As I wrap up one chapter in my life, I know the end must be better than the middle, so I have some big shoes to fill…
Aug 9th Princeton, NJ
I woke up to rain and asked if I could stay one more day. It was ok, so Blair and I had talked about a day at the movies, so we headed off to a flick called “500 days of Summer “ which was a very cute story about thinking you have the one – only to realize that when trying to control love is like holding back the Mississippi River. Over time it will tear you apart. Once again I am just set in my thinking that trying to control anything is human’s main downfall. That evening we had one last dinner and I planned to head for the coast for the Cape May ferry.
Aug 10th Delaware
I left with all the family there and said goodbye. It was hard to leave them since they truly treat me like one of their own. I jokingly asked to sign the papers to become an official Lamb. I decided to use the shortest distance option on MapQuest and I was so pleased with the ride. New Jersey is highly underestimated in its beauty and I think because of its large cities people give it a bad name. Remember it is the Garden State and it lives up to that name. I went through the blueberry capital of the US and then the pine barrens which is a beach forest of endless pines. Even the coast was wonderful. By 4pm I had 107 miles under my belt and arrived at the ferry right on time. The ride was 80 minutes across the bay in to Lewis the first city in the first state of Delaware. It is just crazy how big this bay is and like the Mississippi River they let me walk on board first. The ride was a joy and I talked with many of the crew and guests. Once on the shore of a new coast I headed on waving good bye to my new friends. I made it an hour or so and camped in a new subdivision off the one heading north for Maryland. Delaware is nice because of its small size and its flatness.
Aug 11th Maryland
If today was a golf tournament, mine would be over. I was just not into my game. It was not that it was a bad day – it has just been so hot. It is too bad having this type of weather at the end – like wearing a wet blanket all the time, but I say it allows me to appreciate all that I have had and I truly am having fun battling the elements. I would also say that I am eating like a girl that just got her heart broken. As I was just guessing my way into north Maryland I ate at several places. I truly think that it is just the overwhelmingness of the completion of my trip. It’s not that I am scared to be down, it is just hard to fathom the past and the future. Like my wise turtle said in “Kung Fu Panda” – yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift so that is why it’s the present. It’s so true if one stays in the past too long it’s like a warm bath that soon goes cold – you can’t stay in forever. I must just love where I am and what I do. I did finally get the idea to MapQuest again at a library in Rising Sun because I really was just guessing roads and once again it did me right with an excellent right to the 11 which went into West Virginia. I made it to a big bay bridge after battling two dogs with my “water bottle sword”. It was two on one and I was not going to lose. I slept behind a sign and had some fishermen guests that were nice. I must say ever since passing through New York City I have noticed a thread of underlying rudeness. It’s not that people have been mean, but there is just a sense of hesitancy at my approach that I never experienced in the West or Midwest. I just think people live closer together and because of that, this sense of selfishness and accepting kindness is harder for the “East Side of the U.S. The kids have been more of a nuisance too. I have yet to put my finger on the issue but I will meditate on it till I do.
Aug 12th West Virginia – Virginia
I headed back into the Appalachians once again crossing over the AT in the rain. The day was beautiful climbing mountains and heading into West Virginia. Wow! It is moving so fast and I am doing my biggest push without a host. No worries just a little physical challenge in the end is good for the soul. I loved my camp spot and slept well on the border of Virginia and West Virginia.
Aug 13th
Today was a day of true laziness. I slept in till about nine thirty and then went through a small town where I got a “gas station breakfast” and set up in a laundromat where I found out I was on camera when I changed clothes which is a nice present for whomever! Look out internet! After that I went and got more food for my long push – I am on and pounded the weirdest mix of food to date. I had two pounds of yogurt, a tub of hummus, and a half gallon of apple juice. It was not more than twenty minutes before I was stopped again paying for that meal. Still all in all I made it almost 100 miles and even in my camp spot I just went off the side of the road. I was not tired. I am getting a weird feeling in my gut to know that I am so close to completing my journey. I did sleep like a baby though.
Aug 14th
Once again I slept in and continued my slower movement to the end. I was in the Shenandoah Valley which is amazingly beautiful and I cannot stop my unnecessary food buying so I got a smoothie and found out the kid was about to do the AT also. I talked to him for about an hour giving him advice. I love seeing other kids heading off into something I know will change their lives. That evening I also ate at a Waffle House which I had been craving for some time and talked to the locals for a while. When I left there I made a quick decision to go away from the 11 to the 221 and boy was that a crazy road with cars flying by on small roads. I figured it was night traffic so I camped out in the woods and looked for a different way and saw the Blue Ridge Parkway nearby.
Aug 15th
I started out to revisit my past trip when I pedaled the whole parkway with some friends and boy was today some serious climbing. Still it was beautiful and was nice to trade the cars in for a nice date with Mother Nature. I remember why it was the Appalachians since the Parkway was climb after climb, but I loved the descents because of it. Still I was having a hard time remembering where I was on my past trip during this time until I came across the 8 and saw the motel we stayed at on our trip. I decided I had to eat there and went in. Would you believe that in about a minute I realized my waitress was the same girl as when I was there with six friends in 07? She still had a drawing two friends and I gave to her. She said she had talked about us the day before I was there to another group of bikers. It was so crazy but since the cool experience had happened I felt memory lane was complete and decided to keep on the 8 which had a fun three mile descent up ahead. It was still a very hilly day but beautiful in the same and soon I was in Winston Salem, North Carolina. I was about to get a motel as a present for myself plus I was about a day away from Greenville, South Carolina anyway and needed some alone time. I went to a Marriott because I like their customer service. One time I left a wallet in a taxi and the hotel found it and went out of their way to find me and get it back in my hands, so please stay with them if you are ever looking. Robert, the door guy, told me the room was 90 dollars. This was way out of my price range. Still I asked nicely if I could use a computer and get directions to Greenville for my last map questing. I thanked him, headed out of town and stopped at a gas station for dinner. There was a couple there that asked what I was doing but even though they were very clean looking something was off. They asked if I wanted to stay with them but I was getting that gut feeling so I kind of blew them off. It is just weird to me if you are nicely dressed with a lot of cologne and are sweating something is up. Anyway, I found a great spot and slept well in my tarp where I am always safe.
Aug 16th Greenville, SC
I awoke to another hot day but wanted to make Greenville. I had a mission but it was about 160 miles away. I rode all day stopping in a few spots to eat and slowly made South Carolina. It was some fun back roads and I was out with the motorcyclists. As I pounded 2 pounds of yogurt and five muffins I called my aunt, Camille and they wanted to meet me in Spartanburg for dinner. By seven I was there with 140 miles behind me - I am not sure where these miles went but I was booking it. I also knew I was in SC when I saw a family in a van selling samurai swords out of the back. I would have taken a picture but storms were all around. It reminded me of this crack head I knew in Atlanta that sold fruit baskets. It was too funny! I made it and not soon enough. My butt was about to quit – I had gone a week and almost 1000 miles since Princeton, NJ and was excited to be close to the border of Georgia and know I would see the family. If there is anything this trip has taught, which is a lot, is don’t worry. It has also made me really appreciate my own family. There is something special about the ones close that I knew but never clearly saw. Camille, Frank, Caroline, and Meredith Wingate and I had dinner and shared stories. It was an early night but then I watched bad TV till like 4 in the morning- something is wrong with me!
Aug 17th Greenville, SC
This was a fun day with a blast from the past in many ways. The first thing I did was go get new socks because after almost 8 months my wool socks died and I was wearing cotton which smelled so bad (my aunt Camille insisted!). I have finally solved the problem of my smelly feet – it’s smelly cotton. So I needed to get something else. We went to a triathlon store and I picked up some awesomely ugly USA socks which will do great for my last seventy miles into Gainesville, Georgia for my pop’s (Bill Galardi) birthday. The next part of the day was when the revisiting of the past began and I was so excited. “Coconut Monkey”, one of my friends from the trail, came over to the Wingate’s. It was so good to see him – he brought his wife and cute kid. I could not believe the change. Well, not in him -he looks the same but in his life. We laughed, talked, and watched the little one act just like him and then he invited me to dinner later which I said yes. Then I was off to my second ghost of Christmas past when I went to Meredith’s high school orientation. It was crazy being back in the high school crowd and I have to say they are looking “small” – does that mean I am getting old? It was fun though and I was impressed with the school and the kids. We are entering a strange time with kids in high school – they have all the open information which I think is great, but it is making them realize that the idea of a teenager is made up causing confusion in their heads when most parents will not let them grow up – leading to rebellion and bad behavior. It’s a cycle that is getting faster and scarier. After that and a pretty clear idea I would not do that chapter again. I was off to dinner for some more fun with the “monkey”. He wants me to do the PCT (Pacific Coast Trail) with him in 2012 or 13 and I must say I am into the idea. We talked some more over amazing bbq and then said good bye. I am also so amazed at the cuteness of Greenville and really like the town. I had no idea!
Aug 18th
Today was a simple day with relaxation and calmness around every corner. I did get to go see Meredith swim and check out the town out in the daylight which was nice. The bridge that is a suspension bridge on one side is great and the whole feel of Greenville reminded me of the west and its excellent clean up of the downtown area. I am having a family spaghetti night and then it’s time to head into Georgia and finish what I set out to do. I am a little nervous about going back but who am I kidding – there is no going back in life. We are like flowers and if you stop blooming you’re dying and I am not ready for that. Plus the end of a book must be the best part – the climax scene and this is only the beginning, so my life is destined for greater things.
Worrying about what those are now will only keep me from experiencing them and like “Motormouth” said in Florida in the beginning of this trip ( he was the homeless guy) .
I, Michael Galardi, am a Doer not a Trier and I have biked all 48 states. Thank everyone for what they have done for me and much love.
