Category: Food

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Week 6 – Bike & Build

7/21 – 7/23: Joplin, MO
Mileage: 80
Host: Byers Avenue United Methodist Church

The sweepstakes for today’s ride is to make a music video, and Kristin, Ella V, Amanda, and I do just that. We pick up a couple cliché songs to sing and we film scenes as the day progresses.

Another big topic of debate today is determining the type of farm animal mounted on a roadside roof. We are certain that it is male; however, its exact species is quite questionable. The debate is never settled despite quality photographic evidence.

We then get to enjoy two quality build days in the great town of Joplin, which provides us with one of the best rooftop bars we encounter the entire trip to date. Also, at the Habitat build sites in Joplin we have the pleasure and the privilege of meeting Matt McGee, the Christian music all-star. Thanks to our previous build site, we are armed with posters and pictures with which to tease McGee.

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7/24: Vinita, OK
Mileage: 61
Host: Vinita First United Methodist Church

Van day. I am at lunch all day to the point where it feels like I have at least three lunches. Some of our riders label this day as the “Best Day Ever” because the pace is slow, the stops are plentiful, and the lunch stop is awesome. The last group of riders to pass through lunch bust out the guitar and we start singing Christmas songs because Christmas in July is coming soon.

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7/25 – 7/26: Tulsa, OK
Mileage: 66
Host: First Presbyterian Church – The Powerhouse

On the ride into Tulsa, we cross the halfway mark for the trip. Sam and Kristin chalk the area full of our names and celebratory messages for making it this far. Funnily, they actually chalk the wrong area because they slightly misread the day’s cue sheet. Nonetheless, it is still close to the right spot and we celebrate over the markings with dance, song, and general merriment.

Fortunately and unfortunately, our build day in Tulsa is cancelled. This gives us a day off to explore the city and rest. There was some rain (as this was the reason for the build’s cancellation), but we have a great time regardless. On our second evening in Tulsa, we celebrate Christmas in July with a gift exchange, cake, and a burning fire projected on the wall.

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7/27: Chandler, OK
Mileage: 69
Host: First United Methodist Church, 122 W 10th Street

This day was full of fun stops from whether those be saving turtles, eating a second brunch at a train-themed diner, stopping at a restaurant that inspired characters in Pixar’s Cars, or just generally enjoying the atmosphere that surrounds Route 66. The day is then made complete when the evening’s entertainment includes a local Chandler Rodeo complete with kids chasing goats, bull riding, and all sorts of horse-riding competitions. Overall, this is a fun Oklahoma day.

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Week 5 – Bike & Build

7/14: Salem, IL
Mileage: 61
Host: Grace United Methodist Church, 116 E Schwartz

The road to Salem is relatively short and flat, and we take full advantage. We lounge at every stop, nap under many a tree, and get to our host site early enough to enjoy some personal time or some time at a great nearby swimming pool.

During one of my several naps today, a local bicyclists passes by and stops to learn about what we are doing and where we are going. We learn that this young man, probably in his mid-thirties, also traversed America via bicycle going from west to east along a more southern route. His experience, however, was drastically different from ours because he chose to go it alone. So much of our trip is dictated by the people we are surrounding ourselves with, and as a result, I could not image trying to bicycle close to 4000 miles all by myself. As an aside, he also had to carry all his gear with him, and I am also very happy for our sag wagon carrying all of our things.

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7/15 – 7/16: St. Louis, MO
Mileage: 82
Host: University of Missouri, St. Louis

Despite it being a long ride, incredibly hot and humid, my body behaves itself and I feel okay. At each gas station, I would refill my bladder in my camelback with very cold ice water that would make me feel like it wasn’t so miserable outside. Riding through East St. Louis is also a bit of an adventure. Several of us at different points are talked to my local police asking what we are doing in this area and if we know where we are. As it becomes apparent, East St. Louis is not the safest of areas and stopping for a break or water whilst riding through is not a good option.

I know that I am feeling a little better when I arrive in the first riding group to get to the host site. Then to add to that feeling, my scab from the divot in the side of my thigh naturally falls off during my afternoon shower. It is easy to say that things are looking up.

The build day is also of note because we get to put up walls. There is something very gratifying about being able to erect a wall. What used to be a platform quickly starts to take on the shape of a home, progress is easily measured as each wall is pushed up, and lots of hands are needed throughout the process of preparing, lifting, and then securing said walls.

Throughout our time in St. Louis we get to explore the city. We check out the restaurants and bars around Washington University, and we do the obligatory journey to the base of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, which surprisingly was even more impressive than I had expected.

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7/17: Belle, MO
Mileage: 100
Host: Belle High School, 504 West Third St

The day again is quite toasty outside, but this weather has become the rule and no longer the exception. And not only is it hot, but the humidity feels like we are sitting in a recently finished dryer cycle just waiting for someone to come and open up the dryer door and collect us so that we can breathe again.

That said, today I can’t really complain because my escape from this oppressive weather was inside the van. It is one of my van days. I still wish that I am out there riding with everyone in solidarity, enjoying the sites, smells, and feel of the road, but occasionally as I feel the A/C on my face, I recognize the advantage of riding the van. I have some company as well. Alex, who has been riding in the van since her injury a little while back, is very helpful when it comes to coordinating the day for the riders.

We arrive in Belle, MO just at the tail end of a parade, put together a dinner from donations from a couple pizza places, a sandwich place, and fruit and veggies from Walmart, take showers that only come in the temperature of scolding hot, and then break for the night. Some venture over to a town fair that features very competitive events such as tractor pulling, and some just fall asleep from the exhaustion of the day.

7/18: Lake Ozark, MO
Mileage: 87
Host: Faithbridge Church, Osage Beach, MO

Again, to no one’s surprise it is another hot and muggy day. I ride with Kaitlin and Sarah, and we dance our way through the day. Dancing is not meant figuratively to depict the fervor in which we ride, but it is in fact intended to mean that we take many a break to dance.

Another highlight of the day is stopping at a town called Meta, MO for lunch where we found a very reasonably priced diner and probably ate too heavily given the day to come. Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves and still survived the afternoon even if with a couple extra GI exclamations.

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7/19 – 7/20: Springfield, MO
Mileage: 95
Host: South Street Christian Church

This day had all the makings of an awful, challenging day. I was riding sweep, which meant that me and another rider had to be the last two riders of the pack. The temperature was in the 90’s with at least 90% humidity. The ride was close to 100 miles. And it was our third such bicycling day in a row meaning that many of us are wearing down a little. Having to remain in the back of the pack as the group and their bicycles begin to get a little tired might not always be preferable. That said, Kaitlin (the other sweep rider) and I had an awesome day and probably one of my more memorable rides of the trip.

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Week 4 – Bike & Build

7/9 – 7/10: Yellow Springs, OH
Mileage: 55
Host: Antioch College

My body gets rocked today starting at 2am and not in the same physical way that the bicycling and building had been doing previously. I must have eaten something that I shouldn’t have and as a result I am making panicked trips to the bathroom throughout the night and then returning to my sleeping bag pale and in a sweat. I repeat this a few too many times.

Understandably, I am in no condition to ride let alone be awake. I spend most of the day asleep in one of the vans many open rows. I wake up for a brief time during lunch where I consume several sips of Gatorade before returning to my slumber. We arrive in Antioch college, I force myself to eat some very bland food, and then after a quick Bike & Build presentation and a small scoop of ice cream, I proceed to sleep for close to twelve hours and wake up the next day considerably stronger.

Although still not 100% as my body is still thoroughly dehydrated and seemingly exhausted, I am able to participate in the build day. We move a shed, paint a house, and weather seal another. In addition, we get a tour of a passive house, which I learn is a house that is incredibly insulated and therefore requires very little energy. The walls are thick, the water heater cooperates with the dryer so that they can exchange energy in an efficient way, and all of the appliances use very little electricity. Interestingly, this kind of house is still not really economically feasible because in order to make it an economic investment, the house will need to be lived in for upwards of over fifty years, which is not always achievable.

For a quick GI update, I am not eating normal foods and replenishing my water supply; therefore, I’m excited that I should be able to ride the next day.

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7/11: Rushville, IN
Mileage: 101
Host: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 426 N Morgan St

A lot happens today on the road, especially given that we are on the road for over 100 miles, but what I will remember most from this day is that one of the riders, Alex, gets into a very scary accident with another cyclist. She ends up hitting her helmeted head against the pavement and suffers a concussion. In addition, her acromioclavicular ligament is hurt, which if more serious could have prevented her from riding the rest of the trip (luckily, this is not the case). Frighteningly, Alex alsohas a posttraumatic seizure just after hitting the ground, and although I am not on the scene to witness it, just hearing the story third-hand is enough to send shivers throughout my body. Alex spends the night in the hospital with a couple other riders and seems to be handing everything as well as possible.

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7/12: Bloomington, IN
Mileage: 86
Host: Sherwood Oaks Christian Church

Today is a very long van day for me totaling about 370 miles—a longer distance than traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area down to my folks place near Los Angeles. The miles added up as follows: I drove to the lunch spot around mile 45 where I leave the trailer so that riders can help themselves to the coolers and prepare themselves lunch from our leftovers. I then back track and drive the 100 miles from the day prior because Alex was at a hospital near our host in Yellow Springs, OH. We all wait a little while at the Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia, OH because the orthopedic surgeon still needs to clear Alex to ride (even if after a couple weeks of rest). Together, we drive back to the lunch spot to reattach the trailer to the van and then complete the day’s route all the way to Bloomington, Indiana.

Upon arriving at the Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, I was very ready for a little food and a beer, and as luck would have it, a handful of riders are heading out to the Upland Brewery in town. The church is nice to give us a brief tour of the beautiful town before dropping us off at the brewery where I end my day with a delicious bowl of chili and a couple beers.

Although Alex will not be riding for at least a week, things seem a little more normal now. The whole group is back together after having been separated for a night—this rarely happens on this trip, and usually we end up even sleeping in the same room all together. I’m excited to get back on my bicycle tomorrow.

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7/13: Sumner, IL
Mileage: 95
Host: Sumner United Methodist Church

Today is a long day but a good day. I find a town named after my alma mater, and seeing how I bleed cardinal, I had no choice but to stop and take a couple selfies of me and the relevant signs. Later we find a pool around half way where we cool off and take a much needed break on this incredibly hot and humid day. It might have reached close to 100 degrees with no lack of humidity.

Also of note today is that we cross our first time zone as we leave Indiana and enter Illinois. State boundaries are always exciting, but couple them with a time change and it is almost too much excitement with which to contend. In short, our day was broken up with fun intermediate stops such as the pool and the state boundary, and this made the 95 miles seem much shorter.

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While in Scotland

We see snow at Loch Ness. It hails during our Glenfiddich tasting. There’s at least some rain everywhere else. But we also get our share of sunshine, and the fleeting ephemeral nature of it makes it that much more special. Here are the a list of the places in Scotland that we visited while constantly being teased by the clouds.

Lodgings:

Cherrytree Villa Guesthouse, East Mayfield 9, Edinburgh

Inch Hotel, Fort Augustus*

Highlander Inn, Craigellachie*

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Food:

The Holyrood 9A, 9A Holyrood Road, Edinburgh*

The Tea Rooms, Edinburgh Castle

The Elephant House, 21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh

The Piemaker, 38 South Bridge, Edinburgh*

Clachaig Inn, Glencoe, Argyll**

Mitchells, St. Andrews, Fife

Artisan Roast, 57 Broughton Street, Edinburgh**

Ireland-Scotland-002-500pxDrinks:

Kilderkin, 65-67 Canongate, Edinburgh**

The Old Bell, 233-235 Causewayside, Edinburgh

Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, Banffshire*

Fiddichside Inn, Craigellachie, Banffshire**

Highlander Inn, Craigellachie**

The Macallan Distilleries, Craigellachie*

Tomintoul Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire**

Conan Doyle, 71 York Place, Edinburgh

BrewDog, 143 Cowgate, Edinburgh*

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Activities:

Royal Mile, High Street, Edinburgh

Stirling Castle, Stirlingshire

Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glenfinnan, Highland

Loch Ness, Inverness-shire**

Urquhart Castle, Dumnadrochit, Inverness*

St. Andrews Cathedral

The Old Course, St. Andrews

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Scottish Coffee

From mashtuns to worts to washbacks finally to distillers, we learn how malted barley, water and yeast are processed to become moonshine. Little flavor is added at this stage other than peatiness, while most of the taste comes from the maturation process. Maturation happens in wonderfully stacked casks, and the process which coopers use to create the watertight oak casks without anything other than natural wood and several metal hoops is a trade that takes decades to master. Master coopers practice their crafts for forty years and teach the art through an apprenticing system to new coopers. The distilleries we visit are beautiful, whether they are polished ones of Glenfiddich and Macallan or the more authentic kind like Tomintoul. After many years in the casks, the moonshine from before becomes Scotch.

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Sound the Bagpipes

Rolling hills, little cottages, and greenness,

The sheep, the cows, and a fair bit of rain,

We start in Edinburgh, go to Loch Ness

See a monster from the road’s fast lane.

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Castles in Edinburgh and in Urquhart,

A night’s stay in a Fort Augustus B&B,

With only a little sun, a work of art

Even if it’s all a tad bit windy.

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And then there’s the haggis, the meat pie,

The Scottish breakfast, and the chips,

Not great, but not bad, I won’t deny

With which we all quickly came to grips.

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JK Rowling’s favorite coffee shop,

Her inspirational cemetery just next door.

At the train to Hogwarts, we make a stop

As we drive our cherry red Peugeot.

Hag ·gis: a traditional pudding made of the heart, liver, etc., of a sheep or calf, minced with suet and oatmeal, seasoned, and boiled in the stomach of the animal.

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Spotted in Ireland

Throughout this trip, Nick has diligently “checked us in” via the application Foursquare, thus making it easy to retrace our steps and see where we’ve eaten, drank, lodged, as well as what sites we’ve seen. The asterisks that can be found at the end of locations indicate my favorite places, and the more asterisks the better. Although we were only in Ireland for a short time, I feel this list speaks to our commitment to see the country.

Food:

Caulfield’s Hotel, 18-19 Dorset Street, Dublin

Mugs Café, Castle Street, Dalkey

The Queens, 12 Castle Street, Dalkey*

Malone’s Fish & Chips, Dame Street, Dublin

Kyteler’s Inn Restaurant, Kilkenny

Market Lane, Cork**

Café Mocha, Kenmare, Kerry

The Quays, Galway

Kai Café + Restaurant, Galway**

Leo Burdock, 2 Werburgh Street, Dublin*

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Drinks:

The Workman’s Club, 9-10 Wellington Quay, Dublin

The Temple Bar, 47-48 Temple Bar, Dublin*

The Palace Bar, 21 Fleet Street, Dublin

The Stag’s Head, 1 Dame Court, Dublin*

An Bodhran, Cork*

An Brog, Cork

The Kings Head, Galway

Taaffes, Galway

The Crane Bar, Galway**

Gravity Bar (at Guinness Storehouse)

The Brazen Head, 20 Bridge Street, Dublin*

W.J. Kavanagh, 4-5 Dorset Street, Dublin

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Activities:

Killiney Beach & Killiney Hill Park

Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny

Blarney Castle, Blarney, Cork*

Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Kerry

Staigue Fort, Sneem, Kerry

The Burren, Clare

Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Clare**

Kilmainham Gaol, 2 Inchicore Road, Dublin**

Guinness Storehouse, St. James’ Gate, Dublin

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Lodgings:

Imogen’s Lair via airbnb, Dublin

Ambassador Hotel, Cork

Prague House, Galway**

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A wee bit of learnin’

Today, the tour of the Kilmainham Gaol, the former Dublin prison, enlightened us about the last couple centuries of Irish history. The prison, which was built at the end of the 18th century, housed many an Irishman, especially through the troublin’ times of the potato famine. Also, it wasn’t always a pretty site, as it became the site of many public hangings. Through hearing about the history of Kilmainham Gaol, we also learned of the Irish struggle for independence from the United Kingdom starting mostly in 1916 and the controversial treaty that was signed in 1922 that began a very messy Irish civil war. Ireland hasn’t exactly had an easy history, and the bumps and bruises worn by this prison can tell much of it.

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The other part of our educational day happens at the Guinness Storehouse. We learn of all the ingredients that go into this fine beer: barley, hops, water, and of course the propriety Guinness yeast. The barley is milled and then mixed with hot water and mashed. The grain is filtered out, the hops and barley is added, all of which is followed by the whole concoction being boiled. Arthur’s yeast is added to ferment, everything is allowed to mature for a while, and finally the beer is then packaged, shipped, and drunken. “Guinness is good for you.” ~Guinness’ slogan

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Hello Dublin

Soon after our Boston midnight flight

We seek an Irish morning meal

Blood sausage and eggs, what a sight

And we eat with quite some zeal.

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Very soon to Dalkey we train

To visit a friend and relish the sun,

As we walk up and down costal terrain

We feel this day can’t be outdone.

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Fish and chips, bangers and mash

Continues the tour de local cuisine.

In day one, we make quite the splash

And we finish in Dublin’s bar scene.

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Colchagua Valley Wine Tasting

We find a piece of home, and more specifically of Trader Joe’s, when we visit Viña Concha y Toro, the famous wine producer of Casillero del Diablo.  After a couple tastes at this winery just southeast of Santiago, we continue southward to the Colchagua Valley where we enjoy wines, lunch, vineyard-filled hills, and walks among the grapes.   In the center of the valley is Santa Cruz, a cute town filled with boutique hotels, small houses with flowered window sills, and restaurants, cafes a plenty.