Where the F*** is Josh?

10:20am: Feeling Better...On the Road Again!
Josh decided to call his dad to see if there was anything better Matthew could be doing for his poison ivy. The result was a prescription called in and relief was on its way! Josh and Matthew left Rugby this morning and continued their trek west. Both are happy to be back on the road. Interesting wind today out of the NW at 30-35 mph. Josh described it as 'brutally windy' and they found themselves leaning their bikes into the wind at about 80 degrees just to maintain balance against the wind. They walked and pedaled their way to about 12 miles east of Minot in a town called Norwich. They are camping tonight in a patch of trees. On the menu tonight...gourmet eats. Josh has some rice noodle ramen that he's mixed with 'regular' ramen noodles; add to that some garlic and green pepper. Yum!

Weather today was 70 degrees, sunny, windy, and dry. Oh, did I say it was windy?

Tomorrow is Minot...and the search (for whatever reason) of the Hobby Lobby.

Current miles: 1876

Current map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Grand+Forks,+ND&daddr=Lakota,+ND+to:Leeds,+ND+to:Rugby,+ND+to:Norwich,+ND&mra=pi&mrcr=3&sll=48.147763,-98.514404&sspn=2.708477,4.350586&ie=UTF8&ll=48.147763,-99.014282&spn=2.708477,4.350586&z=8

11:43am: Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac....OUCH!!!!!
Not sure which poison they came into contact with...but it has hit Matthew BIG TIME. Josh called yesterday to ask his mom what they should do for poison ivy (we'll call it that because it's just easier). Josh had a couple of small spots on his legs. Matthew had it on his feet and it was getting painful; in fact, he was having some difficulty walking. The guys only covered about 20 some miles from Leeds, ND, where they had been the night before. The pharmacy was closed so they hit K-Mart in search of remedies and found a motel in Rugby, ND for the night.

As of this morning (Friday), Matthew's feet are very swollen and he can only walk about on his heels. There are now a couple of spots on his face. They are using good ole' Dr. Brawner's soap to cut the oil of the poison ivy, a hydocortisone 1% cream and a topical benadryl type ointment. They've washed out their clothes to get rid of any oils there. Josh called home on his way to the pharmacy and will check with them to see what else they should use. They'll stay another night in the motel and see how Matthew's feet are in the morning.

Rugby is not a very big town but (and this is more than you ever wanted to know about this town) it has a total area of 1.9 square miles, some 3000 people, and claims to be the geographic center of North America. There is even a monument to depict this and features flags of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Don't you feel smarter now?

Spring may have actually arrived. Josh says there is a lot of agriculture here. Not much is planted yet but there are a lot of livestock trucks rolling along. It's cloudy and windy; about 70 degrees.

Current miles: 1826 miles

Current map: (Remember, this is Part II; see 5/14 post for Part I)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Grand+Forks,+ND&daddr=Lakota,+ND+to:Leeds,+ND+to:Rugby,+ND&mra=pi&mrcr=2&sll=48.106825,-98.23506&sspn=2.861099,3.153076&ie=UTF8&ll=48.147763,-98.514404&spn=2.858854,3.153076&z=8

12:28pm: Google Maps...Part I and Part II
Got a call from Josh this morning. The guys rode into Grand Rapids, ND on Monday. The ride in was "sweet" as they had a tail wind of 17-18 mph and all they had to do was pedal and the wind just moved them along at about 24 mph. The bad news on that, however, is that it was an east to west wind which signals a storm is coming!

Josh had asked for a package delivery via General Delivery to Grand Rapids. His mom found the nearest branch to Route 2 and sent it there. Josh got to the address and found it was not a post office at all...it was a 'Home of Economy' store (a K-Mart of sorts). Asking about the address at a nearby business, the guy checked his phone book and said that the store was listed as a PO branch. No signs anywhere stating that. Having nothing to lose, Josh and Matthew went into the store and asked at the Customer Service desk about the elusive post office branch. The guy asked him if he was Josh Breit and handed him the package! Strange...no signs ANYWHERE!! Oh, well.

There are really no forests to speak of near Grand Forks and the guys rode as far as they could in the rain looking for a spot. They ended up at Turtle River State Park, setting up camp in the rain. Tuesday it took until about 2 PM to dry out their gear and get back on the road. They were only able to cover about 25 miles that day because of the time needed to dry out...and because they then hit a headwind of about 18 mph.

Wednesday they stopped in Lakota and spent some time hanging out in Cabellas. Nothing serious on the charge card...just a water bottle. Big spender!!

So I found out that Google Maps lets you post additional stops until you essentially exhaust the alphabet. The first map went from 'A' to 'Y' so I've gone to a second map. Here's the 1st map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=712+9th+Street,+Ocean+City,+NJ++08226&daddr=514+N+41st+Street,+Philadelphia,+PA+to:Coatesville,+PA+to:Lancaster,+PA+to:Mcconnellsburg,+Fulton,+Pennsylvania,+United+States+to:Breezewood,+PA+to:Jennerstown,+PA+to:Pittsburgh,+PA+to:Columbiana,+OH+to:Cleveland,+OH+to:Avon+Lake,+OH+to:Fremont,+OH+to:Toledo,+OH+to:Chelsea,+MI+to:Lansing,+MI+to:Ithaca,+MI+to:Mancelona,+MI+to:Seney,+MI+to:Ishpeming,+MI+to:Wakefield,+MI+to:Brule,+WI+to:Floodwood,+MN+to:Bemidji,+MN+to:Bagley,+MN+to:Grand+Forks,+ND&mra=pi&mrcr=23&dirflg=h&sll=47.331377,-94.9823&sspn=2.580008,5.421753&ie=UTF8&z=8


Josh's Journey...Map Part Two from Grand Forks, ND: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Grand+Forks,+ND&daddr=Lakota,+ND&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.885545,86.748047&ie=UTF8&z=10

8:23pm: Safe - Happy - Warm
Josh left a message today from Bagley, MN. They rode through snow and sleet today and only covered about 10 miles or so. They stopped at a diner for refuge and sustenance and met Julie and her husband Mike. They invited Josh and Matthew to spend the night at their place to sleep in a dry spot, do laundry and take nice long hot showers. Thanks, Julie and Mike, for your kindness and generosity. Josh's message ended with, "We're safe, happy and warm".

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=712+9th+Street,+Ocean+City,+NJ++08226&daddr=514+N+41st+Street,+Philadelphia,+PA+to:Coatesville,+PA+to:Lancaster,+PA+to:Mcconnellsburg,+Fulton,+Pennsylvania,+United+States+to:Breezewood,+PA+to:Jennerstown,+PA+to:Pittsburgh,+PA+to:Columbiana,+OH+to:Cleveland,+OH+to:Avon+Lake,+OH+to:Fremont,+OH+to:Toledo,+OH+to:Chelsea,+MI+to:Lansing,+MI+to:Ithaca,+MI+to:Mancelona,+MI+to:Seney,+MI+to:Ishpeming,+MI+to:Wakefield,+MI+to:Brule,+WI+to:Floodwood,+MN+to:Bemidji,+MN+to:Bagley,+MN&mra=pi&mrcr=22&dirflg=h&sll=47.331377,-94.9823&sspn=2.580008,5.421753&ie=UTF8&z=8

11:20pm: Google Map URL
Here is Josh's journey thus far. It may need some tweaking but you'll see it's an impressive trip these two guys are taking!! I'll update and include in future posts. Here it is: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=712+9th+Street,+Ocean+City,+NJ++08226&daddr=514+N+41st+Street,+Philadelphia,+PA+to:Coatesville,+PA+to:Lancaster,+PA+to:Mcconnellsburg,+Fulton,+Pennsylvania,+United+States+to:Breezewood,+PA+to:Jennerstown,+PA+to:Pittsburgh,+PA+to:Columbiana,+OH+to:Cleveland,+OH+to:Avon+Lake,+OH+to:Fremont,+OH+to:Toledo,+OH+to:Chelsea,+MI+to:Lansing,+MI+to:Ithaca,+MI+to:Mancelona,+MI+to:Seney,+MI+to:Ishpeming,+MI+to:Wakefield,+MI+to:Brule,+WI+to:Floodwood,+MN&mra=pi&mrcr=20&dirflg=h&sll=42.934755,-82.257455&sspn=14.435514,28.256836&ie=UTF8&ll=47.062638,-93.098145&spn=1.680079,3.532104&z=8p

10:33pm: Half way there! Crossed the Mississippi!!
Josh and Matthew crossed the Mississippi River today. They are still in Minnesota but feeling great about reaching this milestone in their trip. Way to go, guys! About 1500 miles down and about the same to go!

They found Harmony Natural Food Co-op today in Bemidji, MN...stocked up with great eats and are happy campers!

10:19pm: They sell Nut Goodie here in Minnesota!
Hello to all from Floodwood, Minnesota. Josh and Matthew are on Route 2 heading west and back into rain. It rained last night but broke by morning. Last night they camped in a birch forest. Lots of deer paths. This morning the sun's heat got Josh out of his tent. Matthew's tent has a definite problem. He woke up in the midst of puddles this morning. UGH...what a way to greet the morning!

They are riding with a headwind today; temp is about 45-50 degrees. They are passing through lots of forests on this stretch of the trip. There are occasional homes and a small town every twenty or so miles.

Stopped in at a gas station/restaurant today...only they no longer sell gas. Okay. So they had a nice waitress by the name of Amanda who served them breakfast. The place had pickled turkey gizzards in a jar on the counter. Ever had one? Josh still hasn't. Matthew can give you a colorful review, I'm sure.

One of the gas stations they stopped at for a food break today still sells Icebreaker packs. You know, the ones that come in a little blue packet that looks remarkably like something that a white powder comes in. They were all supposedly pulled from the shelves with a 'oh, so sorry. we didn't know' from Hershey (I think). Anyway, up north I suppose they didn't get the memo or read the memo or pay attention to the memo because there they were on the shelf! And so guess who now owns a couple of those collector items. :-)

So what are the guys eating these days....lots of Ramen Noodles, rice, beans, green pepper, eggs, and Nut Goodie bars. Yes, Josh discovered/re-discovered them and has acquired quite a taste for those sweet morsels!

Looking forward to North Dakota - 220 miles ahead. Josh says they should be hitting Grand Forks, ND in 4-5 days.

7:51pm: Rain has quit!! Dry out the tents!
Josh and Matthew are in Brule, WI. It feels good now that the rain has quit and hopefully everything now can dry out.

They are not as far as they thought they would be. Yesterday a piece of equipment fell off Matthew's bike. By the time they realized what had happened and back-tracked to get it, they had gone 10 miles. UGH!! At least they found it! Tomorrow they will be making their way to Duluth, MN.

They stopped in at a brewery/winery and tasted some good mead. (I had no idea what it was so did a little google search and found out that it is an alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water).

They've decided that Mount Rushmore is not going to be included in this trip's itinerary. They'll stay north and head through Minnesota into North Dakota.

It is still hard to get enough protein so Josh has been eating smoked fish. They finished up the last of their supply yesterday. When they stop in at stores he stocks up on eggs. They're looking forward to a decent sized town where hopefully they can stock up again on power bars.

7:26pm: Good Samaritan in Bruce Crossing, MI
The weather was crappy and the restaurant looked like a great refuge for a hot meal and a brief rest from the weather. So the guys stopped in at Tulppo's Restaurant in Bruce Crossing, Michigan and had some good grub. Back on the road, they were just soaked from the rain and decided to get a motel for the night after riding about 20 miles. When they checked in, Josh realized his wallet was not on his person....he had left it at the restaurant. Would you believe Blake (our hero of the day) drove from the restaurant to the motel with Josh's wallet?!?!? Josh was so grateful, he literally took all the bills out and gave them to the guy to say thanks. Okay, so the guy didn't exactly make a small fortune...but it probably covered his gasoline costs. Thanks, Blake!!

This morning they got back on the road. The rain had turned to snow! Once the storm let up they stopped in at a gas station and used the hair dryer to try to get back to some semblance of comfort. Today the temp is about 35 degrees.

Josh called from Wakefield, MI. That's the spot where Route 28 crosses Route 2. They have decided to take the northern route on Rt. 2 as it is actually colder just south of them.

9:22pm: Oh, happy day...organic food store!
The last couple of days have continued to be cold...along with some really barren stretches of land. They traveled west on Route 28 along the lake. He said it's been really cold but the people are nice. Yesterday they found an organic food coop in Marquette and loaded up on energy bars and everything they could eat/carry for their next stretch of travel. It was a grueling trip to get to Marquette. They traveled along the "Shingleton/Seney Stretch" which was nothing but 25 flat miles of nothing special to see. Add to that a strong headwind. Josh said it seemed like it would never end and was the hardest riding he's ever done.

After Marquette they turned due west on Route 41 and settled in (I think) to spend the night somewhere around Ishpeming. They camped next to train tracks and awoke in the morning to a logging train passing by. Talk about your unusual alarm clocks! Josh said he woke up every hour trying to keep his body warm and eating every 3-4 hours. They are both just plain tired of being cold.

They are now somewhere on Rt.41 between Routes 45 and 141. There is abundant emptiness, frozen lakes and snow on the ground. The weather is due to warm up to the 50's with rain in the forecast.

6:16pm: Hard to Stay Motivated
The guys are getting really far north...perhaps too far north for this time of year. Do they keep going or do they continue northward? That is the dilemma they are facing with the temp 26 degrees at night and patches of snow everywhere. Josh is wearing pretty much every piece of clothing he brought along...we're talking thermals, biking tights, wool leggings, mechanic's jacket, rain gear, gloves and hat. Only his face and fingertips are exposed and he says it's just tough to stay motivated when you can't feel your fingers. He is so thankful to have Matthew along on the trip. There is nothing around that is open. Even 'Yopper's Resort' for all those hunters with RV's isn't open yet for the season. In fact, Josh and Matthew are the first people on bicycles to cross the Mackinaw Bridge (I need to check that spelling) this season. And the places that are open are the 'one stop' shops that are selling everything from firewood to crackers. What is lacking are foodstuffs for vegetarians. This is hunting country, folks, and meat is what folks eat! Josh had to break down and buy smoked salmon in order to get enough protein in his body.

They are fighting headwinds of 25mph as they continue northward. One of the more amusing sights on this part of the journey (and maybe the ONLY amusing aspect of this northern MI leg) were the signs for 'pasties'. Curiosity built with each sign and the guys just had to go off in search of the source of these 'pasties'. Do you know what they are???? Well, if you lived this far north in Michigan you would know that they are a local favorite. Yes, Josh and Matthew found them and had their fill. They are potpie like food dishes that come with either meat or vegetables and are enclosed in dough. Bring it on!

They are spending Monday night at the Fox River Motel. The decision is to continue to move forward and seek out a motel each night. Send warm thoughts their way!

Deb note: I am trying to get the Google map up to speed so look in future posts for the link.

6:04pm: Rain, Rain, Rain
Friday night Josh and Matthew set up camp and were getting some shut-eye when the heavens opened up around 11 PM. Josh said it was absolutely horrible with lightning and thunder and pounding rain. He couldn't sleep because of all the noise and just laid there waiting for the storm to be over...or for the light of day. The next day they were so miserable that they got a motel room just to help them recover.

They are headed north on Route 66 into the upper peninsula of MI. Motels and restaurants are becoming scarce. Interesting times are on their way!

8:35pm: Catching site of an eagle...AWESOME
Got a brief call from Josh following their mid-day breakfast meal. They had stopped at a place called Shirley's Cafe in Mancelona. Josh thought it was cool that Shirley, herself, came out and talked to people in the restaurant. The food was great and their was lots of it...just the way they like it! I can't say we learned a lot of detail about the last couple of days but I'll share with you what he told us.

The guys are headed north on Route 131 in Michigan. He ditched Bob the trailer a couple of days ago at a bike shop. The manager wasn't keen on a trade (apparently not much call for a beast of burden!) but one of the guys in the shop bought it from Josh who then purchased a rear rack for his bike. Much more streamlined now and Josh is a happier camper.

The guys had a good stay at Jeff's house in Lansing...THANK YOU, JEFF! They talked about the cross country trip Jeff did in 1974. Josh thought it was really daring to do the ride on a bike with heavy cranks and a plastic derailleur. I guess things were just different in the '70s. Ha!

They stayed somewhere along Route 55 N last night...that's all I know!

So, about the eagle. The guys were riding along when all of a sudden a large bird flew overhead at treetop level. It was a bald eagle and the first Josh has seen that close up. They watched it flying over the water for a bit before moving on. If you've never watched one soaring, it is quite a site to behold!

5:33pm: A bonfire and amazingly kind folks in Ithaca, MI
Josh and Matthew found a nice field in which to set up camp Tuesday night. Two of the folks, Joel and Josh, who live right next to it came out and the four of them sat around a bonfire chatting away the night. The next morning Joel stopped by around 6 AM on his way to work, saying farewell and leaving them with a road atlas and some $$ to buy a nice breakfast. About an hour and a half later Joel came by (guys were asleep) and left a note and some $$ for breakfast. Needless to say, Josh and Matthew had a GREAT breakfast this morning. :-)

Today they are headed north on Business Route 27 towards Claire, MI. Josh sounds much better (cold is resolving) and is just blown away by all of the kind and generous people he has been meeting.

5:33pm: A bonfire and amazingly kind folks in Ithaca, MI
Josh and Matthew found a nice field in which to set up camp Tuesday night. Two of the folks, Joel and Josh, who live right next to it came out and the four of them sat around a bonfire chatting away the night. The next morning Joel stopped by around 6 AM on his way to work, saying farewell and leaving them with a road atlas and some $$ to buy a nice breakfast. About an hour and a half later Joel came by (guys were asleep) and left a note and some $$ for breakfast. Needless to say, Josh and Matthew had a GREAT breakfast this morning. :-)

Today they are headed north on Business Route 27 towards Clare, MI. Josh sounds much better and is just blown away by all of the kind and generous people he has been meeting.

9:03am: The Power of Networking!
So Josh calls on Monday around noon asking if we know anyone in Lansing, MI. Hmmm. Bonnie (Josh's Mom) starts her search through her contacts and finds Steve Robbins...who lived in Lansing for several years (but that was a long time ago). Long story short, Steve gives Bonnie a lead on an old running buddy of his and Bonnie makes a call. On the other end of the phone is Jeff Green, an attorney in Lansing. He is happy to open his home to Josh and Matthew and eager to talk with them about their trip. Unbelievable! We got a call Monday evening from Josh telling us they were at Jeff's home and settling in.

7:53pm: Sucking swamp water in Chelsea, MI
Turning north on Route 52, Josh and Matthew rode into Michigan. It was really difficult to find a place to camp for the night. The ground was wet and soggy in so many places and the under brush was thick with sticker bushes and other nasty stuff. Josh has been working on a pretty good cold so a night in the swamp wasn't exactly what he had planned. Besides, pushing your bike and BoB ('Beast of Burden' trailer) while trying to blaze a trail is just not pleasant. So they spent a night in the swamp with snakes and ticks and who knows what else. Welcome to Spring melt, gentlemen!

8:07pm: Outside of Toledo, OH
Josh was a bit out of touch over the weekend and so this entry is sparse. What I do know is that they followed Route 20, staying outside of Toledo, OH and then turning north at Route 52. Josh has a pretty bad cold and it seems to be zapping his energy. Rain is predicted so that won't help that cold! Hopefully the temperature won't drop...rain is okay if the temp is decent and if it isn't coming down in torrents. Cross your fingers!

6:05pm: Hittin' the hot tub outside Fremont, Ohio
People are amazingly unbelievable! Josh and Matthew found themselves out in the middle of nowhere somewhere between Lake Erie and Freemont. It had to be close to 10 PM when they rode up to a house, knocked on the door, and asked the couple inside if they could borrow a piece of real estate on which to camp for the night. The nice young couple (Josh wanted me to write that), Bill and Melonie, invited the guys into their home, invited them to use their hot tub, and gave them a guest room to use for the night. In the morning they cooked up fresh eggs (from their chickens) for the guys before they took off for the day. Josh and Matthew were up about 7 AM and hit the road around 10 AM.

They are headed for Toledo, OH today.

11:34pm: Sunrise...sunset on Lake Erie
Matthew and Josh found a little bit of heaven through the kindness of another stranger. After riding about 25 miles west of Cleveland, the guys were thinking that their plan of camping along Lake Erie was just too tall of an order. Sure, there was plenty of lake front... it was just attached to some very nice homes. Just before giving up and heading inland, Josh asked a gentleman on a motorcycle if he knew of anywhere they could set up camp or if he had a spot of yard he could spare for the night. After providing identification and having his passport run through a check, Josh was given permission for he and Matthew to camp out in back of Tim's house. And so began a fun and most interesting 36 hours.

They were provided with a wonderful meal and sat with Tim around a fire in the back yard. They learned that Tim has a machine shop business, 'Tango Echo Bravo Manufacturing' (http://www.teb-mfg.com/). When all was said and done, Tim asked the guys if they would be at all interested in working for him for a day in his shop. Hey, why not!! So they did... made some spending $$, learned some new skills and info, and were treated to lunch and dinner once again. Tonight they will spend the night inside in the comfort of the guest rooms. And, luxury of luxuries, they are watching Kung Fu on TV.

Matthew needed a new front wheel and some other tune-up adjustments, all of which were taken care of today with a trip to the bike shop.

What a day! Saw the sunrise and sunset over the lake, ate great food (thanks Tim and Natalie!!), were treated to great hospitality, and now have a special contact in Avon Lake, Ohio.

Tomorrow the guys will continue heading west on Route 6 toward Sandusky, hoping to hop a ferry to one of the islands for the night. Good luck guys!

11:08pm: Cooking spaetzel east of Cleveland
So Josh and Matthew are just 10 miles east of Cleveland, heading ever closer to Lake Erie. They just stopped at a grocery store for a 'fill-up' and Josh is just a little sick after consuming 2/3 of a package of oreos...not the plain ones but the ones with pink filling. They taste like those milkshake poptarts (and he wonders why he might not be feeling that great!).

Weather is sunny and 55 degrees...translated, that means too cold in the shade and too hot in the sun.

The guys slept the night in a chunk of woods along an abandoned railroad track next to a water pipe. The weather is just barely warm enough to sleep and starting to warm up during the day. There were old poles still standing with the glass insulators in place. (Too bad the insulators would add extra weight to the cargo.) Dinner last night was spaetzel which they cooked in their tin cups. Can't you just see those noodles filling up the cups and getting consumed in a flash before cooking another batch?!

Headed to Sandusky.

6:19pm: Sleeping in Ohio tonight!
So, after a quick ride through Pittsburgh and a good visit at Josh's Dad's house, Matthew and Josh began Monday's trek by heading west toward Ohio. The roads are nice gentle slopes so the riding is fairly easy. From Pittsburgh they took 51 N to Route 14. Their destination for Monday was to reach Columbiana, Ohio. They ate at a good little restaurant called The Roadhouse where a guy by the name of Wayne bought them some drinks. The food was reasonably priced and they loaded up!

Matthew spoke to some people who had a barn out behind their place. It's owned by the city or state and used just to store some equipment. As the night was predicted to be a bit toward COLD, they were happy to take up a little space in the barn where they could put a layer of straw over their sleeping bags for warmth.

Tuesday they are headed toward Cleveland...looking for someone who might know someone there. Hmmm.

9:12pm: Jennerstown to Bloomfield, PA
After a great night camping out in the pine forest outside Jennerstown, Josh and Mathewt continued west on Route 30. Their goal was to make it to Matthew's brother's house. The day was great for riding and, although there was a nasty section of Route 30 that was heavy with traffic and short on shoulder space, they were able to make some decent distance today.

They left Route 30 and headed north on Route 8; then to Route 380 West; finally to Penn Street. Pittsburgh is just a stone's throw away! Matthew's brother rewarded them with huge plates of pasta! Josh reported feeling boated...but good!!

Tomorrow will be a day off to explore Pittsburgh, scout the city for pretty girls, and just enjoy whatever the day brings.

9:01pm: Breezewood to Jennerstown, PA
After a good night's rest, the guys were back on the road again. Josh was feeling so much better and back on his game. The mountains gave way to rolling hills and there were no more huge hills to climb.

Josh checked out the bike store to see if there was a better alternative to BoB, but the store didn't have anything to speak of so BoB is still trailing the bike! With rested legs and easier geography, everything seems much better today.

Josh and Matthew found a place to camp the night in a great pine forest outside of Jennersville. Tomorrow should take them into Pittsburgh if all goes as planned.

10:27am: McConnellsburg to Breezewood, PA
UGH!!!!! What a day. Exhausting. Not many miles covered today because of two thousand foot climbs. Josh and Matthew both made it to the top of the first one but the sun, heat, exhaustion and extra weight burden of Bob (Beast of Burden cart being hauled behind Josh's bike) was just a bit too much on the second climb. Oh, I know how defeating a feeling of having to push bike and cart up the last part of the climb. To add to the misery, once back on the bike and beginning the enjoyable part of the ride... the chain broke as Josh changed gears!!!!!! So, tired and sunburned from the events of the day, they found a motel in McConnellsburg to crash for the night. Josh was on his cell and minutes are dwindling so the call was short. Hopefully a good night's rest will be just the ticket for a good ride tomorrow. I think there will be a stop to look at alternatives to Bob. Stay tuned!