Days 2 and 3: the second storm, the George, and the State College

I awoke after the deadly tornado to an empty house. Eventually the mother came home, she tried to convince me to stay. She offered me some dehydrated food, I blogged, then I left. I rode through northeastern Pennsylvania with ease. Compared to upstate New York the steepest hills felt like nothing more than a steady incline. I began to realize i would be riding into the wind at all times. I learned how to tuck flatter and use different muscles to push along faster. I forgot how different it is to ride with so much weight; how hard it is to lean forward and how it is so momentum based.

In Northeastern Pennsylvania I met a menenite. He was a very nice man, he explained to me about his culture and how a farmer could live on 20 acres here in PA. In Montana, he said, he would need 2,000 acres and a horse to live through that harsh climate and rugged terrain.

About 30 miles later I pulled over to ask a man with a flat tire if he needed help. Like everybody, we get to talking and the turns out to be incredibly friendly. He met up with me again 20 miles down the road and offered to have me stay with his family in Williamsport. His wife and 2 year old son were awesome, they even paid for my dinner. He told me his life successes, his life set backs, even the adventure he took when he was my age. He gave me directions to Pittsburgh, and the next morning I left. Upon leaving he said "this was as much of nn adventure for me as it is for you."

I rode Southwest, I took 150 south most of the way. Around 11 AM I was in Lock Haven, PA. The bridge and scenery were beautiful. I remembered my friend Andrew was from PA, so i turned on my phone and texted him. I kept riding towards Pittsburgh. The hills were steeper than in the Northeastern part of the state, there were hills my computer said I climbed at only 8 mph. Much later Andrew said he was from State College, and wouldn't you know, 20 or 30 miles later I saw a sign for State College. I went past the exit, so a few miles later I pulled over, met some more cool people, then turned around. It was only a slight downhill, but for the first time the wind was at my back. I pedaled for three pedal strokes then tucked low. My computer read 27 mph after just three strokes. Wow, I wish the wind would help me out more often, my max speed on the whole trip so far was 36 mph. The panniers act like parachutes, no matter how low you tuck my panniers and sleeping bag catch the wind anyway.

I rode into State College around 4 PM. I met up with Andrew, we chilled with some beers, met some cool new people, and went to his place to pre-game. We crashed, that was good shit.

I awoke at 9:30 AM. Andrew and i have gotten some awesome food at Denny's, we got messed up again, and now i am blogging. I am going to a cobbler today to stretch my bike shoes, so i may not even get on the road until 2 PM. My computer says I have gone about 200 miles, but I just found out i am already through half of the Appalachain mountains. I didn't even realize i was climbing mountains. This is an amazing confidence boost, it's all downhilll until the Rockies.

Days 2 and 3: the second tornado, the George, and the thunderstorm

I awoke after the first day to an empty house. Eventually the mother came back, she offered me dehydrated food, I blogged, then I left Pine City, NY

Day 1: the tornado

Yesterday I got a late start so I could clean my apartment, pack my things, and install my cyclocomputer. before i started, as i tried to install my computer in the commons, strangers and friends would come up to me and talk with the widest grins. my friends shelby and deanna waved me off, as did shayna a block later. my rear heavy bike was an adjustment, i forgot how much weight changes how you ride. at mile 3.5 i tried to put my sunglasses back into the case then into my handlebar bag without stopping. i crashed softly into a grassy knoll by the road. that was fun.

at mile 15 i stopped at a mechanics shop to stretch and take a break from the sun. the mechanic, his employee, even his dog were friendly and chill in a way i haven't seen in years, in a way people treat young touring cyclists.

it was 20 miles uphill out of ithaca, where i rode between 8 mph and 12, averaging about 11.5. i forgot how much slower it is to ride a landboat when you're used to a racing bike. there's no charging up hills, no leaning forward, no strategy, just mashing with your quads and pressing on.

every time i stopped i would meet amazing people. the lansing high softball team and coach couldnt believe what i was doing, i stopped at a gas station near horse heads and a man dressed like a yankee gave me directions, wanted to know where i was from, even yelled "woo push on brother!" as he drove by in his truck.

i passed elmira, was nearing the pennsylvania border, when the sun told me i still had some time to make it to another state. then i saw lightning and dark clouds in front of me. the air smelled thick all day, but it hadn't rained. i stopped, put my yellow pannier raingear covers on, and pressed on, hoping there would be shelter close by soon.

yards later small branches and leaves flew by horizontally. a rock hit me in the eye. i jumped off my bike and ran towards an RV park. just then the wind blew a large high tree branch all the way across both lanes of the road, right where i would have been riding. i knocked on a door. no answer. ran across the street. a lady let me in and provided shelter. an old retired couple, the sweetest old people. electric was out, apparently this was a serious tornado and electrical storm that killed 123 people in missouri and headed right in our direction. my tent would have been blown to bits if i stopped earlier.

they provided me food, i offered what i could in return, but they would have none of it, just happy to help. a man came from across the street, i would stay with him and his wife.

the old addage "it's a small world" could not be more true. after twenty minutes of conversation we discovered that their son zach was a friend of mine, the man who recruited me for this cross country bike trip in the first place. from then on we were great friends, the hospitality had become almost family.

today it should hail, but not until later. i will try to make it to troy, PA. once i find a computer that can upload photos i will post them. until then wish me luck, it's one of my many adventure's of a lifetime.

the day before i leave on my adventure

the last few days I've been saying my goodbyes. I've been going to see every concert in Ithaca, giving my pop punk friends the last hurrah the bands and crowd deserve. I've been saying goodbye to all my unrelated little brothers and sisters who I've had the privilege to teach to swim. My bosses, or should I say mentors, are all excited for me and this incredible trip. Five years in the wanting, a year in the savings, I am about to ride my bike to the Pacific by myself. No politics, no compromising, just me, my journey, and countless new faces. My skills as an eagle scout have saved my own life in the wilderness more times than I'd like to admit. I've saved myself from drowning in the Delaware river, I've splinted my own knee and protected it until I made my way to a doctor, I've made stretchers, sleds and bridges out of logs to help myself and others escape storms with injured companions. These experiences don't just make me tough, they make me smart in emergencies. To this day I use my creativity to fix my bike, not the expensive and confusing assortment of tools that can be found in bike shops. I owe so much to others, but I owe this trip to myself. I will blog, I will take pictures, I will let the world see what I see. Into the unknown I go.