The Route

Hi all so ive gotten some interest in the route im going to take from Missouri into Texas. Let me say first though that ive changed this route many times and i may yet change it again. Ive gotten some help from the good people over at the http://www.bikeforums.net Nice people check it out. they have long distance trips as well as paths to ride thru your own city. All i did was ask and they responded with kind words and help.

So the first route was going to be from St Louis along the Great River Roads intersecting with the MRT. I changed that to the Katy trail route starting at St Charles Missouri going into Clinton Missouri. From there i was going to go cross state to Springfield and take a route from Sprinfield to Denison Texas. From there all i needed was a route from Denison to Goodrich. Now i find out i can do a google map search with no major highways! Didnt know this was possible. So the route may change yet again.

The google route looks more direct and will take me thru Arkansas, Louisiana and right into Texas. I may still take a trail here and there but if there is a more direct route i plan on taking it. Whats interesting about the google map is that it takes you on the first leg of the trip right along the Mississippi River Route or at least the general direction of. So i could ride the trail then switch to the roads before i leave Missouri.

Ive still doing research. I have a week of nothing but waiting. And we all know how i am at that so im going to do research and go to library and print out any and all maps i can find. LOL So to all you out there following this is what i have for now. If you know of a route leave a comment and i will check it out!

And were waiting..........

Exactly 1 Week Now!

Ok i made the final step today told the landlady ill be out of here by Saturday next week. I prayed and prayed and everything went well! I am so happy am getting part of my deposit back and shes not upset at all. She acted a little sad but for the most part she took it well.

No turning back now! Got the fax from fedex my trailer should be here Monday. With the trailer here and ready to roll i can figure out just how much ill be able to take. Then one more trip to storage before Saturday and ill have everything out of apartment. Gonna be hard to wait once trailer gets here! And as you all know im no good at waiting! LOL

So i leave from a parking lot when i leave Saturday. I will start on the second end spot on the katy trail and bike my way to springfield. My mother and i have discussed it and were having GPS added to my phone at least for the duration of my trip. I get more excited about it everyday. And i spend time reading others blogs about cycling and long distance rides so i have some idea what its going to be like out there. I have added a few more to my list. Some are just riders and others are doing long distance journeys. But their all worth checking out.

Looks like ill be doing one more trip to the library. I found a site where i can download every bike trail through the state of Missouri. It is so neat these are out there free to the public. And the trails are so amazing. When i first started all this i couldnt find one free map of trails thru Missouri now i have dozens! Glad to have found out about this. Thought it was rididculous someone would charge to give you routes!

So to all you 2 people out there following me the journey starts in Exactly 1 week. This is the count down.

One week To Go!

It has been a long couple of days. Weve made numerous trips to the storage locker and my apartment now looks quite empty. But i am glad to have the bulk of my stuff out of here. Today and yesterday were long but i fear tomorrow will be even longer! Not physically but emotionally.

I have the long and hard task of telling my landlady im moving. Not sure how she will react. (That is why i wanted to remove as much of my stuff as possible before i told her.) That and im really hoping shell return my deposit to me before i leave on my trip. Less stuff equals easier to clean apartment.

So my waiting is done on equipment and im all packed and ready to go. Just one more week. I just cant wait to get started. Found out when moving stuff in sun that i most likely wont need to wear a lot of clothes to keep warm. Even with just a sweatshirt on i was too warm.

So im hoping everyone is as excited as i am about this journey! I am so ready to get moving. I just cant wait to be outdoors and to see the sun rise every morning. And the fresh air will be just great too.

Til then everyone take care and i will keep all posted.

The Travelers

Throughout history there have been people who travel around and never really put down roots. In europe these people have been referred to as Gypsies. Here in America at one point they were referred to as Hobos and before that they were called Mountain Men. No matter what the name they all had one thing in common they moved from town to town. Towards this century it became unpopular to be a traveler. Most are called bums and shunned by society. Now in these times of uncertain economics we see a new breed of travelers. The bicyclists. These people ride the bike routes from town to town and are welcome everywhere. They are not considered outcasts. In fact its almost trendy to be one.

Bicyclists plan their routes out carefully and know how long they are going to be riding. Some ride for charities, others for the sport of it, then there are the last ones who do it as a cheaper means of transportation. These are happy healthy people . They ride alone or in 2s sometimes in large groups. When you pass them on the road they will say hi and wish you a good day. They mainly live out of the things theyre carrying with them. For some what is with them is all they own.

They spend time in motels, camp grounds, and sometimes just camping by the side of a bike route. They are friendly and will offer for you to join them for supper or to travel along with them. Some even have their dogs with them. These are usually small and quite friendly too.

Now we are hearing reports of the new travelers or what was considered the hobo in years past. Men traveling town to town looking for work. Its not a very popular thing to be and theyre not welcome everywhere like the bicyclists. But the bicyclists are the ones showing compassion to them. Just a warm hello or a hot meal means so much to these new travelers. You wont hear about them in the media or the papers. And they move around because most cities now have laws against being homeless.

I read today that after the end of feburary emergency unemployment benifits are no longer going to be available. So if youre not yet recieving them you wont qualify for them. So when the new unemployed run out of benifits they will have no jobs and no way of paying their bills. These will become the new breed of travelers or will join the ones already out there. They will be from where you worked or even from your neighborhood. They will move from town to town and spend a lot of time just trying to get by.

As you all know my adventure will be done on a bike and i will be joining these travelers. I have a destination . It will take many weeks to get there and i will endure some hardships but its my adventure and im looking forward to it. Next time your out driving around remember when you see a bicyclist it could be me. Please slow down and give a wave hello.

Research and Missing Equipment

So ive been doing my research on the bike route im going to take. Been to the library twice and probably been to every bike trail forum out there LOL Finally got it mapped out. Of course i had to use different sources to do this though. Apparently we here in Missouri have some good riding trails and the people who write the books with the trails in them all want money to give them to you! Who would have thunk huh? So with the help of ole modot i put together my route and drew it out on my map. Once im done riding it im going to put it on here so all the rest of the world knows about it and doesnt have to pay to get!

So we were going over my equipment yesterday for the trip and we realized the guy i bartered with for the tent hasnt sent it yet. So back to searching the world wide web for one. Found one on ebay for a decent price and it should be here before i leave. Everybody keep their fingers crossed for me.

Funny thing i found at bottom of yahoo news this morning. Is this fashion? If so i dont think i want anything to do with. LOL Looks like a kidnergardener with felt and scissors made. What is the world coming to. LOL Just thought id put this in for everyone to get a good chuckle at.

Progress!

So around 2 this afternoon got a call from guy at bike shop and my bike was ready to be picked up! Seems he had a change of heart about getting it ready when my mom gave him credit card number and said to do it all. Now got her home and shes in tip top shape with even new tires! I am so happy....

Been getting packages in mail all day. Got some from fed ex, ups, and usps. LOL My landlady called twice to ask if i knew packages were out there. Seems she doesnt understand things are shipped differently by different people. Needless to say i spent a lot of my time today running up and down steps. Really got my excercise. In case u all dont know i live in third floor attic apartment and with landing thats 6 flights.

So after picking up bike made another trip to library and checked out books on bike routes thru missouri. Come to find out not to many people take the route im going to attempt to take.

Got email from friend in texas and he wants me to take bus. I had to beg off and let him know this adventure is all planned out and im looking forward to it.

So it was a very progressive day. And getting closer and closeer to starting. Keep watching never know u might find me on the road next time u check...

On a lighter note keep finding more and more people taking these bike trips thru the US. Who wouldve known? Nice to know im not the only one. Check out the blogs ive subscribed to. All people taking new journeys...

My Bike

So u all know i got my bike thru the mail and i had to put part of it together. Took to bike shop yesterday and turns out i didnt do as good of job as i thought. Now im waiting on getting my bike back. More waitting.... And waiting... I think i am now spending my life waiting on things to get here so i can start this. And im not very good at being patient. I am so ready to start this.

On another note got apartment together and all packed up. Well be spending the next couple days taking it all to the storage locker. Will be glad when i have it all behind me.

Waiting.........

So ive been waiting on equipment to get here so i can get started on my journey. Unbelieveable all the works it takes just waiting and keeping track of when things are suppose to arrive. Yesterday the trailer was delivered. My mother and i had made arrangements when we ordered it to have it delivered to a friends house here in Missouri and just my luck the guy we bought it from did it in reverse. The trailer ended up in Virginia. We thought we were going to have to have it shipped here. After my mom opened the box though we found out the wrong trailer had been delivered. So now were waiting on fedex to pick it up and take it back to where it came from. The company was real nice about the whole thing. They are having it picked up there and then sending out the correct one to here. So one problem down. Seems like fifty more to take care of.

While we were out the other day stopped by the bike shop to get maps. We were nicely told they were out and wouldnt have any more available til spring. Looks like its going to be a trip to the library for me to print them out.

So every day i get up check email, check ebay, and check paypal. A lot of what we bought we purchased through ebay. Some from other sources. So i have to check for shipping days and times so i know what to look for each day to be arriving in the mail. It becomes quite exhausting after a while. I just wish it would all get here and i can be on the road.

So most of everything should be arriving within the week. So til the adventure starts here i am waiting and waiting.....

And Water In Vegas and Floating Umbrellas

More Of My Vegas

A Different Kind Of Vegas

The Day Before Valentines

Hi So this is my blog and i just wanted to let all my friends know what im up to. Im getting ready for a long adventure and on this adventrue i will be taking lots and lots of pictures. I will do my best to post them daily.

So this will be my story done in pictures. I will write about the people i meet and some of the more interesting places i see.

Til it begins heres where well start!