Update #27 - July 26, 2005
Parksburg, PA
9205.17 miles (14,728.27 kms.)

The ride from MA to Parksburg, PA went okay. The hardest part were actually riding around Boston, MA and NW New Jersey. The route was more circular than straight and there were a lot of hills and stoplights to deal with. I camped out in some woods outside of Middlefield, MA. In Shrewsbury, MA, I had a home visit with one of the Warm Showers Cycling Hospitality members. I was the guy's first guest off the list in about six years. In Stafford Springs, CT, I spent the night at the Methodist Church. They were getting ready for their vacation Bible school. I camped out in one of the upstairs classrooms. While munching on pizza, I watched the Lion King II.

The next five nights, I spent camping out in my tent. Two of the times were in churchyards (Benardsville, CT and Exton, PA). One time was in a park in New Preston, CT and the other two were in the woods outside of Tomkins Cove, NY and Quakertown, PA. The time outside of Tomkins Cove, NY was actually along a bike path that followed an old railroad near the Hudson River. I had a long ride getting to and over the Bear Mountain Bridge (north of Peekskill, NY from New Preston, CT and I had to find some cover since there was thunderstorms passing through the Hudson River Valley. The tent stayed dry.

Because of the heat, I've been getting on the road around 7 a.m., taking some big stretches of time off the road between noon and 3 p.m., and then riding till around 8 or 9 p.m. depending how much light there still is. I've been making between 40 and 73 miles that way. Yesterday, I wasn't able to get the tent down and the bike packed up till around 11 a.m. because of late morning thunderstorms. The tent stayed dry through the storm.

In New Holland, PA along the Delaware, River, I had a neat experience watching a live steam engine train pull out of the station. The engine and Pullman cars were built in the 1920s. The live steam locomotive was one of the few still being used in this country. It was being used to take tourists on 45 minute trips.

Speaking of miles, in two more miles I'll be passing another milestone. I'll have ridden the equivalent of six times around the Equator (149,406 miles) since Feb. 19, 1993. I never thought that I would cycle this far so soon. 150,000 miles is about a week and a half away. Because of the new recumbent, I've been able to ride between 350 and 580 miles per week. With the old recumbent, I only was able to ride up to 350 miles per week.

I'm heading around Baltimore, MD. My goal for late this afternoon or tomorrow morning is the cross the Susquehenna River near Holtwood, PA. If I'm able to make some connection with a Warm Showers Member in the Washington, D.C. area, I'll take a day or two off the road there. This should be in about three days. If not, I'll be heading SW to Asheville, NC and then south to Americus, GA. I hope to be in Americus in about 3 weeks. From Americus, I might be heading back to the Midwest (Ft. Wayne, IN) area. I hope to be able to take some time off the road to help and elderly friend there. This might give the needed time off the road to write completely or start to write the book that everybody wants me to do.

I'll try and post and update as often as I can if my plans change.