Wow, two posts in less than nine hours! I don't know what's gotten into me...
Actually, I forgot to mention that Dorcas has a new bike. Well, technically, it's not a bike it's a trike. We observed while traveling in Florida that recumbent bikes and recumbent trikes are very popular. That's probably due to the flat terrain, abundant paved trails, and all the geezers riding them. Dorcas' friend Audrey recently bought a Catrike. Catrikes are manufactured in Winter Garden, FL where we spend a great deal of time. We both demoed several of the trikes while we were there this past winter. The trikes are very comfortable and Audrey assured Dorcas she did not have a sore bottom, back, hands or neck from long rides. Dorcas has never really been comfortable on an upright bike and decided she really, really, NEEDED a trike. So, she ordered a Catrike Villager before we left for Arkansas and picked it up Saturday. It wasn't cheap, but now I don't have to worry about her falling over on her head. In preparation for the C & O trip, we spent this week getting it set up with luggage rack, panniers, flag, computer, flashers, bells and whistles. The real trick is hauling it. It will fit inside the Element but there's room for nothing else. For this trip we are hauling it on the roof rack and that seems to be working well (as we currently rip through Roanoke, VA on I81 at 65 mph). The real challenge will be on future adventures when we want to haul my conventional bike, a canoe and the trike on top of the Element. I expect we will look like the Clampetts moving out of Arkansas to Beverly Hills. If anybody has ideas for hauling, I'm open to suggestions.
In the meantime, I have made changes to the way I haul camping gear on my own bike. Previously, I used front and rear panniers. For this trip I purchased a B.O.B trailer. The B.O.B is advantageous because it takes weight off the bike and lowers the center of gravity. Also, it is easier to pack gear into one big vessel than into four little vessels. The luggage rack I use with panniers is a specialized rack purchased to accommodate the rear disc brake. The problem is, the hitch for the B.O.B. would not fit with the special luggage rack. My options were to remove either the luggage rack, the B.O.B. or the rear brake. After serious consideration, I decided to remove the rear brake. However, Dorcas convinced me that would be unwise. After further consideration, Dorcas agreed to carry my larger pannier set so, I jettisoned the rear rack and am carrying all my eggs in the B.O.B. basket. We'll see how that all works out.. Pictures at 11.
This is our first long trip without Matilda, so Dorcas is a little mopey. We left Matilda with friends, and she will probably have more fun than we will. She is staying with her two best puppy friends and her veterinarian on a nine acre fenced playground. Puppy heaven.
OK, this really is my last post for a while. Talk to you in June.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
They're Baaaaaack!!!
Faithful readers (if I have any left) will realize I have been grossly delinquent updating this journal. For this I apologize and promise to try to 
do better in the future. When I started this journal almost two years ago, it was very easy to write since everything we did and everyplace we went was new and exciting. Now, after traveling about 8 months per year for the last two years, it is not as new and exciting as it once was. Don't misunderstand, it's still wonderful to go to fabulous places and do fun things, but it has become more of a way of life and less something new and different. Consequently, it is harder to write about our adventures with the same fresh outlook. However, I have received feedback from at least one reader (who is still of the working class and very envious of our travels) that even a mundane report is appreciated, and it is missed when I don't write. So, I will strive 
to write more often, and to make these reports as interesting and entertaining as I can. Please post comments; it is motivating to know that you are out there.
For the Reader's Digest condensed version of our Spring Loop: We arrived home on Monday May 11 at 1:00. We had a doctor's appointment at 1:30. As you can see we are always reluctant to come home and usually wait until the last minute. After leaving northern Arkansas and the Buffalo River area we spent two nights at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. After that we spent two nights on the Natchez Trace Parkway and explored Vicksburg National Military Park. From there we continued south to Gulf Shores AL to attend a Country Coach rally. Finally, we spent a
week at Grayton Beach State Park on the Florida panhandle with friends from home. While there we enjoyed the beach and paddled several very nice creeks. We were away from home about a month and had a very nice trip.
Tomorrow we leave for another adventure. We are bike-camping on the C&O Canal National Historical Park. We will put in at Cumberland MD and pedal 185 miles along the Potomac River to Washington DC. Then we will u-turn and return to Cumberland. We will be carrying all our camping gear and much of our food and will be staying in campsites along the trail. We expect to be out 12 days. I will not carry a PC, so it will be a while before I can write (what else is new???). I do promise to write when we return.
Bon voyage.
do better in the future. When I started this journal almost two years ago, it was very easy to write since everything we did and everyplace we went was new and exciting. Now, after traveling about 8 months per year for the last two years, it is not as new and exciting as it once was. Don't misunderstand, it's still wonderful to go to fabulous places and do fun things, but it has become more of a way of life and less something new and different. Consequently, it is harder to write about our adventures with the same fresh outlook. However, I have received feedback from at least one reader (who is still of the working class and very envious of our travels) that even a mundane report is appreciated, and it is missed when I don't write. So, I will strive 
to write more often, and to make these reports as interesting and entertaining as I can. Please post comments; it is motivating to know that you are out there.For the Reader's Digest condensed version of our Spring Loop: We arrived home on Monday May 11 at 1:00. We had a doctor's appointment at 1:30. As you can see we are always reluctant to come home and usually wait until the last minute. After leaving northern Arkansas and the Buffalo River area we spent two nights at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. After that we spent two nights on the Natchez Trace Parkway and explored Vicksburg National Military Park. From there we continued south to Gulf Shores AL to attend a Country Coach rally. Finally, we spent a
week at Grayton Beach State Park on the Florida panhandle with friends from home. While there we enjoyed the beach and paddled several very nice creeks. We were away from home about a month and had a very nice trip.Tomorrow we leave for another adventure. We are bike-camping on the C&O Canal National Historical Park. We will put in at Cumberland MD and pedal 185 miles along the Potomac River to Washington DC. Then we will u-turn and return to Cumberland. We will be carrying all our camping gear and much of our food and will be staying in campsites along the trail. We expect to be out 12 days. I will not carry a PC, so it will be a while before I can write (what else is new???). I do promise to write when we return.
Bon voyage.
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