Emily playing the Immigrant
DAY 1
Early morning Thursday the 27th we dusted off our cycles. The trailers and panniers took their usual position this time with the added weight of souvenirs from the NY Alzheimer’s Association Chapter (Books, Hats, T-shirts, Pins). The sun had yet to show itself as we peddled from the Upper East side to the WTC site where we were to catch the 6 am train bound for Newark, NJ. The city does not allow bicycles on any train during rush hour, which is pretty much all day. We found a small window of time between 6 and 6:30 am where bicycles were allowed. Knowing this was our only way out of Manhattan we left the apartment at 4:45 am to ensure we would not miss the train. The city was mostly asleep except for the cabbies, cyclists and joggers getting in a workout before the work day and the bar patrons stumbling home after the 4 am last call.
We rode nearly the entire island along the Hudson. The city grew lighter as we pedaled closer to the station. We said farewell to the city of cities knowing that Spoke Your Mind’s time here was not over.
The train going to Newark at 6 in the morning was mainly empty. Pushing our cycles out onto the streets of Newark snapped us out of our New York love buzz and reality hit. We started cycling southwest towards D.C. through the unknown streets of New Jersey.
Our tent after a thunderstorm...notice the puddle in the background
We pedaled hard to break out of the industrial sprawl of East Jersey, stopping only to fuel up at a Duncan Donuts. Relief brushed away the anxiety when industrial plants let way for farmland.We experienced some of the most beautiful scenery of the both Leg 1 and 2 during our ride through West Jersey. We ended our first day after 82 miles in a campsite on the Delaware river on the New Jersey/ Pennsylvania border. Our camp was set up in the dark because we set our lights away from the tent as decoys for the bugs. They were thick and hungry. We crawled into our bags exhausted and humidity blanketed us as we dosed off…for a few hours. The aforementioned humidity evolved into a thunderstorm that woke us in the middle of the night. Rain dumped and lightening flashed . I was certain that either the river would carry us away or the lightening would strike our tent. I managed to get some sleep but when we woke the heavens were still coming down. We packed up in the rain and started riding into Pennsylvania, the 6th state of our second leg.
On Day 2 from NY to DC we planned to ride 60 miles but our time was cut short by a few equipment failures. I had a flat early on and my cleat kept malfunctioning which set us back. We could no longer make it to the campsite we wanted and decided to head into Norristown to bunk up in a motel. We were stopped at the crossroads into town by a man walking his dog. He told us that if we went into Norristown, we might not leave with all our things. The only motel in the town is overrun with prostitutes, pimps, dealers and junkies. He opened up his home for us to stay the night and saved us from what I imagined a town full of characters from Mad Max. This hospitality set the tone for the following days.
On Day 3 we continued west into Pennsylvania and were told that soon we were entering “Amish Country”. The landscape was that of rolling, unseasonably green hills from the excessive rain. Elegant farms were strewn through the country side. The pace of life slowed. A vintage feeling filled the air. As the day wound down we found ourselves at a four way stop searching for either a campsite or motel. I had my map wide open facing the opposite way from that of Em. A few children on bikes rode passed us. The girls wore country dresses with bonnets and the boys had slacks, tucked in plaid shirts, suspenders and fedoras. A man and woman in a car drove up to us asking if we needed help. As we were chatting a horse and buggy roared by us. More children on bicycles pedaled by. It turns out the lady in the car’s mother died of Young Onset Alzheimer’s. Her and her husband offered to take us in for the night. Everything happened so fast that I did not have time to process sights in the background during our conversation. It was clear though that we were in the middle of “Amish Country”.
Shawna, Us, Barbara and Bob
We pedaled to their house and met Bob outside who welcomed us into the garage to store our bikes. Bob and Barbara offered us their shower, fed us, gave us a bed and history lessons of the Amish, Mennonites and Bruce Springsteen. We met Barbara’s daughter Shawna who jammed on my guitar and showed her dance moves. In the morning we interviewed both of them about their experience with Young Onset Alzheimer’s. They sent us off with full bellies and supplies. It was a magical connection that started at a four way stop in “Amish Country”.
We continued Day 4 pedaling through the Pennsylvania Dutch country side. We got a late start because of our morning interview. Knowing we would not make it to the campsite on our bicycle map we pedaled on unsure of where we were going to rest for the night. Later in the afternoon we came across a family playing volleyball in their yard. We asked if they knew of any campsites in the area. The gentleman named Joe said, “We’ve got a yard right here.”
Tent with the milk calves in the background
He showed us the proper place to put up a tent. He was dressed in his church outfit and his wife and daughters were in there dresses, wearing their bonnets. Joe owns a dairy farm and we pitched our tent next to his pasture of milk calves. They each had their own “calfhouse”. Joe and his family is from a lineage of Mennonites. He welcomed us into his home, fed us hot dogs and educated us on his religion. They are allowed electricity, cars, microwaves and phones. They are not allowed radio, TV, Internet and only can listen to music that is a capella. Their church bans musical instruments. When Joe showed us our campsite I offered to play my guitar not knowing that it is a sin in their religion. Whoops.
After chatting about our project they explained to us that Joe’s wife, Brenda’s, mother has Alzheimer’s. She is in her seventies. Alzheimer’s affects all walks of life.
In the morning Joe woke us at 6:30 to show us his dairy operation. He has around 50 cows that pump out three hundred gallons of milk a day. The entire family and us ate breakfast and we tried some of his raw milk. It was thick and delicious. They wished us luck and we were on the road a little after 8.
Where's Emily?
Joe showing explaining how to milk a cow
We rode hard and fast to Ellicott City, a suburb of Baltimore. We were once again staring at our maps when a woman, Kelly, offered us her backyard. Her husband John is training for a triathlon. He was gone on a ride when we set up camp but we met over a big plate of spaghetti and a beer. A neighbor of theirs who we met is Nursing Home Negligence Attorney and her husband is Geriatric Doctor. We exchanged info and passed on our website to them.
We slept well during our last night before D.C. I always love the opportunity to play with a dog and they had a beagle named Lucky who I befriended quickly.
Yesterday we woke and finished our ride to D.C. We are currently staying with our high school friend Katie Schiller in Arlington.
