Wind blows two NBG riders to Indy

Fred Kirchner set sail for Indianapolis today, almost literally! As you will see from the words
below, the wind that blew both Fred and Jim Muellner across most of Ohio and Indiana today, is the
reward the long haul cyclist knows he has earned after, in Jim's case, days and days of rain,
headwinds and cold. Full of fire and rolling the big miles, Fred, our double masters graduate
student, describes the world around him on this, his first day, in a way I know you will enjoy..

If you want to contact him, you can reach him on his Pocket Mailer, a handheld device donated by NBG
sponsor Pocket Mail <http://pocketmail.com> that sends and receives email, at <[email protected]>.
If you want to start from the beginning and/or follow Fred, Jim and our other NBG relay riders as
they move forward in the National Mayors' Ride at <http://www.bikeroute.com/NationalMayorsRide>,
point to their blog at <http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/reports.php>. All
of this excitement will al be consummated at the second annual Santa Cruz NBG Bike Fest
<http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Festival>:

Hello Everyone:

In case you haven't heard, I'm riding from Columbus to Indianapolis as part of the National Bicycle
Greenway Mayor's Ride. (See www.bikeroute.com for details!)

I left home this morning at 6:45 or so. It's now 1 and I just finished lunch here in Yellow Springs,
OH--after 65 miles this morning. Once I left home, I discovered that there was a very strong
tailwind blowing the same direction I'm traveling--generally Southwest. I sailed across Madison and
Greene counties at near 20 mph most of the way--even though I'm carrying all my clothes, food, tent,
sleeping bag, bike gear, maps, a copy of Whitman's poem "Song of Myself," my bike journal, and other
assorted stuff. My bike weighs a ton; I can barely lift it! But once I get rolling, there's no
stopping me!

here's one of the things I learned so far: Don't get into staring contests with cows while riding
fully loaded! even if you win the contest, you may lose because you'll probably hit a pothole while
competing against the stoic nature of bovine vision!

I can't recommend Old Xenia Rd. enough! What a great country road! Lots of new corn has just emerged
from the moist soil of Madison county's huge farms. This thin ribbon of asphalt rambles across the
rich heart of America's agricultural wonderland. I know that there are mega-industrial-agricomplexes
elsewhere, but here in Central Ohio, many families still run their own farm.

I was reminded of Frost's "The Road Not Taken" a few miles back. I passed a very safe looking
bikepath, but chose instead to stay on the country roads--which have been very safe as well.
(Don't worry anyone!) Not more than a few homesteads later, I looked to my left and saw a deer
languidly running parallel to me through someone's yard. As the deer neared the driveway--and the
fence separating it from the yard--it took the four foot fence in perfect stride, then continued
without balking across the driveway, easily clearing the other side's fence as well. The grace and
majesty of its sweeping pace left me full of wonder. What was most interesting, though, was the
expression on the face of the deer. the calm and surety of its countenance was somehow even more
amazing than its prodigious run through the tall grass! I feel that I am somehow like that deer.
The power, serenity, and energy that I derive from riding through the countryside feels like it is
what I was made for!

I stopped to check out the water coursing through Clifton Gorge. The recent rains have filled the
Little Miami River with tons of water pounding through the rocks in a frothy blast of energy. You
can almost hear the erosion happening!

Better hit the road....need to cover another 70 miles or so this afternoon before I pitch my tent
tonight in Preble Co. a few miles from the state line.

Animal whose coloring most inspired me to want to repaint my bike: The Red-winged Blackbird! There
must have been 50 of them flying around the fields this morning.

Favor I'd like to ask: Could someone email the lyrics to "City of New Orleans?" I couldn't remember
all the words when I was singing it...

Love to all, Fred
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Here is Jim Muellner's Day 3 from Columbus to Indianapolis. He has been on the road since May 2 from
Washington DC. 67 year old Jim, last year's Indy to Chicago relay rider
<http://www.bikeroute.com/SCNBGFest/ChicRecep.html>, is the inventor of the Smart Carte shopping
cart system that passengers rent to shuttle their baggage around at airports. He is riding the
trike, made by his company, Just Two Bikes <http://justtwobikes.com>, that folds to fit in a
suitcase. If you want to contact him, you can reach him on his Pocket Mailer at
<[email protected]>.

Hi All you wonderful people!

Life is good, the sun is shining, but I will not have to worry about sweating. The temp is about 50
so today I even have to wear a jacket for warmth. However, it was nice this morning to wake up to
all dry conditions.

Here I am 80 miles from Indianapolis and everything is built around the Indy race on May 25. I may
be lucky to get a room when I get there. Martin do the ride perks include a ticket to the race? Not
to worry, been there once, no urge to repeat. However I plan to see if they will let me do one loop
around the track. Mike, over at Valley Bikes, said it would be tough, but he said he might try for
next year. We need to connect some way as this is the second year we are in Indy on race weekend.

Change of time so here it is 7AM, yes 7AM and I am packed and ready to roll. Exercise does strange
things to a body. It is possible starting this early to get to Indy today or I could stop and read
every road sign. Heck, I could even stop at every ice cream shop and have a cone with its resident
senior as I listen to the local lore.

So I am off.

12 Noon and I just had the biggest tenderloin sandwich I have ever seen. Since I have already biked
40 miles I thought I deserved what the menu said was a jumbo. The tenderloin was as big as a dinner
plate. I had to fold it in half to fit it between the buns. It did not take long for it to
disappear. Knightstown is a quaint little community with friendly folks.

The flowers were out this morning waving to me in the breeze. The crops are just starting to come
up, mainly corn. Sure wish they would put up some signs so this farm boy could see what is growing
in the other fields.

I pedaled on to downtown and took another picture of the circle monument and my cycle. I am sure
when you see the picture you will have a hard time finding my bike as the monument is very large.
Called Mike, my host from Valley Bikes <http://valleybikes.com> and he offered to come and pick
me up downtown, but I wanted to ride to Carmel along the Monon Trail, as it is a really nice leg
of the ride.

Mike met me half way to town and wasted me on the way back on his Greenspeed. Well, not that bad. By
the time we got to his place I had gone 90 miles. Not bad considering.

Mother nature is so powerful, yesterday she washed me from stem to stern and today she blew me
halfway to Indy. Just to let me know she was doing it, every once in a while the wind would stop and
you could tell the difference. I sang to her all day, trying to use the words my personal musician
sent to me. Maybe that is why the wind blew so hard. Mother nature was trying to get rid of me.

Well here I am in Carmel and ready for a beer to celebrate. My friend OraSue has assured me that
beer is a qualified recovery liquid after a bike ride.

Love you all, Jim

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David Huggins Daines and Denise Hill's final reports for their Columbus
5/16 Friday are in. As an added bonus, David H-D also describes his return ride to Pittsburgh!! All
at the NBG Rider Report Blog:
http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/reports.php

btw: If you want to become a rider, we N E E D you!! Go to
<http://NationalBicycleGreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/getstarted.php>, to find out how!! btw2: We
have pictures from the Pittsburgh to Columbus leg on line at
http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/gallery/2003Mayors btw3: If you want to see who these
cyclists are, go to <http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/bios>.

MARTIN KRIEG: "Awake Again" Author c/o BikeRoute.com 79 & 86 TransAms, nonprofit Nat. Bicycle
Greenway CEO Ever wanted anything so bad U were willing to die for it? Really die? By moving thru
clinical death and reversing paralysis, *I saw God* when I answered that question.

 

A nice read, thanks. I'll follow along on his trip.

One suggestion, though. After posting his pocketmail address on these newsgroups, he WILL start
getting spam soon. I know a guy who used on on his ride across the country last year, so I KNOW

the road at 9600 BAUD is probably not the way he wants to be spending his days.

"Cycle America/Nat. Bicycle Greenway" <[email protected]> wrote let it be known in
news:210520032355481921%[email protected]:

> If you want to contact him, you can reach him on his Pocket Mailer, a handheld device donated by
> NBG sponsor Pocket Mail <http://pocketmail.com> that sends and receives email, at <**address
> deleted**>. If you want to start from the

--

Curt Bousquet [email protected] < Reverse for email

Road biking in Southern VT and Western Mass.