Pre-Ride Day 27

Sing it Joe! Yup... I think it's gonna rain today. Forecast calls for showers through Friday in this region. Guess I'll just have to play it by ear so to say...

Giving a shout out to my friends for looking after me and my family... Scott, Colin, Bill, Sharon & Chuck, Art & Anne. Hope everybody has a great day...

Enjoy the Ride!

Ride Map Day 27: Newark, DE to Bensalem, PA

Many, many thanks to my dear friend, Scott without whom I would not be in Newark, Delaware right now... in fact, I'd probably be roadkill on a Virginia roadway! Still, I enjoyed getting to ride shotgun through the Virginia countryside with the top off of the jeep. I still got to be closer to the countryside than buzzing along with the AC on and the radio up. It was very enjoyable and I really liked being able to visit with my good friend again. I will be returning to Dahlgren on my way back to Texas for some more steamed oysters and story telling.

Here we are with only about 130 miles left to pedal. Theresa is happy that I am safe and was able to catch back up to my schedule. I also just got a text message from my friend Jessica Benson, Latseen's wife. She said it sounded like so little miles after all I've done so far... I really had to think about that one. The days have seemed to just flow together. If I had not have been keeping this journal I don't think I could separate the days and tell one from another.

Although I have been living rather simply and with only one goal in sight, it has still been a lot of work. Physically pedaling everyday was only part of the mission. I've also had to deal with the stress of traffic and various roadway conditions and safety buffers. Then I have had to continually check and re-check the daily routes and make sure they will be safe and passable along with transferring the data to my GPS and putting a copy here for y'all to follow. On a daily basis I have to find lodging that is close enough to the route to be feasible; 15 miles to a campground in a car sounds reasonable but that's and hour and a half ride by fully loaded TerraTrike! After arriving at the days end I take care of making camp, personal hygiene and dinner then spend about an hour updating the blog. Many nights I haven't gotten to sleep until passed midnight only to wake at 0600hrs to begin it all again. I am, in no way whatsoever complaining. This has been the trip of a lifetime. I have met some truly great people, many of whom are Veterans. I've seen some beautiful parts of our great Country and with some effort I've managed to bring some well-deserved awareness to Wounded Warrior Project. Additionally, what I have managed over just a few short weeks is nothing compared to what our Troopers are dealing with on a daily basis for multiple deployments lasting as long as fifteen months. They are in my heart and thoughts every single day. Thank you for what you do and thank you for what you have done... you know who you are.

My ultimate goal is to have made a positive impact toward the lives of our returning Warriors, especially those with grievous injuries, and to help them be able to make a smoother transition from the battlefield back to civilian life. Though their lives will never, ever be the same again, I hope that it can and will be long, healthy, enjoyable and prosperous. From my experience, Wounded Warrior Project is well equipped to make an impact on a large scale and by helping them, I am reaching my goal. I hope that you will help me support Wounded Warrior Project by taking the time to make a donation HERE.

Soon I will be looking, for the first time, at the remains of where and why this conflict started. I remember clearly where I was when the attack first started. I remember distinctly that hollow gut feeling followed by a feeling of urgency to run towards the attack... to do my part. I wasn't able to participate in our defense or the cleanup after the destruction (although I am proud of having worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who were there to provide the leadership in that mission, at the time). I am certain that on this 9-11 I will be filled with many emotions but, I think pride will be the most prominent. Not pride in myself or pride in that I have accomplished my goal but, rather, pride in the Men and Women who made it possible for me to undertake this mission in the first place; the courageous Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Coastguardsmen of these United States. Without the blanket of Freedom they provide none of this would have been possible. Thanks, guys! You know who you are...

Enjoy the Ride!

Ride Day 26: Troutville, VA to Lynchburg, VA

Yesterday's ride was the best yet in the State of Virginia. The route not only had a nice shoulder for the duration but I had good weather and some beautiful scenery around the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I also met some really nice folks along the way and I wish them the best. Thank you for your support.

Given that I had only 5 more days to reach my ultimate goal of Ground Zero by 9-11, I began to feel a bit anxious. I kept a steady pace and bearing knowing that one way or another the mission would be completed successfully. One thing that began to weigh heavy on my mind was the condition of my legs. While I enjoyed my day of rest and felt much better getting underway on Friday, my legs were still not completely recuperated. As I began climbing again around the Blue Ridge my legs simply did not want to cooperate. I could turn the pedals over but not with any amount of strength. I found myself being very thankful for the 10" gearing on the TerraTrike. While my morale was extremely high, I could not do anything about the condition of my legs.

My very good friend, Scott Gainer, lives and works in Dahlgren, VA just south of DC. Scott was in League City to see me off on 12 August while on vacation. First thing in the morning I called Scott and left a message that I was nearing his part of the Country and could use a little help catching up to my ride schedule. To my surprise and great relief, Scott had been following my progress on the blog and had already departed Dahlgren in an effort to intercept me and check on my progress. When we finally made contact, Scott was already in Charlottesville, VA only a few miles down the road... by Texas standards.

I had stopped in Bedford to have lunch around 1400hrs and while there made contact with Scott. We decided that since I was at a good rest stop and he just down the road that I would stay put and await his arrival. Scott arrived within an hour and we dropped the top on his jeep, strapped the TerraTrike to the sport bar and headed down the road to Dahlgren. En route Scott told me that he had been a bit worried about me traveling along Virginia roadways by bicycle, well, tricycle. He explained what I had already experienced in that Virginia does not build roads with cyclists in mind, nor do they build roads with any consistency to when they construct shoulders; shoulders come and go with no rhyme or reason appearing and disappearing along the same roadway. Additionally, the closer I got to the East Coast the traffic flow increased exponentially.

As we drove along the route that I had chosen to ride I immediately thought, "wow, if I were in any other situation I would never choose to ride along these thoroughfares." I also thought, "it's dangerous in a vehicle let alone on a recumbent bicycle." Just outside of Fredericksburg we were taken aback as we passed a happened-within-minutes-ago motorcycle accident where the bike, or pieces of the bike were plastered up against a guardrail and some motorists were beginning to clamber down the embankment to the river in an apparent attempt to reach the rider. We made it safely to Scott's residence after stopping at Tim's for some steamed oysters and fish tacos and I had no problem drifting off to sleep on the couch.

This morning we are double checking the route maps and settling on a place where Scott can drop me off so that I can avoid DC and Baltimore holiday traffic and be able to make NYC on time. I feel much better about being able to successfully complete this mission. Thank you all for your support. Thank you, Scotty, for looking out for me and helping me make the end goal.

Enjoy the Ride!

It's also "Love your Husband Day"

This is the longest time Jack and I have been apart in twelve years and I miss him terribly. I can’t imagine him being gone for months at a time like our soldiers have to be from their wives and husbands. At times it must be lonely and worrisome not being able to see or talk to their loved one, but it must also be joyous when they can. It’s another sacrifice our soldiers make to ensure we all live free. So I want to not only thank our soldiers, but their wives and husbands for their sacrifices of that time without their loved ones. It’s a high price they all pay for our freedom.

So here’s my request of everyone today. Call, email, text or whatever means you have, but tell someone special in your life that you love them. Even if you say it everyday take the time now to stop them, look them in the eye and tell them how you feel. You’d be amazed at the response and how it will make you feel.

Jack even though you are far away know that I love you now and forever…..

For My Wife, I Love You.

It's Sunday... "Love Your Wife Day"

While I love my wife everyday sometimes with our children and hectic schedules time often slips past so quickly that I wonder if I really took the time to make sure she knows it. So, I put a reminder on my schedule and Sunday is our day... a day for just the two of us to enjoy each other's company and express our love for each other. I really like Sundays... I love you, Theresa.

I couldn't find a clean studio copy of Slaid Cleaves "Flowered Dresses" but here is a live version. I know how you like this song... See you soon!

Ride Map Day 25: Troutville, VA to Lynchburg, VA

Well, I figured out how to avoid the climb over the Blue Ridge Mountains via either Blue Ridge Parkway at Buena Vista or Rockfish Gap at Waynesboro... Roanoke is situated at the Southern tip of the Blue Ridge so I'm going to cut around the bottom and head over to Lynchburg via Bedford. It's about 50 miles but then it will be a straight shot up to DC along 29... at least I hope so. I don't reckon traffic could be any worse than some that I have already experienced, at least until I get closer to DC.

I'm running a few days behind my schedule to arrive on 9-11 at Ground Zero. I wish I wouldn't have had to take that last rest day but, I really couldn't go on without having taken a day off. My morale is high and I am confident in my ability to complete this mission but for the time schedule. Being resourceful is an Army characteristics that will come in handy here. I need to find some folks who can ferry me up and across DC to make up some valuable time. Perhaps if I could get someone to contact any VFW's or American Legions etc and see if any of the guys that have pickup trucks would like to do a fire drill by ferrying me from station to station. It's hard to arrange these things in a timely manner while having to pedal throughout the day to make my daily destination... and by the time I get there it's late in the afternoon/evening and hard to establish contact with anybody. You can reach me at 281-734-1703 via text or call. I also get email on my PDA at jfcompton@verizon.net though I cannot send email from my PDA anymore for some unknown reason (that part quit working back in Louisiana). Thanks for the help!

Here is today's route map... Enjoy the Ride!

Ride Day 25: Pulaski, VA to Troutville, VA

Thanks to Kayla & Verna at the Pulaski Motel for the kind words and with help sending off a package to my residence. I certainly enjoyed my much needed rest at the Pulaski Motel and I thank the Patels for letting me stay 1 night free of charge.

I left the motel and rounded the corner only to see the trestle that I had come across 2 days earlier... I couldn't help but laugh at myself. My confidence and morale restored I hooked a right on Lowman's Ferry Road and climbed a short hill than eased on down the backside all the way to the river, which was about 3.5 miles. It was so pretty at the river crossing, and there happened to be a little store there so I stopped for some gatorade and a couple of pictures. That's when I had a little conversation with a man and a boy whom I had passed 3 times on the road. See, their truck kept stalling and they would have to wait for it to start again so they could pass me only to have it stall again. They had been trying to get home since early that morning from Christiansburg. At any rate, they informed me that I had chosen the long way around and it was riddled with hard climbs and lots of blind curves. They informed me that Old Route 100 wasn't a deadend as appeared on the map and that I could link back up with HWY11 at Dublin. They both agreed that would be a much better route and I couldn't help but agree. To my luck, and surprise, there were a man and his wife with a pickup that wasn't full of work equipment, atv's or fishing gear who graciously offered to haul me and my rig back up the 3.5-mile hill. They were very nice folks and I appreciate the ride. They dropped me at the corner right by the Pulaski Motel... so, here it is now closing on 1100hrs and I'm right back where I started! Phew! That took some self inspiration to get passed.

After that little SNAFU I was on my way and it was truly a beautiful day. I had a tailwind and traffic was relatively light for a holiday weekend; just a few fishermen hauling their boats to the river. I made Dublin in no time and was in much better spirits after a sandwich, a snickers & a pepsi. At the 3rd light I found HWY11 right where it was supposed to be so I hooked a right and boogied on down the road. After a couple of miles, with my confidence returning I began to sing "Ragged Ol' Flag" by the late, great Johnny Cash. In fact, if you click on the title of this blog entry you'll get to see a great little youtube production by a Navy Pilot of "Ragged Ol' Flag." I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

From Dublin to Radford it was litterally all uphill but that much I had grown used to in the last week or so. Radford was a pretty little college town and they were gearing up for some sort of festival. From Radford to Christiansburg it was more climbing but the roadway was new and there was a bit of a shoulder. At Christiansburg I stopped for a coke and to refill my gatorade and the gentleman behind the counter said I had the tough part whooped and it was all downhill to Roanoke. I smiled and said that I had heard that one before to which he replied that he was serious. He said that I had made the summit of Christiansburg Mountain and Roanoke was in the valley below. That, my friends, was like hearing music from the heavens! And he wasn't ribbing me either... I didn't touch a pedal for over 15 miles! Then there were only a few little hills but it was either flat or downhill and I had a tailwind the entire time. It just doesn't get any better than that!

The traffic in Roanoke was pretty much non-existent given the experiences I had had thus far in my journey. I pedalled on through town on Texas Street and found my way without incident up 117 back to HWY11 and at Troutville found the Travel Lodge exactly where it was supposed to be as well. All was good. I checked in and while stashing my gear I noticed the clock... It read 1741hrs and I figured that somebody must have reset it. I double checked my clock and, well, what do ya know! Even with my little escapade down to the river I still made the 60 miles and in record time! Now I was really happy! I took a shower and did my laundry in the sink then headed across the parking lot for a Mc Donalds... That's when I saw the Taco Bell across the street and couldn't help thinking that it couldn't be going this well... I thought, "watch, I'm gonna get hit by a bus crossing the street to Taco Bell!" But, I managed to get some dinner and cross the street twice without a hitch. After eating my body shut down pretty quick and I was off to bed by 1900hrs.

I tried to take some pictures yesterday, but I'm afraid that they will not do justice to the absolutely beautiful countryside I saw. Coming off the Appalachian Mountains was a real treat. The air was perfumed with the scent of wild flowers and the sun was warm on my face. The breeze was at my back and traffic was light enough that I could really enjoy the view without worrying too much about getting flattened. I hope you enjoy the pictures below. If you click on the viewer it will take you to webshots where you can read the picture captions I added and see them without being cropped to fit the viewer.

Enjoy the Ride!

HOU-NYC Ride Solo II