So my plan for this winter is to escape Buffalo, which I have successfully done so far. However I did not escape the weather in the way I would have hoped.
The Polar Vortex Blizzard in Buffalo delayed my flight to Charleston.
But Im honestly glad I got to experience that.
And because of me delay...... I found out Thursday evening, while having dinner with friends, that my flight leaving Friday the 10th would be the same exact plane that my friends who were traveling to ATL would be on.
I stayed with my parents in Moncks Corner, SC for a week.
- I put my bike together and took a couple small rides around town.
- While on one of these rides I ran into Mr. McCormic (yes, indeed the spice guy) who was in his mid 90s and had some good stories to share. He was a bike messenger for Western Union.
- Visited some family. Talked to my uncle who I have not spoken to in 5 years or so; he is in jail.
- Helped my dad do some soldering. That was my first experience with making an electrical panel for some outlets in his music man cave.
- Among the many movies and TV shows I watched while at my parents, my favorite so far: The Island. It is the sort of theme I prefer in a fiction movie or book and the ending went well.
Friday the 17th I left on my single speed Bianchi for downtown Charleston, SC
- I took a different rout that I had yet to try. 409 to 41 through Mt. Pleasent, SC over the largest cable stayed bridge on the east coast into Charleston.
- On the top of the bridge just as it was getting dark I met another older man and his partner. This guy had traveled several times across the US and used to put over 100mi a day on his bike.
We chatted a bit about my upcoming endeavor. - He asked, "Do you have a gun?" I reply, "Nah." "Do you have pepper spray?", "No, but maybe I will get some.", The tan wrinkled man, "well then, do you have Jesus?" Me, "I do actually" My thoughts: I am officially in the south!
- I hurt my knee on the ride over. It was the most miles I have done since late summer and it was on a single speed with about 60lbs of weight on it. Not the brightest idea, especially with out proper preparation.
- I tried to stay off of it as much as I could, and I did not do any long rides (in prep for my trip) as I had planned. I put heat, ice, comfrey, arnica slave, and prayer on it. I bought a drug store brace and I have been doing lots of yoga as well as an acupuncture session. I think I will probably do some more sessions as I ride down the coast. COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE
- I was going to have my favorite bike shop RIDEBIKES convert my single speed into a multi, but when they showed me the loner bike that I would be using, I decided just to buy that. I will post some photos soon of my new whip.
- I did not leave Charleston when I had planned partly due to my knee, but mostly due to the weather. Everything shut down in the town. Snow and ice!! Though not nearly as severe as Buffalo weather, the two storms I have experienced in the south thus far have knocked out power, shut down bridges, and closed most business.
- I intend to take a greyhound some of the way to Miami because I am now running short on time.
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