Touring Tunes

Not only sights, but scents have been notable just a few days into our journey thus far: lilacs, freshly cut grass, lots of manure in the farm lands, and car exhaust along the long busy stretches with narrow shoulders and big trucks. One town smelled like freshly baked cookies for several blocks. It was blissful.

After forking over a hefty sum last night just for a place to set up our tent and hitting a bike shop in Wrightsville today to get Jamie’s derailleur adjusted (hopefully for the last time) and get Greg’s rear wheel trued up, we wanted find a frugal way to spend the evening. We started scouting out a park as a place to do some rogue camping, but a few kindly joggers told us about a shop a couple of miles away called Shank’s Mare (quite an appropriate place to end up considering our mode of travel) that would allow us to set up camp alongside of their store for free. We got a glorious view of the river at sunset, some clean facilities to use, and a free place to rest!

The weather is gorgeous and we are looking forward to putting in more miles tomorrow. After breakfast of course. And after tonight’s culinary curiosity of macaroni and cheese-powder with a side dish of broken saltines smothered in PB&J, we are ready for some serious noshing.

We have to double back down 72 a bit to get back to Manheim, then we’re headed towards New Bridgeville… I think.

Got an early start and we’re quickly getting the hang of packing and cooking efficiently so we can put in some more miles each day. There are so many beautiful sights here: four-horse drawn plows turning up large swatches of earth, kind smiles and waves from plant-tending women in seemingly anachronistic cotton dresses and bonnets, and rolling hills that we steadily climb and gleefully descend.

Petunia got to run and play with her favorite soccer ball this morning at the camp site and ate a hearty breakfast. She is ready to ride!

Conquered a few killer hills today. One was so steep, we both had to dismount and push the bikes up the hill. When we got to the top, a nice cold sprinkle of rain cooled us off. It was like the universe was giving us a cookie.

Almost ran out of daylight before finding our current campsite in Manheim. We’ve just arrived and are looking forward to any sort of shower!

Here’s our map 2/2 we covered today. I’m feeling strong! Petunia is a happy pup- lots of peanut butter, water, chicken soup, chew sticks, running, and the wind in her hair when we cruise downhill!

We are prepared for the rain!

Several lovely people have already asked about our journey and shared their own bike tour trips. Today we stopped for lunch and recharging electronics at a pizza place along the trail. The staff there said we were the first folks this year who stopped in on their way across the TransAmerica route. Last year they met a man from Ireland who was doing the tour- we’re pretty sure it’s Garry– we met him while he was passing through New Jersey last summer. It’s a small world after all.