Author: Paul Rito (Page 17 of 27)

GP Day 2 — Montreal

July 7, 2023 / Paul Rito

12 pm: We were up at 5 this morning and on the road around 5:30 to try to get as much distance in before the rain started. We still got wet, but the riding has been mostly flat and very rural until we got closer to Montreal. Lots of bike lanes and paths and we are in old Montreal camped at eggspectation having a needed brunch (and dry off) as we had a minimal breakfast of bananas and bars.

No pics yet today, but should have something up later. Going to tour around Old Montreal until our warm showers people are available at 4:00 p.m.

GP Day 1 — Good Touring Karma

July 6, 2023 / Paul Rito

12pm: Quick update while stopping for lunch, mostly photos!

9pm: In for the evening after 61 very beautiful and interesting miles, The day started off in the high 70s. I had stayed with John and his friend Beth at their hotel so Sarah and Matt could enjoy a restful night without a crazy cyclist waking them up at stupid-dark-thirty.

GP Day 0

July 5, 2023 / Paul Rito

The adventure starts today. Well, getting to the adventure starts today. My daughter Sarah and her husband Matt are driving me to Burlington where I’ll meet up with John and they’ll have a little VT vacation. I’m so grateful to them because it’s a great time saver for me. I don’t have to pack the bike in a box to fly, and all the other logistics.

GP — Gaspé Peninsula Tour

June 26, 2023 / Paul Rito

Coming soon. I’ll be leaving July 5 for Burlington VT to join my friend John W (I’ll post some links later) on a tour to Montreal, Quebec, and the Gaspé Peninsula. It will take between 6 and 8 weeks depending on my route back home. Stay tuned. In the meantime, all the posts from my cross country tour last year are still available here.

CC Day 100+ – Final Thoughts and Thank Yous

November 15, 2022 / Paul Rito

It’s been a week and a day since my return on day 99 last Sunday, November 13. A slow week, as I was in bed or resting for most of it. I caught a cold that hit full force on Monday, and on Tuesday, I went to the doc to get tested to make sure it wasn’t COVID, RSV, or the Flu. Thankfully, it was none of those, but that didn’t dissipate the symptoms at all. It was Saturday before I really felt like rejoining the world. I did that by visiting my friend Evelyn to watch the PSU-Rutgers game. Also, my second welcoming event was this ➡

CC Day 99 – Homeward Bound

November 13, 2022 / Paul Rito

A very nice weekend came to an end on Sunday morning as Dana and I packed up the car with our bikes, my bags and racks, and everything she had brought for the weekend. There were even a few square inches left over, but not a lot! I got to drive for the first time since Denver in September. I even checked my license to make sure it was still valid. We said our good byes to Kathy, Dave, and Charlie, and headed out in the much chillier morning. The temps yesterday were in the 70s, but today were in the 40s, and there’s snow in the forecast back home in State College.

CC Day 98 – Lightened Load

November 12, 2022 / Paul Rito

Nice day riding with Dave, Charlie, and Dana in rural MD, with all the bags and racks off of Papa Hobo, and another 34 miles in the log book. After the ride, it was PSU Football vs. MD and a Dave’s home made pasta & shrimp feast afterwards. A wonderful almost-home welcome.

CC Day 97 – Another OMG (or two or three…)

November 11, 2022 / Paul Rito

Yesterday’s ride was not an auspicious way to finish up my trip, but Birmingham was my last tour stop. I hopped on the Amtrak Crescent to Baltimore and 20 hours later, I rode the ½ mile to the light rail station and hopped on the train to Lutherville.

This was the culmination of a couple weeks of planning with our friends Dave & Kathy who were hosting Dana for the weekend, but it didn’t all gel until I was in New Orleans.

Dave picked me up at Lutherville and took me back to their house where we had some wine and waited for Dana. She thought I was with a Warm Showers host in Birmingham, a little ruse that was not unexpected for this trip.

CC Day 96 – Slog day

November 10, 2022 / Paul Rito

November 10, 2022, Birmingham AL. Well, all the good things I said or thought about Alabama roads were thrown out the window today. US 11 out of Tuscaloosa was OK for about 3 miles, and then reverted to little to no shoulder. Add in the high speed traffic and tractor trailers, particularly logging trucks, and you have the makings for the worst 25 miles on this trip so far. OK, maybe not the worst, but definitely tied with KY 8, and that wasn’t as long. Overall, the drivers weren’t bad and waited or gave me room (‘cept for one, but I escaped that unscathed. Thank goodness for the rearview mirror).

CC Day 95 – Tuscaloosa

November 9, 2022 / Paul Rito

October 9, 2022 — York AL to Tuscaloosa AL.

I knew I had a good 7 hour ride in front of me to a motel in Tuscaloosa. The only Warm Showers host in the city never answered my message or text, and the closest campground would have added another 10 miles to today’s 73 and tomorrow’s 57. Add in the time to set up and tear down and pack and that’s a significant cut out of already short days and I did want to have some time in the city, too.