Sleeping Arrangements

Many of our readers have written asking about our sleeping arrangements. For example, Barbara H. from Winnetka, IL writes: "Hey guys! Sure have enjoyed following your travels. Thanks for keeping us all posted with such an informative and insightful blog! I have been wondering though, where do you guys spend your nights? Do you carry a tent, or stay in motels, or a combination?"

Well, Barbara, great question. Many of our favorite moments so far have come when we aren't on the bikes at all -- and often it's because we've found ourselves sleeping in such interesting places! We do carry a tent, but we only pitch it about 50% of our nights on the trail. Even when we do pitch it, a three-man tent doesn't fit three 6'4"-6'6" males particularly comfortably, so we often lay our sleeping pads out on the grass until a thunderstorm forces us into more cramped confines. Here's a quick run down of where we've spent our nights:

• Next to the playground of the Mechanicsville Presbyterian Church, after asking the office secretary, out of the blue, if there was some spare grass to pitch a tent on. (Mechanicsville, VA)
• In the weight room of a volunteer fire station, which allows TransAmerica cyclists room, board, and kitchen use! (Mineral, VA)
• In the backyard of a general store in a town of 400. Cheerfully owned and operated by a couple who fly confederate flags from the roof and declare Robert E. Lee to be "our hero!" (Vesuvius, VA)
• In a single room in a bankrupt hotel, owned and operated by a friendly Indian couple who cheerfully put-up with my smattering of Hindi. (Lexington, VA)
• In the weight room (yes, the second weight room of the trip) of the garage of a general store in a small Appalacian town. (Catawba, VA)
• On the ampitheatre stage in a town park in western Virginia, where we encountered an octagenerian member of the local fire department who spent the gloaming hunting pidgeons in the park with a .22 rifle. (Whytheville, VA)
• In a single room in Moore's Motel, the lone motel for a sixty mile stretch of eastern Kentucky. (Elk Horn City, KT)
• In a luxurious GuestHouse Inn, in the company of a certain pair of Brentwoodians who, coincidentally, comprise roughly 40% of our readership.

In short, finding a place to spend the night is just another part of the adventure! We'll keep you posted on where we end up down the road.

Ben.