We're in BEAUTIFUL Lancaster Pennsylvania, Amish town! There are horse-drawn-buggies all over these beautiful rolling country roads. Farms everywhere. Interesting fact: Floyd Landis is from this town. (Slept in a signed Floyd Landis t-shirt last night thank you!!!!) Also, they make their own potato chips & pretzels here. Best we've ever had. Here's a recap of the last couple days:
DAY 5: We left New York after sleeping in a little (7:30!) and took the ferry into Staten Island. Biked along the coast and then were delayed by an impressive lightning storm in Edison NJ, where we got a motel room. AND ENJOYED THE CABLE.
DAY 6: We biked the rest of the width of New Jersey, which was a treasure! New Jersey, we're sorry we ever said anything bad about you! It was all shady, tree covered roads with wide shoulders. We crossed over into Pennsylvania at Washington's Crossing and saw some turtles napping. Day 6 was kind of rough becuase we were behind schedule and Pennsylvania is HILLY. Our lady legs are TIRED. We biked for 14 hours trying to make it to a state park to sleep in, but at 8:30pm the sun was setting fast and we pulled over and knocked on a suburban home to request their yard as a place to set up camp. Judy obliged.
DAY 7: Waking up out of a tent is a lot harder than waking up out of a bed. Our sleeping bags are gross. We got these bags made for sleeping in arctic temperatures (wouldn't want to be cold, no!!!) and we were both slipping all around in them covered in filthy sweat. We packed up and made it into town so we could splash some water on our disgusting faces in a bathroom and then headed to Lancaster. When we got here, Neal and Tammy pointed out every food they had in their home and we sampled all of them! We showered and laundered and Tammy took us out country line dancing. We LOVE Tammy and Neal.
DAY 8: We just woke up to the smell of local eggs cooking. Tammy has invented a new sport, which is feeding us and she's giving it all she's got. Today we will have our event in town at Central Market and NOT go on a bike ride! Today is wonderful.
xoxo m + s
Hey M&S,
Great read about your stay in Penn. Loved the "sweaty" tent. Good journalism. Glad of the bike exchange, - P.keeps us updated.
Jude
Posted by: Judith Foley | June 22, 2008 at 01:09 PM
PA sounds great. Thank goodness for Tammy and Neal. Hug an Amish for me.
Also, that is great news about the bikes!
Word be you are now hurtling across the PA landscape like a couple of torpedo ladies.
Most wonderful.
Much love,
p
Posted by: p | June 22, 2008 at 08:22 PM
i was getting a little worried with no posts for days... glad to read that you are fine. it was so good to see you in brooklyn. you're amazing.
Posted by: eleanor | June 22, 2008 at 08:23 PM
Glad to hear that you are making good progress. I felt a strong whooosh of air as you went thru Edison, NJ...wasn't sure what it was, but now i know :-)
Safe travels.
Love,
Mayor of Corgiville
Posted by: mayor of corgiville | June 23, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Best of luck to you two, we were glad you stopped at our humble little burrito shop for some water. sorry no ice! :) i look forward to reading about your travels, stay safe & have fun!
Jason (the bearded bandana-wearing burrito maker from PA!)
Posted by: roburritos_jason | June 23, 2008 at 03:06 PM
I just found out about this today and I have to say that I think what you are doing sounds crazy hard, but really amazing. Good Luck!
Posted by: Laura | June 23, 2008 at 04:10 PM
hello collaburgers.
glad to see your buns are safe, albeit sweaty. keep rocking and rolling. we are thinking of you.
n + r
Posted by: n + r | June 24, 2008 at 01:49 PM
hello collaburgers.
glad to see your buns are safe, albeit sweaty. keep rocking and rolling. we are thinking of you.
n + r
Posted by: n + r | June 24, 2008 at 01:50 PM
I am soooo impressed, a bit jealous, and enjoying huge gulps of vicarious pleasure. You will savor all the dirty details when this is all over.
Posted by: claire | June 26, 2008 at 04:40 PM
glad to hear things are going well. if you ever find yourself with access to a sewing machine and something like a linens-n-things or a salvation army at any of your stops, an easy and relatively cheap alternative to sweaty sub-zero sleeping bags is to sew up a lightweight sleep sack out of either two twin sheets or a queen or king sheet folded in half. works like a charm and folds up super small and lightweight. wishing you temperate, dry weather and smooth, well-paved roads. take care!
-ethan
Posted by: ethan | June 27, 2008 at 11:00 AM