Progress so far

A couple of days a go we met Ted and Rene from the Netherlands. As well as having their own smart outfits and lightweight gear, Ted runs Follow My Challenge, designing individualised tracking software for specialist adventurers doing extreme travels. You can check out their adventure here.

Today we have reached Carbondale and have got closer to our schedule thanks to a shortcut from Sebree. I have been using Geo-tracker to create a map, Victoria has been using Track my tour, an iPhone only app that allows for her to embed a photo in each location. 

Transam Hospitality

More advice from our Transam mentors Jack and Lauren: stay in every church you can. We now understand why. In Yorktown we had a lovely old home in the Grace Episcopal church grounds to ourselves, with the best view in Yorktown. In Glendale we stayed in the Willis Methodist church hall, again by ourselves, with a fully equipped kitchen. And there have been more churches, convenience store yards and parks where we have been allowed to stay free. These places are set aside specifically for cyclists and are especially helpful when there are no nearby hotels or camping options. 

One of the churches had a prayer bowl where you can ask the congregation to pray for you or someone else needing help. Knowing the research into prayer and healing I asked for some help with my knee.

Watching the TransAm Race

The 2017 TransAm bike race is currently underway. We are watching progress on the website map. Most are racing East to West so we can expect they will pass us by from the other direction soon, although most will probably go by at all hours while we are resting or sleeping. 

There will be Pain

Again quoting Jack and Lauren who advised us about doing the TransAm - everything will wear out we were told; but I didn’t expect that this would include my knee. Everything hurt on the first day. And while we are experienced riders the added weight and stress of being in a new country with a new huge task has taken its toll. So we are on a reduced schedule while I recover. The doctor has allowed me to keep going with a reduced load each day. And some medications I would prefer not to admit to taking. 

Dipping the Wheels

At dawn on Wednesday 7 June we started the TransAm bicycle route by dipping our back wheels in the Atlantic at Yorktown, Virginia. The day before we had ridden from Richmond, mostly along the wonderfully smooth Capital Cycle Path.

The TransAm is a route that has been popular amongst cyclists for over 40 years. It is maintained by the American Adventure Cycling Association LINK who provide maps and signpost this and many other routes. 

Our Inspiration

Before leaving we were able to fit a final catch up with our inspiration for the trip, Jack and Lauren Dunstan who rode the TransAm West to East in 2010. Final advice from Jack. "There will be times when it is really beautiful and you will just want to keep riding. Make sure to stop and take a picture". It was then that I took this photo.