To Give is to Receive

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Molly

Ever since joining WarmShowers, we have been on the receiving end of innumerable heart warming personal experiences. The organization exists to facilitate long distance cyclists who host other traveling cyclists. So when others welcomed us into their homes throughout our previous cycling tours, we were overwhelmed by their extraordinary hospitality and the friendships that ensued.

But opening up our home to cyclists has proven to be equally rewarding. When that hosting request comes in we never know the full story of those cycling through Duluth. Reading their profiles gives us a little background. But it isn’t until they arrive and the cyclists’ stories unfold that we truly begin to understand the personal stories behind our guests. And it’s not always about the cycling.

This weekend we had the privilege of hosting Derek. We knew from his website that he had terminal cancer and that in the face of that news he chose to fulfill a life-long dream of cycling around the world. But that didn’t begin to prepare us for the enriching experience of sharing four days with Derek.

Despite a house already bulging with kids and noisy grandkids who came for Grandma’s Marathon, Derek slipped right in and joined the festivities. When we learned that it was also his birthday, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to celebrate the occasion with a bicycle-topped cake. But it was in the quieter moments that we gradually got to know Derek.

The doctors had given him 12 months to live, but Derek has already spent 19 months on his world cycling tour. As it turns out, this is only his most recent bout with cancer, having faced it at least twice before and losing his wife to breast cancer. Despite having traveled 4 continents and 44 countries to date, including some hair raising experiences in Asia, he admitted to slowing down, knowing he can’t do as much as he could when he started and needing more rest days. Given that knowledge along with enjoying his company, we heartily encouraged him to prolong his stay with us.

Derek’s purpose in his trip is to inspire others. In the face of devastating news, he didn’t accept defeat and wait for the cancer to overtake him. He plans to fight it right to the end. To help spread the word, Fox 21 News came out to interview Derek, featuring his story on the evening news and on their website. It didn’t take a newscast to convince us, however. In his quiet way, Derek exuded a confidence and determination that was impossible to ignore.

During Derek’s stay, another cyclist joined us. Bala is soon to be a high school junior and is cycling from his home in Ohio to California this summer. The picture of youth, yet with the plans and determination beyond his years, Bala embodies all that is good about young people. His trip blog is aptly named “Hey Mom, can I ride my bike to California?”

Since the two cyclists were traveling in opposite directions, it was the perfect opportunity to trade notes on the routes they covered to reach Duluth. And we enjoyed eavesdropping when they shared anecdotes about stealth camping, eating on the cheap and other aspects of seasoned cycle touring. It was easy to slip into the camaraderie of long distance cyclists, sharing a passion.

The house seems strangely quiet now, with our guests cycling on to their next destination. But we are richer for getting to know them. We thought hosting other cyclists was providing a service. Instead, we have been truly blessed by those passing through our lives on two wheels.

Should I Tri?

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Molly

I’ve been asking myself that question for several years now. Having added cycling to my arsenal of sports activities, which already included swimming and running, I just couldn’t ignore the idea that I should do a triathlon.

Most people fear the swimming portion the most. But in my case, that was my first entry into distance sports. It goes way back to the days of a country club swimming pool, being a little squirt on the swim team, and spending years doing laps to get my 100 mile trophy. When I put on the Freshman 10 (or so) in college, I turned to swimming to slim down again. And I’ve kept it up ever since. So in theory, I have that bit licked, as I regularly swim 1 3/4 miles for my workout. But those are laps in the pool. A whole lot different from open water swimming in a lake surrounded by a lot of flailing arms and legs. Hmmm.

On to running. I took that up when the kids were little and I could squeeze in a run on my lunch hour without giving up family time. Naturally 10Ks quickly led to a half-marathon, and on to marathons. Running has become my primary sport. So I’m not at all worried about that.

That leaves cycling. Since taking up cycle touring a couple of years ago, I have logged many a mile on my bike. And on our trips I tote 26 pounds or more of gear for days (sometimes months) on end. Yeah, I can manage the distance on a bike.

The components are all there. I just haven’t taken the plunge to put them all together. Yet.

That’s all about to change. I might have procrastinated forever, but my son, Erik, called my bluff when he gave me the “entry to the triathlon of my choice” for Mothers’ Day. So come July 12, I will be out there swimming-biking-running at the Lifetime Tri in Minneapolis. Wish me luck. I’m going to Tri my best.

Annual Rite of Spring

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Molly

Does two years running make an annual event? I’d like to think so. For the second year in a row, Rich and I have been lured up the North Shore for our inaugural spring bike ride along the lake. All it takes is a good weather forecast, plenty of warm sunshine and that glistening blue water. Oh, and the disappearance of snow. Or most of it, anyway.

By coincidence we chose a Monday exactly one week earlier than last year’s ride. But the conditions were strikingly similar. The temperatures were in the 50s and the wind was off the land, avoiding that cold lake wind chill factor.

We decided to ride from Gooseberry Falls State Park to Beaver Bay and back again. That section of Lake Superior was ice-free near the shore, so we were able to enjoy views of the open water at its finest. Conditions on land were not quite so uniform. Wherever the sun shone, the ground was bare. But shady areas still had an abundance of snow, and deep in the woods winter still reigned.

The same held true on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail. Wherever it paralleled highway 61 and had plenty of sun, it was clear. But where it dipped down toward the lake and snaked through the woods, the bike trail was buried in snow. We hopscotched from trail to highway shoulders as conditions warranted. Fortunately, there was little traffic to bother us on a spring weekday morning.

With the spring runoff, the rivers and streams were in prime form. Gooseberry Falls was a rushing torrent, with water gushing over the rocks in a thunderous roar. Along the shore, water forced its way over the stone cliffs, forming spontaneous waterfalls where normally none exist. Ordinarily the Beaver River is barely noticeable when driving over the bridge, but that day it was hard to miss the teeming water.

The whole premise of this early spring ride was to enjoy the journey. Since we had few miles under our wheels yet this season, there was no point in trying to press for speed. And the novelty of the warm day just begged for lingering. All the better for taking in the sights along the way. No trip up the Shore is complete without stopping to admire Split Rock Lighthouse. And we had to stop for Adirondack Chairs – just like in Gaspé!

The only thing missing was an ice cream break. I’m still not sure how we let that happen. We will have to improve on that next year. On the first balmy spring day. The 3rd annual rite of spring.

Life in the Slow Lane

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Molly

Florida. The land of retirees and a whole different pace of life. While we technically fit into the retiree category, we have not yet adopted a more leisurely pace. So it’s a bit of an adjustment to adapt to this alternate lifestyle. Even for a short visit. But with the loan of my sister-in-law’s bike, I’m making progress.

It’s called a cruiser. One speed, fat Getting the hang of this cruiser tires, big wide handlebars, a cushy seat and coaster brakes. Hers must be a designer model as it also has white sidewalls and is an eye-catching mint green. Truly a classic.

We all had this kind of bikes as kids – it’s what we learned on. So it should be intuitive, right? Well, not quite. After spending the last two years perfecting the nuances of my long distance touring bike with it’s umpteen speeds and cycling shoes, suddenly this masterpiece of simplicity felt foreign beneath me.

My first challenge was the handlebars. Their wide reach meant that any small movement was magnified by the front tire, making it extremely sensitive. As I set off down the road, I felt as though I was veering right and left. I was just certain that I would plow into the path of the next approaching car. Fortunately, it quickly evened out as I pedaled.

The bigger hurdle was stopping. How the heck was I supposed to use my feet for both braking and standing up when I stopped? I don’t remember that ever being an issue as a kid. Perhaps as an adult I think too much. I’m sure I left a few layers of rubber sole on the pavement at the first few intersections. But I gradually got the hang of braking with one foot and dropping the other to catch myself before falling. Mostly. I admit I’m still working on smoothing out that technique.

Thankfully, this area has wonderful bike paths. Wide, smoothly paved and totally lacking in hills, they are perfect for cruising on a bike. Once off the neighborhood streets, blissfully safe from cars and with few intersections, I began to get into the experience. I enjoyed the cooling effect of the wind on the hot, sunny afternoon. Lacking my tight fitting cycling gear, I relished the sloppy way my soccer shorts flapped in the wind, and my loose T-shirt fluttered around me. No need to be aerodynamic.

With only one speed, I discovered the joy of coasting. On gentle downward slopes, the bike sped up of its own accord. I couldn’t ratchet up any gears for more force, and it was pointless to spin my feet faster and faster in an attempt to catch up with the speed of the tires. So the only thing to do was glide and enjoy it. Whee!

When I did cross the occasional drive, I made sure to slow down and anticipate traffic. With an occasional wobble when cars approached, I figured they must think me a doddering grandma out on my bike. Then I realized that’s just what I was! A humbling thought, but not enough to deter me.

Riding for the pure joy of being outside in beautiful weather soon took over. Miles were inconsequential. Speed was meaningless. Distance didn’t matter. A novel experience. Life in the slow lane. I think I’m starting to get it.

Home at Last

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Molly

Sixty-four days is a long time to be gone. Between our Grand Gaspe Cycling Tour and the car trip out east and back, that’s how long we were away from home.

Returning to Minnesota we had a beautiful drive, with sunny days and fall color approaching peak. We stopped to visit good friends in Rochester, NY and checking out our old haunts where we first met and dated. We even got back on our bikes and cycled along the Erie Canal – a slow, leisurely ride. But from there, we made a bee line for Duluth. The closer we got, the more eager we were to be home.

It sure felt good to drive into the driveway and reclaim our home. We had to reacquaint ourselves with an ordinary life style at first. It was great to sleep in our own bed, to sip coffee out of my own mug and bake up my morning muffins. It felt strange to try and reconstruct what a “normal” day was. I didn’t expect to falter when looking for kitchen implements – now where do I keep that? And most awkward of all was re-adapting to my PC, after months on my iPad. I kept thinking, “Where is the app for that?” Microsoft needs to get with it. Fumbling through a web browser just felt too foreign.

We were pleased to find that fall was still in full swing in Duluth. Although we missed the height of color in our perennial garden, we have flowers still coming onto bloom as if to welcome us home. The trees continue to change color, and our own young red maples are some of the most brilliant.

Naturally, it didn’t take me long to head out on my bike. I’ve been out re-exploring my old routes and even forging a few new ones. Each ride reinforces how beautiful our surroundings are, and how fortunate we are to live here. Our own Lake Superior shoreline easily ranks up there with the stunning views on our trip. And little can compete with the quiet scenic beauty right at the end of our driveway – Seven Bridges Road excels as a cycling haven, particularly when cloaked in fall foliage.

Best of all has been reuniting with family and friends. There is nothing like a sloppy kiss and tight hug from a grandchild. Family dinners, cheering kids on in the Twin Cities Marathon events and just spending time together to catch up have filled my heart. Already we are planning holiday time together.

Oh, it’s good to be home.

Blogging on Two Wheels

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Molly

With a blog focused on “Life and the Outdoors in the Northland,” it was a natural for me to chronicle our latest bike trip, the Grand Gaspé Cycling Tour. I don’t consider it a stretch at all to expand the geographical reach of the Northland concept. The interesting thing is that blogging became an integral part of the trip, and in fact had a significant influence on our daily routine. Since Rich was also narrating the trip on the Crazy Guy on a Bike website, my passion did not create conflicting interests.

While we were cycling, which was most of the daytime hours, my attention was focused on the physical activity, the sights, the meals and the logistics of travel – as it should be. But my blog post was never far from my mind. What might today’s theme be? How best to describe this view? How can I work in this situation? What would be a good title? I was often composing as I went.

Taking photographs for my blog posts

Photography was equally impacted. Of course there were pictures of scenery, activities and landmarks that I wanted to take. But I also wove in photos that would illustrate the day’s post. If I fell behind Rich in an illogical spot, he would remark, “You must be blogging again. I didn’t see anything worthy of a photo.” He was usually right.

At the end of the day, our first priority was a shower. But second on the agenda was to download all our pictures. We each brought a nice Canon camera and a tablet, and once we transferred our pictures to the tablets, we’d weed out the bad ones and save the rest. Using each other’s pictures was entirely permissible, as it helped reduce duplication and we could choose from among the best shots. We weren’t fussy about attributing credit to each other as photographer. I just got a little testy when my photos showed up online before I’d even seen them yet.

Quickly publishing a blog post where the campground signal was the strongest

My tablet happens to be an iPad, and Blogsy is my app of choice for blogging on it. It integrates perfectly with WordPress and has the advantage of displaying my post in rich format instead of HTML, and offers formatting tools that are easy to use. Adding photos from my iPad’s native photo app is a cinch – just drag and drop, resize and add captions. Although most motels and even campgrounds had wifi, if I had no connection I could still fully compose my blog post offline in Blogsy. Then it was simply a matter of publishing the next time I found a signal.

Blogging is not a trivial activity. At least not for me. Many a night I’d be up late, wordsmithing in the dark with only the glow of my iPad screen to illuminate my work. Rich was much quicker to compose his posts, and he would shake his head at my obsession for finding just the right tone or phrase. Fortunately, he can sleep through my keyboard tapping.

I fully intended to be more economical about my blogging on this trip. Since it would last two months or more, I reasoned that periodic updates would be adequate. But I should have known myself better than that. I love to capture all my experiences in writing. It’s how they become real to me, by documenting them. So it was no surprise when my posts became nearly daily occurrences. What may have been overkill for my readers was really for my own benefit.

There’s no doubt that blogging on our cycling trip was a big commitment. To say it bluntly, it took up a lot of time. We could have been out seeing the sights of the local towns instead. But to be honest, after a full day of cycling, it was a grand excuse to sit and rest our weary legs and bodies. And I seriously doubt we missed much in the small towns where we stayed. Or so I tell myself.

A Tribute to Warm Showers

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Molly

There is no doubt about it. Warm Showers made the trip. We both agree whole heartedly that our 2-month cycling trip through Maine, the Canadian Maritimes and New Hampshire would not have been as enriching and heart warming without the hospitality of our hosts.

Warm Showers is an association of long distance cyclists who participate in a free lodging exchange. By joining, cyclists agree to host other traveling cyclists in their home or yard, and in return have access to a world-wide network of host homes. Finding a Warm Showers host is as easy as pulling up an app on a smartphone. It uses GPS and Google Maps to find your location, and shows you all hosts in close proximity. By tapping an icon, you can send a message to the host requesting accommodations. As a host, you can choose the level of hospitality that suits you – camping space, beds, food, laundry facilities and kitchen use are some of the options.

Hosting is rewarding in itself. We have met fascinating people traveling through Duluth on bicycle, with a wide range of itineraries and length of trip. And after the wealth of hospitality extended to us on our trips, we are eager to continue to repay that generosity.

All the people that opened their homes to us were so welcoming and made us feel right at home. They not only provided us with hot showers and comfy beds, but let us give our hand laundered clothes a thorough wash in their laundries. And we were so well fed! Other cyclists totally understand the insatiable hunger and need for calories generated by long distance cycling – even if we didn’t quite recognize it ourselves. We ate many a gourmet meal and feasted on local delicacies. Equally enjoyable was the opportunity to use the kitchen and do a little home cooking ourselves for a change.

Because the network is comprised entirely of cyclists, by definition we always had a great deal in common with our hosts. And we knew in advance that they would have values similar to our own. Conversation was easy as we shared cycling experiences. We were wowed by the extensive travels our hosts had completed, and inspired by their destinations and cycling philosophies. As relative neophytes to long distance cycling, we always learned useful tips from our hosts. They were also the best source on local cycling. We avoided bad routes, enjoyed the best scenery and got the scoop on good eateries all through their sound advice.

But the biggest benefit of all was the local knowledge we gained. Had we merely cycled through on our own, we would have missed out on learning about the local history, customs and culture. The in-depth personal perspectives they shared with us were the gem stones of our trip. From understanding the background of the Acadians to getting the inside scoop on developing national geological parks, we found it all fascinating. We watched one host’s lobster boat arrive at the wharf, followed his catch from there to our dinner table and learned about the lobster industry. Our extensive tour through Old Quebec was led and narrated by new local cycling friends. Some hosts drove us to see local sights – places that were not on our direct route, and otherwise would have missed.

We knew that staying in Warm Showers homes would be useful, but in no way did we foresee just how it would shape our travels and enrich the memories of our trip. To all our wonderful hosts – who now feel like good friends – we owe a debt of thanks. And we sincerely hope that they cross our threshold in Duluth one day.

Gaspé Tour by the Numbers

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Molly

My analytical brain can’t resist the urge to look at a few stats from our Grand Gaspé Cycling Tour. Naturally I kept detailed notes on the trip, and Rich was amazed and amused at some of the obscure information I was able to assemble. Here is a sample:

Days and Mileage. We planned to cycle an average of 60 miles a day and take one rest day a week for a overall average of 50 miles per day. In reality, we weren’t very good at taking rest days, but we did take some “rolling rest days” with short mileage. We also cut back on miles when cycling the tough stretches with hills or headwinds.

54 total days, 2,354 miles
5 rest days with NO cycling
43.6 miles per day total, 48 miles per cycling day
longest day 74 miles (rainy ride to Machias, Maine)
shortest day 9 miles (finishing day to Exeter, NH)
6 days with rain – only one of those was a rest day

Lodging. We hoped to camp 1/3 of the time, use Warm Showers1/3 and stay in motels 1/3. We were disappointed not to be able to camp more, but cut back when each of us got sick and when the weather turned cold and wet. We were pleasantly surprised how well we did with Warm Showers, given that many areas were very sparsely populated.

7 nights camping
15 nights in Warm Showers homes
5 nights in Inns, gîtes or B&Bs
26 nights in motels

Repairs. We fared extremely well in this department. Our bikes were trusty steeds indeed.

3 flat tires – inner tube replaced (Rich)
1 tire ripped – replaced (Rich)
Slipping gears – derailers fixed (Molly)

Weight we propelled. It wasn’t until the night before the last day of our trip that we thought to ask for a scale to weigh our gear. We knew we were traveling light, but had never quantified it before.

Molly – 30 lb gear + 27 lb bike = 57 lb
Rich – 33 lb gear + 30 lb bike = 63 lb

The fun stuff.

11 lighthouses visited (we saw a lot more than this)
18 ice cream stops (we fell behind on this when it turned cold and we began to substitute soup breaks)
7 coffeehouse stops (lattes for me)
1,045 pictures taken (keepers)
106 blog posts (between the two of us, to date)

Overall rating. No matter how you slice and dice it, it was a fantastic trip.

The Finish Line

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Molly

We're done. We finished. The Grand Gaspé Cycling Tour is over. So how does it feel? I have a myriad of conflicting emotions.

Sad to see it end. That's the overriding feeling for me. It was such a great experience that I just didn't want it to end. We had our cycling routine down to such a well honed process that it felt like we could carry on forever. We still felt strong. We had nothing but positive memories. We loved every minute (okay nearly every minute) of it. But perhaps that's what made it such a good time to stop. We definitely ended on a high point.

A Sense of Accomplishment. We did it! When we were planning the trip, it seemed like an audacious goal. And it was. But in the process of breaking the 2,354 miles down into daily chunks, I saw it more as a journey than a number to attain. Sure the miles mounted up, but upon completing the total it felt less like a victory than I thought it would. The compilation of rich experiences now deposited in my life bank of personal history was far more meaningful than any measure of distance traveled.

Thankful. We have so many reasons to be grateful. The fact that we covered all those miles safely was truly a blessing. We traveled entirely without incident and didn't even have any near-misses. Meeting so many wonderful people was such a privilege. And our Warm Showers hosts truly took care of us during each of our stays. We finished the tour with a plethora of new friends.

Fortunate. How many people have an opportunity to do something like this? I feel so very lucky to have the good health, strong body and financial resources to spend two months on such an amazing adventure. And I am so fortunate to have a like-minded husband who is as gung-ho (some use the word “crazy”) as I am to embark on such a trip. After spending 54 straight days together 24×7, our relationship is stronger than ever.

Ready to be home. Having stopped cycling and focusing only on our day-to-day progress, I have begun to turn my sights toward home. Our calendar for the next few months was a blank slate, but already I have started filling it in. I'm excited to re-engage in the lives of our kids and grandkids. I look forward to getting together with friends. I'm ready to resume my volunteer activities and freelance writing assignments. And I can't wait to cook and bake again!

Eager to do it again. It's hard to let go. And so our thoughts naturally turn to the next cycling tour. This trip has increased our confidence in our ability to cycle long distances and handle tough conditions like hills, wind and rain. We have a better sense of our limitations and how to manage them on such a trip. And we learned a lot about how to plan as we go. I choose not to look at this as the finish line. Instead, I hope it's only the starting line.

Happy cyclists in the Appalachians in Québec

The Final Stretch

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Molly

Progress to date: 54 days, 2,354 miles

We divided our last 53 miles of the Grand Gaspé Cycling Tour into two days. Not out of necessity. More for the timing of our grand finale.

I will be the first to say the initial leg was not inspiring. Leaving Concord, traffic was heavy and there was not much in the way of scenery or interesting towns. We passed almost 30 miles that way and I found it rather depressing. The weather was beautiful, but I just could not generate much enthusiasm for the ride. It's hard to say what contributed more, the mundane route, the lack of coffee or the impending finish to our trip. I suspect the latter had the most to do with it.

Finding happiness at The Big Bean in Newmarket

The day brightened considerably in the second half. Turning off onto smaller roads, we lost all the traffic and wound our way through delightful countryside populated with orchards, farms and pretty towns. The sunshine became warm and the fall colors shimmered in its light. And we mostly coasted downhill. The world became good again, especially when we reached Newmarket in the early afternoon and found a delightful coffeehouse. Re-caffeinating with an excellent latte accompanied by a hummus wrap of equal quality, soaking up the sun and local scene was just what I needed. It's amazing what a salve food and drink can be. And ambiance.

With extra time on our hands before our Warm Showers hosts were home, we meandered around the pretty former mill town. The mill buildings had been converted into condos and eclectic shopping areas, making them an enhancement to the town center.

Mill condos and shopping area decor

Relaxing in our hosts' yard

Our Warm Showers home provided a delightful final night's stay. We were adopted not only by our hosts, Heidi and Cliff, but given a warm welcome by Heidi's mom, Lucy. We shared a birthday dinner for Cliff with their son and long term friends and duplex neighbors. Naturally, they are all avid cyclists and runners, so there was no lack of material for conversation. And as always, we were inspired by their pursuits.

Beginning the last leg of our trip

With the dawn of the inevitable last day, we had to face it. The last nine miles of cycling. We set off just like any other morning of our trip, but in contrast to the other days, we completed our journey – and our trip – in under an hour.

Before we knew it, we were in Exeter. Where we started 54 days and 2,354 miles earlier. It was a quiet entrance as we meandered across the Academy campus. But things soon picked up. Rich granted another interview, this time for the Academy newspaper. And we stopped to visit with the wonderful staff members in the Alumni and Security offices who arranged the logistics of leaving our car there for two months. The warm welcome and congratulations extended all along the way boosted our spirits and helped ease the finality of our arrival.

A pretty route to enter Exeter

Interview for The Exonian

Finishing where we started on August 3

The true finish line

It felt strange to be reunited with our car and load up the bikes. Our daughter left us a voicemail that morning, reminding us just how cars work – in case we'd forgotten. The best part is going up hills, she said. “Just push down on the right pedal – no additional effort required. You just won't have the wind blowing through your hair,” she advised. As appealing as it sounds, I know we'll miss the cycling. We're already contemplating our next cycling trip. Just not right away.

Superior Footprints

Life and the Outdoors in the Northland

Tag Archives: Cycling

To Give is to Receive

Should I Tri?

Annual Rite of Spring

Life in the Slow Lane

Home at Last

Blogging on Two Wheels

A Tribute to Warm Showers

Gaspé Tour by the Numbers

The Finish Line

The Final Stretch

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