
Backroads Finds Wonders
July 25, 2022 Over the past few weeks, we have spent most of our time on backroads. Using a couple bicycling apps, we have seen few cars on the road. Yet, as we travelled further west, those back farm roads are turning more and more into gravel roads. So, the past couple of days, we have used the routes as suggestions. When the computer tells us to turn, we look to see if it is gravel. If so, we continue until the next paved road. This seems to be working. One of the things I

Where Are You Going?
July 21, 2022 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7: 13-14 When we started out across country tandem bike ride, the most common comment was “you must be crazy.” Most people we talked with couldn’t imagine biking across country. A cyclist a few years older than me said, “It is ab

Kairos Time
The thought that keeps coming to my mind is time. When on a bike, there is time to think about many things. Janet and I are able to talk about what we see, what we have been reading, or anything else. Even so, riding at least five hours a day gives time to think, reflect and pray. Over and over again, those quiet times have been focusing on time. As we bike west, we start each day about 6:00, drinking coffee, eating breakfast, morning devotions and getting everything packed b

Plans Change: Onto Chicago
We learned not to trust Google Maps for biking in Ohio. We were so proud of ourselves for getting out of the hotel in St. Clairsville early. The 4th of July was a pleasant day to bike. Sunny with a light breeze. Our maps took us mostly in gravel roads. Yet the scenery was wonderful, and the traffic was gone. A bit hiller than the towpath, but doable. Then, we came through the town of Barnesville, Ohio. We had a quick down followed by a steeper up. As we tried to power up the


Pennsylvania, West Virginia into Ohio
On Wednesday, we biked up 26 miles from Cumberland to the Eastern Continental Divide. The grade was 2-3% the entire time. When we got to the top, we were a bit tired. Yet, the ride down was at a 0-1% grade util Pittsburgh. So, we rode 75 miles from Cumberland to Ohiopyle, PA. It was more than we should have done. We were both completely wiped out. Barely had enough energy for dinner and getting some sleep. This made Thursday a shorter ride, as we rode 42 miles to west Newton,