I could see the end of his cig in the late dusk of the evening..............he was walking on the road but around the park in my direction. SO I made my move and headed for my camp low and as quick as I could. I made one pass by my tent from behind a tree and grabbed the only DEATH instrument that I had..............a small hammer that Pine had bought me for driving tent pegs. Once I had that I slipped into the cover of trees right behind my tent................and I watched.

He walked to within maybe 50 yards of my camp, and then turned around and walked back to the car. He slipped in, no lights on a nd drove off around the loop in my direction, about half way around he put his lights on and rolled real slowly past my camp...........almost coing to a stop. then out of the camp and back towards town. SO, there I sat in what had slipped out the back. I was wondering just what I ought to do, and like every good man it hit me right then.......call my wife. I did just that, and as I was explaining to her just what all had gone on, I am still behind the cover of trees, I notice a vehicle with no headlights turn down the little creek that ran to my left. It was real strange since he had to be on the highway with lights off, and thwen just hit the brakes enough to turn into the narrow road beside the creek. Now, I can tell you without joking, that I was a little booogered here. I was talking to Mom, and thats when the car returned with lights on and hit the circle around in my direction.

I got real low, told Mom adios. He made his second pass, and I hit the 9-11 call and talked to the lady on the other end. Told her I didn't like how this was all looking out at the old Fort Zarah Park, and maybe they could send an officer. BYthe time I had walked theu the events, the car had made another 6-7 passes and then pulled out on the highway again..............I was dissappointed and told the lady the same. She assured me they would send an officer, and I gave her my number for verification...................I will tell you that I am amazed that I even knew it.............it's the Lord, I know it.

I had not even really moved, since I was listening intently to the bush that ran behind me and to the creek to my left,,,,,,,,,I was expecting to here footsteps or twigs crackling underfoot........but nothing I could detect. Dang it all, here come those darned lights again. It is so dark that I cannot make out anything now, its well past 10 pm. I lay low, and watch, right around the loop and slow by me.............................then the darned phone rings and makes more fear squirt out. I answer expecting Mom, buts its the 911 gal. SO I tell her I am hiding in the trees, and that the car returned and is doing the very same routine.......................wait I tell her as quietly as I can, he has parked just 15-20 feet from my camp and his lights are out.....................YIKES. If some one had popped a paper bag behind me right then, you could have fertilized a garden for a month.............sorry Rob, but this sort of thing only happens at the movies for me. I told the gal I need to quit talking, since I was close enough that I thought he may hear me. She once again assured me an officer was on the way...............she made me tell her where I was hiding which I did so the officer would know to expect me.

The car did turn up, and rolled right around to the back of the park as I had told her to do. He pulled up by what was van...........not the green car. I knew and told the lady that the light pattern was different, but the driving pattern was the same. The Sherriff got the fella out and I could see from my vantage point that it was a different guy as well. This fella was about 40 and a little less fit than the guy in the green car. SO, he was hassled enough to encourage him to leave, which he did. And thats when I emerged from the cover off the tree line, and talked to the officer. He told me that this is no park for overnight camping, it is used in to many Narcotic drops and also by to many Homo-sexual encountres to make camping a safe thing to do. You can call me a conspiracy freak, but I am convinced that these two fellas were working in tandem, just too many things about driving etc were similar...............but, I will never be able to prove it.
So I told him of my problem, no lights on bike etc and 3 miles back to town. Do it somehow he said and now.
So with that he left, and I rolled camp in a hurry and headed out hanging onto a flashilight and steering the bike. I made it back to Great Bend and got a room, after I had been to 3 Motels on the outskirts of town. I was so nervous now, that I checked the rooms something that I never usually do. And each of them was a Motel wher folks meet for an hour at best and do what we won't speak off, and before they leave the man smokes a cigarette.

I finally get a room at Days Inn, and park my stuff. From there I call home to let them know I am still alive and had not been raped or worse. For me, its as close as I need to come to the Devil manageing to run things afoul, I firmly believe that God's Providential hand held off a foul deed............I will leave you to think as you would of it all.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I am up at 6:30 and there is a fierce wind blowing from the south by southeast. I am a normal cowboy who’s center of balance is derived from his moustache, somewhat like a cat and his tail. I have a thick moustache, mostly grey now, but I share it equally with both sides of my face. Well up until this morning at least that was the case, but now I am having to get accustomed to my moustache all being blown over to the left side of my face. It made what little speech I needed to do, very difficult. In order to keep my moustache centered I needed to tie the right side off to my right ear………..I did that for a while but over time the little string began to bother me so I let it go to where ever the wind would blow it.

I thought to my self, what Lord have I done to deserve this. SO I took refuge in the thought that yes there was a wind and with an hour or two of character building that the wind will give me it will surely die down and I will have a nicer afternoon. SO I resigned my self to the struggle of a mostly head wind slog over the flatter portions of Canvas.

That’s what I done was SLOG, just a grunt a fart sort of morning all the way, I don’t think that I ever got past 10 miles per hour. I am getting low on water, and have to ask a farmer that I spot if I can fill the bottles up. SO he says, why the #@*& are you riding that thing anyways? To which my reply was, it was simply a personal challenge and a goal I wanted to attain, and I explained where I had started from. You @#$% Californians sure do some stupid things, you should just get a job. Well, believe me I had a quick retort right there on the end of my usually speedy tongue…………but from someplace in the back of my pea-brain I heard this clarion call…………..”you need water you idiot.” So I gave him his point, and told him I would have one as soon as I finished the ride and asked again where the water faucet was located, and from the there filled all my bottles and left with one full mouth full just to be sure I had all I could and had no room for a smart remark as I rode away.

I had set the goal of getting to Jetmore as a final destination, but that little town just always seemed to be miles away as I slogged thru the wind. It was well after noon now, and my character was changing, not sure it was the sort of character that the Lord wanted to develop within me. SO I remained confident that the wind would die in the later part of the day. When I finally got to the town of Jetmore, I was so thirsty and drank a qt of Gatorade too quick and didn’t feel that great after.

PLENTY OF CORN, SORGUM GROWN AROUND HERE.

SO, I took a break and called my older brother Neil, since he had already done a ride cery similar to the one I am doing now. I just wanted to know if there was another way to deal with the wind, different cloths etc………I even considered riding nude and rubbing Olive Oil all over myself, but thought better of it. It would be a lot of olive oil, and sort of a waste. The campground that I was told about in the town had be turned into a refuse disposal site, and so I rode on for another 6 miles.

I set up camp once again in the high side of the ditch since it really looked like rain in the sky tonight.. I was dog tired, and the stinking wind was still trying to rip my toupe off my head. I cooked up Chicken Gumbo which turned out great. I can tell you that if the Lord was working against me, I sure don’t want to spend a lifetime with him as my opponent. Sure looks like rain, and the clouds are heavy.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Well as I had said I worked a Show in Denver for my little Bit&Spur Company, and it was alright but not great. Just not well enough attended to make it a financial gain. But no complaints, we done our deal and then had some bike work done. The crank set was giving me some fits and it turns out that the reason why is because it was not designed to be a 9spd, but rather a 7 or 8 speed max. So, it pays to not only ask the right questions of the seller, but also ask it of several sales staff at the same Company.

HAPPY TO BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN

It was a beautiful day in Lamar, I returned my little mini-van to the rental and loaded my stuff in the Little BOB trailer and was off. A little later for me but I was off at around 11:00am. The temp is 68 degrees and the wind is mild. I am looking strait east on Hwy50 once again.

As you ride out of Lamar you are riding a subtle incline out of a very fertile river valley, and once out of that the country tends to flatten a fair amount. Once the country is flat, and the sun is right overhead well you can just about forget of having any endearing photographs of the surrounding country. But I will do my best.

DEEP GRASS COUNTRY

Rode into Syracuse and had a little dinner. Nothing big, a qt of milk and a little yougurt along with some fruit I had bought in Lamar. The roads are good, maybe a little narrow but the traffic has not been to bad so far and the big rigs I have met in Kansas have been just great. One “atta boy” to the drivers of 18 wheelers in Colo and Kansas for that matter. The temp is now up to 97 on the bike, and we are on the way to Holly Kansas, the town is a nice little town, and not long after that the country begins to get a gentle roll to it. My God, I cannot believe how green and wet the country is, all the way from east of Denver really.

I rode thru- several very small towns and really enjoyed the richness of the grass out this way. I decided to make camp about 15 miles short of Garden City, and found a great spot along side of a secondary road too do so. Camp was simple, had a 2 bottle bath (40oz) water, so you learn to put it on in all the right places. I had one bottle left over to cook with and one to ride in the morning with. I had a great supper of Louisianna Red Beans and Rice, it worked out perfect along with a cup of Earl Grey Tea and I was looking forward to bed after an 87 mile day that started so late.

"HEY WE ARE IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE,ITS A GIVEN

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, I wanted to take the time to put up a post to thank all of you who follow the blog and to take the time to post. I have now the time to read the posts and not the time to answer each of you in a specific manner as would seem appropriate. Let me say that this trip is only special if it can be shared. I do not believe that our Lord God wants his creation to be to be held captive by only one pair of adoring eyes.

My friend and spiritual mentor in many ways is a CHP officer back in Coalinga, and I want to share a little of what he wrote to me, that the creation of the universe is just an "appetizer" so too speak at the Lord's banquet, the main course and most important creation is "US" in God's image. And like Rob says, to not share that fact is to have gods creation hanging in a closet................unappreciated.

My trip could be called selfish and maybe even self-serving, but I assure you that the Lord has worked his will into my life on a daily basis and I have had many chances to see Prayer in action. So, the whole trip has given me a chance to come to know the Lord in a closer manner............I am fairly confident I can cross America............but I am completely confident that I cannot do it without the Lords presence in every revolution of my cranks.

If I can say thanks to those youngsters back home whom follow the blog as it goes, most of them hangout with my own kids and are wonderful presence in my home on many weekends throughout the year..................thankyou for your constant Prayers. And I know that your constant sending of Prayers towards heaven in my stead, have kept the Lord's providential hand between me and possible tragedy.........so thanks again.

For my Pastor, Mike, who is a great guy and a constant and tireless worker for the kingdom of Heaven. I know your Prayers give me a shield, and you words give me confidence. Many are the times that I have caught myself thinking, what would Pastor Mike say............and then I realized what Mike would say. Jeremiah, it doesn't matter what I would say, I am but a messenger...................what does matter is what the Lord says. I use that for myself now more often, to make myself go look it up in the Bible. MIke, I don't always know where to go find it, but I am getting better.

And to my friends whom make saddles, or engrave, build bits and spurs, or just enjoy life with horses and the open range as the canvas on which we live. Many thanks to all of you, since you are family as well. Those of us who have accepted Christ as our risen Lord and Saviour, call the collective body of believers FAMILY. But some of you are family by way of what we do and share in business and our professional carreers. We see you at trade shows, and ropings around the country, thankyou for being apart of this area of my life as well.

NOt much of this would be fun, nor possible if it were not for the worlds best wife and my kids. I can only hope that this comment stirs a rigorous debate over who has the best wife, I would like to see all of us men more thankful for the wives we have..........and all of US parents for appreciative of the children we are raising. The whole of a child is a reflection of thier parental expierience. Here again I know that I fall short, and am so thankful for the continuos stabilizing effect of my wifes personality. Thanks Mom, I really do love you.................and not to leave out Pine nor Nevada, lov'ya too.

There is a twist of irony here as well when it comes to my ability to share this entire cycling trip with you, because once again it has been the FOLKLORISTS to the rescue. Better than twenty years ago there where a group of folks headed up by Hal Cannon whom could see a day when the shared spoken word of the range cowboys would be lost forever quite possibly. And from that notion/fear sprang forth the father of a lyrical sagebrush rennaisaunce movement that we all know is the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering. That group of folklorists have not only given life to all of the other Poetry gatherings that have followed, but they continue to plow new cultural furrow's in places that others lack the vision to percieve. It has been close to 13 years since I quit working for this wonderful group "FOLKS", and now here today the blog comes by way of those same FOLK-lorists. So, let me say thanks directly to the great gal I work with,Meg Glaser. BUt not only her, all the others behind the scenes whom have made the blog possible so that we can share "reality in real time" and in a real way.

So you guys keep it up, and let me say this. If you are a passive reader and not active with the comments, I invite you to share a little knowledge with me..................if you know of some thing. some place, some point of interest, or some interesting person whom I should endevour to iether meet or see in your State...........please share it with me. I won't promise that I am going to ride 1000 miles out of my way to make it happen. But I would like to have the option to give it consideration. I still have Canvas, Missouri, Tennesee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia to get through. I could use your help with seeing the things that matter to the folks who live there.

Its late guys, and I have to work the booth with a smile on my face tomorrow.
Good NIght and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

SHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh, Jeremiah is sound asleep. HIs tent is set up facing to the east so it catches the night breeze and first light of morning, all that makes for a restfull sleep and an early start. The way into his little tent is right on the end of the tube that makes up the tent, and there is a storm flap which can cover that portion, but it is open to the screen now so that the soft night breeze can waft over the sleeping Jeremiah, assuring him of as many hours of REM sleep as he can get. One other thing, which may be more information than you wanted but an honest blog is what we run here..........JW sleeps naked a jay bird all the time and any time. There are no Barney Pajama's on this trip.

SHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh, quiet would you, it's only 3:29 am and JW is sleeping restfully with his arms outside the bed roll as is his normal habit.........at least until they both fall asleep and then he flounders around like a Sea Cucumber to wrestle them back into the bed roll to warn\m up and share in the blood flow process.

POP..........fffffffffffwish..............spica,spica,spica,spica,spica,spica.........what the heck is this. How can you have the reliving of the Posidon Adventure on dry land in a tent. Its 3:30 am in Lamar in the city park, and I am wide awake sort of, looking to the origination of all this cold water in my domicile. The moment my left eye finally opens it is greeted by a strong blasst of water from somewhere to my right...........ouch that smarts so I look away to my left and spica,spica,spica her it comes from that direction as well. My nylon culvert is taking on too much water to survive, and the brain says...........Jeremiah get to the edge of the boatand save yourself. I instinctyivley reach for the zipper on my sleeping bag, because survival instincts run deep in my viens...............but what the heck happened to my arms................some idiot replaced them with rubber. What are you supposed to do with these stupid things they won't even come here when you ask them.....................geez, I am going to drowned if that left arm does b\not grap that zipper soon. I am starting to think to myself that these arms do not realize how precarious and cold this situation is.

Good I am finally outttttttttttttt, and NAKED! WOW is that ever cold.

What next, what a mess. Who is the idiot that hid the sprinklers just so they could get ME!!!!!
Genious, yes I am a genius, plug the sprayers................so I rummage around in a nearby trash can and find a plastic bag and jam that over the offending sprinkler................dang it is just making holes in the bag...............my god the soft breeze is cold.................double it Jeremiah???? Oh, yea, great so now its making holes two layers at a time. Fantastic you genius.

Get your water bottles Jeremiah,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes that will work. So I rip the two botles of my bike and take the caps off.................man its cold out here..........................I wonder if any one is watching all of this.................maybe some sadistic grounds keeper watching from the bushes..............a fellow like Gupta in the movie Terminal.
Thats it, jam the bottle down over the sprayer, thats it, now you have got it.............go top off the other one...........there you go buddy, youve beat the offending monster>>>>>>>>>what the heck spica,spica,spica,spicahow can it be spraying my in the back. I turn to look and catch a full body shot from a sprayer on a second line directly behind me and some 15-20 feet away.

More bottles Jeremiah, more bottles.

Dang, I am telling you.........I looked like a naked version of Elmer Fudd plugging bunnie holes there for about 15 minutes...........................and boy howdy am I getting cold. Its time to change focus, warmth is required here and to heck with anything else. Fortunatly for me, I had turned my big yellow trailer bag over tightly, and no water had penetrated its confines so what ever clothes I had left inside of it would be dry. And as long as the bottles stayed put over the sprayers, well I could concievably get dressed and stay dry. I found my long riding pants, then a dry short sleeve, and a wind jacket and then my fleece top and my sandals...............good................man thas feeling better already............................run Jeremiah run,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the bottle to the left is giving way, run Jeremiah.

Poochie Maggie I am fast, you should have seen me sprint out of there..............OOOOOssshhe the air comes out of me hard. What the heck, who is the idiot that put a cable 12 inches off the ground between these posts........... dang that smarts. Yup, I face planted full body shot out on the lawn , but luckily just outside the range off the escaping sprinkler spray. I feel like I have been hit by a Mac truck......................my God, my dear God, I hope this isn't on someones home video sequence. ................I need coffee, what time is it anyways?????????

I rescue my bike from the irragatin system, all I need is for it to grow and get to big for me now. Adn with my sandalled feet I do my best to pedal my clip in bike down the street and find coffee. Surely life can't get any worse than how this morning started,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,can it? Its almost 4:30 and I find the one and only convienience store open in Lamar at that time of day,,,,,,,,er morning. I buy a 240z cup and stand there drinking, and warming slowly. Er, excuse me Sir, once you have purchased you need to exit the store no loitering. Well I explain to her my plight and about how wet I got............ah, sorry Sir, but you need to stand outside of the store. Fine, just fine I say%%%**$#@@#$#@$$##@ I will just stnd right out here..............hows that?????

She actually follows me outside, and then she lights up a smoke. I find myself wishing I smoked...........well not really, I find myself wishing I had her lighter and I would set the dumpster to burning.........cowboy logic, BIG FIRE, BIG WARM!!!!!!!!!!

SO we get to visiting about the convienence store, and she is quite open about the sales and items that sell. Now I am not sure how interesting nor germain this is to my blog, but it tells a tale of what is at the core of our America. Listen to this and see what you think of it all. #1 seller per day is cigarettes, without any challenge, and sales are $2000 plus per day and much higher near holidays etc. Then #2 is Lottery tickets, running at $15-1800 per day and double that when the numbers to be won get goofy. I admit I didn't find out where the GOOFY LEVEL of payout came in. For instance milk sales ran about $125-150 per day.............but beer as a total ran about 900-1000 per day, and all forms of soda pop ran just shy of beer sales. I don't know about you, but I find these numbers amazing and informative, especially when you consider just how small this store was.

Almost 5, and another soul is walking up to the store. I wonder too myself..........I wonder, did he get caught in the spriklers too???????? No it doesn't look like it. Man is he chatty, never shuts up............he must be deaf, he can't see my teeth rattling..............he doesn't know that mentally I am right out there on the edge. He never takes a break to breath, look for gills Jeremiah!!!!!!!! Well I now know more about this man than I ever wanted to know and never even asked for the information to begin with..................DO YOU HAVE A SMOKE?????????< ah whats that I say. Do you have any smokes, he asks. No sorry, I dont smoke...............and on he prattles like I wanted to know even more. He is retired, well he is disabled.................and I think, DISABLED,SHOOT HE'S NOT EVEN WET!!!!! Yes as it turns out he is 43 and fully retired and on a $1800 per month SSI disability for being Uni-Polar. What is this uni-polar I ask? Well its a condition that leaves me constantly angry, distraught and mad ...................HUMPH, I think, so he did get hit by the spriklers!!!!!!!!!!!

HI JOYCE, he says in a rather loud way. And I turn to see Joyce coming up from around the corner of the store. Wow, no offence but Joyce is a ground pounder, she must wieght at least 300. She says her hellos to Jim, my adopted friend and heads into the store. Joyce is dressed in the Pajamas that Jeremiah will not wear, and a pair of very flattened flip-FLAPS...........too flat to even flop anymore. She comes out in a few moments and begins to visit with Jim, she barely acknowledges me with in the context of the conversation. I noticed she was at least 6 foot tall and had huge hands..............Poochie Maggie shes a big gal. Breakfast was consumed as I stood and watched/listened to the ensuing conversation. As it turns out Joyce was also on a SSI disability for being heavy and not able to stand on her flip-flaps all day at work...............You can barely live on it says Joyce, its only $2000 per month and some extra for "mobility".........thats code for taking some form of vehicle if you can't walk. Now breakfast was consumed by Joyce as I stood there, ans she barely turned my way as she visited with Jim. Joyce had 2 large bottles of Coke, and a package of some kinda Chocolate Ding Dong thingy.............yes a 4 pack. I wondered to myself if the wieght problem was self-inflicted..................man, I should'nt think that.Slap me for even considering it. What,did I hear that right, JOyce mentioned to Jim, that if she had to spend part of her time in a wheel chair that the SSI would go to $2500 per month

Well, as all stimulating conversation goes, this one closed as well and both jim and Joyce made there way back to thier respective domiciles someplace. And I was left standing alone in the pre-dawn hours. Robert steps from his car, and says hello in a civil fashion without asking for a cigarette. He buys a small coffee, and comes back out to stand in front so as not too be accused of LOITERING. Robert is a retired judge and he looks the part, nice guy, and sorta fills me in on the goings on of Lamar.....................

HEY JUDGE, HOWS THINGS, como usted amigo...................comes the loud greeting from a fellow that is the most bizarre I have seen yet on my bike trip. He sticks out a many ringed hand, and the Judge shakes it, and says just fine Princess. The new comer heads in and gets himself a coffee so that he can join us outside and visit he does. The Judge in the meantime tells me that Princess has done 2 stints in Prison, and is a bonifide Priest whom used to be with the Church in California. Out comes George and the morning takes off, George has a way of occupying all the talking space left in a room or parking lot. Withiin 1 minute, I am introduced and told by George that he is GAY, not a pedaphile. The conversation only lasts for a few minutes with the Judge and he bows out and takes his leave. Meantime our conversation gets deeper and takes a turn for the worse, the topic of religion comes up and I am being told now that Georges mission in life is to bring folks to Christ thru his GAY lifestyle. Well Sorry, and stop reading if you feel offended but I am not sure that the engaging in the gay lifestyle can be a vehicle to Salvation, at least that 's what I tell him. and he's up in my face...........Poochie Maggie he's close...............I wonder if I give him a shiort stroke if I am going to get any on me. I got a littany of reasons why I should not condemn and that I had no place in challenging his sexual prefference. Well excuse me Gerge, but I wasn,t challenging you preffernce, but only the continuation of a life style condemned by Christ himself................well that done it, george was on his feet and way too close for me............Help Pastor MIke......................I am falling short on Prayer's and close to the swatting stage.

So, I tell George that I will be glad to Pray with him....................too which he refused and used a few expletives to finalize his consideration of me.............so I tell him I will Pray for him and take my leave. Its now 7:15 and time to head to the park. In the time I spent with George, I also found out he too, was an SSI recipient of some $2000 per month for exact reasons I do not know. BUt it did strike me as unusul how many folks are able to collect quite hansome sums for reasons as are given.

I find myself pedaling my own bike......feeling rather happy that by way of strength from the Lord that I mange to get through life with out a crutch for what ails me, but I have strength through what ails me by way of Prayer and his daily word the re-builds me. Its a better cure that for sure, and It gives hope when no real hope is in sight.

I should explain, that I am running just a little ahead of schedule on my cycling trip, so I pedalled over to Lamr and rented a car to drive back to Denver for 4 days. I regularily work the fall Denver Market Show of WESA, and will take the time off now to work it for our JWP line of goods. So our next blogs will be when I commence in Lamar on Wednesday of next week.
Good Night and God Bless.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

With only 35 miles or so separating me from arriving in Lamar, which as I will explain is my final destination for this leg of the trip, I was looking forward to riding with Kevin for a ways. I was up early, about 5:15 and all packed up when my camp mate final roused. Kevin admits he is not an early riser or starter, most of his days commence by about 8:30 he said.

KEVINS BIKE IS A PANNIER OUTFIT, AND i GUESS THE WEIGHT TO BE 4O--45 POUNDS TOTAL.

He also eats out each day, and had at this point not cooked any meals for himself. This is an interesting point, since food is what ends up costing the most thru the day that and water if you buy bottled water. I myself will fill my bottles in the ditch if I have to, and have only bought water now 3 times if I recall, all the rest of the time I have filled at gas stations etc. When we sat and compared costs of food eating out versus cooking your own, I think that Kevin was in the mood to buy a small stove much like mine. I can tell you honestly, that I would sooner "Boonie Camp", than buy a space in the local RV park etc. I have come to that point where I love my nylon culvert and bed roll set-up.


The night before, we had been told by a kind citizen of Eads that there was going to be a Coboy Pancake Breakfast on main street, and we would be welcome to come if we like. Now, I had not been starting the day off with a meal, so we talked it over and agreed to give it a try. It was fun, we had a great breakfast of bacon/eggs/and pancakes all we could eat that is..........and coffee by the 5 gallon pail full. The folks were indeed friendly and we had a chance to visit with several and find out what was going good and bad in thier community. Ther was the offifcial off-key but well intentioned singer to keep the crowd settled, he mastered the guitar and musical extras like harmonica and keyboard all at the same time. Pure home town fun, and all enjoyed the commaraderie.

It was time to pedal, and off we went. BUt Kevin only went a couple hundred yards and checked out on a different road than I was riding, so our time together was over and we both stroked off in different directions.

There was fog again this morning, but not as heavy and it only lasted for a short ways out of Eads and it was done. The country changes once again down this way, and the closer we get to Lamar the better the soil looked and the better the grass looks. Lamar is in a bowl, and there are plenty of huge old cotton-woods that dot the landscape and make the scenery interesting enough. A point for some of you folks wehom have never been over this way, is the Kiowa Grasslands area. This is a small area of Colorados extreme southeast corner in which the growing zone seems out of whack with the rest of the State. For instance, the bulk of Colorado is rated at a 2-3 climate zone, while the Grasslands region is rated as a 7 zone, which by the way is the same climatic conditions that I live in in California. It doesn't mean that they grow Palms her in this corner, but it does mean that this corner has a higher ground water condition, and less extreme fluctuations of hot and cold, making for a longer and more productive growing season. This is an eco-system within an eco-system.

I arrived in the Lamar area to find a lot of Alfalfa and corn being grown, there are plenty of cattle on feed, and I think I caught the aroma of hogs as well but never spotted the little rascals. Lamar is a Junior College town, and a cattle feeding town and an Ag based economy..............so like many other small towns it has areas that look to be hard hit, such as the downtown corridor.

Move in one "big-box-store", and you can kiss Mom & Dad's little home town hardware store good bye. To my way of thinking it is a shame and it seems to take the town away from the town and move it over to one near edge or another. Okay, I will go out on a limb here and say something that I bet ticks some folks off. This is for those genius's that run the Wally worlds and You-Know-MArts etc.

SInce we are talking small towns, and by comparisons the realestate is cheap by comparison to the larger communities that you also move into. Why doen't you buy right downtown, there are always blocks or portions of blocks that are blighted and for sale, buy them, and build right in the heart of what has been by tradition the business community.

Once there is a box store there are always the fast food franchises that move along with them. I am not a city planner, but it seems to me it would invigorate rather than spread and deaden a community. Just an idea.

I headed strait to the Library, and had to beg to be allowed to download my blog images. They really do not like for folks to be messing with pictures at a Library due to pornography. I assured the gal, that I was going too download all og\f my pornography at a different Library............certainly not here. I don't know is a bare-naked cowboy all covered with water really pornography??????

2 hours later and I am on line doing my blog thing, like I said it is really slow going for me. My chicken pecking typing skills go so very slowly. I closed the Library down, and headed out side to strap my bike shoes on a find a place to pitch my tent for free hopefully. As luck would have it 2 of Lamars finest, Sheriff's walked by while I was changing shoes, so I asked them about a place to camp. They happliy suggested the local City Ball Park right across from the Lamar College. Plenty of green grass and space.........Poochie Maggie, can it really get any better than that.

Off I went to the east end of town, and found they were right, it is all that they said it would be. I found a place with a flat lawn and a covered picnic table and set camp up, ate simple and went to bed early since I could not make my Cingular service find a signal.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I had no real plans on any certain townas a destination for the day, and I knew that my final stop of Lamar was some 120 plus miles away so any place halfway of better would siffice for a ride. I awoke very early about 5:15am and there was fog to my amazement. So I packed up my gear as is usual and headed out on the bike with my tiny little tail-lights flashing there red warning " SOME IDIOT BIKER HERE". When you leave the KOA, you are on gravel for 1/4 mile or so and the exit is right beside a Flying J Truck stop, and as I road I realized just how stupid it must look to be riding a bike in that heavy fog.



Sounds like coffee time to me, does it to you. I drank more joe that morming than I have since I left California. It was past 8am when I finaly felt it may be okay to go out and get on the road. And believe me it was just barely okay because the fog got heavy again about a mile from the truck stop. I road on for about 15 miles in that fog and it finally began to lift about the town of Hugo. The fog was replaced quite promptly by wind.............oh joy, oh joy.

The wind was right in the face, or off to my right cheek for the rest of the day, that is the way it stayed. The country had flattened out quite a lot by now, and it was not entirely sceneic from a photographic standpoint. Even though the fog had lifted, the sky was a heavy leaden overcast grey, making the countryside flat a featureless. I road to Kit Carson which would put me at the halfway point to Lamar, but it was only 12:45 so I bought a Gatorade and headed to the park which is beside the Kit Carson Museum,


to have Louisiana Kippers and bagels, along with a few figs to top it all of. While at the the park I met a fella with some serious medical problems . He had served in Vietnam, and had had has lungs burned by Napom. He was a talker and I didnt have to say much matter of fact I said very little. Now you would think that a fella having served in Vietnam and being injured as he was may ha\ve an axe to grind with the Government, but not the case. He was very proud of the branches of the service and how they trweat the men and woemn. but what he detested are the Polaticians that stir the military pot so to speak. It was interesting for me, to hear it from his perspective since I have no military expierience at all.

"I seen this and just could'nt help but sing that ol song.......Its a long road to Temporary, its a long way to go!!!"

Its about 2 ands I am thinking I may as well hit the road for a few more miles, not even caring if I make it to another town or not since I had some groceries on board and can make camp any place that I like. It didn't take that much effort to get to Eads. And while riding into town I see alot of commotion going on at the local Fair-Grounds and decide to check it out. As itturns out Eads is in Kiowa County and it Fair time.


The local ranchers were getting ready to have a team sorting and I sat around to watch what was going on. I sat until about 7:15 but it was taking forever to get the cattle neck numbered and the hoped to get started by about 8 or a little after. So, I had to bow out and find some place to camp for the night.

I find a nice place in the rail Road campground and I am setting up my camp when I spot the colors of another bike rider going by on Main Street. BUt wait there is more, he is a loaded touring biker. All the while I am wondering if by chance we will get to meet, or he is riding off down the road to who knows where?

I am just crawling out of my little nylon culvert when up rides the biker I had spotted. His name is Kevin, and he is 27 and from New York. BIkers don't take long to get the formalities out of the way, I guess we are starved for adult conversation by that point. Kevin is also riding across America, but on a little different route than I. Now, maybe its the age, or just the toughness........but this Kevin is doing 125-130 mile days. Yes, I am floored. I thought that some of my dasy were good ones, but 125 plus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had a great visit, and Kevin is a real nice guy. Maybe a little lost at the moment. He had a great job working in the Mayoral Office of New York, but hated the job he had. He has a degree in Labour Relations but hates where it is leading him, and the sort of 9-5 office and commute lifestyle it brings. I didn't say anything, but I as thinking about how much I love what I do and how much I love living out in the country to do it...........how locky and Blessed am I.

SO, its time to finally turn in and get ready for morning and more miles.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The place that I camped in Parker was really a pretty sight, I enjoyed the rather late time I set up because it offered some new challenges like cooking in the dark and then eating it in the dark. But now its morning and I am getting the bike packed up once again to hit the road. I had thought that the day prior was rather a slack day, but as it turned out we put in an 85 mile day.

I need to also tell you that I had seen several of these sort of signs since arriving in Colorado, but these were in the best place for me to take a picture of and so I show them here. They are statement signs concerning the war in Iraq and about the men and women who serve there. And like these folks, I agree, we should be proud of the job being done by those who volunteer to serve.

The bike is reading 52 degrees, and I put on my wind pants and a fleece top to helpt stay a little warmer. I was expecting to hit some dead flat country and turn the cranks as hard as I could...................but a surprise awaited me in that area. Once you get out of Parker the country is really pretty with the tops of the ridges covered in Pines and the grass looks great since they have had a lot of rain in eastern Colorado this year. But whats this, a valley.........and then a hill, followed by a valley and another hill. Nobody told me that I was going to have to work that hard to leave Colorado. Man, I thought all the hard work was set up too be in the middle????

As it turned out the rollers of eastern Colorado proved to be quite a chore for the ol'legs as well. It seems to me that you climb and get the legs warmed up, then more or less coast downe many of the grades in which the legs cool a little and the next climb has a bit of a bite since the muslces are cooled. NOt sure if I am right, but it is how it felt.
The further that I rode towards Limon the flatter the country got, and the less pronounced the hills were. The creeks no longer ran fast and clear, now they had a muddy tinge to them and grass grew over them in many places. You can't believe \how good the grass looks over here this year, I am happy for the catle producers in the region, becasue if I am not mistaken they have been dealing with drought now for some 5 years I am told.


I arrive in Limon early enough to make use of the town Library and try to get my blogs updated. The Library closes at 7pm, and I am one of the last to leave and still only got 3 dasy worth caught up. I know, I can hear ya, I am slow on the computer I got it wrapped up and then headed back to the KOA that I had decided to stay at for the night. I was riding past the entry to the campground and decided to have some Pizza instead of noodles, it was a nice treat and bed felt good.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The place that I camped in Parker was really a pretty sight, I enjoyed the rather late time I set up because it offered some new challenges like cooking in the dark and then eating it in the dark. But now its morning and I am getting the bike packed up once again to hit the road. I had thought that the day prior was rather a slack day, but as it turned out we put in an 85 mile day.

I need to also tell you that I had seen several of these sort of signs since arriving in Colorado, but these were in the best place for me to take a picture of and so I show them here. They are statement signs concerning the war in Iraq and about the men and women who serve there. And like these folks, I agree, we should be proud of the job being done by those who volunteer to serve.

The bike is reading 52 degrees, and I put on my wind pants and a fleece top to helpt stay a little warmer. I was expecting to hit some dead flat country and turn the cranks as hard as I could...................but a surprise awaited me in that area. Once you get out of Parker the country is really pretty with the tops of the ridges covered in Pines and the grass looks great since they have had a lot of rain in eastern Colorado this year. But whats this, a valley.........and then a hill, followed by a valley and another hill. Nobody told me that I was going to have to work that hard to leave Colorado. Man, I thought all the hard work was set up too be in the middle????

As it turned out the rollers of eastern Colorado proved to be quite a chore for the ol'legs as well. It seems to me that you climb and get the legs warmed up, then more or less coast downe many of the grades in which the legs cool a little and the next climb has a bit of a bite since the muslces are cooled. NOt sure if I am right, but it is how it felt.
The further that I rode towards Limon the flatter the country got, and the less pronounced the hills were. The creeks no longer ran fast and clear, now they had a muddy tinge to them and grass grew over them in many places. You can't believe \how good the grass looks over here this year, I am happy for the catle producers in the region, becasue if I am not mistaken they have been dealing with drought now for some 5 years I am told.


I arrive in Limon early enough to make use of the town Library and try to get my blogs updated. The Library closes at 7pm, and I am one of the last to leave and still only got 3 dasy worth caught up. I know, I can hear ya, I am slow on the computer I got it wrapped up and then headed back to the KOA that I had decided to stay at for the night. I was riding past the entry to the campground and decided to have some Pizza instead of noodles, it was a nice treat and bed felt good.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Its Monday, Sept 4th and the final day of the long weekend. Like I said I am very cautious about riding on this day. Got up late for me, and the bike is reading 61 degrees at 8am.

Hit the frontage road and a couple of different bike paths to make my way into Idaho Springs which is west of Denver a few miles. My biggest concern is getting around Denver. I decide to stop for a cup of coffee at the Exit 240 Coffee and Bike Shop.

It was a very opportune stop for me, and I don;t think it was one that happened by mere accident. I walked in behind a young couple, of which the fella had a quite a pair of cycling legs. Not taking too looking at other mens legs mind you, but you get to a place where you can spot horsepower in a pair of calves. OI order up an extra stout cup of Mericano, and start a conversation with the couple, I find they are riding for a morning trip and headed back towards Denver. I also meet two older fellas whom are out for a day ride on their mountain bikes and they offre up a lot of help with roads etc.

I ask the young couple if I can tag along with them for as long as I can keep up, since they are riding on race bikes and I am lugging the trailer I didn't think I would last long. It turns out there final destination is Evergreen, and thats quite along ways towards where I am bound, so I have a real need to keep iup in this case. As it turns out, the young fellows name is Cody and his wife is Maleek. Cody is a cycling and Tri-athalon trainer, so no wonder he had a pair of calves on him. Matter of fact, Cody is going to the "Exterra Finals" over in Hawaii this fall, I am not exactly sure what it all is other than a Iron Man version done on mountain bikes. We hit one particular steep climb of plus 7% and I finally fell behind at that point. I can remember at that point that I would sure like to get the horsepower to catch up and get a little closer to Denver and the roads I needed.

From someplace, I found the strenght to cover the gap and I was on the tail once again. Thanks Lord.

We finally parted company, and Cody gave me a set of directions that worked out great. Thanks Cody and Maleek for all the help.

The road has many turns in getting down out of the hills, the traffic is hectic in most places, but the Colorado drivers are really some of the best that I have rode around so far. While I was riding I spotted the sign leading to Buffaloe BIll's Grave and Museum.

SO I make an executive decision to ride the 8 miles over/up on Lookout Mountain and take it in. It was a fun ride, amongst the Pinmes and the winding roads that lead to the Grave site. I spend a good hour going thru the Museum and meet some folks from Florida who are totally amazed that a guy my age can make it all the way from California. So I took my teeth out of my travel cup, so I could speak a little clearer and told'em "shoot I'am going to ride the rest of the way as well"!

Time to hit the roiads again and I was off. For the most part I skirted Denver to the south along the C-470 loop road, there is a bike path that follows along, but there are so many paths that you spend a lot of time asking where the right path is. My final destination for the day was Parker, which is to the southeast of Denver. Boy howdy is it ever getting late, and I need a few things to keep my camp working.........like a lighter to start my stove, and some water becasue I am right out. I am looking for Hill-Top road and finally find it. I ride it for about 3 miles and see a grove of Pine trees and make for it. It wasa great spot for a camp, no one around, and on enough of a hill that I can see the city lights below with a full moon to top it off it could have been right out of a movie.
I got stopped real late, 8:15 and its dark when I am trying to cook and set up camp. So it was a bit of a struggle, but I managed a Spanish Rice dish and some tes, it all went down good and the bed felt even better that night. As it turned out we had an 84.5 mile day
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

It is a Sunday morning and I am getting all my things packed up in my Motel Room, and I pick up my bible from beside my bed. Of course I am feeling a little guilty since it is a Sunday, and I should go to church but there are no towns that come between me and this huge climb for the day. My thoughts are to get an early start so I can beat the winds and also the heat of the climb......so I make a bargain with the Lord. I tell him that if I am to be in Church on this fine Sunday............well, he's gonn'a have to drop a Church in my path.

Very sorry my friends, I am not sure why this picture did not download when I posted the page.

I talk to a fellow from Poland while dragging my junk out of the Hotel, and we visit about the state of America versus that of Europe today. He is quite offended at the heavy handed manner that the EU is placing itself into the "Isolationist " camp on tarriffs and embargoes on product. His own feelings are that it is strongly to the detriment for all members of EU, but that the political powers that be, have an iron hand in these affairs and the people really do not get to say much that has any effect. As to the children of America, he also had some thoughts. The first thing that we need to do, is get back to that time and place when a youngster could get a job. The way the laws read now, you do not dare hire a teenager, so consequently they stay unemployed till after High School all too often. The first jobs are not for making money, as many young people think today he says, these are jobs to teach more about respect and dealing with supervision and customers.

So, I take my leave after having the free coffee and a few Danishes...........I ate one danish for each 1000 feet of elevation the climb was going to be. Loveland Pass, is right at 12000 feet. Man I am really glad the mountain wasn't much taller I was really getting full.

The road out of Frisco, takes to the side of a very pretty lake, and before very long you are able to hit a quite bike path and follow it as it winds around the serene shores of the lake, all the while you are able to look off to the right and see the tree-less mountain tops looming and waiting for all who would dare take on the Summit. The trip around the lake is maybe 10 miles total and the trees that cover the shore are for the most part Pine. The area around Frisco, is having quite a time with a rot or blight that is going thru the trees. It would appear that they are being pro-active to this problem, since you can see huge areas that have been clear cut and then re-planted.

Pastor Mike this next paragraph is for you, I am pedaling along on my bike path and not really concerned with much at all except taking in the majesty of what the Lord has created. I come thru a quite large and dense patch of Pine trees and make a sharp left hand bend and come out of the shade of the trees into an open air Amphi-theater. Facing me is a broad hillside with a lot of people sitting on it, and all cyclists have slowed down due to the folks walking at this point. I take a look over at where the stage is , expecting to see a singer or something.........and what I seen was a wooden Cross.

RULE #1, never offer up a challenge to the Lord our God. Jeremiah was going to church. It was a good message, about the commission that all who accept Jesus are then urged to complete. To tell the world about the salvation thru belief in Christs death upon the Cross, for both the Jew and the Gentile alike. I managed to bring home a copy of something new to me, the Sha'ma, which is a Prayer for Israel.

I felt good, matter of fact I felt strong.........loaded up on spiritual courage. Time to get out onto Hwy 6, and kep stroking to the top of the Pass. I rode for a ways along the road, when I noticed another bike path running ajacent so I made for it so that I would not have to worry about traffic. That ran for another 5 miles maybe and the climb started when I hit Hwy 6 again. I had been told that the climb was a total of 12 miles, so I felt that I could manage that alright. The Colorado Cycling map tells me that the pass hits 6% average with some 7% sections in it.

I rode up the pass in 4 long pulls, yes I know Lance would have done it in one, but I would like to put my trailer on his bike and watch. If nothing else, at least he would have drug the trailer to the top for me. Yes-siree Bob, I done the climb without the aid of EPO/Estrogen Patches and or any other race enhancing drugs. All I need was a series of good ole' Fig Newtons and some water and I was slowly pulling to the top.

The last five miles or so are the tougher part of this climb, this is where the series of "American Switch Backs" begins and continue to the top. I remark here about American switch backs, becasue in truth I have never seen switch backs as tight as we have seen in Europe, they make ours pale by comparison. I stopped about 1/2 mile from the top, since the wind was blowing in my face so bad it made a whistling noise, and it was a very cold wind and I was needing something to keep me warmer. After I dug out another jersey, I made the last charge for the Summit, as a bike rider will tell you, you hit a rythm and really sort'a zone out as you stroke away. So I was cought a little off gurad when I heard a sound of clapping from my right side. I looked over to see an elderly lady and her husband standing there clapping for me as I grunted in un-tour like composure getting to the Summit.

Finally, I was at the top and standing next to the sign that says..........hey buddy, you made it. It reads, elevation 11,990 feet Loveland Pass. What a sight from up top, it reminds me a lot of being on top of Alpe de Huez in France a few years ago and looking down on all the valleys running out from that peak. Also the very strong wind blowing was remenisent, only this wasa gale and coming from Santa's place. I once again tore open my bag and found more clothes. I am looking off on the side I go down and I know for a fact that I am glad I didn't have to climb up from the east side. Poochy Maggie, it is steep looking to me. I made a few calls so folks would know that I had made it and was still alive.

Time to make my depart from the top and take the many turns to the bottom of the grade that awaits. It is some 13 miles off the backside of Loveland and I take my time with plenty of brake to keep me and the bike on the road, they do not guard rail very many of the corners here. The wind will really move my bike when it hits the trailer, it can move me several feet at times if it comes in gusts. About 2/3 of the way down I see the first cool creek crossing the road and I am ready to stop and eat some dinner. I find a great little warm place on the stream bank, and have a feast. I had bought a couple of bakery bagels the night before as well as some Ham and Provolone Cheese, along with one small gatorade and a few Newtons and a feast commenced. A little nap and some warm sunshine and I was feeling alright, I am on the right side of the tallest pass of my trip.......thank-you Lord for the strength.

Right at the base you hit I-70 and it is a quick downhill spin to Silver Plume which is somewhat of a Museum town with an old railroad setting. I hear that telltale whistle of a stem train, and see thesmoke belching from the stack as it climbs the grade into the Silver Plume Station. I hit a mandatory bike trail out of the town and am headed down a 6% grade to Georgetown.

The bike path takes a very sharp bend and goes under the narow guage rail tracks some 150 feet over head. What a sight with the sun shing and a quick running river below, in the rocky gorge over which the tracks make thier crossing. I can't help it, just have to get a few pics of this place that cannot been seen from the Inter-State which runs to my right.Ther are several folks doing the same thing, getting a pic of the high rail tressle............but wait, theres that distinct steam whistle once again. So I wait for some 20 minutes while the train makes its way back around and over the tresele in front of me.

Thats done, the sun is getting lower now and I am only about 5 miles oput of Georgetown.


I am sort'a waiting to celebrate in Georgetown and also feeling rather lonesome. SO I take a stroll in this very pretty little town and find a neat little store selling hard to find items. I buy a brand of root-beer I have never seen, something my gilr would have liked if she were here. I also found a small bar of Belgian Dark Chocolate, which is soemthing that my boy Pine loves. Then I took my place on a bench out on Main Street and savored the flavors and the thoughts of my kids...........yes, there were a few snuffles and tears.......but over all satisfaction was at the forefront.

Well, its getting later as I sit, so I better head for a camp spot now. I am headed for a small town called Lawson, and spot a great little place in amongst the Pines along the side of the road. Its some 200 yards off the road and rather secluded so thats the place for me. Get camp set up, take a 1 bottle bath and get to cooking becasue my dinner has wore off by now. I had a mix of noodles and chicken and rice and a fine cup of english Tea, what a treat it was.

I pitched my tent over a think layer of fallen Pine needles so its soft and deep, I sleep well this night. Tomorrow is Monday of the long weekend and I am not excited about riding in it, rather I am abit afraid to be exact.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Boy howdy, it was a cool one sleeping beside that creek. The bike read 34 degrees at 7:15 am.

I rode for a ways in the shadows of the huge redrock cliffs above me, and think I am about to freeze, so I stop and get out some long pants and gloves. I am searching for a coffee shop to get some Joe, but none are open. So I pedal just for the warmth that it brings.
We are riding all along Eagle Creek here, and it is so pretty.

I seen my first covered bridge on the trip, and several great looking old barns along the way. Plenty of beaver dams, and plenty of rushing white water. I finally stopped in Avon, and had a cup of coffee took a few minutes to look aver my map and get ready for the ascent of the Vail Pass.

Along about exit 181, I come to the turn that sets my onto a bike path that runs alongside I-70. The very first turn is a steep incline and I think to my self, I hope I have enough legs for this????? The path is full of riders of all ages, from 6 to 80 for sure, and on every type of cycle you can imagine. I am quite impressed with some of the younger riders out covering this hill. From bottom at the bridge to the top of the Pass, I am told it is 12 miles. I confess after asking riders as I went, I never checked in on my own bike to be sure……..but rest assured it’s long enough that exact mileage doesn’t matter.
I rode for about 1/3 of the climb and stepped off to eat a little of any thing I could put Peanut Butter on, and a Bagel of relative freshness was at hand, along with 2 Fig-Newtons and a slug of water and I was pedaling again.

At about 5 miles from the summit you make a hard right turn and decend a steep hill which crosses a creek at the bottom and then you burst out of the creek bottom to shoot under the I-70. And this is where it gets you, right after you come out from under thetunnel that goes below I-70 you make a hard left and are looking at a very VERY steep but short hill maybe 500-600 yards. Nothing to do but put it into the lowest gear and grunt and fart till you climb out, I was envious watching all the others as they went by, because they could stand into the climb and I cannot because I am pulling a trailer.

The last 4 miles had the hardest climbs in it for sure, but I finally made it to the summit and the little rest area at the top. There is a cold mountain stream running thru by the Rest Area, so I go soak my feet for a wee bit, to cold for even a skinny dipper like myself to get in. It was so cold you can see where it froze the color right out'a my feet.

I fill my bottles and talk to a few folks around the parking area. There are a ton of bikers up top, but since I started I have not seen another trailer, and only one fella with panniers on his bike back in Utah.

I am ready for that long coast of the top of Veil Pass at some 10 thousand feet, down into Copper and then Frisco. It is a superb descent on the bike path into Copper, and once there I stop to get a cup of coffe and take a look at the map to see what I should do for camping.

While I was having coffe some riders come up and also stop and have coffee. We talk for while and it is Sam who suggests that I ride down to Frisco with him and his family and stay overnight with them. Nice folks, real nice folks, so I agree to do so. It was right about then that Emily Kitching walked up from the parking lot and said hello, that really caught me off guard. Emily runs the web site side of things for Buck and Mary Brannaman. And Emily tells me that while I was at the Library in Eagle, just a day before that Buck was doing a clinic at the Eagle Fairgrounds, and I missed stopping and saying hello to him. Oh well, that’s life is it not.

Its time to make the plunge down the hill into Frisco, and a plunge it is, you drop some 2000 feet in 6 miles they said. All the way down it was bothering me to sty with these folks, since they had all come from different parts of the country to get together for some family time, so I decided to find a camp ground with a shower………I had to have a shower tonite.
There are none to be had even with out a shower, so I opt for a Motel Room and that is where I am blogging from tonight. As it ends up, I could not get my card reader software to work in the Hotel system, and these pages have had to sit for several days until I could find a Library that would allow photographic downloads.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

As it turned out I was camped about 1 mile from that junction where HWY6 once again joins up with I-70. But I was not going to see the road early today. Oh, I was up early enough but I started out with a flat tire on my bike, the rear of all places. This is the tire that I had put on new in Junction. The tire had gone flat the day before, and now again thie first thing before I could even get going. By 8:30 that morn, I had gone about 500 yards and had 3 flats and my tube was one patch after another in row. SO the fourth time I said to my self all right I have had enough, and put a brand new tube in place of the old. I can’t really tell what was wrong, since the new tube is holding up just fine maybe the tube was old or rotting???

Finally back out on I-70 and was riding for 11 miles of repaving and shoulder work, by golly it was a teeth shaker. I pulled over at a rest area, and as I was walking in to take a drink I met a lady that had a broad smile on here face the moment that she seen me. I was sort of taken aback, …….I normally don’t cause that sort of reaction even with my wife. She asked me “says how’s that seat feel now???. Then she confessed, her and her husband are also cyclists and they had just moments earlier passed me out on 70, and could see my arms and jowls just a bouncing. So I bent strait over and asked her if it looked to be beaten flat??????? We both had a laugh, and talked bikes for a bit.

I am now in Glenwood Springs, a very pretty place and quite the health spa type retreat. This is where I am to get on the Glenwood Canyon Bike Path. I had not ridden more than maybe a mile and I came up behind an obviously older fellow, so I pulled up at his speed and we made small talk and I departed. I rode just a wee bit further and stopped to take a picture looking back down the canyon.

The elderly fella rode up beside me a stopped, now I could tell he was older than I thought at first. I introduced myself and found out his name was Jos, but pronounced Joe. He is 83, and moved over to USA from Germany after the war and has called America his loving home ever since. Jos was wanting to visit now, so I let him carry on as he wished. It was easy to tell that Christ is active in Jos’s life and thoughts, I ventured into the subject of the youth of USA. Jos feels somewhat alarmed at the state of the America these days, it is like Americans have forgotten what it is that makes America so special amongst all the other nations. It didn’t start with this generation of youth we have today, this has been going on since the 70’s. Many of us thought that it was a cycle and we would go thru it, but I don’t think so, it just gets more perverse as we go along. As for Americans in general, they have forgotten to stop and look at there own country, to enjoy it’s beauty by walking and hiking, instead of eating and sitting in the camp trailer. Jos has ridden across USA twice on his bike. And just last year, he and an old friend from Germany rode across Germany together, from the north to the south of Bavaria. Quite the guy.

It was time to take my leave and hit the cranks again, the bike path was just great no more worries about heavy traffic coming up from behind, just ride and take pictures. The path winds along the banks of the Colorado River and is just stunning, each turn offers a new a fresh look at the river, some places calm, and others a flurry of white water tumbling over the rocks strewn along the bottom. I am not sure how many pics I took, but a lot. I am somewhat of a pic nut anyways.

I seen many Rafts full of tourists out enjoying themselves, and a lot of Kyaker’s as well.

There came a place where we come up along side of the Shoshone Power Dam, and down near the spill way I could see a large group of Kyaker’s. SO I decided that I was ready for a break, and grabbed my camera and headed to what was a launching sight for these water bugs called Kyak’s.

One fella caught my eye amongst all of them, I guess because of the equipment he had on. I noticed a small camera lens mounted to his helmet, no to mention all the other trappings of a white water kyaker. The fellows name was Ron, and if all the youth of America turn out to be a nice a fella as he is, well, I guess were really not in any sort of trouble. Ron teaches Kyaking during the summer months and Snow-boarding during the winter, claims the is no better life to be had. I am really interested in the water sport of Kyaking, it looks to be quite a challenge and very fun………never know, I just may try it someday.

I finished up with the bike path and entered onto Hwy6 once again for the slow grind up to Gypsum and then the backway into Eagle.

I think that there is some money being put into this town, and it is going to grow a lot by the looks of it. I found the beautiful new Library in Eagle and done up a little blogging from there. Took a spin thru the heart of town and spotted a bike shop. I decided to stop by and see what they had for soft cushy seats for old fat farts like me. Found a version that I felt offered me some relief, bolted it in place and tied the other onto my trailer, believe me I look like Hobo-Joe now with the plastic bags and plastic bottles etc tied to the trailer. Decided to head on towards a small campground up near Wolcott that I had been told about, and I rode another 8 miles or so and never seen the campground, its getting nnear to dark and I want off the bike. I see a small patch of dirt down against the banks of Eagle Creek, and decide that is going to be home for the night.

I set up camp, and start a fire on my little stove, I boil up some water and put it into my little pouch of de-hydrated chicken&rice bag, boil up a little more water and add a Earl Grey tea bag and there you have a fine meal. I am pooped and sleep does not take long to come.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

DAY 18 Grand Junction depart

My friend Brock woke me up to coffee and “FROATCHED EGGS”, can’t explain. Brock is an Aussie, so maybe it comes from over that’a way, just not sure. I can tell you that they were good as were the fresh tomatoes I had with them.

From left to right:Peggy, Tara, Brock and JW

I headed out of Junction on F road, which leads to Palisade, which is on old Hwy6 East. Colleen and I lived near here for better than 2 years working on a ranch, so it was nice to get back and see the town again, I was surprised at how much the city had grown. It is one of the best climates to live in that I can remember.
Hwy 6, winds its way thru the orchards that lay east of town ands along the Colorado Rivers banks, a very plea
sant ride indeed.

But soon enough reality strikes and its time to be on your toes because all bikers need to enter onto the fast paced I-70. By gosh I hate riding the Interstate, it smells, its noisy and it scares the scant pants off of me. We pedal it until we get to Debeque then we can get on 6 once again.

I pull off in Parachute and have something to eat, just to wind the mucles a little tighter is all. The bike is reading 104 and I was feeling sorts pooped a little early in the day. I think that Old Hwy 6 was resurfaced by the greater Grand Junction Proctologists Assoc., by gosh I have never had my hemroids shook and jarred like that before.

I stay on this road till Rifle, and it is getting very busy for a small road since the Oilfield work is going strong in that area. The heavy trucks and the no-shoulder road make for a nervous ride for all. I tried calling my older brother from Rifle but with no luck, so I pedal on to Silt. This is quite a pretty little town, and I wanted to hang around a bit, but the urge to pedal took over my body and so away I went after getting just a few pics to share with you folks.
A small fire sprung up on the other side of the I-70, and I had planty of fire traffic on my little road I was on, bulldozers, pumpers and “lookie-lou’s”. I just knew I shouldn't have been messing with my Red Ranger Cap Gun in all that dry grass country.

I am heading on to New Castle and am wanting to find a place to camp, my butt is tired but not real sore since I covered my old seat with some felt to give it more width and also a little cushion. I ride into this little town and see a sign camping to the left. So I head up this canyon and ride a mile or more and see a sign that says camping 1 mile more. So I pedal further UP this road and go 2 miles till I see a sign that says, camping right around the bend. SO I pedal again 2 more miles UP hill and the road is always going up and always getting narrower……..can you tell by now that I’am getting ticked. You will be happy to hear Pastor Mike that I prayed instead of cusse’m back to campground hades. I also got an immediate answer to my Prayer……ah’hem, Jeremiah did you ever think of turning around???

So, I did just that and rode into town where I asked about camping places. I found out the camp ground I was chasing is 11.5 miles out of town. Non around that little town so I headed out on the road once more in search of a place to camp. I rode about 15 more miles and saw a place up by a fence line and amongst the sage that looked perfect to me.

I had a 2 bottle bath which isn’t quite like a luxury spa, but it felt very good inspite of the situation. I had some fruit in my little seat pannier so I made a meal of that. There was a lot of grass around my camp location and I didn’t want to risk cooking something on my little stove. It didn’t take long for the sun to set, I had just barely got my tent up and the sky was being lit up by Joelle’s brush.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:30 AM | Permalink

Iam in grand junction, and loving the day off so to speak but there are plenty of things to do even though I am not riding.
First thing is to let you know that I am being taken care of by my gracious host and good friend Brock Lynch and his son Jason and families. Great guys these Lynch’s, Brock is a very talented saddle maker and also works on sewing machines. Son Jason, is following right along in his fathers foot steps even though Jason’s feet are considerably bigger. Brock is into something new and quite exciting. He is a distribution center for Australian Sea Minerals, the sort of thing that you buy and put small amounts of the product into water or fruit juice and it gives you health and vitality, not too mention long life. The product has just recently been found by the organic vegetable producers and it is taking off like a rocketship.
Anyways, I was using Brocks computer to catch up the blog and just generally being in the way around the office……..in some ways it is a lot like what I do around my wifes office as well. So the first priority is my obligation to Meg back in Elko and to get the blog up dated. I need to tell all of you that I know that there are comments posted to the blog and we are all thankful for having your feedback, please keep it coming. But, I say , I am not a handy enough computer runner to get my blog’s done and the comments read, so I need a few days to just answer the comments as it needs to be done. Mom and I have talked it over and come the mutual agreement that there are some folks who have placed a lot of comments and we really feel that a special gift in return should be given to our most prolific commentor, so for the person who posts comments the most throughout the ride across America, we are going to give him/her my old bike shorts when the ride is done as a token of our gratitude. Yes, I know it’s a lot, but then to have such faithful followers demands that we do something special in return. So post away Darren, they may be your’s!!
With the blog done and caught up, the next thing was the bike shop to get a new rear wheel put on while I was stopped. Also I needed to get the cables adjusted just a little so it was a needed break. Left the bike to get worked on by the nice guys at Red Canyon Bike shop, and Jason and I headed for a sporting goods store so I could find a wider camp mat too sleep on, something the same width as my butt should be safe my shoulders will never fall of that.
Then back to the bike shop, and while there I wanted to test ride a couple of seat since my had been developing a serious “TEETHING PROBLEM” and my tiny hinny was starting to revolt. I rode several different versions and none felt any better, while some did feel quite a lot worse. So plan B was put into effect but I will divulge more on that later.
I bough myself some of that fancy campers dehydrated food, so I can have a little variety in my daily eating regimen. I was about done up with my chores and Brock was done for the day and had some packing to do at his house so off we went to Brock’s home. Brock’s wife Peggy ahd cooked some pizza for us and made a great green salad so I ate better than I have for a while. One thing about being on the road, you do get to missing the greens and fruit. I slept in a bed that night and slept well.
I was fit and ready too ride for the taller mountains further east, so I departed at about 8am.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

There is not really much I can say about this corner of the American West that I find myself in, it has its charm, and it also has its histiry that plays into the making of America. With all of that said, after 11;00am and up until about 5pm it is just flat homely hot desert with all character remioved by the baking sun above.

So, its best to get up early, pack as quick as you can and get to pedalling, and that is what I done. I rode the I-70 for the first twenty or so miles and hated every mile of it. The noise, the traffic, the very slow pace you can hold on the type of pavement used in UTAH. By the time I had hit Cresent Junction, my ODO was reading the first 1000 marker so I called my wife to celebrate my making it this far. ALso talked to my older brother Niel, and got soem advice and encouragement from him.

Decide at that point to attempt to ride the OLD highway that runs next to I-70 its called Old hwy 6, and bow howdy is it old, matter of fact its so old in some places it really isn't there anymore. I waould say that more of it is gravel than paved any more. But once you are on it, all you can do is keep pedalling.

Finally got to a shady spot called Thompson Springs, I believe. So I got something cold to drink, and took a few pic's of what was left of a quickly developing ghost town and thenroad on towards Cisco.
Now let me tell you as towns go, Cisco is gone, and it looks like it. I road up to that point where we meet I-70 once again and there is an overpass that offered shade and cool cement to take abreak on. The bike was reading 106 and I was feeling sorta toasted.

Itsabout 2:15pm, and I took a swig of 100 degree Gatorade and ate about 5 fig newtons, then lay back on the cement and quite promptly fell asleep. The agreement I had made was to wait out the hottest part of the day, wait for a change in wind direction and then get up and ride on another 20 miles or so. It all happened at around 4pm, I felt that constant tail wind I was looking for, and the temp was down a bit as well. SO I mounted up and started riding !-70 once again.
It wasn't very long and I got to the Colorado State sign so I had to have a pick. Bt dang my tourist luck, just when I got there it decided to try and fall over on me. I had to actually hold it up long enough to get a picture. I set it back up the best I could, but hey, I had to get riding as well. I sure hopeit doesn't fall on the next tourist coming by. But hey thats the way it goes, traveling is a dangerous business!!!!!!!

I was actually feeling quite fresh with having had a nap, and a few cookies which then gave me the idea to look and see if there may be a few stale goodies floating around in the darker corners of my rear seat trunk. Voila, my favorite.........Orange Slices. And just the way I like them, dry as a bone , hard as a rock, and orange flavored. That way they last a while...........well,longer than the teeth you chew them with. Anyways, I had renewed power and told the Lord if he would give me the strength that I would pedal and maybe we could make it to Grand Junction today, only 43 miles left to go and it was 5:35 or so.
Thats just what we did, pedalled like crazy and just kept doing it over and over. You must know that the road surface plays into this sort of thing so much, I was riding at 9-12 MPH and riding till I was exhausted in Utah, but once I crossed the line into Colo, the roads are harder and smoother so the same pedaling produced 16-17 MPH average.
I got to Grand Juction by about 6:45 and was nusrsing a near flat tire so it was time to pull over. I camped at an RV park and called it a night.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The stay in Hanksville was a plesant one, and the lady that ran theRV Park made it even more so, if more folks in the world could have her attitude this would be a greater place than it is. I was up early, about 5:15, and was packed and on the bike by 6am. Nothing more to do than turn on my tiny tailights and start pedalling north to Green River, my next stage stop.

I have to say that I have never noticed how gorgeous the flowers smell when you are out in the desert before the breezes pick up. On this day it was like a perfume factory, and it was not that the ditches were loaded with them, they were indeed sparse, but pungent. I watched the sun come up and paint the mountain tops first then with wider and wider washes of paint the canyon rims and finally the desert floor were alive with that early morning light that gives both depth and character to a place that can seem hostile at 2 in the afternoon sun.

I was warned the day before that the road is rather nasty and no shoulder. But the reality of it is that the first 6-8 miles are just okay, but from that point on the road was one of the best I had been on to date.
It turned into a hot day, and I am not sure just why I had so much of a stuggle to get up to Green River, but I sure did.
I road into town and replenished my cooking supplies,and found the Green River State PArk, which as it turned out was really a nice place. I had a shower and commenced cooking a real treat in my single titanium pot. I had found a BOX of quick warm stew and mixed that with water and a package of noodles, so being half cook all I did was add water. It turend out very good in fact, and would recommend it to any other wanderers out in the hinter lands.
NOTE, place water and noodles in bottom first, then pour the stew over top, that way it will not burn so easily.

I met a very nice couple from Albuquerque and even got invited over to there trailer for somehome made apple pie that this little old retired lady had made from FREE APPLES that hung over a fence some place in Colorado. AS she likes to tell it, she "Borrowed" the apples and her husband Ron drove the getta way truck. NO matter, the visit and pie were both a welcome treat, after not haveing had much conversation with anyone latley.
It was timeto turn in, and boy howdy, is that pad ever feeling narrow now.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was an early morning, I slept very well up this narrow canyon retreat that I found. I am starting to notice that the little camp mat I have must be for a narrower fella than I am, becasue my shoulders are hanging off the edge and I am finding it a little more uncomfortable as I go. But enough complaining

It is a beautiful Sunday morning and I am thinking of Church this am. I am actually just past Bicknell, and at the very edge of where you fall of into the canyons below. I had noticed a sign for Cowboy Collectables and wanted to stop in for a visit, but never actually spotted the buildings, so maybe missed it a ways back. I am headed now for Torrey, and the roads are good and the canyons in this early am light are drop dead gorgeous, the play of light and mix of vibrant greens and canyon wall reads is just a painters paradise. Its slow going becasue I am off the bike taking pictures more than pedalling. There is a very picturesque spot where there is also a Historical Marker for the Nielsen Thurber Grist Mill, it such a great place for a pic, and I took many believe me.


I finally make it into the very pretty little town of Torrey, its the sort of town that I would like to comeback too at some point with my family. My camera battery is getting low, so I decide to head to a small cafe and look for a place to recharge the thing. I meet 2 couples in the parking lot, and we strike up a conversation. It turns out they are over from Italy for there first visit to America........and let me tell you the WEST is such a special place for these folks. They live to see a cowboy horseback. Had a great cup of coffe and a Croissant and that hit the spot. I waited about an hour for the battery to charge, and in that time managed to meet a very nice couple from Alberta. So we talked about the old times and the happenings in Alberta while I was waiting. It was a real nice visit all in all, they love America but are deathe affraid of our healthcare system, so would never spend much time over here becasue of that reason.
Its time to ride, and I am headed into the deeper narrower canyons, I just bail off the top and bam, I hit a goats head burr and I am flat on the side of the road. So I push my bike up near a Juniper so I can work in the shade on my flat.

In about 15 minutes or so, I am up and running and ready to ride again. The canyons are just gorgeous and the pitch is hitting about 6-8 %, so all I have to do is coast basically. I take anotehr stop to see the Petroglyphs near the side of the road, and while there I also met a family from France and had a short very broken visit. They also came expecting to see cowboys out moving cattle...............which got me to thinking, maybe its time we parked those Quads and saddle up the horses?? Just a thought.

I also met the same couple from Alberta once again, and had a nother brief visit. I told them to be sure and drive the Colorado National Monument Loop while they stopped in Grand Junction. So on I went, and rode my canyons to the east headed to Hanksville today. I rounded a bend a came upon a really special old school house, the Fremont School house.

Right across the road was a small orchard of Pears, and I noticed that several trees had branches hanging over onto the free side of the fence line, so I availed my self of a couple and dang they were good. So I kept a keen eye out for any branches that hung on the free side........I ate enough free ones that I was starting to be concerned with maybe having the green-apple two step late on that afternoon.


Finally broke out of canyons proper and into the rolling and winding terrain that stretches from about cainville to Hanksville, this is not exactly a garden spot folks, and it loks like maybe it is an income desparity region as well. Gotta be tough folks that make a living out that way.

It is a long hot road to finally get into Hanksville, but I make it and am glad to finally find a Store to buy some Gatorade and wash down some dust.

I finally got out on my Cingular and talked to my wife. I found a small RV park, and hit the showers then done some clothes washing. Cooked a fine meal of noodles, and ate a quite dry biscuit. Road back into town later and called my darling Mother to wish her a happy Birthday.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Yup, thats right we are headed for a place called Loa today. I have a long uphill valley to ride before I make the turn towards my last stop of Loa on the high plains plateau country of Utah.


The valley coming up out of Otter Creek Resevoir is great, not much traffic and just nice temp and scenery. I stopped in a little place called Koosharem, I ate some grub and talked to some kids about town, life, school and life in general. It's a funny thing, but I have noticed that kids are more physical over here than in California. I have seen a lot of kids out jogging, and a couple of what must have been teams. You just don't see as many of the 2oo pound ground pounders as we do back home. The Grass Valley Mercantile, is a great little store to stop and take a walk around in, and it had real cool grphics on the outside from days gone by.


But all good things come to an end, and it was time to ride once again. Just a 1/2 mile down the road and take the long drop to the valley floor, then the big climb that follows. That store owner thought for sure I must be nuts to have left a perfectly good home and take off on a bicycle to ride across USA
Ya'know, he's got a point.


Still can't find a place that my Cingular works except in the store when I bought it.
Boy are those clouds boiling up on the ridge above me, and ae they ever black. I have 8 miles of climb at 4-5% so best get into a rythm and get it done. I stay with it to almost the top, and figure its time to eat something now, rather than later in case it starts to raining. SO I spread some peanut butter on a Bagel as soon as I remove the pennicillin........RIDDLE, whats white/green/brown and fuzzy. Take yer time, it's a tough one even for the Menza crowd........yup, Jeremiah's Bagel. Hey, but it tasted good all the same.
Finally topped out at 8500 feet approx, and the rain came. I noticed my bike temp dropped to 63 degrees and I was sure feeling like a smarty pants for not shaving my legs like all those other bikers do. But I would like a rain jacket. JUst ride was the best thing that I know to stay warm. Once you are on top of this country,its huge rolling hills and I think I done about 400 of the beggars before I could feel that drop right off the top. It warned me that 8% was coming, so I grabbed the brakes to slow things down a little. The road is narrow, the wind is up, and the pavement is slick so I am being as careful as I can with it all.

Finally I could see some Elm trees down in the bottom, and I knew that Loa could not be far off. The rain slacked just a little when I pulled into Loa, I noticed that all of town had gathered at the local Ranchers Cafe so I did too. Boy howdy, let one cowboy decide to wear his spandex to town and you should see the reaction........I think its a medical thing. Or maybe it's a fabric reaction to all the "CAMO" that folks seem to wear now adays. Shoot, I even seen a gal packin a baby in a car seat that was camo colored. I did notice that she set him down by the side of the road when she was getting in her car and drove off and left him....................not sure if she couldn't see him becasue of the Camo or maybe he was just one of those baby's hard to look at???
Anyways I done my best to fit in while at the Loa Cafe, but no matter what I done I couldn't strike up a conversation with anyone but the waitress. SO I ate out royal this day, had an Omelette and toast.......(gotta have that toast , right Jordie, a little side joke here) some hot black coffee and a piece of there home made apple pie. It sure hit the spot and I noticed that the sun had come out as well. It was about 4:30 by now so I mounted up and rode out of Loa towards Capitol Reef.
I went another 20 miles os so, and found a nice quiet canyon that offerd a retreat. Set up my tent and went for a little hike up this canyon for fun. They had just had a huge rain the day before, some 2 -3 inches worth. There was plenty of water damage to see up the canyon, and still water running but to late for a swim. Let me see whats for supper when I get back, Noodlles, yer right. I think when I go thru Grand Junction, I will try to find a few other edibles to put in my haversack.
Tomorrow we fall off of the Capitol Reef and descend into what I do not know.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Day12 Down the Mountain

This entry may be a little short, since I just hit the delete button on the full entry and lost the whole darned thing………computers, they are as detestable as bike seats.

This was my first fully clouded over day I have had on this ride. I woke up rather late for my normal, but I guess that is because I was healing while laying in bed. My knees felt a little better and I was ready to ride.It was a rough road with a lot of pot holes to watch out for.

I stopped in Hatch, and had some eggs and toast along with some coffee. I met a couple from Germany that were riding there Harley’s across USA. They thought that USA was maybe a little better than Heaven……..I am not so sure.

Rode on again, after trying my Cingular cell phone again, only to find I wasn’t in service AGAIN. Rode on headed on to Bryce Canyon, I only rode maybe 7-8 miles up the canyon, man was it pretty. Got back to the main road headed north and rode to Panguitch where I stopped for some groceries and a lunch. That is when I met the two folks here on motor cycles. The couple is takeing a year out of ther live to ride from Anchorage to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America. Check it out at www.tobias-ingeborg.com. It was already a great trip that they had to this point. So we ate the lunch and shared stores of the road.




Headed up the road with a huge tail wind to blow me along. The Sevier River was running just off over my right shoulder, and that urge to swim just overtook me. It was my good luck that I rememberd to take my clothes off this time, so I bailed in and had a quick dip. Got out and headed on up the road, to Circleville. I stoped and had an Ice Cream and a break to talk to a few locals about the road to Otter Creek. Just fine they said, and only about 20 miles. So I decided to make a run for the park at Otter Creek, it was a beautiful ride in thru the canyon and then out beside the cool lake. I made it there in time to set up camp, and make supper so I could watch the sun go down.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:19 PM | Permalink

Day11- no easy day from Cedar City to Duck Creek.

It started off looking like I just may have to return the town Library in order to complete the download of pic’s to the blog. And as it turned out I found that it was okay to go ahead and hit the open road because all the pics came just fine. But it was already 9am and warming up.

I made the mistake of asking a rather plump gal at the Quick-Stop what the hill was like going over Hwy#14, and she replied “oh, not much really”. Obviously she had been sleeping or rode sitting backwards in the car because it was the longest pull of my ride yet and I thought I had hit some good ones. Cedar City lies right at the foot of a row of mountains to it’s east, and these mountains run up into the 10-12 thousand foot range.

I started out, with my odometer readings all wrote down and all the waster filled up, a fresh set of legs that had been lying at the bottom of my spare close bag, of what a joy it was to put these on instead of the tired ones I had the day before….Poochie Maggie, this hill is starting to get steep I thought??

So I check my ODO, and it tells me I have now climbed for 12 miles……Cowboy logic, says its time for something with peanut butter stuck to it, anything even a Sardine if that’s all I got. I eat quietly, because there just ain’t no sense in making noise, and Pray that this hill tops soon, cause my left knee is feeling kind’a sore and my calves are starting to cramp. I finished up eating, and head out again only to round about two bends and find a sign that was unfortunately written in English and I could understand it……..big yella begger that said the pitch will increase to 7% for the next 5 miles. Man I coughed up a hair ball when I read that, and cussed the Utah Highway Department for not at least putting a few signs in Ukrainian or Russian just for times like these……..that way I could ride on clueless.

I checked my knee caps, both there and both sore now…….hum’ph, normal I guess I better keep pedaling. I had 3 Fig Newton cookies left that I had been saving for a special occasion like the top of a pass. I hit 17.8 miles of climb on my ODO, and I actually thought I had topped out and missed the summit sign, so I took a huge hit of water and ravaged the 3 mostly beat up Fig Newton’s. While I was smacking my lips, and enjoying my success along came a Univ. Prof of Geology and he stopped to talk while I panted. It was him that made it known to me that around the bend lies the steeper part of the climbing I still had to do.

So I mounted my bike with a smile and rode of with him wishing me well, sure enough right around the bend was another sign telling long trailers to be careful and motor homes to use caution and oh yes, just in case you hadn’t noticed the pitch is now 8%. Wow, I finally toped out and this time there was a Summit sign of 9940 ft. My gosh was I beat, the total climb was 21.8 miles, I licked out the Fig Newton box and day dreamed about how good a Gatorade would taste right now. What was really neat about the ride up, was getting to that place where you are actually looking down on top of mountains that are in the Zion Park below, like Angels Landing and Temple of the Gods etc. That was right neat. Headed off the other side and rode in thru the Dixie National Forest, I found myself feeling rather ashamed at the state of this Forest, it was nothing short of appauling. Honestly the place looks like it is only 3 live trees away from being 100% dead from beetles or blight etc. I can’t tell you if it is a local Forestry Management problem, or maybe one of those rules from on high back in Washington DC. If I may say, it was a sorry excuse for a forest after having seen the forests of Europe and the condition they are in. I know, we live in a huge country and could fit France in Texas, but that is not the point I am trying to make.

I seen something up on these ridges that I have never seen or noticed before. Riding along at about the 8 thousand foot mark, and there are huge Lava flows running all thru the trees. In some places the lave rock flow is solid barring the path of any tree or bush, but in others it is mixed right in amongst the trees, and there are miles of this stuff. SO, I was wondering, how high where the mountains from which this stuff oozed at some time???
It is now 71 degrees and I have goose bumps big enough to hand pick, and it starts raining just to make it more fun. Guess what Jeremiah did not bring, yer right, a rain jacket. So I put on all the clothes that I had loose on the bike and told myself I was not cold…………er, what was that. My left knee locking up, okay, I must be chilly, but not cold. I rode for several miles and finally that cloud blew off to the south and left me sweating in sunshine……….but it was a HAPPY SWEAT, mind you.

I was riding along and spotted a sign for Aspen Mirror Lake, and decided a walk would do me good. I rode the ¼ mile of gravel, and parked my bike took my camera and a bottle of water. Not a long walk, just another ¼ mile or so and I came upon a postage stamp sized little lake that was giving up Rainbows like there was no tomorrow. And there were two older fellas that seemed to have it down to a science. I enjoyed a visit with these fellas, got a few fishing tales out of the way and asked a PULSE question. It was concerning religion and the state of it in our society. Really only the one fella was very talkative as the other couldn’t hear that well. So Ed, explained to me “that it is a crying shame the way these folks carry on with tearing down crosses and monuments with God on them. And I am not a church going man, but I know from the way my Mother raised me that what the Bible does do is give us a moral highway to walk on even if we don’t go to church. I tell you, that this whole USA is near done if we don’t do something about it and soon”. That’s a summary of a 45 minute answer, and I didn’t have time for a second, so I bid them adios and walked back to the bike.

Next stop was the about to be very bust little burg of Duck Creek. From all the construction that was going on, it isn’t hard to tell that this place will be hoppin in a few years. I had me that Gatorade and some Yogurt like the Russian told me to do. YA ever eat something like that out of good advise, only to sit back when its done and say……man I should have had a Ho-Ho or a Ding Dong?

Its getting late by now, near to 6:30 and I am some 5 miles past the Duck Creek Merc, and I am done in so I pull of on a small dirt road and take a ride towards the rim on my right. I find a very quiet spot in the trees, maybe the prettiest camp yet. I pitch the nylon culvert I call home, throw down the slim fast style sleeping bag and build me a Titanium Cup-full-o-noodles. I read my Bible for a while, and then I rejoin my book called “Epidemic”, which is all about kids and parenting. I highly recommend it too any one interested in such things.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Day 10- and into Utah
Getting late here, so I best make this one quick.
I rode into Cedar City Utah today, which gave me about a 60 mile day. I stopped first in Modina and took some pics, it is mostly a ghost town now but was quite a place at one time. Just a long pull up the New Castle Summit, and a long coast into Cedar City. So here I sit at the local Librabry trying to get these blogs done before it closes at 9pm.
Not sure of route tomorrow, but will let you know the next time I have a chance to get to a computer
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Day 9 , Caliente bound, Tuesday Aug 22

I woke quite early for me, around 5:15. I hate to let the cat out of the bag, but I didn’t realize the sun actually went down, because it has always been up when I got up.
I had a bout a 40 miler to get to my next water in Caliente.

Wow, were the legs ever stiff. I kept looking down thinking that maybe the chain had come off, or a knee cap had fell off………but nothing. I was climbing Pahroc Summit and would have that for breakfast, along with a qt of warm water.
Next up was the climb to get my carcass over Oak Springs Summit, this one also was in excess of 13.5 miles on my odometer, and with the last 6 miles coming in at 6-7%. This was a leg burning exercise for sure. About half way up I stopped and drank a bottle of Endurox. It helped a little, and my spirits rose as I began to see just how beautiful the south eastern corner of Nevada really is! I took a brief respite in the Delamar Valley, and I ate another of those cotton pickin bagels while I watched the Airforce train pilots over where I sat and dined.

This is a wonderful valley, but I still had miles to go. I climbed one more pass and dropped into a new feature for me this trip, an ever deepening rim rock canyon that ran on for many miles. I finally came around a corner to the sight of an old trestle bridge and green trees. Primordial man always knows these truisms, where there is a bridge there is a creek and where there is greenery there is water, and where there is water……..there is SKINNY DIPPING, wahoo mama, I am havin me a bath.

I was coming into the tiny hamlet of Caliente, it is a real gem hidden in the canyons of south eastern Nevada, one that I will go back to some time with my family. But I had urgent business, and made the right hand turn to the direction of that bridge I had spotted. I was scouting about after having seen the small river that ran under the bridge, when I came upon a new young friend by the name of Quincy. This young fella was 13, and rather mature for his age at least in thoughts and mannerisms, so we set to talking. I asked Qincy the PULSE questions, and in his own words “shoot nothing wrong with education it just lasts too long is all!!”. And as far as that there War, I don’t think those boys are tryin is all, shoot we could whip’em easy if we wanted too”. I left my young friend and headed for the creek, had a good swim, and washed out my clothes once again. I was ready to ride into town and take a look around.

The town is real green set amongst the tall rim rock as a backdrop, so it feels real homey quick like. I rode the whole town and took it all in, stopped and took pic’s of many things of interest, and talked to some other folks as I done so. I finally had to give up on Cingular, and use a pay phone to call home. I managed to talk to Mom, and kids, that was great, to let them know that I was alive and doing well. I heade to the local Café and sat and ate a small burger and fries while I looked over a great mural done by Nevada artist Larry Bute.

Finished up dinner, and mounted my Velo to make the ride north to Panaca. The plan was to stay at Cathedral Gorge State Park, but that was foiled by all the grale roads that get me there. So I bought 2 qts of Gatorade in the local Bi-Rite and made the long……..very long trudge up the grade out of Panaca headed for the Utah State line. I made it to the line, some 18 miles out from Panaca and it was 8;45 when I pulled over right under the State sign. The ground was so hard and rocky, that I couldn’t drive a tent peg, so like all cowboys I choose this as a perfect time to teach my “Survival tent” a lesson, and I just slept on top of it. I was reading my Bible this night with a “torch” as a Brit would say, and to my dismay the bag was covered in ants……..discusting little blighters. SO I stood uop, and give my bag a good shake, threw it down and headed to my bike bag and extracted a small slice of Jerky. With this, I proceeded to rub the jerky in the dirt forming a box around my bag leaving the jerky as a prise some 10 feet away from my head. Cowboy logic says if a man can smell coffee in the morning all the way down at the barn, then surely an ant can smell the jerky trail I had set for him. I closed my eyes telling the Lord I was too tired to contend with ants tonight, after all I said, you made em you do something with’m. It did not take long to be asleep, funny thing you know those dreams we have, I was having one and woke up just knowing that I was covered in ants I felt like I was about to suffocate. I grabbed up my flashlight and shone it on the bag to see not one single ANT, any place. SO I went back to sleep for a very peaceful sleep. When I awoke in the morning, I rolled over to see a solid road of red ants marching down my jerky path, they didn’t even know that a larger meal slept in there midst, so I waved and they just wiggled there little antennae.
A little info for my friend Par from Sweden and Rob in South Africa, some folks have asked for more info on my bike. It is a Merlin, full Titanium frame, with some modifications to get it to the right length for me. The shifters are Shimano, Ultergra 9spd rear cassette and a triple front running 46-34-24. I went with Shimano since it offers up a lot more groupings than does Campagnolo. The seat is a new design one, that I will not say the name of since they may be offended by my doing so, but it developes serious teeth at about the 60 mile mark
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:43 PM | Permalink

Day 8, Monday August 21
I was up early, but it took forever to get packed since everything seemed to have filled with sand as I slept, for being up at 5:30 I didn’t get riding till 7:30. It was 55 degrees when I got up and 71 when I started riding

I was headed for the tiny stop of Rachel, and I was getting low on water so took very little for breakfast. Lesson one, be careful where you buy your water bottles. I had bought 4 of the largest I could find from a Company I will not mention as I don’t want to give them bad press. But depending on the make-up of the plastic it can really make for distaste-full water, more like Kerosene than water.
I crossed 4 long passes in a row, each topping out at 6000 feet plus, and most would be a climb of 4-6 percent. There are two of these whose climb length is in excess of 12 miles. I topped a hill and thought for a moment I had already passed the “PEARLIES”, it was a strait ski ramp type slope down in front of me, with several green circles that spelled irrigation and water. Not only that but I could make out what looked like buildings off way in the distant. I licked my dry lips and set my mirror on vibrate ( that’s the only setting that works), and plunged down the mountain. With all the weight I carry, I try to keep it under about 25-28 mile per hour.

Whoa Moma, RACHEL, here I am, and how thirsty was I. But once inside I was like a church mouse, so dry I couldn’t hardly get my lips to make the word……and I think my toungue had completely left the building. Finally “water” did come out, and I knew that I would live for another day. The gals who run the place were quite amazed that somebody was stupid enough to not only attempt the ride but also admit it in public. Anyways they took real good care of me, and oh how sweet is that Rachel water, let me tell you as fine as any Evian. I had a fabulous Ham and Cheese Omelette, and thirty nine glasses of ice water. While I ate, the gals washed out and filled all my bottles, as well as my water bag, and one local hay grower gave up two qt. bottles of Gatorade from his own stash.

When I left Rachel, I was full , content and very heavy.
From the moment you leave Rachel to the east it is up-hill into the Coyote Summit. This one runs on at some length, with a 5% grade to it, my bike was reading 106 and I was paying for the intake of water at Rachel, not to mention I had a very strong headwind to contend with. As I was coasting down the other side, I already knew what lay ahead of me since I could see the dead strait line that lead to the next range of mountains. I was fair pooped with the last Pass. Funny thing these Nevada valleys, the drainage is quite oftemn in the very center and it rises in both directions from that exact point, now it may run at 2-3 percent to the foot of the actual climb of 5-6% but it is still a hill and you have to gear down and ride up it as well.

MY bike was now reading at 112-113 and I was dead on the pedals. I recall telling the Lord that if he wanted my celestial body in heaven before the buzzards of Nevada got to me he had better bring on the shade.. This particular range is very dry, with Joshua trees and dirt that is about all, and facing a stiff head wind I was doing about 7.5 across the valley floor. Before I knew it, I was riding under a dark mass of cloud that stayed with me nearly to the foot of the posted climb. While this took place my on bike temp dropped from the 112 range down to 100 range. I hit the foot of Hancock Summit and read the sign that said next 6.5 miles is 6%, which with the valley run-up gave me a total of 13.75 miles of gear down climb. Poochie Maggie, I was done in, and it was a hot climb to the top. I told the Lord that I was so tired that if there was a shade tree at the top I was going to just up an bury myself. This is a pass that had been up to this point entirely Joshua Trees, offering no shade. But right there at the very top was a tiny 8 foot tall Juniper with one side deformed and giving great shade……..boy howdy, I was off that bike with my shovel so fast……… Sorry, but I fell sound asleep before I got the hole for my carcass dug. I must have slept for an hour and felt very refreshed, so I said my thanks to he whom provides in such abundance and mounted my velocipede to conquer yet more miles.
Coming off of the Hancock Summit you make a hard left at the mid-way point and then catch a glimpse of the awaiting valley below, and what a sight it was. There is a long running string of Cottonwoods along the valley floor, and you know when they run in a line it means a creek not a spring. I could hardly wait to see what it held, but I still had several more miles to pedal before I would find out.

I was shocked at how marvelous this little oasis was, it is the junction to turn down to Ash Springs, and I was on the White River of eastern Nevada, where Hwy 93 meets up with Hwy373 and 318 all meet. I could hear running water and looked off to my right to see a great pond formed by a swift running cool river going thru a narrow irrigation gate. Sorry Pastor Mike, but the nudist in me just took over on me and I had to get in, even if I was only some 50 feet from the highway…………I thought what the heck folks pay a lot of money to go to France to see this on the Riviera. I parked my bike and stripped and had a blast, the water was just right, not that shocking cold. And the water ran so fast thru the spillway that I could hardly stay on my feet, so I had me a “Cowboy Spa”, I crouched down and let that fast water play against my back giving me one of those Shiatsu Massage. I managed to get all my clothes at least rinsed out, and hung on my frame to dry to their proper shape like my Mom used to do with our sweaters when I was a kid. Yes, I got lots of horn honks, and I only mooned one trucker when he went by for the third time. What a break after a very long day of riding, but still more miles to go.
It was now about 7:15 and I managed to convince myself I would enjoy another Bagel with Peanut Butter, like a fool I fell for it. I left the River and heade right up hill into the White River Pass as I think it was called, its not as tall but runs on a good ways to the top. I rode till 9pm, and was totally done in, I even smelled like I had not had a swim, it was 89 degrees on the bike with a fresh wind in the face………time to quit.

Set up the tent and mattress, down went the bag and followed by a tired cowboy with out his spandex skivvies. Let me see, supper was two red twists and a swig of water, only barely had time to say my Prayers before my eyes closed and I was gone.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:36 PM | Permalink

Day 7, leaving Tonopah to heavy!

Its Sunday, and I was Praying as I headed out of Tonopah with about an 85 pound wagon pushing on me from behind. This added weight really messes with the bikes handling , making any side wind a potential wreck, or any slip when looking down at the mirror. Really any little thing and you will be picking straw out of yer butt wondering just what happened. I had 4 bottles 20oz. each, and the bladder of 1.5 gallons, giving me a little over 20 pounds of water on board.

I got a good early start, with a slight tail wind and a downhill start out of Tonopah, I was headed for “Warm Springs” on Nevada Hwy 6. A very bleak ride until you get closer to warm springs and it gets quite nice. Dropping off the hill down to the now somewhat distressed Warm Springs resort at about noon I realized also how hot it had become and decided that if there was shade I would take a break in it.

Warm Springs, was at one time a real attraction, with a sort of spa pool outfit, and the natural live running warm water…..about 80 degrees warm……..running non stop through the pool which is now all locked up except for fence climbers and rats like me. There is an old bar there, with all the needed items to open back up, also a great rock corral that is also now defunct. First things first I thought, and a full check of the fence around the pool proved that a slim man could indeed get in……….and once inside an man with no morals could go SKINNY DIPPING. Horrah and poochy Maggie, we going swimming. Yes cars drove past, and I done my relaxin for a good 45 minutes as the water was hot and day was hot I didn’t want to pass out in the pool……..no lifeguard on duty remember!! To be honest, I think that most folks took a look at me swimming and thought that some hunter had left a goose decoy behind was all.

I had parked my bike under about 4 large CottonWoods down by the Bar, so I slid under the fence and headed to the bike, On the way by the bar I found a 5gal pail and an old chair………perfect, a cowboy lounge chair. I promptly, set these up in the shade and the fun started as I relaxed there in the shade with my feet propped up……..the tourists came for you see Warm Springs is where the “Extra-terrestrial Highway” begins. Van loads of tourists would stop to take a pic of the sign that leads them onto the weirdest road in the west. Mom would have a sulking Dad and all the kids scramble out of the van in that 112 heat so they could stand under the sign for a good family pic………don’t forget ya gotta get all the little ducklings standing in correct order…….whew baby its hot, and finally the pic is done. That’s when from my shady perch I would holler down to them, “Don’t miss the hot tub and cold drinks at the Bar”. They would turn in a lightning spin to see who had heckled them from the Ghost Town Bar, and could not see me for green foliage. The adventurist amongst them would walk over just a little from the group for a better view. And that’s when I would wave. But you see from there perspective, it would look like the tree just waved because I was sitting directly behind it. I think that 15 seconds is the longest it took to hear all 13 doors on the minny van close, each kids name called twice and THEY BE GONE!

Another occasion caught me a little off guard. First a small truck pulled up and parked just out of my sight to the right off where I sat, this rig was driven by a lady. Then in short order another flat bed work type truck pulled up behind her truck, and I can see all of this truck from where I am . Obviously this is some sort of a love thing going on and as I sit minding my own business not wanting to loose the only patch of shade in Nevada I am wondering what to do. That is when valor and poor nerves told this young man to make a move on his beer cooler on the back of his truck, this left his women unattended for the moment and her dignity still intact. So when he reached for a cold Beer, I asked him in a quite civil voice if I may also have one. I can still hear that resounding click of his false teeth as they hit the ground, his eyes were so big I thought we may have to call a Doc. Realizing that his jig was up, he gave me a sheepish grin and said he only had one left and ……..well, ur, I er, gotta be getting on down the road.

Well the fun was due to come to an end, it was nearing 5 and I was wanting to get riding. So I mounted up and headed up the ET highway, I rode past the largest flock og Hungarian Partridge I have ever seen, there must have been 200 plus hanging out along the warm springs run-off some ½ mile doen the road. I road till about 7:45 that night and camped in a lonesome place called Adaven Valley. Had a ½ bagel and slug of water and turned in. I had road up 5 passes that day, and one of them was over 11 miles on my odom.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Day 6- Bishop to Hell

Yes, this was one of those days, that we survive and wonder why or how. I was going on local advice as to water stops and road conditions, which was a mistake. I had all my bottles filled, but not my 1.5 gallon bladder bag that I strap to the trailer.

Rode out of Bishop at about 6am, it was a beautiful ride headed for Chalfant as the first little town which did actually have a small store where a man could get things if needed. From there further uphill into Benton, which was sort’a fun. I asked here about water stops further on at Coleman and found out it was not very likely. So I filled my water bladder and strapped it down to the bike.

I ate a bean burrito and a cup o noodles that I bought at the store. While cooking and eating a fella from Livermore Cal. Came in and we got to visiting as bikers do. He used to ride, but quit when a tourist knocked him off his bike with a extended mirror on a motorhome. Now he rides a nice touring Motorcycle and wishes he had the nerve or lack of brains to ride his velo once again. I asked the PULSE questions, and was surprised at how distraught the fella was over the state of education. In his words most of these kids are to poorly equipped to get any sort of job, but even worse school seems to make most boys into girls. They dan’t want a job that will make you sweat or dirty, and they haven’t the skills to hold down a corner office job. As to the war, just get in there and clean the damn thing up, I have had it with this trying to fight a Guerrilla war on politically correct terms. If we keep this up, only the allied forces will taste the coming defeat.
Heade out after maybe 30 minutes in Benson, and proptly hit the long pull of 35 miles approx over Montgomery Pass. The stop overlooking Boundary Peak was a real stunner.

Dropped off the other side into hell. It was a furnace and nothing out there but more valleys and mountains. SO I done as all folks this foolish do, I Prayed and pedaled and for fun and kill the monotony I would switch the order around.

I had a serious dry throat going on and it must have shown on my face, because two fellas in a little SUV went by me honking and waving …………and not to much longer the same SUV came up beside mne and they said it looked like I could use some COOL water. A father and son, from Pennsylvania, they were out west celebrating the sons 18th birthday, Dan and Eric is all I remember of their names. They had a ice cold 1gal water in a cooler, so they pured me a bottle full and I drank it fair quick and they suggested another……….surprise, I beat them both too thier own cooler. In the end after we had talked about the illusive “Coleman Junction Mart”, which was no longer as of about 1965 that is. They finally decided to give me the whole gallon jug that they had since it was only a short drive for them to Benton Store. And you think that Prayers don’t work.
It was late afternoon when I finally hit this Coleman Junction and it connects with Hwy 95 South at this point. As I was surveying the situation a State Patrol stopped beside me and asked if I was contemplating riding #95…………….an intellectual….ah,yup, was my reply. Son he said, I can’t stop you but I sure wouldn’t recommend it if you know what I mean. This is one of those roads that you know the black rider of death has a home address on some place, narrow, no shoulder, loose gravel right off the edge of a chip top, and filled with 70 mile per hour 18 wheeler’s. Doesn’t it say “Tempt not thy Lord”
Executive Decision #1- Grill of a truck or stick out yer thumb…….give me a minute will ya, I am thinking. OKAY, thumbs up Lord I need a ride. Here is how it happened. You can see forever from the corner, and there is no sense trying to stop a car or van right. SO, I finally see a white truck coming up to the stop sign some 500 yards away and it is the first truck I have seen. I stick my thumb up and he stops, rolls down the window and says to me……”ya made it a lot further than I thought you would, I passed you this morning when I pulled into Bishop……wanna ride??”. William, as it turned out had gone to Bishop to take his daughter to the BMX races in which she competes. So I got a ride to Tonopah with Bill and his sleeping daughter. That’s 39 miles I didn’t pedal, so I will make it up by riding back and forth on bikini beach when I get to the east coast.
I seen quite a few wild horses along the way, mostly right after I dropped off of Montgomery Pass. Went to the far end of town and bought a few bagels and ham and cheeses and some Yogurt, I remember my Russian cycling friend talking about yogurt. Any ways I ate rather good, watched the locals and wondered wbout what tomorrow would bring. My free advice in Bishop had been quite wrong and was a serious thing for me. I commenced asking around and gathered all the information possible.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Day 5 –Aug 18th, Friday
This was a tough day for me, because my wife and kids made the turn for home earlier in the day and headed over Tioga Pass for Coalinga. So yes, I hate to admit but I rode in tears for a while, the realization that I would not have their support really weighed heavily on my mind.
The agreement, was to ride for Bishop, even though my initial plans were for me to turn east at Lone Pine and take the Westfall Pass. I had now become somewhat jaded as to road conditions and what a road may look like. So, I let common sense do the work for a change and am glad that I did.

The road to Bishop was a fast one, with a new shoulder for the larger part and I found myself running at 21-25 mile per hour. Not much for Lance I know, but not bad for an old fat guy. I arrived in Bishop just after 12:30 and rode the length of town to see what there was for me. I talked to a few folks about the ride from there to Tonapah and learned very little of ant real use………..except” What the heck ya’ wanna do a fool thing like that for?”
There is a great camp ground at the south end of town, called Brown’s Towne, and I shaded up, put up my tent, washed some clothes and had a 7 minute shower, I know because that is how long the token runs for and then they surprise you with a shower of ice-cube water. Then you spend a 1/2 hour trying to scrap soap off of goose-bumps, because yer to embarrassed to walk back to the office in the nude to get another token……….I sure wish Adam & Eve would have left well enough alone and I wouldn’t have to carry an Grape leaf anywhere with me, ah but that’s another story.

I headed into town and bought a double scoop of Baskin Robbins Double Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream, just to tease my ice-cream eating brother Bill……..wish you were here.
Rode around town again, and stopped at a “Tickle & Bate Shop” as my daughter Nevada has come to call them, I purchased a map and asked some advice. As it turns out, it may have been the worst advice given to date, but more on that later. I rode to the far south side of Bishop and surprised the folks at the Gulf and Country Club, I rented a club and a basket of balls and headed to the “Slicing Range” too drive a few in the wrong direction. All Gulf clubs change the name of the driving range after I have played them.
Back to the camp ground for some Noodles and crackers and a cup of English tea.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:17 PM | Permalink

Day 4, JW rides, well barely today.

I woke up early, after having slept on the campground picnic table since the ANT population was so high in the campground. Got off to a good start to finish off Walker pass, which was quite easy to face first thing in the morning.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title Walker Pass
But as luck would have it, things went down hill quickly from that point. I took a pic at the top, and mounted my bike to descend the offside of Walker. My bike developed a serious whine coming from the back wheel, soon that developed into slinging the chain off and giving me serious stopping trouble. So, I went to looking around and it seemed the problem was my rear cassette. I commenced down the hill, and had to ride the brakes the whole way and pedal into it to keep the chain tightened up so it would not be flung off. Boy howdy, did my hands get tired sqeezing those brakes for a a full 12 mile downhill run. I stopped at one point and a small whisp of smoke came off my front wheel, not sure if it was the brakes, the rim or the rider???
Okay Pastor Mike, here is one for you. I had pulled over to the side of the road and met up with Colleen, and we were both talking and Praying about the situation at hand. The problem is the the closest town was Ridgecrest, and we both thought that it was no chance to to get it fixed there. I am on Hwy14 before it joins into 395 north. As Iam standing there debating the best options, I see 4 bike riders coming up the hill that I had just climbed. So I asked as the rode beside us where the best place might be to get abike worked on………..to which one of the riders said” why heck Bob here owns the best bike shop around, don’tcha Bob!!!” Now is that a Prayer answered?????????
And just like that Bob stepped off and I told him what the bike had been doing, and almost that quick he told me what the problem was. The bigger problem, is that the wheel set is a rather high dollar outfit, and the likelihood of parts to do the fix are slim. We ended up having to buy a whole new wheel set, so that we could head out and get back to riding. I rode during the hottest time, and seated like a fool in my long sleeve jersey. I am trying to keep the sunburn in check.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title Lonesome Roads in Nevada
All totaled today I got in 54 miles, and once again was in dire straits if not for my wife and kids.The scenery isn’t that great right along this stretch so I didn’t stop for a lot of pics, just enough to give you a flavour of the countryside. I am at a really beautiful campground in Lone Pine, I just swam and spent some time in the hot tub. I have been fed well again and ready for some sleep, just 20oz. of Endurox to drink and I am ready.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Day 2- JW rides America.

It was roller coaster type day from the time we left the La Panza campground. We awoke at about 5:30, and started building coffee and fried eggs, fresh tomatoes………why are we raised to always reference them as fresh…..just a curiosity is all. We had some fried potatoes ( Dan Quail style).

Sis and I left together and done the first huge hill but made it to the top only to find a drop and another as big as the first. The rest of the day all looked about the same until we rolled off the top and hit the valley headed for Bakersfield. I had myself on HWY 58, that really sucked, since there was heavy traffic and most drivers couldn’t read English it seemed. Need I say more, it got so bad that I just pulled over to find a side road and made it to another road with a shoulder and room for me.

_A place called California Valley in central Cal.
It was sort of a hurried day, since I had to drive back to home to take some pic’s of a VERY NICE WBS saddle.
We hit 70 plus miles, and 104 degrees

Good night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:14 AM | Permalink

We got sort of a late start since Sunday was a sort of a hectic day. The kids had a Youth Group celebration to honor a fine young man Jared Warren from our local Church. So the kid’s got home about 11:45 rather late for having an early start. I Had plenty of engraving to get done and stayed busy with that till about 12:30.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: Leaving Cayucos

Continue reading "Day 1" »

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

ANOTHER WARNING- WE DO NOT DEAL WITH THE FOLKS AT FOREX BROKERAGE UNTIL THEY STOP SPAMMING THIS SITE!!!
Cycling and our preparations are just about done and the time has come to load the trailer, double check the list and the road on Monday. I’ll show you here what I am riding and maybe a few reasons as to why I ride what I do. This is my first long trip on a bike, so no doubt I will have a different idea when I Get done with this ride.
I am riding a great bike that I got in a"horse trade" with my cowboy friend Wes Sheppard. Thanks Wes.
I had to get some work done on the frame to make it ready for me to ride, rebuilt the drive to a 9spd x triple set up.
A new set of high end Mavic Krysium SSL wheels, also a new seat that is being made using Herman Oak Leather......afterall I am a loyalist to the US tanners.
Photo by: Jeremiah
Title: a last training ride before I head out

Continue reading "JW and final preps #3" »

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Here is a little announcement from the desk of Jeremiah Watt
#1- as many of you now understand I do a lot of silver and gold work, and out of that type of work I have brought out a couple of DVD and Video Series that deal with doing that sort of work. One of the things that folks have always made comment on is the fact that we unabashedly give recommendations as to companies for you to consider dealing with. So, I hereby Want to give you a recommendation based in frustration, not enjoyment. The folks at Forex have been inundating my blog with crap and I can’t get them to stop and take their spam crap someplace else. So mark it on your calendar that I am making my announcement here to tell you to avoid these SPAMMERS like the plague until such a time that they learn to differentiate doing business in a proper manner.
#2- Here is a post that is a little more fun to announce. Jeremiah, that is me, is going to be riding his bicycle from Cayucos California out across the hinterland of USA, until I reach the east coast of this beautiful country. I will be needing your prayers, and wishes of good luck, hoping to fend off my failing antique body parts, and avoiding being just one more grease spot on the grill of a Mac Truck as we say out WEST! All totaled the trip will be approx. 4400 miles, and I am planning on an average of 75 miles per day. I will let you do the math on total days of riding……….I am still trying to figure that out so if you come up with an answer be sure to email and win the FIRST HSBT free prize.
#3- I will be posting almost everyday while on he road via my new wireless connection, which is what I am on with this post as well. I will not announce the entire route to be taken. But I tell you that I travel thru the center of fly-over America, I have a goal of meeting one interesting person per day, I will capture my daily travel on still and video mounted camera. I will make every effort to post some footage for each day that I can get cell service. Test question number #2, how many official mountain passes will I be crossing in my trip across America. We will save all entries until the end, and the person who guesses the closest will be the winner of my last pair of unwashed bike pants…….these will be a heck of a collector item to frame and put in your sports room alongside Floyd Landis’s B sample from Tour de France.. Really, we will have some fun and find something exciting as a prize for question #2.
You can follow us almost daily at the “JW rides America”. The entire adventure will be edited and repackaged as a feature length movie to be seen on the big silver screen at some point………well okay maybe not.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My America is adopted, your America may well be yours by birth, but our America is the most beautiful country in the world. On August the 14th, Jeremiah will be leaving the small California coastal town of Cayucos, beginning right out on the end of the pier with his new steed a Merlin full Titanium and pulling his Little Bob gooseneck trailer.
I will [post some pics of the daily trip from the laptop and when ever cell service allows me to connect with all of you.

Photo by: Jeremiah setting cam on fence post
Title; Losing the dougnut rolls, its 110 today.

Continue reading "My America, your America - the announcement" »

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)