2 Things

We think this church is a can of cool beans. What do you think? 

Shout out to our first hosts! 

Beautiful Virginia

So, from the moment I stepped off the plane I have been frequently reminded of how wrong I was to have underestimated Virginia's beauty - especially that which can be seen on a bicycle. 

Virginia... If only you were a woman...

Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway (2)

Yes, yes, we know - it looks cropped in. Real and true Black Bear! 

Beautiful, terraced farmland

Riding the Wave

(Daniel)

Two fellow cyclists we met a few days ago warned us to expect a lot of ups and downs between here and Kentucky, because along the TransAm Trail, "Virginia is the hilliest state of all." "Once past the Appalachians," they said, "you're golden."

A quick glance at our elevation map of southern Missouri, of course, erases any glint of hope the two girls might have instilled in us (the Ozarks are described as one long, exhausting roller coaster ride), yet regardless, they had one thing right: Virginia is hilly.

As we've trekked over those hills, however, a curious thing has happened: whereas at one point--as anyone who's ever ridden a bicycle can attest--the free fall of riding down a steep slope may have been accompanied by a jolly, gleeful feeling (and maybe, if steep enough, even a rush of adrenaline!), those states of exhilaration, over the past few days, have been slowly supplanted by feelings of dread each time we see our path sloping downward, for we know what lies ahead: a sweaty, exhausting ascent.

"What goes down, must come up," has been our unwelcome but reoccurring theme so far, and the natural contours of the earth have begun to play with my mind; I can't enjoy the ease and smooth-sailing of traveling downhill anymore, for any enjoyment is overshadowed by that fear of the next grueling stretch beyond. Instead, I groan to myself each time I anticipate in angst those abysmal curves...

At Graceland this past semester, the theatre department put on the play "The Exit Interview," a contemporary and deeply philosophical sketch with a satirical feel and significant modern relevance. At the end of the performance, the main character is confronted by a gunman who confesses that her violent actions (a school shooting resulting in at least 4 deaths) are the consequence of her depressed mood. She states that her doctor had prescribed her medicine for what seems to be a diagnosis of extreme Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), where gloomy weather and rain--a motif throughout the play--routinely darken her perspective on humanity.

Despite his best attempts, the main character is unable to talk the woman out of her violent depression, and she lifts the gun to shoot him dead. Yet right before she pulls the trigger, a cellphone rings, with a text message signed curiously as "God". The hero, seizing the opportunity to distract the gunman, hands over the phone...

"God, is that you?" the woman writes back tentatively.

"Yes," the phone reads.

"God, it's raining, and I'm very sad. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't handle it! Won't it ever stop raining?!"

[Pause]

"Yes, it will stop raining," God assures her.

"Tomorrow?" the antagonist pleas.

           "...No, not tomorrow. :( " 

"The day after that?!"

          "Yes, the day after that. :) "

[Pause]

"And the day after that God?"

         "Sunny again. :) "

"And what about the day after that God, what then?"

         "Rainy. :( "

"But God! That depresses me...."

To which God replies: "So?"

That scene of the play was my favorite and perhaps the most emotional segment of the whole show, as it so beautifully and simply portrayed exactly what these Virginia hills have been reminding me these past few days:

Life, friends, is one long wave of ups and downs.

You may try to hold onto those euphoric moments that flitter fleetingly into your life. You may scream or curse the misfortunes that come your way. But, eventually, you know what? Life moves on, and counter-balance is inevitable. 

I became close friends last year with a kid who, although not yet diagnosed (he refuses to see a doctor about it, for fear of the answer), exhibits all the signs of manic-depressive bipolar disorder. His waves of emotional extremities come in short bursts; his highs ranging between 4-5 days to maybe a week or even two. During this time, the guy was unstoppable: his energy could last for hours on end, and his intellectual acuity and speed was delightfully, scarily, fast. In these periods, my friend could crank out flawless 6-page papers under an hour in one sudden, ceaseless stream of consciousness--and his thoughts were brilliant. But when my friend was down--he was out of commission. Little, seemingly inconsequential events that, in his best of moments would go ignored entirely, would send him careening over the edge and leave him shattered and isolated for hours, if not days, in furious anguish.

I recently found out, from my friend, that I am, of Lee's 6 Love Styles, a "Manic" lover: obsessive and jealous, but capable of feeling emotional highs and lows so great that they overwhelm even my (otherwise frustratingly rational) mind. My friend assured me that being a manic, although certainly at times discouraging and even prohibitive, was ultimately a gift. He thinks that (like him), emotional extremes help not just in managing and founding sound perspective, they help you connect with a wider range of others and--most importantly--drive forward the accumulation of wisdom, since new thoughts and ideas always accompany out of ordinary experiences. He may be right. I believe that those moments which define us most--indeed create us--are none other than those which imprint themselves into our being during our most intense of ups and downs. 

It occurs to me that too many of us, the creatures of comfort we are, actively avoid the highs and lows of human emotion for fear of the possible descent for which they may result--the vulnerability, say, of letting down our barriers; the grief and sorrow of losing a loved one to circumstances beyond our control. In much the same way I have learned not to enjoy the free-falls of the backside of the mountain, we human beings lose sight of the moment for fear of their unknown consequence. Instead of allowing ourselves the breadth of experience--the extreme joys as well as the extreme pains--we save ourselves from such possibilities by choosing, instead, the flat, uniform terrain of traditional, "safe" living. 

Yet what is life, if not the acquisition of experience?

As I look toward the miles ahead of us, and the many, unpredictable climbs I've yet to muscle through, my hope is that, at the height of each crest... as I've pedaled up and finally reached the summit...I not only begin to treat the descent as a reward, even a gift, for my hard work, but that I also take a moment to capture the beauty of the climb--for the two are intrinsically, forever intertwined. 

Couchsurfing: If you're not doing it, you're missing out!

(Thomas)

Couchsurfer #1: Charlottesville, VA

Meet Drew,

An enthusiastic traveler, husband, and hilarious host. 

He was the individual that first allowed Daniel and I to accompany his homestead through Couchsurfing on this trip. His process of screening CS travelers like us? 

"I always press accept before reading the request" Amazing. 

Eventually our exchange of words, like most conversation, lead to Drew's profession - a most intriguing subject.

His Profession: Freelance Writer

What He Writes About: How to Travel for free

Yes, free.

Before playing an intense game of Ultimate Frisbee at a local park in Charlottesville, Daniel and I filled the air between us and Drew with questions about his blogging career. Drew holds a unique position. He writes about how to travel, for free. Yes, that's right. Travel. For free. How much sweeter could 2 words be combined? We had to press Drew for the details, but his story slowly unraveled the more we questioned. Essentially, Drew is in the business with credit card companies. And when I say "business" I mean he describes ways in which to sign up for "multiple credit cards to get the miles bonus" and use those bonuses to travel anywhere. Yeah, anywhere. Through various and mildly complicated procedures, Drew can get these bonuses from just about any credit card company that offers it. "I sign up for a new credit card every 3 months... from every bank" Drew told us. Most credit cards these days require a certain level of spending to receive the frequent flier miles many of you probably have heard of, if not used. But what Drew has figured out is a way to "manufacture spending" in such a way that his money is always re-routed back to where it came from: right in his own pocket. Sometimes this might mean buying coins from the US mint and re-exchanging them for cash, other times paying his wife through PayPal (the computers don't know the difference, they just see credit transactions). Regardless, the results are inarguable; with this system Drew and his wife Carrie have traveled across the globe many times over. Anywhere from Europe to China to Indonesia to Bali to Mexico. You name the place, they either have already been there--or are planning it for their next vacation. Drew alleges he spends, annually, approximately 25% of his time at home, and the other 75% traveling with his wife. Any ethical reservations Drew and Carrie may have are outweighed by the understanding that banks are always cheating people out of their money (usury rates or 2007 house bubble, anyone?)--so why can't the scams go both ways? 

Needless to say, Daniel and I were captivated - tangled in a deep net of hopes and dreams that someday we too could take our wives, family, and friends to anywhere in the world, never paying for a plane ticket again. We also learned that this trick isn't really a trick at all.. in fact, many websites give the same information, and banks are well aware of the trend. The trick is to always be one step ahead of the credit card companies.

 If you wish to investigate, here's a link to Drew's website: 

http://travelisfree.com/

Professional shenanigans aside, we had a great time with these two incredibly generous and engaging hosts. You two rock! Thanks again!

Thomas, Daniel, Drew and Caroline (Carrie). 

Some really great people, and friends. 

Couchsurfer #2: Lexington, VA

In Lexington, Daniel and I lucked out by contacting and staying with Dirk, who opened his house up to us both and treated us like sons. Dirk, 45, lives on the edge of town and frequently opens his doors for travelers like us. When we texted him as we we approached the city, he responded by letting us know that he would be home from work within the hour, but to "go on inside and make yourself comfortable, the front door is open"! We couldn't believe it.

Need another example of this man's boundless generosity? After he got home and we had said our introductions, Dirk informed us that from 4:30 to 8:00 he would be coaching his daughter's soccer league in the neighboring town of Straunton, but that, should we want to hang out, he had plenty of drinks in the fridge. When we responded that we'd thought about heading into town for groceries, he tossed us the keys to his jeep, $25, and said "fill her up and you can take the truck into town, that oughta save you some time."

You've gotta be kidding me!

As if that weren't enough, when we got back Dirk had bought steaks, corn, asparagus and onions to grill out, and treated us to a delicious and hefty meal before sending us off to bed.

When we asked him how the heck he got to be this way, he said that "I've traveled a lot over the years, and people around the world have showed me lots of kindness. I guess this is just my way of giving back and returning the favor."

That favor did not go unnoticed. Dirk? We promise to pay it forward someday. Word's aren't enought to express how grateful we are. Thanks so much for your kind hospitality. You're awesome.

4 Day Plan -- Riding the Appalachian Trail

5/22 - We will be heading to Afton  (outside Waynesboro).  {+ 28 miles}

5/23 - Lexington or beyond  {+ 49.5 miles}

5/24 - Aiming for Daleville (outside Roanoke/Cloverdale)  {+ 50 miles}

5/25 - Christiansburg  {+ 44 miles}

A Word of Truth

(Thomas)

So, as I sit in Shenandoah Joe Coffee House (in Charlottesville), I can't help but feel obligated to tell you about the "not so good" side we've experienced just in the past 2 days. Bicycling is tough... 50 miles on a fully loaded touring bike (about 70 pounds of equipment, plus a bike weighing 27.5 lbs, and that additional water weight!) is not easy. Combine that with these Virginian hills, 85 degree weather, a sore butt, and exhausted legs.... Makes for a tough trip.

I have to remind myself, while sweating up a storm, increasingly thirsty, hungry, and tired, that the journey is the blessing. Yet, I'd like to emphasize, that sometimes that's hard to remember. From an outside view looking in, I'm sure many of you think our venture sounds like a joyous tour around the country filled with adventure, beautiful skies, and a cool breeze! At least, that's what we were expecting.

But it isn't always this way. In fact, many times during the day I yell at myself for thinking this was a good idea to begin with! (some slight humor--but really).

The rewards are nice, of course. I already have a greater appreciation for some small things: A/C, water, showering, other cyclists, and the concept of 10 miles! 10 miles becomes much more real on a bicycle... much more. But sometimes these things are outweighed by the more visible discomforts.

Yesterday, for instance, Daniel and I had to physically get off our bikes and walk up a road while coming into Charlottesville. The road was a steep hillside that followed miles of ups and downs through the Virginia countryside. Day 2 and we had to walk half a mile. My pride and spirit hurt from that one.

Now granted, it was a rather large hill ;)  But, as I reflect, I realize something essential - we made it!! and I feel good about that.

The lessons learned over this trip will surely grow in number, but so far here are a few things we've embraced in terms of safety:

Even with our limited experience so far, I feel much better about cycling on the road. Being cautious yet aggressive is necessary.

Daniel and I have devised a couple techniques to stay safer:

1. Be obvious - don't make rash moves. Clear intentions are better for you and the driver.
2. Take the lane - don't always hug the right side of the road, act as a "car" and let it be known you're on the road. This is something that is tough to do because you find yourself fighting the instinct to stay out of the way of traffic. I read being about 2 feet from the curb is best. It has worked well so far. 
3. Always stop - Stop signs are for bikers as well! I got stitches from a failure to do so last semester..
4. Hills - you want a stopping point with high visibility, so the top of a hill (when you're most tired!) is not the place to do so. 
5. Flashing lights - Daniel and I both have red blinking lights attached to the back of our equipment. I feel that this is a great asset to our safety because it can be seen better than a neon shirt while in the shadows of trees or when the sky is cloudy. 
6. Most importantly - Don't cycle next to Daniel. He seems to be the frequent catalyst to any of my near crashes, due to his tendency to swerve while focusing on his stirrups, his helmet mirror, or God knows what.

Day 3: Charlottesville, VA

Daniel and I just spent the night at "Alexanders House" - a hostel in the center of town. Great place - free food and a good location. We stumbled upon it randomly, and luckily (after cycling 56 miles yesterday).

Today we plan on spending the day walking around Charlottesville - enjoying the historical sites it has to offer. Thomas Jefferson's house is near by, something we were told is a must see, and have already seen many creative, exciting points of the city.

Tonight we're staying with a CouchSurfer named Drew. We're meeting up with him in an hour or so.

The muscles are sore, but not too bad. Enjoying the warm Virginian air.

Larry Meeks - host father

Gail Meeks - host mother (very motherly indeed! thank you thank you)

Freedom after Highway 60... Thank you Jesus.

Turns out Virginia is much prettier than expected.

First river crossing.

So this is something interesting - these little buggers are everywhere. Seriously. Millions. Millions. Millions. They live in the forested areas here in Virginia and provide a constant scarily loud dull while traveling through. At first we thought it was the wind howling through the trees, but nope, just some cicadas. 

Also, wear sunglasses. When cycling downhill connecting with one can hurt. First hand experience... in the face. 

Daniel peddlin along.

Street art in Charlottesville. Done solely with chalk. Caption: "Conserve the Lands... And Waters"

Breakfast at "Alexanders House" (neat little hostel). 

Let's Be Honest...

Okay... Confession time:

While we may have told many of you a variety of pseudo-truths (okay fine...you may translate this as "fibs") about our training experience as we geared up for the big bicycle tour, the truth is before two days ago, we had never ridden more than ~ 35 miles.

Yikes.

Really, as the questions poured in about all the many accumulated inadequacies/holes in our planning that were so apparent from the outside looking in (thanks everyone for keeping us straight)... we were tired of hearing about how much pain and under-preparedness we would be experiencing on the journey. So, truth by told, we just opted to save ourselves the continued harassment and tell you a variety of cycling-lengths--from 40 to 50 miles--so as to save face at least a LITTLE before the big day came.

Honestly, there were so many variables and components to our trip that were crucial to even getting here, that between finals week (read "month") and the plane tickets/food/gear/tent/bike tools--we found it very difficult to bike as much as we admittedly should have before we came into Virginia. We just figured, I suppose, that the bike trip itself would build the necessary muscle and endurance needed to meet our goals. Start out slow, work up from there... right?

Well sort of.

The first day, a desperate dash to Mineral, VA over an overly-crowded and dangerous state highway and through scattered rainstorms was not what we had intended for our first leg of the journey. It was only 49.2 miles, but it kicked our butts. We started asking ourselves whether we'd made a rash decision in not training for this trip. We had. We then asked ourselves whether pride would be a valid enough reason not to quit. It isn't. On top of all this, that first 20 miles scared the shit out of us, since our (very generous and parental) hosts had sent us out of Richmond on the major highway connecting Midlothian to Lexington--a highway that consisted of hundreds of cars zooming around us, honking their horns, and, quite often, profanity-screaming drivers as they told us how stupid we were to be riding on hwy 60.

Add to this our ongoing psychosis of getting hit by a car. (Thomas was struck by a truck last semester, and it's added a particularly influential weight onto his shoulders). At one point, a trashy woman in her boyfriend's diesel 4x4 even leaned out the window to spit at us, "YOU ARE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN!"

Thomas and I had no choice but to keep riding--but I can tell you this: If the whole journey were any remnant of that first 20 mile leg, we would be finding the first ticket back to Kansas.

Anyway, we're safe and sound in Charlottesville now--after two days of hills. The roads ACA suggests are much better, slower, and less traveled. We've gone miles with only a couple cars. What a relief. And you know what? That muscle is coming along quite nicely.