Hank – Today’s ride took us through Laurel, MD, which turned out to be larger than I expected. We initially stayed on US Highway 1, but soon diverted to more pleasant roads and trails. We had stiff winds again and it was pretty cool. I thrive in cool weather so it felt great to me. The seven miles of paved trail system were awesome.

We stopped by Costco to stock up because they have so much in small packages just right for touring by bike. Just kidding. One of my Costco-purchased hearing aids was on the fritz and they fixed it for me.

Riding through DC was quite the trip. Thick traffic everywhere. But the bike lanes, especially the separated ones, were great. We finally made it to our hotel. Next up is laundry and figuring out what places we want to visit while we’re here. I want to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Today I learned it’s one of the most popular museums of the Smithsonian and they control access by issuing tickets, which are free. All other Smithsonian museums are wide open to visitors. And free! I have to check at 6:30 am tomorrow to see if tickets are available for the day.

Kathy – Today was one of those days where I just didn’t feel like riding. I’m feeling really tired and kind of worn out. Not sure if it has been the riding the past few days or if I’m coming down with something. My throat is a bit sore, my ears feel plugged, and I just don’t seem to be my normal healthy self. Hopefully it’s nothing and tomorrow I will be back on game.

So, our 30-mile ride today was tough for me. No matter how I tried to flip it to a positive it didn’t work and I just really wanted to get it over with. We had a pretty constant strong headwind with nice gusts to remind you to hang on tight and pedal fast to avoid falling over. The rain sprinkled on us a little. The temps were in the 50’s and I was either freezing or sweating all day. Most of our time on the road (except our 7 miles on the trail) were the continuous rolling hills with occasional steep hills and constant flow of traffic right next to us. We had limited shoulder areas to ride on and often had to take part of a traffic lane. The cars and trucks would get very close to us, but we’re good for the most part with tolerating us.

I planted my Maryland flowers for state # 24. We did not see any signs for entering Washington D.C. I’m happy I don’t have to get back on my bike for a few days. Looking forward to hopefully some down time. I just realized we have been back on the road for a month now. Over the past month we have really not taken any down time. If we are not riding, then we were out walking 10 miles a day seeing sites on our off-riding days. Maybe I just need some actual rest time. Either I am coming down with something or need time off…the next few days will let me know which it is. Haven’t been sick yet, wish me luck!