Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Trial Run
Today we returned from a mini bike vacation to prepare us for the longer ride starting this Sunday, September 4th. We rode to Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, IL. It was 83 miles round trip. We stayed in a cabin and ate some great food at the lodge. One of the perks of riding so many miles on a bike is you get to eat some great food!!
We did experience a flat tire yesterday on the way to Pere Marquette and then today we had head winds all the way home. It gave us some good experience of how we would handle a day riding in the wind. At home we always look at the wind direction before we ride so that we can go into the wind starting out and then have the tail wind coming home when we are more tired. With a ride like we are getting ready to do we won't have that option. We will have to put up with what we are given. We took more breaks today than we normally take and of course, there was a lot less coasting!! One of our breaks was to fuel up with food and gatorade but we had some fun with a camera also.
We really enjoyed riding along the Mississippi River and we discovered that we pedal faster than the barges going upriver. How is that for speed?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Pondering the Preparation
In 2 weeks we leave and do I feel that I am ready? No. We are slowly getting there but I don't feel prepared yet, physically or mentally. As I have been preparing for our bicycle trip, several times I wondered what it was like for my 1911 relatives to prepare for their journey. I went back and read their manuscript again to glean more detailed information. When comparing the journeys they are so different.
This was a life change for them. For us it is basically a vacation. They were dependent on strangers along the way for camping places, water wells, information, some food and even shelter at times. We will be self dependent on ourselves for the most part. We will have a support vehicle close enough that if we need anything or have a problem all we have to do is pull our cell phone out and make a call.
They traveled 12-15 miles a day and we will travel 50 miles a day. The middle of the afternoon they had to begin looking for a suitable place to camp over night. We know where we will be staying each night for we have advance reservations.
In her manuscript, Sophronia Cousins states: "Never once in our crossing of the State of Missouri were we refused permission to camp" and also goes on to say "The farmers were most generous. At milking time we were often given a gallon or so of fresh milk, sometimes butter, bread, fresh vegetables and fruit. Most invited us to come visit for a while after supper. These invitations were accepted in the hopes that there might be cake and lemonade."
The four of us making this 2011 journey really will have a much easier time than our 1911 relatives did. Even our preparations are much easier compared to theirs. So maybe I am more prepared than I think. Only time will tell.
This was a life change for them. For us it is basically a vacation. They were dependent on strangers along the way for camping places, water wells, information, some food and even shelter at times. We will be self dependent on ourselves for the most part. We will have a support vehicle close enough that if we need anything or have a problem all we have to do is pull our cell phone out and make a call.
They traveled 12-15 miles a day and we will travel 50 miles a day. The middle of the afternoon they had to begin looking for a suitable place to camp over night. We know where we will be staying each night for we have advance reservations.
In her manuscript, Sophronia Cousins states: "Never once in our crossing of the State of Missouri were we refused permission to camp" and also goes on to say "The farmers were most generous. At milking time we were often given a gallon or so of fresh milk, sometimes butter, bread, fresh vegetables and fruit. Most invited us to come visit for a while after supper. These invitations were accepted in the hopes that there might be cake and lemonade."
The four of us making this 2011 journey really will have a much easier time than our 1911 relatives did. Even our preparations are much easier compared to theirs. So maybe I am more prepared than I think. Only time will tell.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Centennial Anniversary Bike Ride
In February 2010 I received a copy of a book manuscript that a relative had written. It recounted their journey from St. Louis, Missouri to the panhandle of Oklahoma starting in the year 1911. They left for health reasons and were going to a drier climate - California. Along the way they gave concerts and took pictures that were made into postcards. Also, they were not in any hurry to make it to California, they wanted to enjoy the journey.
It was fun reading about their adventures and struggles along the way. I also enjoyed learning historical facts about that time period. Plus it gave me insight to my past history. My grandmother, at age 2, was the youngest member of this traveling party.
When I finished reading the manuscript I had a very strange thought that I couldn't get out of my head. I realized that this September 4, 2011, would be the 100th anniversary of their leaving St. Louis. I found it very ironic that I now lived in the area that they left from, that I had an account of their journey that told the towns they went through, and that this big anniversary was coming up. I wondered how I could celebrate this centennial anniversary. The thought that wouldn't leave my mind was that Clay and I could ride the same route they took, on our tandem bicycle. (Wasn't that nice of me to include Clay?)
On September 4, 2011 we will leave St. Louis, starting at my great great grandmother's grave, and end in Kansas City (approximately 300 miles) where they spent the winter of 1911. In 2012 we will continue the journey as they did in 1912, and go to the panhandle of Oklahoma, where they eventually settled (they never made it to California). See the tabs at the top of the page for the routes we will take. Going along with us will be Tom and Susan Weaver, my sister and her husband. They will be switching back and forth between driving a support vehicle and riding a bicycle.
Maybe some day my great great child will read this blog and learn something about their history.
It was fun reading about their adventures and struggles along the way. I also enjoyed learning historical facts about that time period. Plus it gave me insight to my past history. My grandmother, at age 2, was the youngest member of this traveling party.
When I finished reading the manuscript I had a very strange thought that I couldn't get out of my head. I realized that this September 4, 2011, would be the 100th anniversary of their leaving St. Louis. I found it very ironic that I now lived in the area that they left from, that I had an account of their journey that told the towns they went through, and that this big anniversary was coming up. I wondered how I could celebrate this centennial anniversary. The thought that wouldn't leave my mind was that Clay and I could ride the same route they took, on our tandem bicycle. (Wasn't that nice of me to include Clay?)
On September 4, 2011 we will leave St. Louis, starting at my great great grandmother's grave, and end in Kansas City (approximately 300 miles) where they spent the winter of 1911. In 2012 we will continue the journey as they did in 1912, and go to the panhandle of Oklahoma, where they eventually settled (they never made it to California). See the tabs at the top of the page for the routes we will take. Going along with us will be Tom and Susan Weaver, my sister and her husband. They will be switching back and forth between driving a support vehicle and riding a bicycle.
Maybe some day my great great child will read this blog and learn something about their history.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)