Hank – Kathy was still feeling the burn from the last two days. We decided to split the difference in the distance to Washington, DC and just do 20 miles today. 20+ mph winds were called for today with 30+ mph gusts. Who wants to wrestle with that all day? Combine that with the climbs and doing a short day would be much more mentally and physically agreeable.

Going through downtown Baltimore was a breeze. Dedicated and separate pedestrian/bike paths make such a difference for cyclists. We lollygagged our way to Laurel, MD, where we had a hotel for the night. Stopping in Artubus–interesting name, right?–we found a bake shop and had a snack with tea.

The climbs today were steep. Thankfully, only one was very long. Still, there’s something about cranking for all your worth in the granny gear that can wear down your psyche just as much as give you a great sense of accomplishment at the same time. A combination of “Look what I just did” and “I hope I never have to do that again.” But overall the day went well. Even though the winds were strong, most of the time we were shielded by trees and buildings. There were a couple of fun moments where we felt like we were going through a wind tunnel, but they were pretty short.

I haven’t mentioned that I’ve been watching for license plates alongside the roadway while on this adventure. I haven’t found as many as I thought I would. Only three so far. I’m sending them home and I’ll use them to make some cigar box guitars. Fun stuff.

Tomorrow we go to Washington, D.C. for a couple of days.

Kathy – We both slept well last night after the two past days of tough riding. Today we rode 20 miles with temps in the mid 60’s. It was a beautiful sunny day in Baltimore, Maryland. People told us there was not a lot to see in Baltimore, but as we rode through the downtown area I almost wished we would have stayed a night downtown. It looked like a great place to walk about and explore. Next time.

We loved the cooler temps. The humidity was much less today than our last few days which helped out a lot too. Our main concerns today were the high winds related to the aftermath of Hurricane Michael (12 – 30 mph) and the continued elevation gains. So instead of going the 45 miles to Washington D.C. today we opted for a shorter day to give our bodies a break. Tomorrow we will finish the ride to D.C. and take a few days off the bike to see all the sites. No sense killing ourselves here. Our #1 goal is safety and #2 is to have fun. The past few days were not so much fun. Looking forward to enjoying the trip a bit more over the next few days.

So other than the sore thighs from all the climbing with the heavy bikes, my bruises from the two falls last week, and my misquote and black fly bites are all healing nicely. I am starting to look like a regular person again. This ride at times really takes its toll on the body.

Have to remember to count my blessing though… I am lucky to be able to have the health to do this trip. I am thankful that we have the financial ability to take this time out and travel about the U.S. And, I am grateful to be able to go on this adventure with my best friend. We miss our family and friends but I know this time will be over much too soon. Sorry for my whining during the past few hard days. Being appreciative for this opportunity is just as important as the ride itself. Today I am very thankful and grateful.