Lousiana Here They Come!

Well it looks like the little Verizon dude couldn’t keep up with our trio today. They made it to Merryville, LA but no Verizon service. Jack, Chuck and Sharon rode about 52 miles and the weather and roads were good. Jack will catch you all up tomorrow on the trip, but they made camp and were about to get some dinner and then head off to bed. I just want to say a special thank you to Sharon and Chuck for making this journey with Jack. It takes some pretty special people to undertake something this big and I think they really are! Can't wait to see what adventures tomorrow brings them!

Day Two

What a fantastic day! Bill, Chuck, Sharon and I rode 61 miles, met some new friends, saw some great scenery and got a little closer to New York City. Today went very smoothly and I was surprised that I found myself relaxed and simply enjoying the ride even though we had to make more numerous stops because of the intense heat. And let me tell you... the one thing I overlooked in changing to a recumbent trike is how much closer you are to the asphalt. About 1300hrs when that ole Sun gets the pavement nice and hot it radiates up and I'm only about 6" above it. It's not too terribly bad while I'm moving it's when I have to stop at road intersections and the like that it feels like I'm sitting atop the cook stove! The next thing I overlooked was packing lightly. First thing this morning I jettisoned a major portion of my chow box and, the chow box itself! I reconfigured the load putting all the chow in the bottom of the dry bag and the camp gear atop it. The dry bag closed up nicely and the camp chair strapped atop it. I then tied a guy wire to the sign for stability and viola! Much more travel friendly.

We started out this morning with a hearty and delicious breakfast at Tarkington's. The service was friendly and we felt very welcome. Thank you so much to the Tarkington's and their staff for seeing us off this morning. When we left I felt like a roley poley and thought for sure I wouldn't eat for another 2 days... until about noon and then it was Ham Sandwich? Uh, heck yeah! ...and a brownie and 3 cokes and a liter of water. The day started off wonderfully cool from the previous nights rain. There was a dry and cool breeze from the NE and we just cruised on up the road enjoying the wonderful riding weather. Fifteen miles out we stopped for a break and spoke with folks at the Citgo just South of Batson.

We then got to ride on some brand-spakin'-pourin'-it-as-we're-ridin'-it pavement. It was like TXDOT was rolling out a brand new carpet for us and it was smooth and straight and cool with the trees shading the roadway. Motorists of all sorts were waving and giving thumbs-up and honking (good honking, not bad honking). As we were getting closer to Saratoga the ole quick silver began to climb with a bit more enthusiasm and the water bottles were drained quite rapidly and we got into some long rolling hills. Coming into Saratoga I spotted a petrol station but for some weird and inexplicable and stupid reason I thought "we'll stop at the next one." Well, let me tell ya... there isn't a next one in Saratoga, TX! So, about 10 miles up the road I was beginning to feel the heat and needed a break. I spotted a really pretty and very old live oak with a nice driveway under it and figured there couldn't be a more perfect spot. As we pulled up I saw the front of the house and a large POW-MIA flag and my intuition peaked again. Soon a gentleman appeared upon the porch and asked if we would like to come in and cool off. Enter Big Thicket Gun Runner, Bennie House. Bennie is a Vietnam Era Air Force Veteran and Class 3 arms dealer, and, a very likable fellow. He, his wife and boy were very nice and invited us in to cool off, get some cold water and use the facilities. We talked for quite some time then we took some pictures and exchanged tokens before we pedaled on down the road. I really like Bennie and hope good fortune for him and his family. They have a beautiful home and are genuinely nice Texas folks.

Seven miles further up the road we were in Kountze and stopped at the Brookshire Bros. for a deli lunch and refill on the H2O. Here we met some of the local retired fellas who happen to enjoy gathering here for the complimentary coffee and the companionship. Three of these old-timers were Veterans! One from WWI and 2 from the Korean War, which, by the way, is technically still going on though we are at a standstill. We ate cold sandwiches, fruit salads and Bill shared his brownie with me. We discussed truck driving and good roads with the fellas and they explained that after Silsbee we would happen upon Evadale, which the locals call "EvilSmale" because of the paper mill there and the odor it gives off from paper production. When asked what that smell is they answer simply "money." We topped off with a bag of ice and about 2 gallons of cold water from the soda fountain and headed on down the road.

At Silsbee we stopped at the CVS on Bus 96 and Sharon picked up some aerosol sunblock, I a large Gatorade and Bill used the facilities. We talked with some more folks and then started for the road when I noticed Sharon's front right tire seemed a bit low. Sure enough, it had a piece of glass in it and the Mr. Toughy got caught sleeping on the job. I figured if she had used Mrs. Toughy she wouldn't have gotten the flat. ;o) Sharon, being an experienced and professional flat-fixer-person had it repaired in nothing flat (no pun intended) and we were ready to continue much to Chuck's displeasure as he was enjoying the warm concrete on his backside!

The closer we got to EvilSmale the more I began to wonder about my plan to rough it in the river bottom for the night. Hot, tired and sweaty-stinky I would much rather have some place with a hose that I could use to wash off with. Well, as luck would have it my wishes would soon come to fruition. Lois and Doug had borrowed Sharon's SUV for a run to Dallas relating to a trampoline and Britney Spears... I kid you not. Anyway, they brought the vehicle to EvilSmale for Sharon and Chuck to use on our ride. When they got to town they stopped in the parking lot of the central baptist church to wait for us. When we arrived we began speaking to some local folks who were decorating the church for a wedding. Everybody mentioned that we were going to look for a place to camp in the river bottom and that we were not very excited about it. So, somebody fetched the Associate Pastor, Scott Loar, and he offered that we stay the night at the church utilizing the sunday school rooms for rooms and there are restrooms and air conditioning. Well, you ain't gotta ask me twice, brother! That was the best offer I had heard all day and it was very much appreciated. So we stowed our gear and headed down to Chuck's BBQ for a bite to eat... again! (I'm gonna get fatter instead of skinnier on this trip!)

Bill loaded his bike in Doug's & Lois' van and headed back home at this time. I will miss riding with Bill in the days to come as I really enjoy the Colonel's company. Bill, thank you for dinner and the hotel room. Enjoy the ride and I'll see you in about a month!

Chuck's is located on the corner of 96&105 in Evadale and hoo-ee, as Justin Wilson used to say. That was some mighty fine Texas BBQ! Chuck started serving his brand of BBQ out of a small tool shed on 26JUN2006 and later opened the small and very clean place he has now. I would venture to say that Mrs. Chuck put the finishing touches on the place it it is quaint and friendly and clean and just really nice. Couple that with some fantastic BBQ and you got a winning ticket every time.

We then stopped and picked up and ice chest, a bag of ice and my magic morning elixir, which I have been without for 2 mornings now... orange juice and mountain dew! Ah, nectar of the gods! I couldn't wait 'til morning and poured me a small glass. I downed it faster than I liked to and now wait patiently for my morning alarm as I bring y'all up to date with our day's mission.

Tomorrow we head for Louisiana. I imagine it will continue to be hot but, then again, we have managed to miss all the rain, travel some exceptionally nice roadways and meat some really nice Texans. I will try and post some pictures in days to come. I am operating off of a Verizon "Air Card" for internet service and am limited to 5 gig per month. When I get to an area with free wifi I'll load the pics for all to see.

I am hearing a high-pitched rattling in my right brake caliper (the one that's mounted upside down). Everything seems tight but that rattling is rather irritating as it is the only noise emanating from the terratrike. On the other hand, I'm super happy with the performance of the terratrike and it is very well built. Riding chip seal pavement today on HWY96 at 14 and the only noise was the brake/brake pad rattle. Anyway, anybody familiar with the Avid 7 mechanical brakes? Let me know if there is a fix for this by dropping a comment below. And thanks for the help!

Lastly, c'mon guys and gals! We've only got 2 followers on our blog! We have got to do better than that. Please pass this blog along to your friends, family, co-workers, dog sitters, grocery sackers, etc. Let's see if we can't boost our numbers before we get out of Louisiana. HOOAH!

Well, off to bed now. Tomorrow is a short ride at only 50 miles. Hopefully that will give us time to check out some local history and culture. Let us see what tomorrow brings.

Enjoy the ride!

Day One In The Bag!

HOOAH!

First off, a shout out to Durrett Motor Company and Lee Weed for the digital camera, equipment and support! Your support is greatly appreciated and will help in the success of this mission.

Our test ride to Brazos Bend State Park went well. We learned a few things and came home smarter and more prepared for this mission. It was really hot and humid and even with sunscreen on I still burnt the tops of my legs and my nose! I learned that 60 miles per day while pulling 60 pounds (or more) of gear is about all I want to do on any given day! I also learned that BBSP has a serious raccoon problem. I mean, once the sun set that place was covered up with little masked bandits! They searched each campsite methodically examining every single piece of strange material in the hopes that it would be edible. I had my food locker strapped to the trailer until I got tired of chasing off raccoons every 20 minutes and brought it into the tent only to wake up to one of the little buggers standing up weaving back & forth while peering into the tent. I chased it off only to have him return 20 minutes later with a gang of his thieving buddies. When I shined my light out of the tent at him there were at least 30 sets of eyeballs shining back at me! This went on until about 0400hrs when they seemed to head off either for better scavenging grounds or the safety of their little lairs!

Today came off almost without a hitch. My good friend Benson (see photo on left of page) joined me for the ride to San Jacinto Battlegrounds. Nobody showed at Sun & Ski except a Fox News cameraman which was a nice surprise. We did an interview and shot some footage and then headed down the road. We picked up my friend Doc Elena at Bay Area Cycling which was another pleasant surprise as she hurt her knee a week or so ago. We picked up Sharon, Chuck and Bill at Bike Barn and it was nice to see and ride with Bill again.

We pedaled over to San Jacinto without incident and had workers in the refineries whistling and clapping while motorists waved, honked and cheered. Texas State Parks needs to work on their training program a little bit as when we arrived at the entry point the young lady on duty wanted to charge us each a $1.00 entry fee even with disabled license plates and the relative special needs of our little entourage. I showed my ID and indicated the disabled license plates on our chase truck (my chevy colorado) and asked if it was not TPWD policy that Disabled Veterans are allowed in with no access fee. (I know, you're thinking it's only a dollar and the park requires maintenance etc... well, I'm just a stickler for the rules). She called somebody else who also insisted on the entrance fee so, we paid and continued on our way. I hit the latrine to evacuate my morning mountain dew and grabbed a can of coke from the vending machine (the old snack bar and gift shop no longer exists).

About the time I was getting back to the group Fox news arrived and, low and behold, didn't pay an entrance fee... Hmmm? We had a very nice chat with the news guys and shot some more footage, which is posted below for y'all to view once you finish reading this.

About 2 miles past the ferry landing Chuck's bottom bracket/crankset failed. He tightened it up but it cut loose again at IH10. He shuffled his bike into the Texaco and Sharon called David to come fix the problem. It turns out the bottom bracket that was replaced this past Monday was the wrong one and David had to take Chuck and his bike back to his house for repair. We continued on through Crosby and then on to Dayton and finally Liberty. Later Chuck rode to my house and Theresa brought him to Liberty via truck.

Upon their arrival we all went to Tarkington's for some chow. The place was very clean and friendly and the food was of good quality and quite tasty. I had steak & shrimp with a potato and salad. I topped it off with an irresistible homemade coconut cream pie and washed it all down with a sprite. We visited for a bit with Marc Tarkington and his wife and staff about the trip and Marc invited us in for a free breakfast to get us started in the morning. Thank you very much, Marc! We will definitely be taking you up on your offer.

I found that I have a little too much weight on the top of the trailer and while cruising downhill it sways causing the entire trike to sway... very exciting! I will move the chow to the bottom of the B.O.B. dry bag and jettison as much as I think I can do without over the next few days. I can always re-stock later in the journey. I was told today that most cross-country riders carry very little food instead spending most of the trip searching for it much like a Geo cache! I don't know. I'm thinking I would rather have some chow with me but, I can understand the weight dilemma.

Thus my day ends. Let us see what tomorrow brings.

Enjoy the Ride!

We're Famous!

One Week Until Ride Launch!

Howdy! A big Texas shout out to everybody following the Houston to New York City trike ride!

Many, many thanks are due to Soldiers' Angels and Toby Nunn...AGAIN! Soldiers' Angels provided me with an HP mini 1000 netbook so that I will be able to maintain this blog and contact with friends and family during the mission. My sincerest gratitude goes out to Toby for making this happen as well as to Soldiers' Angels for all of their wonderful and gracious support in this mission.

Thanks to Wendy for the fine support in getting the word out through the Houston Chronicle. Everybody keep an eye on the Chron for an article about [man riding bike to new york]. I'll post link here whenever I see it, or, anybody can post the link in the comments section below. Thanks again, Wendy! I hope to see you at the send-off ride.

Thanks to Jill at Academy, Webster for the $25.00 gift card in support of this mission.

Thanks to Robert at Sun & Ski, Webster for the 20% discount on supplies in support of this mission.

I've been really, really busy with training, gearing up and trying to round up support for the ride and Wounded Warrior Project and Soldiers' Angels. I have been tweeting most of my updates, so if you want daily info on ride progress check me out on Twitter as... TXPeddler! Once the ride starts I will be updating this blog daily.

Two of my friends and bike buddies will be joining me for the first 2 weeks of the ride; probably to Chattanooga, TN. Sharon, Chuck and I have been riding together for about 5 years now and they want to come along to provide moral support for me as well as show their support for WWP and our American Troops. They will be taking a vehicle and alternating driving-riding while I will maintain my self-supported status throughout the ride.

There will be a public send-off ride on 12AUG2009 beginning at Sun & Ski at IH45 and Bay Area Blvd at 0800hrs. The send-off ride will continue down Bay Area Blvd to Highway 3 where we will pick up riders from Bay Area Cycling at approximately 0815hrs and then continue down Bay Area Blvd where we will pick up riders from Bike Barn at approximately 0830hrs. From there the send-off ride will continue down Bay Area Blvd eventually ending at San Jacinto Battleground/Lynchburg Ferry Landing. This will be a slow, easy ride for riders of all skills and abilities (10-12mph). I am presently trying to organize a media event at San Jac for local news, photos, etc... If you are media or have a contact in the media, please drop me a note at jfcompton@verizon.net so we can work together to make this happen. I know this is a weekday, however, I hope we can get a good number of riders to show up and support this mission by escorting us out of town. From the Lynchburg Ferry Sharon, Chuck & I will board the ferry and begin the ride to New York. The riders participating in the send-off ride will then return as a group to their respective departure points via the same route. Anybody interested in riding further is more than welcome to join us. The first day will be approximately 86 miles ending at Big Thicket NP in Saratoga, TX.

Thank you, Sharon, for making arrangements with Space City Cycling Club for the send-off ride from Bike Barn.

Thank you, Robert, for making arrangements with Sun & Ski for the send-off ride from Sun & Ski.

Thank you, Jeff, for making arrangements with Bay Area Cycling for the send-off ride from Bay Area Cycling.

I know all of you support this ride for the benefit of our Veterans regardless of politics and shop preference. I appreciate your support. Wounded Warrior Project appreciates your support. Our Veterans appreciate your support. This is going to be a great ride!

On Thursday, 06AUG2009 Sharon, Chuck and myself will be doing a practice run to Brazos Bend State Park. We will leave my residence at 0900hrs proceeding to the State Park through Alvin then Rosharon. We will make camp on Thursday night then break camp on Friday morning for the return ride. This ride is to give us a chance to test out our gear making sure everything works and that we have what we will need for this trip (aside from those unforeseen items that pop up along the way). If you would like to join us, drop me a note at jfcompton@verizon.net. If you have suggestions for items you think will be handy or necessary on this ride, post a comment to this blog entry.

Twenty years ago if somebody told me they were suffering depression I would have replied, "you need to just man-up and get on down the road." Today I have a very different perspective. I have a different perspective because I suffer from Major Depressive Disorder. There are days when I simply feel like I have a major category 5 hangover and find it difficult to just get out of bed. Some of the triggers I am aware of and, apparently, many I am not. There are many studies of depression at this time and, hopefully, the future will see an end to this terrible wasting. I do the best I can everyday with help from my family, my friends, my doctors and my goals. I educate myself and try to stay on top of current events that may help in my fight against depression. Thank you all for your support and belief in me.

Thanks to everybody for your support and generosity. Together we can make a difference in the lives of our Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and other theaters of engagement.

ESSAYONS!

My Wonderful Husband

I rode with hubby the other day and he let me ride his trike! What an awesome ride! Now I see why he loves it, got to get one! for anyone out there that "likes" to ride but not sure ride one of these, you'll be hooked! Thank you Soldier’s Angels for helping my husband be able to ride longer with the medical condition he has and continue enjoying something he loves!

So my husband tells me one day he is going to ride his bike to the World Trade Center Memorial and I think “Has this man lost his mind! Should I call the loony bin!?!”, but Jack calmly goes on to explain why and the more he talks I realize no he’s not crazy and isn’t going through some mid-life crisis so I can safely call off the loony patrol.

Our family is very proud of Jack and we wholly support him in this ride. We are very grateful to all the men and women who fight for our freedom and the great country we live in. I hope this ride will help raise more awareness to other Americans as to how lucky they are to have these soldiers fight for them and all the sacrifices our soldiers have made.

The Wounded Warrior Project is a fantastic organization dedicated to helping severely injured service men and women by assisting and empowering them into the next phase of their lives. Please visit their website to learn how you can help our Wounded Soldiers and show them your support. TC

B.O.B.'s Your Uncle!

Woo Hoo! Received B.O.B. this morning from Anthony! Many, many thanks to Anthony! Brother, I sincerely appreciate the awesome gift and your wonderful show of generosity. I drove over to Walgreen's for maybe 30 minutes and returned to find a big box setting in front of the door. It really is an awesome trailer and should work perfectly for the mission. I'll be returning the trailer that Robert loaned me. Thanks again to Robert for the loan but it sounds like you'll be needing it for your vacation in the NE so we're both in luck.

I'll be making a couple of practice runs over to Brazos Bend State Park to check out my equipment and make sure everything is serviceable as well as to see what items I may want to acquire that I don't already have and to "86" those that I have that I won't be needing. I'll post the dates if anybody wants to join me for an overnight trip.

Check out the trailer at: http://www.bobgear.com/trailers/index.php And I'll be posting pics of it when I get it all hooked up and ready for a test ride.

Also, I've completed plotting the route on Google Earth. You can view the route on Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/) as HOU-NYC Ride. I've broken the ride down by State for ease of management. I am currently transferring the route to Google Maps under TXPeddler as HOU-NYC Ride and breaking it down by day with campsites etc. Check it out here: http://maps.google.com/

Ride On!