Colonial Williamsburg

Today was the first full day of biking for Chris and exploring for us. August was so kind as to wake up early again (Please tell me this won't be a habit!), so we had time for a scrambled egg breakfast before walking around the campground and then departing for Colonial Williamsburg. I'm sure our neighbors at the campground enjoyed watching me fumble with every single door on the outside of the RV while trying to get the hookups put back and everything locked up. Luckily they're usually leisurely, jovial, and happy to help a newbie.

I had heard good things about Colonial Williamsburg and was looking forward to visiting. We got lost on the way to the Visitor Center, lost trying to get to the Bridge to the Past, and I also underestimated how long the pathway to Revolutionary City was. Downside: I was overheated by the time I had pushed that umbrella stroller all the way there, and it was a pretty hot day for walking around in the direct sun. We were both tuckered out and ready for our nap after a couple of hours. Upside: I definitely got my exercise in and I managed to keep both of us from getting sunburned, which is tough when you're pale like us.

Fortunately I had gotten some good advice from the campground host and didn't spend the $40 on a ticket to be able to enter the museums and every building. Most of the historical buildings were very small, with lots of people coming in and out, and required stairs to enter. Of course this is how it's supposed to be given the time period, but it made it tough with the baby and gear. This is something I would have loved to amble through if I didn't have a kid in tow, but it was pretty impractical and I was glad I hadn't spent the money for full access since I spent much of the time looking for a place to buy the next cold beverage. Even though I started the outing with water and kept it coming, I was beet red the whole time.

If you're thinking about making a trip out there, I imagine that it's great for school-age kids and adults. I wouldn't take small children unless you're dedicated and patient. I realize this sounds like a bad review, but I think it was mainly my situation that made me feel underwhelmed with the experience. I was happy to get back behind of the wheel of the RV so I could blast A/C on my face! I'll try to remember the morning fondly with the single picture I managed to take during my sunny stupor somewhere along the Bridge to the Past:

Afterwards we continued down the road to the KOA we're staying at tonight. I'm starting to see the appeal of permanent camping. This place is kind of awesome. Everyone has been super friendly, there is a pool, gym, laundromat, playground, free waffles in the morning, and tonight there was a dessert social in the lobby. Plus, we received the sizable biker discount. Chris took Auggie swimming this afternoon and we went for a bike ride after dinner, stopping to talk to a few people along the way. You could definitely say we are happy campers tonight!

We met a few interesting folks today. First, I met a woman at the playground who has three young kids and she and her family live in their RV full-time and travel across the country for the business they own. I love meeting people who have carved out alternative lifestyles and careers for themselves, and I was tickled that 2 days in I had already come across an example. Also, Chris came across his first fellow TransAm-er while riding today and we got to meet her and her boyfriend at the campground tonight. She's from Memphis, and she's riding the Trans-America Trail to Pueblo, CO then turning towards California. Her boyfriend is serving as her support vehicle driver and we appreciated talking with them as her boyfriend did this very ride a few years ago. They are tent camping every night, which we cannot imagine from the luxury of our old RV. I suspect we'll see them again over the next couple of days.

Touching the Atlantic

Last night we drove about 4 hours of the 11-hour trip to Virginia, stopping in Portsmouth, OH.  "Boondocking" is the RV term for camping somewhere without water, electricity or sewer hookups.  We know that occasionally along the trip there won't be campgrounds along desolate stretches, so we decided to get a practice night in the first night.  We engaged in a true American classic: Staying the night in a camper in a Walmart parking lot!  It really does make sense to stay somewhere well-lit with people around and security if you're going to be free camping, and I think it's great that Walmart has a policy to allow RVers to do this.  Once I got used to the periodic cart-gathering noises, I actually slept pretty well.

We got a decently early start thanks to August waking up about an hour before his usual.  It was a pretty long day of driving, but thankfully he did fine and only got fussy a few times from boredom and being strapped in the car seat for hours.  We stopped at a Panera for a late lunch and were so thankful that this particular location had a kids' play area, which I had never seen at other ones.  It had chairs, books, a play table and a whole wall of chalkboard with big chalk pieces.  He was in heaven and we were glad to give him a play break!

Finally, in the early evening we made it to Yorktown, the official start of the TransAmerica Trail.  Chris did the ceremonial dipping of the rear tire into the Atlantic:

Then, the ceremonial dipping of the August into the Atlantic:

Here we parted ways with Chris so he could ride the first 20 miles, and we did our first exploration.  Yorktown is built on a sort of bluff, with the official visitor center and historic homes on top of the bluff, and the shore down below the hill.  The Yorktown beach and pier area was lively with lots of people wading, hanging out on the pier and walking along the boardwalk.  We took a nice stroll up and down it (not sure which one of us enjoys people-watching more), and then happened upon a trail which I hoped would take us back up the hill to the RV so we wouldn't have to walk along the road again.  The Tobacco Road Trail goes from the beach and winds up to the visitor center.  It was an absolutely charming path, mostly shaded and lush with trees and grasses.

After that, Auggie and I made the short drive to the campground for the night.  Chris arrived not too long after, and they were happy to get in some cuddling on the couch before bedtime.

Leaving Home

We left home today right after work. Virginia bound!

Almost Ready

This is what packing at midnight before a long trip looks like. So close, and maybe getting a little delirious from weeks of preparation.

You're Doing What?!

Understandably, you might have a lot of questions about what exactly it is we're doing.  It has been kind of a journey even getting to this point, and we haven't even left for the trip yet!

Earlier this year, Chris confessed to me that he had always dreamed of riding his bicycle across America, and told me that the Lilly Foundation offered a Creative Teaching Fellowship that might make it possible.  It took me a little while to even wrap my mind around it (it was not something that would ever occur to me!), but I realized immediately that if this was something he wanted to do, there was no reason not to pursue it.  So, he put a lot of work into writing a strong application, including contacting educators in related fields along the route to get the ball rolling on being able to meet them along the way.  Even though this is a highly competitive grant that many teachers apply for repeatedly without success, I knew that with the passion and preparation he brought to his proposal he had a strong chance.

A few months later, he received a letter in the mail from the Lilly Foundation, and I ripped it open so I could prepare him for whatever the answer might be.  I stopped at the first word, "CONGRATULATIONS!" and flipped out.  I barely managed to wait the few hours until he got home to tell him since I wanted him to see the letter for himself.  We were excited, nervous, and the planning began immediately.

With the scope of a trip like this, we knew that we were either doing it together, or not at all.  Having a little guy who changes so much every day, we weren't willing to consider one of us missing out on 8 weeks with him.  In addition, we knew that Chris' odds of finishing the trip on time would be higher if he didn't have to carry camping and all other sorts of gear with him the whole ride.  (Yes, people do that and it is awesome!  But they also have to deal with a lot of hardships that can make it tough to keep a good pace, which was not an option for us since we need to be back at a specific time).  So, a support vehicle for us to take made a lot of sense.  Of course, there were a lot of doubts and reasons not to.  Ultimately though, none of them could come close to the thrill of doing something like this.  We were all in!

So, we have purchased an RV and will be taking off in less than 2 weeks.  We have been busy outfitting it for the trip, Chris has been busy training, and I have been busy trying to get things in order at work for the leave of absence I am taking.  It has been stressful, to be honest, but we know that there will be a payoff.

Our journey begins in Virginia and ends in Oregon.  You can see the route here:

TransAmerican Bicycle Route on Google Maps

Chris chose this specific route because it was established as a safe route for bicyclists, created in 1976 for the Bikecentennial.  Hundreds of bicyclists do it every year, it is all back roads and the people who live and work along the route are accustomed to cyclists.  There are a few other established routes as well, but for the time of year he is riding, this was the most viable climate- and distance-wise.

More to come as we get closer to embarkation!

Welcome To Our Blog

I'm glad you found us here on the internet.  I set up this space to document the crazy, awesome trip we are taking this summer.  My husband Chris decided to fulfill a lifelong dream by riding his bicycle from coast to coast over the course of 8 weeks.  Because we do everything together, and because I've always had a wanderlust to see more of this beautiful country, we decided to bring our young son August and make it a family adventure.  This corner of the internet is for that little guy, to capture the memories he will probably only have based on what I record for him to look back on later in life.  We realize we are blessed to have this chance, and we hope you will follow along.