Eve of Departure
One of the things I know about myself is that I have the tendency to forget past experiences. The rhythm of daily life often robs me of particularly noteworthy moments for memories to latch on to. But even exciting past adventures that I’ve had, like my CA bike trip from SLO to San Jose and my 2016 study abroad trip to Germany are already fading. I’ve tried keeping a journal in the past, but have found it challenging to keep up with. I’ve tried different formats, but sooner or later I always fall behind. This time will be different. I’m going to regularly update this blog as much to keep my friends and family informed as for myself, to preserve these experiences so I can look back on them later.
I’m looking forward to the path ahead. In the immediate future, I can expect the crossing the bridge out of northern Kentucky, trekking the Little Miami River trail to Columbus, then reaching east through eastern Ohio and southern Pennsylvania. One thing that’s particularly exciting is getting to meet all the friends I have all over the world. I’ve got a friend in Pittsburgh and a friend in New York whom I’ll stop with to visit.
I’m sure to spend a few days in New York. I’ve got a lot of things to figure out, from making sure my documents/covid tests are in order, to getting the bike box packed and a reservation made with the airline to carry it to Ireland. I’ll also want to enjoy New York while I’m there… if I recall correctly, the last time I was there was in 2005, and I had had a fever the whole week there which ruined much of the experience. I can remember wanting to enjoy Katz’s Delicatessen (but not feeling hungry) and trying not to get dizzy staring down from the heights of the Empire State Building. This time around, I’ll have to do Katz’s again, and maybe also throw in Carmine’s and Broadway.
I’ll fly out of Newark airport on October 31st, bound for Dublin, Ireland. I may meet an old friend there, with whom I would better enjoy the city. After Dublin, I’d cross central Ireland (through Moate) to Galway, then head north to Belfast for a ferry to Scotland. I’d head north through Penpont to the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, then south through the heart of England, possibly stopping in Cardiff, Wales, seeing Stonehenge, and visiting my brother in London. I’d ride to the cost, cross the Channel via ferry to Dunkirk, then ride through Lille to southern Belgium. My flight instructor gave me a few suggestions of places to go in Belgium, so I’m not sure of my exact path. Depending on route, I may decide to enter the Netherlands for Amsterdam. Otherwise, I’ll get to Germany, where I have friends and family I can visit in Lüneburg, in the area around Köln, and in Stuttgart. I’ll be sure to visit cities along the Rhein as well as Heidelberg on the Neckar again, as well as spend a good deal of time in the Black Forest. It will be winter in Germany, and I may decide to spend some time on a WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) to help weather the conditions and meet new people. I fondly recall my time at Riegenhof in Mainhardt. Those two and a half weeks were some of the happiest in my life.
Upon reaching the foot of the Alps, I’ll probably head east, towards München and Austria. I’m not quite crazy enough to cycle through the mountains - though a friend of mine once did… (you know who you are). I’ll get to see Vienna and Bratislava, then Budapest, Zagreb, and Ljubljana. I’ll see Venice (though I’m worried about their bicycle laws), Florence, and Rome for sure. I only got to spend two and a half days in Rome last time I was there, and I judged it my favorite city in Europe for its history, aesthetic, and flavors. I’ll see Naples, then Bari and Brindisi, crossing by ferry to Greece. I’m hoping I can find a ticket from Brindisi to Patras. Corinth, then Athens, then Delphi. Up the Greek coast through Thessaloniki to western Turkey, where I’ll find Istanbul, a city known for quite literally bridging the east and west.
Approximate route through Europe
From Turkey, I’ll have a few options. I may decide just to return home. But if I press on, I’ll either go north, through the Caucusus, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, or fly to India and see the bustling cities of Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, then possibly Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. If I really stretch reality, I can imagine continuing on from there in Australia, and then the western US to complete the loop. And that’s assuming I make it even a fraction that far. My Mama thinks I’ll tire of bicycling by the time I reach New York. I think she underestimates my joy in bicycling and my determination to see this trip through. Who knows. I won’t be stubborn about it. This year or so break I’m taking is a blessing, and I’m not going to waste it spending every day cycling if that’s something I decide I no longer enjoy.
Both of my parents are worried about my safety, especially on the roads in Ireland. They fear I’ll be hit by a car. I’m cognizant of the risk, but I won’t let that stop me. All I can do is say - and be - careful, and wear reflective clothing to stay visible to drivers. I think I have the experience and equipment to succeed in my goals for this trip. But there will be challenges and hardships I won’t have foreseen, and that will, I’m sure, keep them up at night. I love both my Mama and my Dada very much. And I know that they’re worried about me because they love me too.
I spent today getting my stuff ready. My bike panniers are packed. The things I’ll leave behind are stowed. I completed my first real crossword design with Mama, and we submitted it to the NYT for review.
I really enjoyed my time here in KY, despite the humidity. I spent late nights looking at the planets with my telescope and muggy afternoons swimming in the Little Miami. I beat Dada four times in a row at Scrabble (a game he’s notoriously good at). Mama and I ‘decorated a tree’ (see below) and rebuilt the top of last year’s cairn. I cycled miles of the Little Miami trail with her and played through about a dozen Sunday crosswords. The crossword we submitted to the NYT was like the cairn of this visit.
It’s past midnight now, and I should catch some sleep.
