Judy's Journal

In this section of the site, Judy will be keeping notes about her journey and displaying photos. Check back while she's traveling to see what's going on. Select the links below to see her Journal for later tour days:

Training and Days 10-19 Days 20 - 29 Days 30-39 Days 40-50

"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious victories, though checked with defeat, than to rank with those poor souls who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, for theirs is a twilight existence that knows neither victory nor defeat."

- Theodore Roosevelt, April 10, 1899

A Note to my Friends & Sponsors: On March 25th, I rode my first Century (100 miles) in training for CrossRoads06. I hadn't ridden that far since the bike tour(XC03). I biked the entire distance by myself and although I was very tired, I didn't feel as achy as I did two weeks previously when I rode 70 miles. The training is coming along....but this year I have a great coach, Dana Lyons, Founder of Finish Strong Coaching (http://www.coachlyons.com/) who sets out my weekly schedule. My pace isn't as fast as I hope it to be and that's what I need to concentrate upon for the remaining month ahead of me before I leave for LA on May 11th. I'm planning on biking the "WHOLE THING"! I am also wearing a Garmin Heart Rate monitor with GPS system that I hope to upload each evening to my website. Those of you who will be following along with the bike tour should be able to see the daily bike tour map route, the terrain and topography with Google Earth and you will also be able to view the pictures that I upload each evening of all the participants and interesting sites. Hope you come back often to visit the website and send your thoughts (be nice) and wish us luck through my Guest Posts. Look forward to hearing from you. JudyP-M

Hi All....looks like this article in the Conroe Courier came out w/o the picture. Fortunately the photographer took one w/my camera, and it's shown below. I picked up my new Cannondale carbon fiber bike yesterday at Bikelane and will ride this morning with my trainer, Dana Lyons of Finish Strong Coaching. Dana is a guy not a girl as the article states. I looking forward to riding w/him and trying out the new bike. The time is creeping closer. I will send out another email right after I arrive in LA and meet with the other cyclists. When you have time, please write an email, and we'll put it on the Guest Posts page on my website. Here's the article:

Today I took advantage of the cooler weather and biked my last long ride of 93.3 miles. Kept my rpm over 84 to 94 for the whole trip. Although my pace was only 13.3 mph for the trip....that takes into consideration stopping at traffic lights, waiting for cars to turn in front of me, etc. Tomorrow I will take my carbon fiber Cannondale bike to Bikelane for them to mail to LA for me. I still have my Colnago to train on. Sat. I will bike 3 hours in the hills around Willis. I'm getting anxious now. All of my training for this trip, I have done by myself. If I do what I hope to do....all the credit goes to my coach Dana Lyons, FinishStrong Coaching. I have just followed each day what he has laid out for me to do. I am dedicating my efforts on this cycling tour to two former cyclists who rode w/me in 2003. My roommate, Rosemary Thomas from Indiannapolis, Indiana and Hopper Fulton from Denver, CO. Both are great athletes whom I truly admire!

Arrived in LA. Picked up my bike that was put together by our techs, Rick Wardell & Jeff Bott. Then went to eat dinner w/Jim Hall, his wife Cindy, & Elmer Dixon & his wife Linda. Had a great time getting to know them and finding out more about them and their families.

Rode 21 miles along the beach w/Gil Hine from San Antonio & Bill Salamone from Lafayette Hill, PA. It was overcast but a cool crisp morning. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. (A little headwind going out and then a nice tailwind on the way back.) We stopped had lunch at an Italian Restaurant. The food was excellent. Drove back to the hotel and then I took my Sony computer to FedEx to send home. Homeland Security at the airport unwrapped it from the bubble wrap.....but didn't wrap it back up. Just threw the bubble wrap on top of it and put it back in the bag. I am going to see if they are responsible for it getting broken on the airplane when it was thrown aboard the plane. (I hope so.) At least I don't have to worry about my luggage being too heavy and Tracy Leiner, XC Tour Director making me send something home.

This evening, my good friend, Melanie Davis came to see me at the hotel. (She was here to see me off in 2003 when I bike across the US once before. Then she met me at the airport last year when I left LAX for my New Zealand biking trip on my birthday.) Her mother, Margaret and I were close friends who lived on the same block in Dallas, TX. at least 35 years ago. Ty Eggemeyer, Eric Schank, Barbara Wood, Melanie & I all went out to eat at another Italian restaurant and the conversation and food was excellent. Such a interesting, intelligent group and we attempted to solve all the World's problems over wine, beer, and water! I am truly impressed with all the folks I have met so far with the biking group. Tomorrow all will be here and we will have a joint meeting to get to know one another better.

Today I switched roommates. I am rooming w/Barbara Wood from CA. Julia Zahn wasn't able to get a good night's rest for 2 nights and so we thought our switching for awhile would help her get settled.

The 3 of us ladies went to the grocery store together to get last minute items. Then we had our orientation meeting at 2:00PM. Tracy Lenier, Tour Director puts on a great tour and she introduced all her staff. Tracy is quite professional and able to put the group at ease with her preparation and funny jokes. Personally, I am a little apprehensive about tomorrow as we start off w/a bang doing over 85 miles. I know once I begin riding and get settled in, I will be OK. Melanie Davis and Walter Shields (former XC03 rider who was 80 years old), will meet us at Manhattan Beach Pier to see us off and there we will all gather for group pictures and dip our bike tires into the Pacific Ocean. At Revere Beach in the Boston area we will dip our tires into the Atlantic Ocean. So here we come Boston!

Melanie Davis and her dog, Coebe came to the bike path to meet the group and she had to hustle to keep up with the end of the group when she had Coebe in the dog trailer. The weather turned very warm! Probably in the 90's. Towards the end of the ride my claves were camping a little. Mack McNicholas, XC06 staff member stopped and filled up my water bottle because I let him carry my heavy camelback in the van. Ms. VooDoo Doll got in the van w/Mack at 55 miles. She talked his arm off....I was tired of her singing nursery rhymes in my ear. She can really be quite a handful at times. I'm going to have to sit her down and have a talk w/her tonight! Tough day.....but I did it!

Actual mileage was 85.....but I did 87.1. A very tough day. I missed my turn and got off route. Finally figured out my mistake and back tracked. The sun was very hot and I began to fade quickly. At 80 miles, I stopped for a diet coke and probably shouldn't have consumed something with caffeine. Got back on my bike and began to feel nauseous. Rick Wardell, the XC06 sweep came up behind me and we rode together for about 3 miles. I knew that I was going to upchuck so I asked him to go on. They sent Lynn Bartel back for me. Got to the hotel and Tracy was already having route rap for the next day's ride. My thighs started cramping and so it was determined that I should go to the hospital for 2 IV's. Also got a shot of toradol for my headache. My roomie, Barbara Wood and Mack McNicholas came to the hospital to pick me up. Got back to my room by 9:30PM. Took a shower, washed my hair and got to bed. A rather eventful day. But I am feeling OK.

Actual mileage was 100.4 miles but I only rode 45.2. The girls and several guys took a jump over the mountain and started biking then. The heat was oppressive! It was between 105-107 degrees. I took it easy this day because of dehydration yesterday. Didn't want a repeat performance. The desert is bleak with a lot of scrub vegetation. I sure wouldn't want to live here. Will be glad to get out of this heat.

Actual mileage was 115 but I only rode 50 miles. This by far was the toughest day for many on tour. Usually when the group goes thru the desert at this time of year....there is a tailwind which helps to sweep them along the long mileage. But as fate would have it....we had a headwind or crosswind all day. The terrain was flat but tortuous. I only managed bike 50 miles. Was really disappointed....but I am still trucking along.

Today's ride was only 59 miles but it was all up! False flats which make you think you should be going downhill....but you are still climbing. By far the toughest day for me. I am disappointed with my new bike because I don't feel I have enough lower gears. I seem to remember that I had more lower ones on my first tour which was only a $250.00 touring bike. (Probably a lousy memory.) I managed to bike 29.6 miles.

My roommate, Barbara Wood's bike stem broke and she cannot ride. Her step daughter is coming out to Flagstaff from LA to bring her other bike. What a wonderful gesture! This is what life is all about when you have friends who will come to your aid. Go Barbara! Today was Eric Schank's 41st birthday. We gave him a hard time all day long as he battled his way up the hills. This evening we all went out to a great restaurant that Jed Heindel had lined up and celebrated his birthday. Met some fine friend's of Jed's who used to live next door to him in Houston but who now live here in Prescott. This is a great group and we are truly having a lot of fun times together. Eric tried to moon me once (kinda) but I was so dumb that I asked him what he had done to himself....thinking he was trying to show me an "owie". What a group. Am having a lot of fun. Gotta get off this computer because there is a long line waiting to use it. Talk to you all tomorrow.

The route says 43.2 miles but I biked 44.3 miles as per my Garmin GPS system. What an incredible day! An easy ride out of the hotel for approximately 13 miles. In 2003, HW89 was all torn up and I remember carrying my bike over all the freshly laid asphalt. This year it was smooth & easy but in several spots a lot of glass on the road. In 2003 I did not ride the ascent to Mingus Mountain....I wasn't strong enough. This year, 2006 I chugged up hitting the false flats head on. I was in my lowest gear most of the time and Mack was always going back and forth w/the van checking on everyone. I didn't wear my camelback because it is so heavy. Mack stopped and filled up my water bottles w/water and Gatoraid several times. He kept encouraging me to the top of Mingus Mountain where Margaret Schwartz was stationed w/the other van. I made it all the way up! Bob Bogle from FL came up right afterwards. We were the last two to come in. In 2003, I rode down Mingus Mountain to the ghost mining town of Jerome (12 mi. wild descent & I must have been scared spitless because I don't remember how gorgeous it was.) This time my hands ached from holding my brakes and I stopped several times to take pictures. An awesome canyon! Ate at the "Haunted Hamburger" in Jerome w/Bogle and then we headed to the motel in Cottonwood. A tough day.....but an incredible day of cycling. JudyP-M

What a day! Gorgeous weather out of Cottonwood. It was approximately 19 miles to Sedona and looking at the red rocks coming into Sedona from the west is a spectacular entrance w/many hues of yellow/red & brown. Very picturesque. We stopped at the bakery in Sedona and I had an orange/cranberry muffin and a mocha frappaccino. Rested for awhile and took off again through the red rock park. The traffic was bad and we had to pay attention to keeping close to the white line on the right side of the road. A policeman came up to Tracy and acted like a "nerd"! We were obeying the rules and it was the huge busses who had to slow to pass. I passed up "Slide Rock Park" because I had done it in 2003. I climbed up the tortuous switchbacks! Made it to the top where Margaret, our Sag Queen was hanging out. Tracy stopped several times to fill up my water bottles and she gave me several packs of "Gu" w/double caffeine! I'm going to be bouncing off the bedroom walls tonight! Got in last again....but that doesn't matter. Cleaned my bike with the cleaners Tracy laid out for us. Soaked in the hotel's hot tub and then took a bath. Today is Bill Salomone's birthday. Tomorrow is a rest day! Yeah! JudyP-M

Got up around 6:00AM. My roomie, Barbara Wood from Benecia, CA was taking Linda, her step daughter-in-law on a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. This was to "thank" her for driving to Flagstaff with her other bike so she could finish her part of the tour to Albuquerque, NM. I went to church w/Margaret Schwartz, our Sag Queen Extraordinaire. Tracy Leiner, the tour director also met us at the church. It was a small church and surprisingly, the pastor talked about the book, The DaVinci Code and the controversy and incorrect allegations, the book makes. Came back to the hotel and slept. When the girls got back from their helicopter flight, we ate an early dinner and went to bed.

Cycle Across America
With Judy ... Again!

Judy's Journal

Training and Tour Days 1-9

Training and Days 10-19 Days 20 - 29 Days 30-39 Days 40-50

Back to top Journal Days 10-19 Journal Days 20-29

Cycle Across America With Judy ... Again!

Judy's Journal

Training and Tour Days 1-9

Training and Days 10-19 Days 20 - 29 Days 30-39 Days 40-50

Back to top Journal Days 10-19 Journal Days 20-29

Cycle Across America
With Judy ... Again!