We sat and drank Coke after Coke trying to stay cool. We have been riding in a heat wave of near 100 degree temperatures.

Matt and Ross on the Illinois side of the Ohio River.

Riding the ferry over the river...the computer would not let me flip the image...who knows?

The Ohio River! We have successfully made it across Kentucky, Illinois here we come!

You see some funny things while riding your bicycle in the middle of no mans land!
Group shot with Barb & Steve, along with Bob & Violet who took us in for the night!
Monument at President Lincoln's birthplace
In Bardstown enjoying Kentucky Bourbon Ale! Bardstown, KY is the bourbon capital of the world! I guess you can just use your imagination on how the evening turned out...
Ross and Matt showing off their fancy dugout camping spot!

My thoughts on Appalachia

Matt & I are now west of I-75 just east of Elizabethtown, KY. We have now traveled nearly 1,000 miles. On Saturday we took our first day off to spend fathers day weekend with our families and friends in Berea, KY (One hour south of Lexington on I-75).

My experience of riding through rural roads in Appalachia has compelled me to share some of my thoughts on our time there. The parts of Western Virginia and Eastern Kentucky which we rode through were some of the poorest areas in the entire United States (I have not researched the numbers, but the disturbing degree of poverty was readily apparent). While entering Kentucky at Elkhorn City, Matt put it best, “I cannot believe that this is America.”

The degree of poverty was comparable only to what I have seen on television when they report on shanty towns in Third World countries. I do not consider myself sheltered and I am well aware that poverty exists in the United States, but what I witnessed made me sick to my stomach. The roads we traveled were lined with what should be condemned homes and trailers that sat no more than 10 feet from the road. Roofs were repaired with miscellaneous pieces of sheet metal, garbage was piled up and strewn about, the rivers smelled like gasoline, and every home had at least 3 neglected pets that with no doubt will die soon from starvation. We saw goat pens that were attached to the front of homes. Many of the homes did not even have doors.

Despite it being weekdays when we came through these towns most people were at home sitting on their porches. Without a doubt much of this area is kept afloat solely on government provided welfare. We didn’t take pictures of what we saw out of fear of making the residents angry. These people and their guns are not something we were about to mess with.

We rode our bicycles at 15 mph through areas of America that I would avoid at all cost in a car traveling at 55 mph. Flags bearing swastikas were displayed in the windows of homes with pride. As if it weren’t already readily apparent, locals repeatedly warned us that we were in an extremely dangerous area. Fortunately, Matt & I have safely made our way out of back country Appalachia.

We saw terrible areas of America in Western Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, but I don’t think my reporting should be misinterpreted as my views of the people we met. Despite the rampant poverty the area was also home to extremely hardworking and generous people. Most people waved and said, “Hello.” It was an important experience for me and also for Matt I am sure. I am humbled to be reminded how blessed we both are.

All four of us have put our faith in the same bicycle, the Surly Long Haul Trucker! Today it is back onto the open road.
Matt and Kevin enjoying their day off from riding bicycles!

Max & Kevin playing the mini guitar they picked up in town. These guys are also TransAm cyclist who were taking a rest day in Berea.

Ross's father Vern and our friend Matt Bourelle playing some music for everybody. Thanks to the campground owners for loaning us these fine musical instruments!

Saturday (day 13) Ross and I choose to take our first rest day in Berea, KY. Some family and friends made the trip down for a visit as we were conveniently right at I-75. To us, Berea was our first milestone!

Matt and Ross with fellow TransAm travelers Barb & Steve at the Booneville, KY Presbyterian Church Hostel.

Ross changing a flat tire after the big storm

Nick & Denny (fellow TransAm cyclists) after they rode through a monster thunderstorm. These guys are known to do anything...including camping in Wal-Mart parking lots despite security warning them that it is not safe. Godspeed Boys!

Matt looking over the days ride in Hindman, KY at the Historical Society B&B.

Ross signing the guest book in Hindman, KY at the Historical Society B&B.

Ross working on his journal in Rural Retreat, VA. Here we were welcomed at the cities historical society bulding!

Our home while we were in Damaskus, VA. This hostal, better know as "The Place" is home to many passing TransAm riders and Appalachian Trail through hikers. We met some great people with many good stories!

Ross at the Kentucky boarder!

Matt at the Kentucky boarder!

Ross and Matt hiding from a sevear thunderstorm. This was the story of our day on Wednesday, June 17th.


As of June 17th Ross and Matt have covered around 650 miles and made it through Virginia. The weather has been a bit on the gloomy side, but it wont break us down! Our legs are holding up just fine, but our first rest day planed for June 20th is all we can think about!

Before getting into Roanoke we stopped for some wine tasting at a local vineyard.
An amazing farm along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Matt next to the sign marking our highest elevation to date on the ride.

Ross descending down a hill through the Appalachian Mountains.

Ross asking a local to throw him up a beer, to bad the valley below was nearly 2,000 feet down.

Looking out over "20 minute cliff"

Over this rock there is approximately a 200 foot drop.

Enjoying the view before our decent out of the Appalachian Mountains.

Our camp site at Lake Sherando, which was nearly 1,000 feet below our bicycle route. It was one heck of a climb getting back to our route the next morning!

Action photo of Matt eating on the side of the road. We are constantly eating anything we can get our hands on.

Ross riding with the rain covers on. We have been threatened by rain every day thus far.

Day 3 - Climbing the Appalachian Mountains

June "The Cookie Lady" Curry is a lady who provides housing and food for cyclists at the base of the Appalacian Mountains in Afton, VA. She is famous among riders who do the Trans Am bicycle path. We stopped in and met The Cookie Lady. She showed us the Bike House where cyclists stay. The tradition is to leave something behind. The house is something of a museum with nic-nacs from riders ever since people began taking this route in 1976.

Matt and I are approximately 220 miles into our journey. Above is a picture of us overlooking the Thomas Jefferson Vineyard. In front of us are the grape vineyards and in the distance to the right are the mountains we rode up in a few hours to get to Monticello (For those of you amateurs look at the back of a nickel). Today went very well, we are feeling good considering the mileage we have covered in the past 3 days. Our butts hurts a little, our legs are a little sore, but our spirits are high (Helped in part by the Mexican Restaurant we found in Charlottsville, VA and their jumbo margaritas). Tomorrow we will begin climbing to the top of the Appalachian Mountains. We will climb 5,000 ft in elevation. This will be the steepest climb of the entire cross country trek as we'll as the steepest longest descent or the route. Today we descended at nearly 40 mph so tomorrow should be even dicier.

Bumpass, VA

We are so mature...after 4 hours on a bike we about lost it when we went through this little town. This is our tribute to that old Aerosmith album cover for Pump.

Night two we stayed in Bumpass, VA / Lake Anna with a wonderful couple. We meet them in their church parking lot while we were sucking down sweet tea (with the help of Vern). The stay was compleate with boating, swimming, pasta, wine, A/C....the worksss!
Food Stop in Ashland, VA.

Ross and Matt at a battlefield (and just figured out how to set the self timer on the camera!

Home for night one. We were welcomed by the Willis Methodist Church just before Glendale, VA. Aprox. 60 miles into the ride, although we rode 72 sinde we checked out Williamsberg!

The "official" start of the TransAm trail. Vistory Monument Yorktown, VA.

Dipping our wheels in the Atlantic at Yorktown, VA.

Were two days and around 130 miles into the TransAm trail. We had a wonderful goodbye with my (matt's) folks! It was great that they were able to make it down to see us of. The first day we road through historic Jamestown and Williamsburg. We ended in Glendale, VA at Willis Methodist with 72 miles completed, although only 62 were progress. This was a mix of my map reading skills up to now and road detours. We ended the night with some much needed pizza and sleep. It was great to enjoy some AC the first night. Day two can be summed up by saying it was very hot and we must carry more water. We have now begun to see some hills, but there very minor compared to what we will see at the end of the week. We were welcomed by a couple at the end of our day who opened their house up to us. We were fed and also enjoyed some swimming in warm Lake Anna. Today's mileage was right around 70, which puts as at a grand total of approximately 132 miles into the ride.