More than Half Way

Whew....where to start. The last two days have been pretty brutal but we're holding up well. All of the riders are still pedaling along and we still like each other so those are accomplishments in themselves!

Yesterday was our longest day. We biked 72 long miles from Rockwood, PA to Paw Paw, WV. Our first stop of the day was at the Meyersdale Train Station where we met with the Somerset Conservation District. What a great stop! They met us a mile before the station to show us a bridge they had worked on with the local RC&D Council. The bridge was one of the best views of the entire trip. They then fed us, had the Historic Train Station opened especially for us, and presented us with a $500 check. WOW--Thanks Somerset CD and partners for the best stop of our trip so far.

About 15 miles later, we FINALLY crossed the Eastern Continental Divide. Were we ever glad to see that sign. We had been on a slight upgrade to that point and were so glad to finally head down hill we were nearly giddy. After a gigantic lunch in Frostburg, we flew the 16 miles downhill to Cumberland where the Great Allegheny Passage trail ended and the C&O Canal trail started. We stuffed ourselves with ice cream and headed out.

The last stretch was tough. The trail is rather muddy with a lot of ruts which slows things down some. We finally made it to camp around 7:30 where Fred was patiently waiting with yet another great meal. Some of Lisa's friends kindly shuffled us to their home to get hot showers and even did our laundry and brought it back this morning....talk about service!

During the night a racoon got into our trailer but thankfully all he got to was our trash. Thankfully Fred heard him and scared him away before he found the "big stash."

Well, I've written too many details about yesterday so will sum today up briefly. We started out today on the long Paw Paw tunnel which was long, dark and a little spooky. We've been on the C&O for a little over 30 miles so far and finally found wireless so Mary could send eNotes. We've got about 10 more miles before camp and we're ready for a restful night to prepare for another big day tomorrow. Fred hasn't told us what is for dinner yet--apparently it's a surprise but we don't need plates. Hmmmm....we'll have to tell you tomorrow what it is.

Time to pedal on friends....

30 miles down, 228 to go!

Well, we survived our first trek! We all met last night in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania and camped there at the state park. Who knew it took a Uhaul trailer to carry all the gear needed for such an expedition? Chef Daddy Hammon was kind enough to tow it along behind his vehicle for the week.

We started out mid-afternoon after spending the morning getting our bikes ready, doing last minute adjustments and prepping for the big trip. Today we rode 30 miles, not counting the crazy 5 miles of hills to get out of the park and onto the trail.

We made it the whole way without any major breakdowns or flat tires....success!

Tonight we're camping at one of the world's best campgrounds...primitive sites on one side of the river but if you ride your bike a mile out, you can get to hot showers, a bike wash, and wireless internet.

Chef Daddy Hammon lived up to his name and made Cajun grilled salmon, rice pilaf, and fresh corn on the cob for dinner, following and appetizer course of chicken salad on pretzel crackers with cheese and crackers. Needless to say, this is some of the best camp food we've ever eaten!

Tomorrow is our biggest day. We'll ride 72 miles to Paw Paw, West Virginia. Wish us luck.

Ridin' High in O-HI-O

Talk about a perfect day. Lisa, Brad, Nate, Mary and Claudia trekked out to Ohio over the 4th of July weekend (it wasn't too far of a trek for Brad and Claudia) to join the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts for their Team 509 ride. Our great friends from Ohio organized the ride to raise money for the Renovation Ride. We had 12 riders in total, and two support vehicles, one of which was driven by none other than Chef Daddy Hammon. Everyone made it the full 52 miles, and a couple folks rode even further because they couldn't follow the directions!

The weather was perfect, the scenery was gorgeous, and the company was good too! We stopped at Price Organics where Tom Price told us all about his impressive composting facility. The Delaware SWCD filled our bellies and water bottles and presented a $500 check at that first stop. Thanks Delaware SWCD!



Next up was NACD President Elect Steve Robinson's farm. Steve wanted to have a big cookout but was given strict instructions by Mindy and Kent that we only wanted PBJs. The PBJs were excellent (although I think one of Steve's burgers would have been good too!). As usual, he was a great host and sent us on our way fat and happy to wrap up the last 20 miles.



We finished up mid-afternoon still smiling and injury free. Ok, so some of us waddled a little the next day but overall, everyone was in good shape.



We had a fun weekend and it was great preparation for the "big ride" that is just around the corner. Fred proved that he's a great "sag wagon" driver, and patiently followed us all day, shielding us from traffic and taking pictures of the riders and all the conservation practices we passed.


A HUGE thanks to our friends in Ohio for organizing the ride and being such strong supporters of the 509 Capitol Court Campaign and the Renovation Ride. Check out their pictures on their website at http://ofswcd.org/2008_team_509_bike_ride.htm.

A Great Day for a Ride

First, we have to apologize for being so slack about posting to our blog. I wish we could say that we have just been on our bikes every day and haven't had time in front of the computer. Unfortunately, we've been in front of the computer doing non-bike related activities, like working.

Regardless, the Renovation Riders have been doing what they can to get the training miles in to prepare for the big week that is right around the corner. Last week the Newbies saddled up for a 20 mile ride after work. Lisa and her buddy Nate also spent Saturday afternoon busting mud puddles on the C&O Canal path. Their 50 mile ride started at White's Ferry (note how clean they are in the pictures), went into Georgetown and then back out the W&OD trail to Vienna. What a day!

Below are a few photos of the day. It was a beautiful and we're getting stoked for the big ride.

On the ferry pre-ride. This is actually the starting point for our last day on the big ride.

A few miles into the ride. See all the spots on Lisa's shirt and face? It was a lot muddier than they expected!

A stop at beautiful Great Falls.

Did we mention it was a little muddy?

This weekend, the riders are headed to Ohio where they will join Team 509 for their 50 mile ride to raise money for the Campaign. More pictures and posts to come. We promise to keep you updated during the actual ride.

If you have any additional donations to send our way, be sure to get them in the mail this week so we can put them toward one team or the other pre-ride. We need your support!

Ohio SWCDs Pedal for NACD

Not only is the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts among the leaders in state fundraising efforts for NACD’s 509 Capitol Court Campaign, they are also organizing a local ride to raise additional funds for the Renovation Ride. The Federation will host a 53-mile ride on Saturday, July 5, 2008 in Ohio, with stops planned at Price Organics and at the Robinson Farm, home of NACD President Elect Steve Robinson. The tour will include beautiful scenery and offer a showcase of conservation and farming practices in both Union and Delaware counties. Several of NACD’s Renovation Riders plan to join in on the ride.

To join Team509 for all or part of the Ohio tour on July 5, or to sponsor, contribute funding or provide assistance during the event, please contact Mindy Bankey at (614) 784-1900 or mindybankey@ofswcd.org. NACD extends a big thank you to Ohio’s conservation districts for their support!

Penny for your thoughts, dollar for a mile?

Hey folks, we’re so glad you’re coming to visit our blog. We would love to hear from you and receive support during the training phase. So “penny for your thoughts” translates to: Please leave a comment on the blog. To do so, just click on the Comments link at the bottom of the post. Not only will you be able to read what others wrote, you will also be able to leave a comment there yourself. Your message will be available for others to read, and will be forwarded to the riders. Let us know your thoughts!

Now, to the real business…..dollar for a mile. You may be hearing buzz in your state about folks who are contributing $1/mile for the Renovation Ride. That’s $258 to be precise! Just be glad we’re not charging for the training miles or you’d all be broke! If you’re not hearing the buzz, we want you to start it. Will you help by encouraging friends, family, neighbors, and others to contribute $1/mile?

For those who haven’t heard the news, our NACD officer team voted to move forward on construction and renovations during the August recess so we have some serious money to raise. Help us meet our $280,000 goal. If you need help spreading the word, check out the humorous Renovation Ride PowerPoint and flashy flyer available on the NACD website at http://www.nacdnet.org/events/509campaign/ride/. Rumor has it, there’s a picture of Bob Cordova on a bicycle—and he’s wearing a cowboy hat to boot!

Till next time…..give us your thoughts and your dollars too.

Announcing Chef Daddy Hammon

The Renovation Ride Team is thrilled to announce they will be joined on their trip by the one and only CHEF DADDY HAMMON! Who is that, you ask? Well, he is known to many of you simply as Fred Hammon, SWCD Administrator from Ohio. However, he also happens to be the father of Mary Hammon (a rider on the newbies team), as well as an excellent chef.

Fred has agreed to take the full week to be our #1 cook, fix-it man, doctor and cheerleader. He'll be cooking, shuttling, repairing, supporting...you name it! We are so grateful that Fred has decided to drive our support vehicle, and we think Mary is looking forward to some quality "Dad time."

Hats off to Fred. Send him your encouragement, he'll need it!