A Restart in Two Parts

Found it! If you are looking for a lost virus, look no more...'cause I think I found what you lost. Or what someone "lost." Have been doing battle with some kind of upper respiration invader for a few days now. Was the fever the worst part? Nah. Definitely the sore throat and hoarseness...meant I can't talk as much as I usually do. Ahem.

Took more than my usual one rest day from my bike ride*...and the other activities in my life...to encourage a speedy return to good health. Not all the way back yet, but I'm tired of being sick. And bored with "recovery." So, it's back in the saddle (seat) again...hitting the RESTART button. Mindful of my body's need to take it a little easier than usual, I did divide today's ride into two parts...but, hang on...I'm jumping ahead of myself.

Where were we? Oh yeah, I had ridden 305.4 miles total by the end of January, took a Rest Day on the 1st, and then added 10.2 miles on 2/2, to get me all the way to the outskirts of Oak Ridge, TN. Let's pick up the travelogue there.

2/3/14: Completed 10.1 miles in 47 minutes, riding through Oliver Springs, crossing into Morgan County near Coalfield. Here's a nifty note from the Tennessee Vacation website:  

Back Valley Public Library: The Smallest Library in the USA located in Coalfield...

"This 1956 building measures just six feet by five feet, and served as the town’s library for many years. Founder Dot Byrd used the $200 courtesy check she received as a guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to start a bank account for the construction of the library, opened in 1994. Today, it sits in the shadow of a newer facility. Stop in to learn the entire story of the famous little library here."

Coalfield is just what the name sounds like it is...in the middle of coal-mining country. What? You didn't realize Tennessee had coal to mine? Yes indeed-y. And I'm riding through an area that was once a coal battleground.

Ever hear of the Coal Creek War? That's the phrase used to describe the armed conflict that took place in the early 1890's right here, when coal mine owners in the Coal Creek Watershed, looking for a source of low-cost labor, decided to use state-leased convicts to replace "free" miners. Although the miners ended up in nearby Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, it was the beginning of the end of the convict leasing era by Tennessee. It was also the beginning of what came to be known as "The Appalachian Coal Mining Protest Music," one of the earliest examples of which was "Coal Creek March." Without that, there may never have been a "Sixteen Tons" for Tennessee Ernie Ford to cover!

And today? There are still strip mines in this area, and much ado about mountain top mining, where explosives are used to blast the "tops" off mountains to get at the coal "inside." But, what I find most encouraging is that the Coal Creek area is known for another brand of energy: windmills! There are "18 windmills standing 260 feet tall along two miles of ridgeline atop Buffalo Mountain. As the 135-foot-long blades spin, they provide 29 megawatts of green energy and power for 3,780 homes." Here's a picture I found on Google:

Wait a minute! Did you say State Penitentiary?! Yes, yes I did. When I was growing up, Brushy Mountain...or "Big Brushy," as it was sometimes called...located in nearby Petros, was one of three Tennessee state prisons, this one serving the Eastern part of the state. There was Tennessee State Pen. in Nashville (Middle Tennessee), and of course, the West Tennessee State Pen., which we in Lauderdale County just called "Fort Pillow." Daddy (like Papaw before him) carried the mail to the prison; used to get his hair cut by the prisoners and love to eat a steak raised on the penal farm that he could buy for $1; and once "captured" an escaped prisoner in Henning. [The man was hiding in a 55-gallon drum that was used as a trash can by the Johnsons' Gulf station. Daddy had stopped for a fill-up and a snack and was throwing a candy wrapper away when he heard the "can" say: "Please mister, don't shoot me!" (What with, I wonder...a Hershey bar?)]

Brushy Mountain was (it is no longer in service) considered "escape-proof," due to its isolation in such a wild, untamed part of the Cumberland Mountains. I wonder if you remember who was sentenced there...and who did, in fact, manage to escape...for a couple of days, at least? And the answer is: James Earl Ray, the man who confessed to killing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis in 1968.

2/4/14: Did 9.2 miles in 42 minutes, making a right turn on Hwy 27/29 near Wartburg, county seat of Morgan County.  Here's some info from the Tennessee Vacation website:

Wartburg

Founded in 1845 by 15 families of German-Swiss settlers, the town is named for the Wartburg Castle in Germany. Many area residents still hold the dream of replicating that famous castle here on a hilltop overlooking the city.

This ride took me past some of the most beautiful areas in the state, IMHO. The nearby Frozen Head State Park would be worth a stop...if I were there in person. Check it out here: http://tnstateparks.com/parks/contact/frozen-head

Frozen Head State Park

These 24,000 acres contain some of the richest wildflower areas in the state, as well as one of the highest peaks in the state at 3,324 feet. In the winter, Frozen Head is often covered with snow or ice, even though the sun may be shining. Stroll or hike over 50 miles of foot trails with waterfalls and rock shelters, bring a picnic, or plan for camping. Events throughout the year include Wildflower Walks in April; the Echo in the Mountain Bluegrass Festival in May and Heritage Days in August celebrating traditional Appalachian music and crafts. This is an access point for the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail, a 300-mile linear State Park.

2/5-2/8/14: prolonged Rest Days, trying to recover from this URI. Better now, thank you.

2/9/14: Today's ride of 11.2 miles (done in two sessions) moved me west of Wartburg, into the middle of Morgan County. I was happy to be back on my bike...and to be making some progress again.

If all goes well tomorrow, I'll gain an hour as I cross over into the Central Time Zone. Looking forward to it!

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* Bike Ride Footnote: To bring you up-to-date, in case you are just joining me...

My plan to get/keep in shape for gardening this year is to ride my stationary bike. Because I always need a reason to do something...or at least to continue doing something, I have decided on a program based on a distance of 2600 miles...which is the distance from our house to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, as Google-mapped using the (beta) Bike function. I started 1/3/2014...and am continuing the saga today. 

BTW, I am tagging all the posts about my ride "Where in the USA is Patricia" on my blog, and #WhereintheUSAisPatricia on Twitter. While I won't be blogging about my ride on a daily basis, you can check my Twitter Feed over there in the right column for daily updates on my ride and location. Happy pedaling! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Pauline Would Be Proud of this Pilgrim

Bike Ride* Post ahead, I promise! Keep reading!!

Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres.
--Julius Caesar

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Translation:
"All Gaul is divided into three parts. From De Bello Gallico Book I, Ch. 1; these are the first words of De Bello Gallico, the whole sentence is 'All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, in ours Gauls, the third.'" At least according to Wikiquote.

Right. What has that got to do with your bike ride, Patricia? Have you gone around the bend...no pun intended?

Those words were the beginning lines of  Mrs. Pauline Thomas' Latin II classes when I was a sophomore in Ripley (Tennessee) High School, and I remember it like it was yesterday. Or maybe last year. OK, actually that's not exactly how I remember the Latin at all. "Omnia Gallia est divisa in tres partes" is what my mind keeps mumbling, over and over during my ride through this part of Tennessee. I may have the words in a jumble, but the reasoning is crystal clear...to me at least. Because...

All Tennessee is divided into three parts, people. And I'm in the Eastern part, for sure. The orange part. Never seen so much orange in my life. Not my favorite color by any stretch of the imagination.

Reminds me of another quote, this time from a favorite movie:

"We are pilgrims in an unholy land."
-- Dr. Henry Jones, Sr.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Right.

So, why are you wearing orange today then, Patricia? Since the Panthers aren't playing in the Super Bowl, I dug out my one and only orange sweater to wear to show my support for Coach John Fox, whom I have admired since he coached Carolina, and for Peyton Manning, who is a class act wearing a quarterback's number.

And, you better believe I'm wearing blue pants to complete the outfit. True blue. Tiger blue. The color some of those Celts supposedly painted their bodies in battle. Or, so said Caesar.

OK, on to the Bike Ride! I am pleased as punch to report I completed my third century by the end of January! 305.4 miles, to be exact. Woo hoo! Something to celebrate.

Let's see, where was I at the end of my last report?

1/20/14: Rest day. I have learned the best schedule for my body is 3 days on, 1 day off. And, I now know that my daily limit on the bike is about 1 hour. I had been aiming for 16.7 mile/day on average, but that was keeping me on the bike for nearly 90 minutes...and creating a problem with my lower back, making my left leg and foot numb. Not. Good. So, I nipped it back to 10-12 miles per day, which will keep me in the "under an hour" ride range, as long as I am averaging at least 12 mph.  Live and learn, right?

1/21/14: 9.0 miles, putting me on Main Street in Greeneville, county seat of Greene County. Greeneville is a beautiful place, and many are choosing to retire here, attracted by the vistas as well as the lack of personal income taxes. I downloaded their Tourism Board's brochure on retiring to Greene County (find it here: http://www.growingreene.com/images/uploads/2009%20Retiree%20Brochure%20proof%20(6).pdf) and was favorably impressed. I also had to chuckle because it reminded me of something I haven't seen since we left TN in 1988: wheel tax. Yep, I had to learn all about ad valorem taxes, etc., when I left my home state. In TN, we just called it what we saw it: not personal property but wheels!

1/22/14: 10.5 miles, outside of Greenville riding on Andrew Johnson Highway.

1/23/14: 10.2 miles, taking me into Hamblen County, headed on Stagecoach Road toward Morristown. 

1/24/14: Rest day

1/25/14: 9.7 miles putting me in Morristown, county seat of Hamblen County. 

1/26/14: 11.7 miles, crossing into Jefferson County, on Hicks Road on the outskirts of Jefferson City. As you can see in the map above, my ride is taking me close to Cherokee Lake, one of the TVA lakes. From TVA.gov: "Construction of Cherokee Dam (named for the Native Americans test lived here) began in August 1, 1940, and was completed on a crash schedule on December 5, 1941. The reservoir has nearly 400 miles of winding shoreline and about 28,780 acres of water surface...(and) a flood-storage capacity of 749,400 acre-feet...Cherokee Dam is a hydroelectric facility. It has four generating units with a net dependable capacity of 148 megawatts." Oh, how I miss living in TVA territory!

1/27/14: 10.3 miles, putting me on the edge of Strawberry Plains.

1/28/14: Rest day

1/29/14: 11.4 miles, crossing into Knox County, on E. Magnolia in Knoxville...at Chilhowee Park, where the Knoxville Zoo is located.

 
1/30/14: 10.2 miles, riding through the streets of Knoxville, turning onto the Clinton Highway. You are correct if you have noticed I'm avoiding The Hill on my ride. If you want to learn more about the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, you're on your own. Momma, who attended UT for one year in the late 30's (and was miserable the entire time she was there), liked to come to Gatlinburg in the Smokies annually, and we often combined a trip to the mountains with a football weekend. Growing up, that was fun. After the reception we (Tiger Fans) received a few years ago, I have no desire to leave another nickel of my tourist dollar in this county. Moving on.

1/31/14: 9.5 miles, putting me on the west side of Knoxville, making a turn onto TN 170W toward Oak Ridge. This is near the part of Knoxville where my great-Uncle James (brother of my grandmother Margaret) and Aunt Billie Stewart lived. They are both long gone, but I remember visiting them as a child, stopping by whenever we came "east." 

Total for the month: (Previously reported) 213.5+9.0+10.5+10.2+9.1+11.7+10.3+11.4+10.2+9.5 = 305.4 miles for January. High five, everybody!

2/1/14: Rest Day

2/2/14: 10.2 miles, crossing the Clinch River, putting me on Ingraham Lane in Oak Ridge. This made-up city, which didn't exist until WWII, straddles Roane and Anderson Counties. It has a fascinating history, which you can read about here: http://oakridgevisitor.com/history/oak-ridge-story/. I think this war-era picture speaks volumes, don't you?

Yep, I have done my ride for today, earning some extra calories to spend on those Super Bowl snacks. 

Tomorrow will be a full month of riding, and I'll fill you in on some changes I'm seeing...giving full credit to this experience. Stay tuned for my next update!

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* Footnote: To bring you up-to-date, in case you are just joining me...

My plan to get/keep in shape for gardening this year is to ride my stationary bike. Because I always need a reason to do something...or at least to continue doing something, I have decided on a program based on a distance of 2600 miles...which is the distance from our house to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, as Google-mapped using the (beta) Bike function. I started 1/3/2014...and am continuing the saga today. 

BTW, I am tagging all the posts about my ride "Where in the USA is Patricia" on my blog, and #WhereintheUSAisPatricia on Twitter. While I won't be blogging about my ride on a daily basis, you can check my Twitter Feed over there in the right column for daily updates on my ride and location. Happy pedaling! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Having Fun...Wish You Were Here!

I never, ever in a million years thought I would say the words "exercise" and "fun" in the same sentence (unless it was "exercise is not fun"), but here we go: I am having enormous fun riding my stationary exercise bike across the USA! I get so excited about where I will ride to each day that it's hard to wait 24 hours in between rides. I probably should schedule a day off, but I just want to keep pedaling!

Let me catch you up on my progress:

Day 1: Home to Union Cross Moravian Church, High Point Rd, Kernersville: 9.1 miles. 50 minutes. (While I'm not making a race out of this endeavor, I did want to keep up with my mileage. The time is displayed along with the mileage, so I might as well report it to you. Forget about "resistance level," since I could care less if I ever get beyond Level 1. Maybe after I have logged a lot of miles and it gets too easy...ha! Truth be told, I would never make it real-life cycling the USA because of the change in topography...hills are a challenge; mountains are murder.)

Day 2: Union Cross Moravian Church, Kernersville to Sawtooth School for the Visual Arts, Spruce Street, Winston-Salem, NC: 9.5 miles. 48 minutes. Sawtooth is one of my favorite places in WSNC...has been since our first move to the Kernersville area in 1988. Missy M took several classes there as a child, and then gifted us with an Introduction to Stained Glass class for my Big 6-0 last year. We made stained glass garden stakes on one July Saturday...what a fun day! Here's a pic of M's and Mr. T's finished stakes, which are overwintering in the Morning Room. Below that is a snap of my garden stake...purple, of course...:-)...which lives in a dracaena in our bedroom.

In real life, I hope to take a photography class at Sawtooth in February. Since I got my new iPhone, I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of its photo capabilities. 

Back to my exercise biking: I had actually intended to "stop" at the Old Salem Visitor Center, another one of my faves, thinking the 8.4 miles might be enough to attempt on my second day. However, I was watching the Tigers play the Cincinnati Bearcats and overshot my destination before I knew it. BTW, Memphis lost, in spite of all my energy and enthusiasm. Boo. Hiss.  Still I learned I can get my speed up to 15 mph easy when yelling "De-fense Tigers, de-fense!" I also learned I waste too much energy if I actually yell...so I "yell" in my head.

Day 3 (today): Sawtooth Center to Lewisville, NC: 11.1 miles (whew!). 59 minutes. I had to look Lewisville up because I know next to nothing about it...even though it is located in Forsyth county. Although it is a relative newcomer to incorporation, a settlement has been there for nearly 150 years...owing to the proximity to the shallow crossing of the Yadkin River. The shallow "ford" on the river that stood between the East and the West. Hence, the name of one of Winston's major roads: Shallowford. Ah...now I know.

I noticed that one of the roads I was google-mapped to ride was Country Club Road. Ah ha indeed!

I know that one, said I. One of my fave knit shops is located on Country Club Road, namely Knit One, Smock Two.  

Ooh! Wonder it they are having a post-holiday sale? Wonder how much I could get into my bike's saddlebags? Oh wait, this ride is in my imagination! Duh! So, I can buy all I want, right? (In my imagination, of course...;-) Uh...no...they aren't open on Sunday. Bummer.

Oh well. Keep on pedaling!

And She's Off!

It's that time of year when folks feel the need to make resolutions of one kind or another. I have always maintained that any "new year" resolutions need to be made when it is truly a new year...as in, when it's your birthday: the beginning of a new year in your life. 

However...

I did a little work in the garden this past week...not a whole lot, because it has either been raining or too cold. But the end result: sore muscles and a back pain or two...owing mainly to the fact that I haven't done much of anything for a couple of months, so those muscles aren't used to being called upon. Not good. Can't let this trend continue for three more months, until Spring arrives, or else I'll become vulnerable to more than just a little back pain. I need to devote some time each day to exercising those muscles I will want to be limber, stretched, and ready to use.

Unfortunately, I hate to exercise. There, I've said it. Exercise just to be exercising? Blah. I'd much rather spend my time knitting...or reading...or writing...or doing just about ANYTHING ELSE. Except maybe housework. Ahem.

Now, I have this wonderful recumbent stationary bicycle, all set up in our bedroom. Aimed at our TV, no less, where I can watch a good basketball game or catch up on programs I have recorded. There's also a "shelf" designed to accommodate my iPad, as well as an outlet designed to accommodate my iPod. It also has the ability to access iFit programming, although I've never used that. Still. Too good to be true. And I love riding it...feels so comfortable, with very little back-related strain. So why don't I use it? 

No good reason. No, I don't mean that I don't have a good reason for NOT using it. I mean, I don't have a good reason FOR using it. You know me: I need a good reason to do almost anything I do...or I won't do it. And, while needing to exercise to keep muscles limber and stretched is a good reason, it's just not a good motivating reason to keep using it...if you get my drift.

But I think I've got it now!

I was riding my stationary bike (hereafter just "my bike," since it's the only one I own) today, watching an episode of "Foyle's War" I'd captured on the DVR. I've seen those fitness programs where you can dial in a "route" and see video of riding through a lovely countryside on a sunny day. Was thinking that was a possible solution, but it still didn't feel very purposeful. 

As my odometer turned over 6 miles I got to thinking: wonder where I'd be if I'd biked 6 miles from home? And since my goal today was 9 miles in 45 minutes, I wondered where that would put me? That got me to thinking...what if I managed 50 miles in a week (doable)...for 52 weeks (possible, with some averaging)...where would that get me? 2600 miles from home, that's where! And where is that, you also might wonder?

Disneyland! In Anaheim, CA!! Yep, I Google-mapped it, using the BIKE feature, and lo and behold...it's exactly 2600 miles (by one of the bike routes) from my house to the Disneyland Transportation Center.

So, I'm off! I will report periodically on how far I've gone...where I am...etc. I plan on tweeting and posting updates on Facebook, too. All bases covered! And I invite you to ask me about my "trip." That will be a motivator for me.

Today I rode 9.1 miles, which puts me on High Point Road in Kernersville. 

Here's my stop for the day, Union Cross Moravian Church, which has been in existence since the first service in the area in August, 1893. Read more about it here: www.unioncrossmoravian.org.

Why that route and not my original goal of the Sandy Ridge Exit/entrance onto I-40, which I was thinking would be my road-of-choice to cross the USA? Well, you can't ride a bicycle on an interstate. So, Google and its source, Rails-to-Trails, have taken that into consideration when providing directions to bike across the country.

Stay tuned to find out #WhereintheUSAisPatricia?!