Over the past week, I’ve been seeing a new kind of roadkill: armadillos. I haven’t seen a live one, but the sad sights reminded me of limerick I wrote when I learned about the prevalence of leprosy in the armadillo population.

A patient was laid up, head on a pillow
Way Down in the Lone Star town, Amarillo
He’d made chili with hot pepper
And months later, was a leper
The ground meat was made from armadillo

Hope you enjoyed it! I’m wrapping up my adventures and will soon be in Western Washington! Once I have a real computer, posts will be coming fast and furious!

From the beginning of my trip, I planned on utilizing public transit whenever possible. This means that I will happy take a train or bus when possible to bypass suburban sprawl or to get ahead in my travels. Russ and Laura of The Path Less Pedaled are a couple who took this to the extreme purchasing folding bicycles for their trip.

While a folding bicycle is incredibly convenient for multi-modal travel, it’s not necessary. However, if you are considering purchasing a new bike, a folding bicycle is absolutely something that should be considered, though they tend to be somewhat pricier than a comparable touring bicycle.

So far on my trip, I’ve taken my bicycle on trains to Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. I’ve also flown with my bicycle and took a distance bus (though not with my bike).

By far, the most frequent tool for my trip has been regional rail. These systems were originally intended to let suburban residents commute into the city, but they are also great for cyclists.

Taking a train on a bicycle tour is a great way to bypass the suburbs that surround metropolitan areas and that tend to be rather inhospitable to safe cycling.

If you are planning on utilizing a rail system with your full-size bicycle, make sure that you read the rules before heading to the station. Generally bikes are only allowed during off-peak hours, and are restricted to certain cars. Most regional rail websites will have these rules posted on their websites. This will also allow you to check the schedule and get to the station with ample time to board the train.

I’ve found that I’m able to load my bike on the train with my panniers still attached. It can be a struggle, but I find it a lot easier to handle one heavy unit than all of my panniers. I’m always on the lookout for elevators or handicap accessible stations, even if they aren’t the closest. Penn Station in New York can be a little difficult to navigate!

Many distance cyclists plan their routes to avoid big cities. Utilizing regional rail enables an easier entrance and exit out of metropolitan areas and diversifies the kind of areas one can see on tour.

One thing that I love about traveling by myself is the flexibility that I have to make decisions and to change things.

When I was planning my trip, my first goal was simply to get to the east coast and to see where I’d want to go from there and if I wanted to keep going. The answer is a resounding “YES!” I’m having the time of my life and enjoying most every aspect of this trip. Even the hard days where I’m tearing up while biking on the side of the road make me feel stronger and reflective.

When people would ask me what I planned to do in the winter, I would always say that I was going to go south and find a place to work in Florida or New Orleans and to stay for a month or so to try and replenish my coffers a bit. I hoped to do a kind of modified perimeter of the United States. I’ve changed my mind about that.

When I was getting ready to leave New York City the second time, I realized that the holidays were coming up and that I really wanted to go home, at least for Thanksgiving. This year I have so much for which I am truly thankful, that I want to spend the holiday in a traditional manner. I started looking at flights to get me home for the holidays.

I contemplated putting my stuff in storage down in Atlanta or Orlando and returning to continue from there, but then I started thinking that if I do want to stop for a month, I’d be better off doing that where I know people and where I definitely have a place to stay.

Just now, I purchased a one-way flight from Orlando, FL to Seattle. This is the first fixed date I’ve put on my trip. November 16 will find me back in what will likely be the chilly, dark and damp Northwest. It will also place me with my family and in the land where I grew up.

This will also let me try out living and working in Washington State. I’m planning to stay through the New Year. I’m signing up for some booking services and hope to work as much as possible while there. I’ll also be available to create and delver centerpieces and twisted decorations for Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you know of any events where balloons my be needed in the Northwest, please let me know!

Fortunately, I have another month of biking to look forward to as I head to Orlando. I’m also hoping to do a January bike tour down the California coast, if anyone is interested in joining me.

I have a lot of blog post ideas kicking around my head and half composed. I’m grateful to everyone for the amazing support I’ve received and all of the amazing hospitality which has profoundly humbled me. Hopefully, within the next few days I can articulate some of that into words.

In the meantime, I hope to see anyone in the Western Washington area. I may be looking for a temporary room up in the Seattle area, so if anyone knows any leads, let me know! Also, if anyone wants to try out some bike touring or winter camping, let me know! I really hope to be more social than I was back in May.

So, there’s what’s next! Wish me good fortune for my next month of on-bike adventures!

While in New York City, I had the great privilege of getting to work with Larry Moss and Kelly Cheatle of Airigami to create a piece for the Pulaski parade which was commissioned by Piotr Uklanski

Texture

Detalils

Goofiness

Finishing Touches

Front!

Side!

My visit to Philadelphia was more haphazard than normal. I was going to arrive in Philadelphia on Monday, but then I was going to head right back to New York City on a bus to work on a big balloon project on Wednesday. Fortunately, my friendEllen was understanding and was going to allow me to stash my bike and most of my gear while I went back to New York.

Her home was magnificent and was well worth the hills and cobble-stone obstacles encountered on the ride from the train station.

In my time in Philadelphia, I also randomly ran into a fellow balloon artist, Sarah Rose when I saw her holding a balloon in the street. It’s a dead giveaway.

Other highlights:

Meeting Balloonjamin Franklin

Seeing the Liberty Bell
Drinking Bubble Tea
Finally trying Yeungling Beer (From America’s oldest Brewery!)
Reconnecting with a childhood friend
Seeing sights from movies I haven’t seen (Cue Eye of the Tiger)

The New York Century was the central player in my adventure. This urban bike ride had a participant count of 8000 riders and helped me to see the city from my favorite place: perched on my bike saddle. I was a little cocky and figured that a hundred mile ride unloaded would pose me absolutely no problem, so I decided that I’d head out on the ride with full balloon decoration and my entire balloon kit.

My “Medusa” look worked as an excellent safety device and also helped me to find people with whom to talk on the ride since my friend wanted to go at a different pace. My approach for the ride was to treat it kind of like a faster paced Critical Mass…or a RAGBRAI for which I was actually prepared. Talking and sight-seeing were far more important than actually getting a certain finishing time.

That philosophy served me well. From the very beginning of the ride, I had lots of encouragement and didn’t lack conversation partners. After riding a few miles from Central Park, I started chatting with a fellow on a Surly Long Haul Trucker who claimed to know another balloon artist named John. The LHT rider’s name was Oliver and i continued to see him on and off for the rest of the day, which helped to keep me going at a little quicker pace than I often settle into when riding.

At the first rest stop, I had the pleasure of meeting Mandi of the Bike Writer blog (http://www.thebikewriter.com/). After chatting about my trip, her friend Malaika flattered me by asking to feel my quad muscles. I’m not sure how mine compared, but I was certainly glad that I shaved my legs in preparation for the ride.

The next 20 or so miles flew by. The ride passed Coney Island and entered more wide open spaces than I could have ever imagined existed in New York City. The rest stations for the ride were quite nice and included substantial food such as hummus and tabouleh. Delicious.

Soon after the second rest stop, the ride entered the Rockaways and the ride was greeted with some intense headwinds. Surely I felt the winds more accutely than most and I seriously contemplated removing my snakes and becoming more obscure. Fortunately, during this stretch I met some members of the RAGBRAI team Butt Ice (http://www.buttice.com/) Chatting about RAGBRAI absolutely lifted my spirits and we agreed that this century ride needed more beer!

At the next rest stop, while I was enjoying a drink that Mike from Butt Ice had procured for me, I was taken by surprise when a gentleman I had never met outed me as a Chicagoan. His name was Dan and t he was visiting from Chicago and recognized me from my favorite Chicago biking website, (The Chainlink.

After this rest stop, the lack of sleep was catching up with me, so I opted to go for the shorter 75 mile route. This route still took the ride past some famous landmarks like Riker’s Penitentiary and LaGuardia Airport.

At the ride’s conclusion, I had the pleasure of balloonifing Oliver’s helmet and also claiming my tshirt and water bottle.

I’m not sure if i would do the ride again. It was a great experience, but compared to Chicago’s Perimeter ride organized by John Greenfield this ride wasn’t as much up my alley. I certainly prefer rural distance rides. It’s hard to start and stop continuously for a hundred (or 75) miles compared to the open stretches that I became accustomed to out on my tour.

There’s a reason why New York is the setting for songs, stories, books, television and movies. The city feels like a surface imbued with static electricity filled with potential to energize or overwhelm any who come in contact.

I entered New York via an overnight train from Boston. A 2:30 arrival meant that I got to see the city dozing. Couples kissed on street corners and I weaved through empty Manhattan streets to the Williamsburg bridge. I climbed over the East River, stealing glances behind me at the sparkling skyline. Into Brooklyn and passed auto-yards with barking guard-dogs and semi-trucks resting for the night. Soon, I made it to my home for the night and joined pace with the city and rested…joining the rhythm after our first few hours together.

My 10 days in New York were intense, joyful and full of self-discovery. I had my New York moments and served as a moment and photo subject for many others. A week in New York is like a novel of twists and plot devices and lots of supporting characters.

During my visit I saw protests and listened to Mariachi music. I walked around central park with a toddler and listened to a violinist in a tunnel. I biked up Manhattan along the Hudson and crossed over the East River on five different bridges. Pizza slices and bagels entered my diet. I saw muppets in Queens and Magic Al on the Upper East side. I figured out why the Upper East side is the Upper East Side and which part of the city is Midtown or Harlem. I saw the sun set over the Statue of Liberty.

Did I fall in love with New York City? No, I don’t really work that way. Am I infatuated? Absolutely. Could I see myself waking up each morning in New York and suddenly realizing that my infatuation solidified into a real, passionate love? Of course. Is it time for that yet? No, I have much more that I want to see.

It’s a beautiful city with beautiful people and I will return…likely very soon.

The crew had to be at work bright and early. It was bittersweet to see them leave so soon and my heart was a little sad.

However, I was back to my normal touring mode, and i had about 20 miles to ride to get back to Boston!

The hills and confusing directions made this take a while, but I was soon hanging out at the home of my friend Becca.

I had met Becca back in Chicago and saw her the last time I was in Boston. It was fabulous getting to catch up with her and have her feed me as she is a fabulous chef! After lunch, I showed her how to make some balloons and she showed some great potential.

In the afternoon we were off to explore Boston and see parts that I hadn’t seen the last time we were here. I was particularly excited to go to Harvard Square in Cambridge, since one of my favorite radio shows, Car Talk, is recorded there. While we didn’t see Click or Clack, we did see this giant, suspicious backpack:

Walking around Harvard was enlightening. Even the graffiti in the bathrooms is at a different level. Becca and I met her boyfriend, Steve, for dinner at an Indian restaurant (my favorite!), then walked around, enjoying the fabulous, warm night.

The next day Becca had to work, so I was left to my own devices. This is one of my favorite things. I got my biked fixed, explored the neighborhood (Jamaica Plain), and then went back to Becca’s place and played with balloons.

For a few days I’d been thinking that making a balloon Cthulhu would be fun, and I set into i. I don’t think it was a coincidence that while I was making this effigy, the sky unleashed with torrential rain. Cthulhu does have to show his power.

Luckily, the family cat came to the rescue when that pesky monster tried to come up through the bath tub.

As for future plans…I go to New York city tomorrow night/Friday morning on the Amtrak. I’ll be doing the New York Century bike ride on Sunday (with balloons of course). I plan to spend the following week busking and playing tourist in New York, and then plan on heading down to Philadelphia on September 26th and staying there for a week.

After that, I’ll keep on heading south and seeing where this bike trip takes me!

Waking up was easy this morning since I didn’t really sleep the night before. There must have bee some foreshadowing in play since several people had asked me if I ever got scared when camping by myself.

While I wasn’t scared enough to get up a leave, I did sleep with my pocket knife handy that night. Neighbors of the Knights of Columbus hall were up kind of late and at 2:30 in the morning I heard a loud, bone-chilling cry…and then another one and then some more. It was kind of like the sound of a cat trying to bark, loudly. (I later discovered that it was foxes!)

After the restless night, I was a little slow going, but one of the club members brought me coffee early in the morning an I was packed up and on the road by 8.

My troubles from the day before continued. I felt like I had no momentum and the hills just seemed a lot harder than they should. However, this time I was feeling fine and didn’t just write it off to a mental issue. At the top of a hill, with an attentive bovine audience, I looked at my bike. The tires were still definitely inflated (I check that constantly), the front wheel seemed to be fine….but then I discovered the culprit: my back wheel was wobbly and my brake was rubbing. My wheel wasn’t freely rotating without a lot of effort and this explained why it was so hard to ride. I know my limitations as a bike mechanic and that I would be in Boston that night, so I loosened my back brakes and continued on….still marveling at how much easier it was to ride!

The ride into Worcester was less than 30 miles from Ware, and I took my time. I was going to pick up the commuter rail from there to avoid the busy suburban roads. When I got on the train, I was pleasantly surprised that it was much easier to bring a bike on than in comparison with Chicagoland’s Metra.

Getting into Boston was great. For the first time I was in a place where I had been before. I was seeing people whom I had already met and I was seeing bicycles everywhere!

The number of bikes was a real treat. South Station had a line up of bike share bikes and while I waited for my friends, I watched the bike share bikes come and go.

After the entertaining people watching, my friend Zach and his crew pulled up to take me, and my bike with them to dinner. They were in town for a business trip and it was especially surreal to see the people who I know so well from Chicago in this new city. We went to a Chinese hotpot restaurant and the culture shock continued. Having eaten so much gas station and small town food…this was exotic…and delicious.

Seeing the guys and walking around Boston was great. It was unseasonably warm and it seemed like everyone was outside enjoying the temperatures.

We all went back to the hotel in the suburbs and I got my new balloon supply from Zach and I slept on my sleeping pad there in great contentment with having this familiar company.

It felt almost a little sacrilegious to carry on with my ride even though all on television was about this anniversary, but it’s what I was setting out to do. And it does kind of make sense. I had always been kind of a cynical liberal person, but since I’d taken off on this trip, I’ve felt myself changing. The number of experiences where I get to witness the inherent goodness in people has me convinced that my country is actually a good place. Even though I may not agree with everyone politically, I know most people are basically good.

This day was good example of that.

The ride itself was hard. I didn’t really understand it. I’d been climbing hills for several days at this point, and these ones weren’t particularly steep, but I was struggling. Earlier in the morning, I had felt some stiffness, so I attributed the issues to that, and drank more water to see if that would make things better.

I felt discouraged. I was walking up a lot of hills since I couldn’t seem to hit any momentum. My headspace was also a mean piece of work. I felt lonely an some phone calls had me feeling like my rush towards Boston was ill-conceived and that no one wanted to see me. My frown probably resembled the hill I was climbing.

Finally, I decided that I was just going to stop in the next town. Even though I had only biked about 30 miles, I just had no energy and nothing was making me feel better. There wasn’t a hotel in town, but I knew that I should be able to figure something out. Right before I got into the town, a teenager screamed something incompressible out the window of the car as they passed and I just lost it and burst into tears.

I pulled over next to the road and gave my friend Sarah a call for a pep talk and started feeling a little more presentable, since i didn’t want to be a complete mess when asking to pitch my tent somewhere. Composed, I rode the last mile and mad it into Ware, Massachusetts.

The town was small, but seemed to be nice enough. I kept my eyes open for potential places as I came into town, and headed towards the fire station first to see if they might know of somewhere. There was no one there. So, I backtracked a bit to one of the places that I spotted as i came into town and approached the Knights of Columbus hall to see if I could camp by their building.

I was still feeling a little emotional but when I walked in and asked about setting up my tent, a guy by the door said sure…I walked back out, feeling a little awkward, but relieved that I’d be somewhere where I wouldn’t be kicked out in the middle of the night.

While I set up my tent, on of the women came up to talk to me, and I explained what I was doing and started feeling more welcome. When I mentioned the balloons, she lit up, and said that her husband does balloons as well and is known as KuKu the clown.

After I set up my campsite, I wen back into the Knights of Columbus hall with my balloon equipment and met KuKu the clown and the rest of the KofC gang.

It was a hilarious bunch. It was had to tell the name of any one person since they all had 2 or 3 nicknames, but KuKu and I started making balloons.

Having been in the world of making one balloon creations, KuKu was given a pretty hard time by the others when I made some of my creations. I showed him some tricks and it seems that the Knights of Columbus will have some better balloons at their events in the future!

After dinner and some generous donations, I went back to my tent very much pleased with the way my day turned out and glad that my country is a place where I can be laughing with new friends even when the day starts out hard.