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Welp... it's been a leisurely few days, but I'm still making some good progress. I spent the first night at Greg's apartment in Reading, and the next two nights in Wrightsville with my Aunt Sue and Dave. First off, I'd like to thank the three of you for putting me up for the night and giving me some meals. The map holder and armband that Aunt Sue and Dave made for me is working out as perfectly as possible.
I think I'm in a town called Prince William, VA right now... not real sure. People constantly ask me where I'm coming from and where I'm headed... then inevitably ask me my route. I show them my maps, and despite the fact that I've made it nearly 1000 miles already (I'm counting the trip from Maine as part of this one), they always want to tell me turn-by-turn directions on how to get to the next town. I pretty much let them talk, thank them for their help and just pick up exactly where my maps tell me to go.
The voice recorder is working wonders... I've recorded a ton of random thoughts already and sometimes get a stranger or two to contribute a small lecture -- this thing is going to be hilarious to listen to at the end. I'd upload some photos here but the Prince William Public Library PC does not grant me access to install new devices... like a digital camera. Congratulations library, that earns you an F+.
I've already met about a dozen bicyclists that decide to bike with me for a while. All of them are fascinated by the trip and all of them say "you're living the dream" or "I'm envious" or something similar. A bicyclist I was talking to yesterday told me that his dream is to hike the Appalatian trail when he retires, and a guy I was just biking with before I got here told me he'd do it if he wasn't married. I had breakfast with a retired 22-year marine named Chuck and his wife this morning... she was worried for me, but of course Chuck thought it was one hell of an idea. Towards the end of the conversation he started getting all bright-eyed, turned to his wife suggested they move to Wisconsin... Idaho or Tennessee... ha! She looked at him and laughed... she wasn't going anywhere, and so neither was he. On the other end of the spectrum, there is Leon. Leon (26) was a bicyclist I met in DC yesterday who shared the story of his TransAm trip in 2003. He was in DC on tour with his band and we threw around a conversation or two. At the end, he gave me his business card for contacts and asked me to drop him a line when all's said and done. Bicycle tourist, part of a touring band and owns his own company... at 26. There's some kind of moral to this story... what it is I'm not really sure... but rest assured it has meaning :-P
S'pose I'll hit the road now before my body starts to think it's night-night time and gears down. My next stop will probably be at Kristin's house in South Carolina... so I've got a lot of camping coming up. Ciao!
-Chuck
I got three of the photos off my camera so far. I'm finding it hard to have extended lengths of time in front of a PC lately... more to come later. I've got to figure out how people can consistently post photos when I keep running into problems of restricted computer access.
| One of the many farm landscapes |
| Pennsylvania is not an easy ride |
| The map holder and its creator, Dave |
Comments to date: 1 Hermit: | November 11th, 2009 @ 8:37am | I just want to say: Thank you
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Learn how I've handled
all my finances from the road and have managed to withdrawal cash from
any foreign ATM for free!
Click here to find out. |
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Your Money or Your Life
Written by Joe Dominguez
Bestseller
1999
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This is the book that freed me from the rat race. If you're unfulfilled with your working life or want to change careers, begin an adventure, or set off to do something personally meaningful, this is the place to start.
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My mini laptop that I carry with me to make this site possible. Only 2lbs and nearly impossible to break.
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refuse to be just another cog in the machine. There's too much important work to be done and too many eyes to open for us to be content with personal goals or riches. In late 2006, I managed to escape the machine, and now I'm setting off to help bring it down.
