Day 102, Miles Ridden Today (Saturday): 0 Miles Ridden Overall: 3187 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Waterford Oaks BMX in Waterford, MI- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.Ahhh.. there’s nothing like waking up to the sound of a gate test drop on Saturday morning at a National. I don’t even bother setting my alarm any more. I woke up having slept pretty well without the rain fly. The sun was shining and any sign of the former days’ rain was all but gone. I grabbed my shower bag, picked up my volunteer t-shirt and headed to the neighboring waterpark for a pre-arranged shower set up for the weekend BMX families. (I swear I think Jennifer West thought of everything!)  While waiting for a shower, I saw a lady I’d met at South Park whose dog Coco really likes. We started talking and she introduced me to her friend, Dawn. She told her about our bike ride and I told them how we packed all of our clothes and toiletries for the whole summer in a bag about the size of a bookbag. When I showed her my 14x14” towel, Dawn looked stunned. Then she told me she had an extra towel she had taken from a hotel room. It was clean and dry and felt quite luxurious compared to my car detailing towel. Thanks, Dawn!
 I returned to the track clean and smelling good. I met up with Frankenbutt and the Beast and we had breakfast compliments of the Waterford Oaks Parents Association. We enjoyed pancakes and then as we walked around, we discovered that a very special “family member” was here: Coco’s sister, Zoe! When we first picked up Coco in NJ, we took her to the Jack Frost Classic BMX race in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. While there, we met a nice couple from the Boston area who love French Bulldogs. Chris and Melissa asked for the breeder’s name and number and before leaving Jersey, picked up Zoe. Although we had exchanged pics of the pups, the two had not seen each other since their early litter days. Coco and Zoe enjoyed playing chase and “zoomies” until they were both too warm to anything but lay in the shade. It was terrific fun for all of us and the Beast enjoyed holding the two girls in her lap.
 While we were hanging out and catching up, the announcer called the “Warren family” to the infield. We left Coco with her sister and headed there to see what was up. To our surprise, Oakland County made a special plaque commemorating our ride into their county! I almost cried on the spot. It was such a kind thing and it will be a terrific memory we can display in our home when we return. During the presentation, we learned that Waterford Oaks is one of the longest running BMX tracks in the country, open almost as long as Sarasota, FL BMX. AWESOME! We managed to stop at both tracks during our epic ride!
 As the first round of racing wrapped up, I reported in for scoring. I scored the second round and the mains of 108 motos. The other scorers and I agreed to circulate in and out of the shady and sunny spots so none of us ended up sunburned. Considering that Frankenbutt got another round of shorts’ edge sunburn, I was glad that the 3 of us took turns in the shade.
Following the racing, the Beast was eager to use her waterpark pass so Frankenbutt took her in while Coco stayed with me to post a blog. Then we switched so that the Beast and I could ride a few tube rides with her. We had fun … she mostly enjoyed seeing the terror on my face when our tube spun me around so that I was facing backwards and couldn’t see the drops and turns ahead.
When the park closed @ 7, we returned to find the Parents’ Association Spaghetti dinner well under way. As we ate, Allison, who oversees the Concessions, came up and brought us freshly made salad just for us! It was sooooo good! It’s tough to keep fruits or vegetables on the bike so a fresh salad was a nice treat! Thank you, Allison!
 At one point during the day, someone showed us the local Oakland Press paper. Apparently, we made the front page with a terrific headline! In addition to covering our crazy story, they also published most everything we said about BMX! YEAH! That’s what it’s all about.
With our bellies full, we wanderer back to the camping area and found a bunch of kids playing volleyball in the set up sand pit in front of a stage where more kids were doing Karaoke. There were BMX moms and dads congregating around the outer edges laughing and having a good time. Before long, the Beast and I joined the kids on the volleyball court and had a good time. When the Karaoke MC called the Beast’s and my name, we made our way to the stage where the Beast had pre-chosen Fergie’s song, “Fergilicious” for us to sing. I’m not much of a singer but evidently that’s the point of it ??? Whether anyone else enjoyed it or not, she and I were cracked up. Later, the Beast roped her dad into singing Elvis’ song “Love me Tender” which he did reluctantly … and sang it well. I actually got some goosebumps listening to him sing. I LOVE THAT MAN!
We talked and played for quite some time and I found my eyelids going together around 10:30pm. Both Frankenbutt and the Beast agreed they were tired and we made our way back to our 7x7’ humble abode. Coco was eager to get in the tent, too and we drifted off to sleep as I recounted in my mind what a good day it had been.
Day 101, Miles Ridden Today (Friday): 2 Miles Ridden Overall: 3187 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Waterford Oaks BMX in Waterford, MI- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.Friday morning’s alarm came quickly after a laid back evening of tacos with the J&R gang. But … at least, it wasn’t raining! We got up and dressed in our “ride the nation” jerseys and prepared to meet up with our fellow BMXers at a local school for a ride in parade. When I pulled my bike away from the fence where I had leaned it, I found out that there were a bunch of insects that liked our Jandd pannier bag. There were over a hundred creepy, crawly hard armadillo soft shell bodied bugs crawling all over the pannier. This looked like a job for Frankenbutt! He pulled the pannier off and first attempted to “fling” them off by spinning the bag around in the air. No such luck. Evidently, they have powerful little legs! Then he banged the pannier against the picnic table and quite a few flew off the pannier. That’s a start! Then, he realized and showed me that a bunch of them had gotten inside the pannier. Ugh! We decided that it was best to leave the panniers at our campsite. It might look strange if all the little critters decided to emerge just as the media was talking to us. We put our helmets on and rode up to the Concessions area where we Jennifer met us with directions to the local school meet up spot. We headed out and arrived to find another BMX family pulling bikes and helmets from their SUV to join us on the ride. Within 10 minutes, there were 4 more families and some media started to arrive. There were also 2 sheriff’s vehicles waiting to escort us through town. It was so exciting! I love a BMX escort and I always get butterflies in my belly when we start one of these parades. Before we rolled out, we posed for some newspaper pics, answered questions and enjoyed talking about our beloved sport of BMX. The County delivered a banner for us to carry at the start of the parade and we decided that the Beast and Jennifer’s daughter, Melanie, should do the honors. The two of them did a trial run in the parking lot and managed to handle the 12 foot wide pole and banner quite well, even thru the giggles. We lined up behind the sheriff’s car and started riding in the direction of the Waterford Oaks BMX track. Cars stopped as we rode by and many honked and waved. I was so proud to be amongst such a great group of local athletes! Both Melanie and the Beast handled their job so well, communicating through curves and turns. It was a really fun ride and I couldn’t stop from smiling the whole way.We pulled into the track and there were some BMX parents on hand to applaud all the riders. The reporters also were also on hand to photograph and interview the riders, Coco and us. I liked watching the kids talk about their sport and was moved when one of the BMX moms said that although BMX is an Olympic sport, it’s not a school sport. For that reason, her kids will never get a varsity jacket or class ring with a BMX emblem on it … even though, they’ve participated in the sport for well over the amount of time most high school athletes spend during their school years. Again, BMX is an OLYMPIC sport that gets so little recognition; our sport’s longevity and advancement is dependent upon positive publicity. I encourage all local tracks to appoint local media liasons who help to keep our sport in the public eye. On Friday afternoon, we relaxed and talked with other BMX parents and re-connected with old friends. Track Director, Jennifer West, told us that the parents group would like to provide us with meals for the weekend and we thanked her; that’s a huge help on our travel budget! The Beast joined the standard 2-6 pm Friday afternoon pre-race practice and declared that the track was just about ready for the weekend National. Later in the evening, we were invited to hang out with the J&C Racing families in the RV area. We arrived and it was quintessential BMX! Kids were jumping hard plastic moulded ramps, moms and dads were enjoying pizza and beer, and everyone was laughing and poking fun at one another. One of the dads introduced himself and we asked the standard BMX question: “so, who do you have racing?” His reply: “No one. Our kids have been out of racing for a few years. I just come to hang out with our old team; they’re better than family.” Frankenbutt and I laughed, knowing that will probably be us some day. Ironically, three of the adults we met in the next ½ hour were here without kids that race; their kids had either grown up or moved on to other activities. But, like I always say: You just can’t leave BMX. It truly is a Vortex!We listened to funny stories and enjoyed beers and pizza and had a really relaxing time. My favorite quote of the night? Hmm … oh, yeah, this one: “my husband and I are trying to decide whether to get a French Bulldog or a kid to do Strider racing.” I almost peed myself when I heard that! And … I think I get that. Way to go, Rashonda!We finally gave up to our need for sleep around midnight. Our ribs were sore from laughing and we really didn’t want to part ways with the fun group at J&C Racing. But, there’s racing on Saturday and we ought to make sure the Beast gets a halfway decent night of sleep. We are really loving our time here at Waterford Oaks BMX. I can’t wait to see if the media covers the BMX aspect of our ride in a way that benefits the track.
Day 100, Miles Ridden Today (Thursday): 0 Miles Ridden Overall: 3185 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Waterford Oaks BMX in Waterford, MI- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.Well, it rained and rained and rained all Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Apparently, the waterproofing spray that Frankenbutt applied to the tent has officially “worn off”. Before we were even asleep, both Frankenbutt and the Beast were complaining that the edges were leaking. I, however, was dry. I had unwittingly chosen the center spot in the tent prior to the start of our trip. I also chose a down sleeping bag after reading that down bags will stay warm even if they get wet. (I didn’t get the name “Butterball” by accident; I know how to stay the perfect temp!) Nonetheless, I felt bad for my husband and daughter but we all eventually drifted off to sleep.We awoke to more rain Thursday morning and Frankenbutt was jonesing for coffee; I took the opportunity to suggest an easy breakfast of donuts. He waited until the rain let up and then dashed out to the 7-Eleven store close to the track. About 5 minutes after he left, a huge downpour came. I enjoyed posting the situation on Facebook, noting that I hope he keeps the donuts dry! He returned between downpours and we enjoyed chocolate donuts, milk and coffee in the tent. Eventually, the rain let up and we joined the other BMX families around the Concessions stand. Jennifer let us know that she had pre-arranged for us to get showers via the neighboring water park … SWEET! After showers, the sun was out and we pulled the wet stuff from our tent into the sun to let it all dry. I then set about making phone calls regarding the Beast’s broken eye glasses. Although they were still considered under warranty, we had unknowingly purchased them from a non Walmart owned Vision Center that was renting space inside the Walmart. For that reason, we could only get them replaced at “no charge” at one of the 11 similar facilities in the country … none of which were in Michigan. Hmm … other alternatives? The voice on the other end of the phone said that we could come in and try to find a similar frame; if so, she’d gladly remove the lenses from the broken frame and install them in the new frame. We’d only have to pay for the new frame, prices ranging from $9-180/frame. About then, our friend, Chad, asked if we’d like to join him for lunch at Steak ‘n Shake. I told him the Walmart/eyeglass situation and he said he’d take us there, following lunch. The Beast and I jumped in, ate lunch and hit the Walmart. We quickly learned that there was only one frame that would work: the $82 frame. Crap! I’d have preferred the $9 frame or even the $29 frame. The Beast needed her glasses and we didn’t have many other options. I paid for it and the Beast was glad to be able to see again. We also picked up some waterproofing spray before we returning to the track.Frankenbutt sprayed all the tent seams and declared that it probably won’t rain again since he had done that. Let’s hope he’s right! As we were walking back up to the track, Coco made friends with a cool dog, named Lacey, and we let her off her leash to play. The two of them ran around chasing one another while we talked with some Michigan BMX parents. One lady, Tracy Lee, asked if we had any laundry we needed done. At first, we said, “not really.” But then she said, “don’t be shy, I’ll gladly do it. I’ve got racing jerseys to wash tonight.” So, we gathered a grocery bag of laundry together and gave it to her. It was such a nice offer. Doing laundry on the road is never easy; what a treat! We also ran into Kirk Morrison of J&R Bicycles who asked about our ride. He invited us for tacos at his RV and we told him about our adventures, mishaps, etc. He also showed us how to make an “upside down” taco, whose contents will not fall out if you turn it upside down! Awesome! We enjoyed hanging out and catching up over tacos and drinks while the Beast watched a movie on the overhead TV. At one point, I glanced at my watch and it was 10pm; I thought to myself that we ought to head to bed soon. When I glanced at my watch again, it was midnight! WHAT?? We exchanged funny stories and enjoyed hanging out; I really don’t know where the time went. We thanked Kirk and his guys for a fun evening and headed back towards the tent. The sky looked clear and we figured the rain was done. We were wrong again. We hadn’t even fallen asleep when the rain started pelting our tent. I was too tired to think about it let alone worry about whatever stuff didn’t make it into the tent from the earlier “drying out”. I had set the alarm for 8:00 am, in hopes that the rain would let up in time for our morning parade with the local riders that Jennifer West had arranged with the media and the township.
Day 99, Miles Ridden Today (Wednesday): 63 Miles Ridden Overall: 3185 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Waterford Oaks BMX in Waterford, MI- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.  We awoke to a cool and breezy morning at Sterling State park, which was very nice. We dressed and walked Coco, who immediately darted after something. The “something” turned out to be a couple of tiny baby bunnies. Once we realized it, we pulled Coco back. We were glad she didn’t attack the bunnies but rather just wanted to see what they were about. Frankenbutt held one in his hand for Coco to sniff and she seemed pleased with that.
 Bunnies were also a great way to wake the Beast. She enjoyed the morning surprise and didn’t want to put them down. But, we found what we thought was the rabbits’ nest and returned them to safety. Then, we started breakfast. I was excited to give my new little non-stick pan a go at making pancakes. Unfortunately, that terrific breeze off the lake that kept us cool all night … also, blew our cook flame sideways so that the pancakes wouldn’t cook evenly. Oh, well. I’ve tried the pancake breakfast a few times and now I’ve concluded that pancakes are just not camping food.
 We packed down camp and loaded bikes and rode out of the park, following our GPS directions. In a short distance, it led us onto Route 24 North, which initially was an “ok” road to ride. As we got closer to Detroit, the traffic got a little heavier. We rode until at least noon and then stopped at a Wendy’s for lunch. Coco found a shady place to lie down after she convinced each of us to share our burgers.
 Following lunch, we mounted bikes again and decided to “go sidewalk” because the traffic was getting a little more aggressive. We stopped for drinks at a local convenience store and a local man, Jason, inquired about our ride. He and his nephew, Zack, offered some advice on a better route towards Waterford, that would help us avoid some of the more “dangerous” neighborhoods around Detroit. In return, we told him we’d mention his website: AvantiCaneCorso.com. Thanks, Jason, your directions were great!
We rode on under overcast skies with cool winds. It was quite the treat. As we got closer to the track, the skies became more threatening and we debated whether to stop for an evening meal (since concessions would most likely not be open) or pedal on in hopes of avoiding the rain. Our bellies won out.
We grabbed more burgers and fries … I’m really tired of burgers and fries, but they are quick, easy and fit our budget. As we ate them on the sidewalk, it started to rain. It was 7pm and we only had 5 miles left to ride so we didn’t sweat it. After tossing our trash, we put on our rain gear and rode towards Waterford.
The rain got heavy at times and then let up. We were thrilled to see the Waterford County Parks sign and headed in the direction of the BMX track. As we rode up to the Concessions area, we saw a lot of people sitting at the picnic tables under the tent and then we saw them clapping. I looked over my shoulder to see what or whom they were clapping for … and then Frankenbutt said, “I think they’re clapping for us.” And they were.
Apparently, their practice got rained out and they decided to hang out and wait for our arrival. Jennifer West and the other BMX parents were delighted to see us and we had a wonderful time talking with them about our ride. Before nightfall, Jennifer showed us where we can camp and where the bathrooms were.
Frankenbutt and I put the tent up quickly and got the rain fly on while the Beast occupied Coco. Once our sleeping bags and panniers were in, we followed soon after. The tent immediately started leaking around the edges although we’ve treated it with waterproof spray. We agreed to buy more spray tomorrow, if we find a local supplier. We fell off to sleep quickly and woke several times in the night, due to the storms and the leaking. Hopefully, the weather will improve in time for the big national race here at Waterford BMX.
Day 98, Miles Ridden Today (Tuesday): 34 Miles Ridden Overall: 3122 Camping: $24, We are staying overnight at Sterling State Campground in Monroe, MI- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.After breakfast and finishing laundry, we got a leisurely 10:30am start this morning. All 3 of us enjoyed the hotel room for the night and I got quite a peaceful night of sleep. We allowed the Beast to start a Facebook page and for that reason, I decided to re-activate my old Facebook page that I started while we lived in Hawaii. Frankenbutt has had his own for a while but now we’re both keeping an eye on our youngest’s online activity. We chose to do a lightweight riding day since both Frankenbutt and I have been having some knee pain. We both have old sports injuries (his: skiing, mine: poker). Justin Travis of Ohio Dreams recommended the Sterling state park so we programmed our GPS and started riding towards Toledo. The beginning of today’s ride took us through a mostly industrial area with no shoulder to ride. We passed by several recycling and scrap yards and rode side by side with tractor trailers and delivery trucks until at least noon. During a particularly crappy section of road construction, we opted to take the center lane which was blocked off with bright orange barrels. There was no work actually going on in that lane and the barrels effectively kept the cars away from us. Most of the people we met in Toledo were very friendly; a few asked us where we had ridden from and where we are headed. One fellow told us about an urban garden that had a fresh water fountain in it. Unfortunately, it was pretty far off our path so we didn’t take the time to check it out. We did, however, stop at a used book store to re-stock the Beast’s reading materials. She picked up two books and sold one very heavy Rick Riordan book. That was after we crossed over the Michigan state line. Frankenbutt spied a bike shop and reminded me that 2 of our metal bottle holders were broken and badly in need of replacement. I can’t believe that they are only 3-4 months old, cost $15-20 each and their lifespan is over. Evidently the welds on them aren’t very well done and they both broke in the same place. Frankenbutt replaced them with heavy duty molded plastic ones that cost $15 each … I hope those at least survive the next 6 weeks. We also stopped at a Kroger grocery store as we got closer to our destination and picked up some essentials: Tuna Fish, Pita pockets, Ramen Noodles, Broccoli (for our shells ‘n cheese dinner), Raisin Date & Walnut Oatmeal, Bananas (to go on Peanut Butter sandwiches) AND a non-stick mini griddle pan (so I can try to make pancakes again!). With groceries packed in panniers and my front milk crate basket, we pedaled on towards the campground. We had really very good weather today: mostly cool breezes, sunny and a mild head wind. We had taken it easy in hopes that our knees would feel better for the 50+ mile ride to the Waterford Oaks Michigan track tomorrow. We are looking forward to seeing how the Beast rides following her training week at Ohio Dreams. Once we paid for our campsite, we headed down to where our site bordered the beach along Lake Erie. It was fabulous to see such a span of water! It instantly reminded me of being in Hawaii, with water for miles and no sight of land. We relaxed in the shade of the only tree on our campsite and then Frankenbutt made dinner. The Beast took Coco for a walk down by the beach and both of them got some energy out. Frankenbutt and I are thinking about an early bedtime because both of us want to rest and get an early start in the morning … after I try to make pancakes … again.
Day 97, Miles Ridden Today (Monday): 63 Miles Ridden Overall: 3088 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Comfort Inn at Northwood, Ohio, a freebie via our choice rewards account- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.After a warm night of tent sleeping, we all woke up a bit groggy but got in gear and broke down the tent and rolled up sleeping bags. We headed for the local McDonald’s to post our blog and grab a few $1 menu breakfast sandwiches. By 9am, we were on our bikes, following our GPS directions towards Toledo. We had received an email from a new friend, at the Shady Lane track, letting us know that the Monday evening practice at the Toledo track has been cancelled. I had found a Comfort Inn just south of Toledo which only required 6000 choice privileges rewards in order to book it for free … we had 7,900+/- points. Around noon, we decided that we could make it the full 60+ miles to the Northwood, OH hotel. The FLAT Ohio I had heard about was finally unfolding before me as we rode. I was a happy camper …er, rider. We passed a temperature reading early morning that said it was 78 degrees out. The next temperature reading was 86 degrees around 11am and I’m sure it rose a few more degrees as we rode. The good news is that we all stayed relatively cool enough as long as we kept moving. We stopped for a drink along Route 20 West and as we were leaving, the Beast said, “my glasses just broke in two.” We looked back to see her holding equal halves in each hand. Oops! Luckily, we had gotten her a pair of prescription sunglasses before we left on the ride. She dug through her front bar bag, found them and we got on with the ride. Now, I’ve just got to contact Walmart Vision Center and see if they can be replaced … hopefully at no charge since they are less than 4 months old.
Further along our route, we came across a restaurant that Lenore from Shady Lane BMX had told us about; it’s called “Speed Trap” restaurant. They have a cool interior decorating theme which is part 50’s, part 60’s, part old Hollywood and just plain fun. We ordered ice cream cones to cool ourselves down and then we signed the wall with the Sharpie markers they provide.The Beast enjoyed seeing all the cool 50’s style outfits and pictures; she especially liked the pink and black Audrey Hepburn theme bathroom. She also found an almost identical pair of red glitter “ala Dorothy” shoes that looked like the ones she wore everywhere when she was 4 or 5 years old. She was quite delighted!We rode on in the hot sun until 6 in the evening when we finally arrived at the Comfort Inn. We were given a really spacious room that allowed us to park our bikes and still fully negotiate the room without having to “hop over” anything. Niiiiice! Tomorrow we start riding towards Michigan; looks like it’s only about 90 miles to the Waterford Oaks track.
Day 96, Miles Ridden Today (Sunday): 14 Miles Ridden Overall: 3025 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at Shady Lane BMX track in Norwalk, Ohio compliments of the track- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.After a long, rainy and stormy night, we awoke to a cool Sunday morning. Ahhh, what a welcome change of pace. The tent has been leaking in a few places during heavy rain and Saturday night’s rain left the perimeter puddled. Frankenbutt spread some of the stuff out on a picnic table in the shade while I pulled together my stuff for the shower house. We let the Beast sleep in since she complained of having a sore throat the night before. Once we all got up and showered, I took the computer bag and headed for the camp store to post the night before’s blog. I also figured I’d pick up something easy for breakfast while there since all we had on board the bikes was pancake mix and syrup. After last week’s pancake burning escapade, neither Frankenbutt nor I wanted a repeat performance. They came out so bad, not even Coco wanted to eat them. After posting the blog, I headed into the camp store to find that they had two breakfast choices: Pancake mix or Pop Tarts. Hmm, I do love Pop Tarts … but only if they’re toasted. Should I get ‘em and hope to find a friendly RV’er with a toaster? Nah. I figured Frankenbutt would work some kitchen magic from the stuff we had in our kitchen panniers. When I returned, I found that he’d already made Ramen Noodles for the kid, who said the hot broth felt good on her throat. He and I figured we’d pick something up along the route to the Shady Lane BMX track.So, we broke down camp, loaded the bikes and roller out onto Route 250, following our GPS into Norwalk. It was a pretty flat road so I WAS SO HAPPY! We pedaled along leisurely, figuring we’d arrive at the track around 1pm for the 2pm race. The sun started shining brighter and the heat started gearing up but we didn’t notice it much unless we had to stop for a traffic signal; then it was like a wall of heat. We rode into Norwalk and saw a Burger King and a McDonald’s. We went with the kid’s first choice, McD’s. I asked Frankenbutt what he wanted as he got Coco out of the trailer. He told me his order and then the Beast and I headed in to order. I started ordering and then the clerk told me that they stopped serving breakfast over an hour ago. Oops! (Don’t you hate that???) So, we revamped our order and got burgers. The track was only ½ a mile from the McD’s so we finished lunch and rode over. It was nice that there were plenty of signs to guide us in. It was so hot by that point that I really didn’t want to wear my helmet, even that short a distance, but I did. As soon as we arrived, Julie, the clerk of course and track director’s wife, welcomed us and made us feel at home. She told us that the race would be delayed a bit because the heavy overnight rain created some extra track maintenance. They had a clinic on the track that was wrapping up so we parked our bikes along the fence and drank a bunch of water to re-hydrate. Coco spotted another dog (Oreo) that she wanted to meet so we held onto our leash as she dashed “Iditarod sled dog” style over to the EZ Up where Oreo was playing. At first, they were cool with one another and then Oreo reminded Coco just whose track she was at. Coco wandered off to play with some kids instead, respecting Oreo’s space.We talked with the other BMX parents who were interested in hearing the story of our crazy epic ride. We were all excited about having passed the 3000 mile mark and one after another said, “I could never do that”. Again … I wouldn’t have guessed I could do it either … But, I’m doing it. And I’m fat. And I’m 47. And I’m not much of an athlete. So, Never say NEVER.We met a fellow named Brandon Edwards who is opening an indoor BMX track in the Canton, Ohio area called 4130 BMX Park. Cool! I love indoor tracks! If you want to find out more about it, check out their website: www.4130bmxpark.com Apparently, it’s slated to open in November, 2011. At the same time that we found out about the indoor track opening, we also found out that 2 older BMX tracks in Ohio are closed or closing: London and Monroe. Both were on our list of scheduled stops so we will need to re-do our schedule and maybe stop at additional tracks in Michigan or some in Ohio we hadn’t planned on stopping at. We’ll keep you posted.We found our way to the bleachers as practice was ending and met a nice couple from the Toledo area: Tanya and John. I enjoyed sitting and talking with them as their 7 year old son prepared to race. Coco also enjoyed lying in the shade beneath their Jeep. As we talked, a gentleman with camera equipment approached and said he was there to cover the local race. I was THRILLED! YES! Local race coverage! We really need that in our sport. He explained that he’s 62 years old and has been in the sport for years and loves it. He’s a freelance photographer for the Norwalk Reflector and covers as much as possible at the local track. He said he’d also like to interview us and write something about our trip in the local paper. We were happy to put our official Ride the Nation Jerseys on and pose for photos. He also took some raw video footage that he said he hopes to have on the newspaper’s website, www.norwalkreflector.com. He said to check the left hand corner under “refcam2.0” and search for “ride the nation”.  Following the interview and the race, (the Beast took 2nd in her main, out of 4 riders … Nice!), lots of people started pulling out prepared food and setting it on tables outside of the registration booth. I asked Russell, one of the local devoted riders and volunteers, what was up and he said that they typically make a whole day of it on race day. Everyone hangs out and brings food and catches up with one another. They keep the track open so the kids can ride and have fun while the adults laugh and have a good time together. I LOVE this sport! It truly is unlike any other sport we’ve ever experienced!
They invited us to join them for sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, awesome pasta salad, cookies, brownies, chips and more. It was very relaxing and a great way to end a hot day of bike racing at the track.
As the evening sky began to lose light and the last of the riders left, Track Director Rick and his wife, Julie, were still working on clean up and shut down. The Beast and Frankenbutt headed off to McDonald’s to get some Wifi time for the Beast who had been “disconnected” for over a week. I helped Julie get tables and chairs back into the building and put the wooden covers on the registration windows. She was really nice to talk with and she told me how she and Rick stepped up to manage the track a year ago when it was at risk for closing because there wasn’t anyone interested in taking on the track director position. I know that managing a track is a lot of work and can be a thankless job. I hope that more parents from the Shady Lane track help them make Shady Lane successful this year and next. We all know that the work is less difficult if we all take a piece of it and help out.
Julie had also told us we could camp overnight in their field and left the water on for our use. There was a Porta Pot (which was in better condition than many I’ve seen) for our use and she told us to help ourselves to any of the leftover food from the after party. Russell came over and gave us 3 Gatorades to help us restore our fluids lost in the scorching afternoon sun. He also told us he’s on vacation this week and plans to bring his camper to the track and work on getting the track in shape for the upcoming state race. It’s obvious he’s an asset to the track and I’m sure Rick and Julie would appreciate any spare time other parents could lend to keeping the facility a great place for kids and families to be together.
Day 95, Miles Ridden Today (Saturday): 42 Miles Ridden Overall: 3011 Camping: $28, We are staying overnight at Indian Trail Campground, just south of Norwalk, Ohio- To track online our current location, see instructions on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan page of this website- Also, Follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.Frankenbutt and I awoke in a bed in one of the private counselors’ dorms at Ohio Dreams. It was nice to wake up cuddled together in a real bed, while our daughter slept in her own dorm room in another building. It was almost like being at home in our own bed … what a mid-ride treat for us! Thank you, Ohio Dreams! We stretched, dressed, brushed teeth and joined the other counselors as they drove the Ohio Dreams van down to the kids’ dorm to pick up their luggage. It was officially their last day at camp and parents were arriving shortly. I noticed that the campers all looked a bit sleepy and then the Beast told me why. The former evening’s campfire had to be cancelled due to rainy weather so the counselors got together and told some pretty believable ghost stories. The Beast and her bunk mate, Hannah, woke up several times in the night, having heard noises and letting their imaginations run amuck. By the time the kids made their way down to the lounge area near the indoor skate park (WHICH IS AMAZING!!), they were all laughing and wide awake, playing practical jokes on one another. Camper CJ’s dad arrived pretty early carrying a 24 oz cup o Joe and I think I saw Frankenbutt drool. He so misses his Keurig morning coffee. As we sorted and balanced our pannier bags out, I heard CJ says “oops” and then he told me he spilled his dad’s coffee. Since his dad was inside the building, I stepped in and offered some advice. I suggested that he pour out what was left and replace it with Red Bull. CJ smiled widely and did just that. He set the cup into his dad’s cup holder in the cab of the truck and went on packing his bike and luggage into the bed of the truck. Word spread of the coffee/Red Bull switcheroo and soon there were campers watching out the windows to see CJ’s dad’s reaction. When CJ’s dad returned, he took a big gulp of “coffee”, and stepped back, made a face and looked at the cup. CJ was smiling and said, “oh, yeah. I spilled your coffee so I replaced it with Red Bull.” Luckily, his dad was really cool about it, laughed and said, “I guess it does about the same for me.” The campers on the other side of the windows were cracking up and high fiving one another; it’s always good to get one over on the adults. (Yes, I know. I’m an adult, too. But, being at Ohio Dreams made me feel like I was 12 all over again!)Now that my work there was done, we thanked Justin Travis, Chris and Val Ashcraft and their enthusiastic staff for all that they did for our Beast this past week. We exchanged hugs, and pictures and then off we rode into the hot sun ahead. We had programmed our GPS for the Norwalk, Ohio track since we discovered it was right along our path and has a race on Sunday. Although we hadn’t planned a stop there, I sent an email to the track and received a very positive invitation to stop there. We left Ohio Dreams about 10:30 am and pedaled in light breezes for about an hour before the sun started scorching every ounce of fluids out of our bodies. We stopped at a park where we re-filled our water bottles, had a snack and registered that all three of us had soaked through our clothes with sweat. That darn dome of Mexican heat! I felt like a hot tamale frying over an open flame!We put our helmets on and rode on as the hills started to get a little smaller. There was the occasional warm breeze which actually was better than no breeze at all. We found a local convenience store that offered pre-made sandwiches and bought a few to eat out front. They tasted strangely familiar, like school cafeteria sandwiches, lacking the cohesive factors that separate good sandwiches from bad. We still managed to eat every bit of them and shared two 1 liter Brisk iced teas (summer special: 99 cents each!). Someone had dumped their cooler nearby and left rather large chunks of ice so we scooped one up for Coco and put it in her trailer to keep her cool. She seemed to like that. Following lunch, we rode on as the sun beat down on us, listening to the Beast’s camp stories and loving having her back with us on bikes again. We all noticed the sky darkening to the west of us and that the breezes were getting cooler. Then, we got some really strong, actually cold wind that blew against the bottom sides of our tires. We all adapted our riding style to leaning into and away from the currents to keep our bikes upright. Frankenbutt alerted us to ride a little faster and see if we could outrun the storm. We all geared up and poured all of our energy into our pedals and watched as rain started to fall to the west of us. We saw a sunny portion of road ahead and made that our goal and we actually managed to outride the storm.  We joined Route 13, which was a much busier road but had a nice shoulder. We started to relax a little, enjoying a tailwind and a slight downhill as we rode towards Norwalk. Frankenbutt alerted us when we hit the 3000 mile mark of our ride and we all hooted and hollered at reaching that milestone. Then, I heard a train whistle and then I saw the railroad crossing lights come on and the protective arm drop down ahead. We stopped for a picture because that marked the first time we had to stop during our bike ride for a train crossing.
We all noted that we were starting to feel a bit tired and since it was about 4pm, we consulted the GPS for an upcoming campground. We noticed that there was only 1 before Norwalk and several 5-10 miles North and West of Norwalk. So, we chose the one before Norwalk and pedaled towards it. It’s a good thing we did because soon after we arrived and set up our tent, the rain started. The Beast and I had gone to the camp store to get online while Frankenbutt took care of rolling out bedrolls and sleeping bags. Since it was raining already, the Beast and I played a few easy board games that were in the camp store lounge area while my pictures uploaded from my phone to the laptop. It was nice to have some fun time alone with just the two of us. I missed her sweet smile and infectious laugh while she was away at camp.
When we returned to the campsite, we found Frankenbutt and Coco resting in the tent as rain pelted the rain fly. We scrambled in and Frankenbutt got out and started fixing dinner under the big tree that shaded our picnic table. He fixed the Beast her favorite Ramen Noodles and then made Chef Boyardee raviolis for him and me. Even though the Beast was happy with just the Ramen, he asked her to eat some beef raviolis, too, for the protein, and she did. By 8:30 pm, we had all crawled into sleeping bags and called it a night.
FYI, we are still in a sketchy cell signal area so we are only sending limited emails and we're having trouble making even one phone call. If you need to reach us, please email first since we get those messages right to our phone once we get a signal or get access to wifi. Thanks for your patience.
Day 94, Miles Ridden Today (Friday): 16 Miles Ridden Overall: 2,969 Camping: $0, We are staying overnight at the Ohio Dreams, in Burtler, Ohio (compliments of Ohio Dreams management)
- To track online our current location, see instruction on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan” page
- Also, follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”
- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.
We awoke in a sweat Friday morning after another hot night of tent sleeping. Again, we took cold showers and dressed and then broke down our tent site. We loaded everything on our bikes and headed towards Ohio Dreams. We received a message from our daughter, the Editor, that we were invited to “pool time” Friday afternoon @ 2pm.
Before we left, we decided that we’d move to a closer campground for Friday night to Saturday morning so that we could arrive in less of a full out sweat when we picked up the kid. We found a KOA close to Ohio Dreams and sent them an email, asking them to hold one tent site for Friday night. We got an email back, saying that they required a two night minimum stay on weekend nights; if we didn’t want to stay both nights @ $28/night, we still had to pay for 2 nights. Pff!
We arrived @ Ohio Dreams after riding through the heat of the day over several hills. We couldn’t wait to see the Beast and see what she thought of her camp week. She ran up to us full of smiles and began babbling about all the cool stuff she’d been doing. She was most excited to tell us how she worked hard on manualing and jumping in the “trails” section of the camp. At that point, one of her counselors joined us and told us how hard she worked as well and that she really improved over the 6 days she had been there.
 As we walked toward the pool and talked, I casually looked up and gasped. OH MY GOOD GOD! In front of me was the BIGGEST, BADDEST, BESTEST Slip n Slide I’d ever seen! IT WAS HUGE! And scary and I could barely wait to try it out! As I got closer, I started losing my nerve. A few of the camp kids had climbed the 90 steps to the top and their bodies came rocketing down the big white slide, arched into the air above the pool and then landed with a giant splash! I was terrified and … a little scared … but I still wanted to do it As I tackled my fears, the Beast wasted no time in demonstrating how to jump off the end of the slide.
 I told Frankenbutt that I’d watch a few more take on the challenge before I’d go. Without much ado, Frankenbutt started heading up the endless stair case. I was nervous watching him but then wished I had gone up at the same time. Maybe I wouldn’t lose my nerve if he was there to encourage me.
 As he neared the top, I turned on the camera portion on my phone and took a few test shots of other campers flying down and off the slide. Then, I saw Frankenbutt coming down and I caught his graceful dismount just as he was in midair. When he returned to me, he said, “You’ve gotta do it! It’s AWESOME!”
So, I pulled off my shoes and sunglasses, kissed my daughter good bye, left my camera with Frankenbutt and headed up the unending stair case. At the top, the people at the pool side looked very small. I was definitely starting to talk myself out of it. Then, I remembered how good it has felt to fly down hills @ over 40mph. I remembered how much I love rollercoasters. I decided, “it’s now or never”. I plopped down at the start of the slide, took a deep breath and let my body slide forward. WOW! In no time, I was sailing down the slope, flying off the scooped upward end and plotzing into the pool below. I LOVE IT! I felt like I was 10 years old! There is no medicine in the world that can take years off you like that! When I returned from the water, I found out that Frankenbutt had videotaped my slide run. We posted it on you tube and you can find it by copying and pasting this address in your browser: http://youtu.be/2HvZ7IT-0T8. You can also go on www.youtube.com and search “ridethenationfamily” videos, if that address doesn’t work. We only have a few posted, so it should be easy enough to find this one. Soon after my slip ‘n slide adventure, the skies opened up and a rain storm let loose with a fury. Everyone piled out of the pool and into the game/snack area inside. After the rain let up, counselors called for their kids to join them at designated areas outside. The Beast had “pliotechnics” (sp?) and she gleefully went to the outdoor skate park to do a variety of jumping exercises that help increase your track skills. Frankenbutt and I joined some of the office staff for hearing more about the amazing programs at Ohio Dreams.
 I was thrilled that there is actually a BMX RACING program at Ohio Dreams. We had enrolled the Beast at Woodward West when she was 9 years old and even though we emphasized that she wanted BMX racing training, they re-classified her into mountain biking and freestyle since they don’t really have a racing program. Ohio Dreams was a much better, more exclusive training program that the Beast just loved! We are so glad that she had this experience and we can’t wait to tell everyone about the amazing facilities they offer. Even their dorms and cafeteria are top notch … this is not the summer camp of our childhoods! (here is the Beast with Program Director, Justin Travis)
 Well, after just one night at Ohio Dreams, I haven’t yet figured out what I want to be when I grow up … but I definitely know WHERE I want to grow up! Hmm, I wonder if they offer an all adult summer camp?? I’d definitely do that!
Day 93, Miles Ridden Today (Thursday): 0 Miles Ridden Overall: 2,953 Camping: $12.50, We are staying overnight at the Mohican Reservation Campground, in or near Loudonville, Ohio (most affordable campground near Ohio Dreams)
- To track online our current location, see instruction on the “Ride the Nation Route Plan” page
- Also, follow us on Twitter, search “ridethenation”
- Check out our blog on www.bmxmania.com for exclusive details you won’t find here.
Thursday was pretty much a boring day … but it still beats going to work, any day of the week. We’ve been dealing with the heat, like most of the country, and keeping our physical activity to a minimum. Although our campsite is shady, and there are occasional breezes, it gets really hot at times. I’ve discovered that a cool water afternoon shower helps to make it a little more bearable.
I also decided to get rid of the extra “bulk” in my hair … I feel like “Pedro” from the movie, “Napoleon Dynamite”. If I could live with looking at a shaved head in the mirror, I might opt for that. Until then, I asked Frankenbutt to cut the back of my hair and then I cut the front in the shower house. Don’t worry, this is not my first time cutting my own hair. I’ve gone through periods of time where I just can’t stand going to a salon and sitting through the obligatory stylist/patron conversation, and ended up cutting my own hair. Luckily, I’m not very vain. Today’s hair cut came out “passable” and feels a lot lighter on my head.
On Friday, we’ll pack up our camping gear and bicycle about 13 miles to a higher priced KOA campground which is only a short distance from Ohio Dreams. Since we have to pick up the Beast @ 9am on Saturday, we felt it best to spend one night closer to there, guaranteeing we’d be on time. Ohio Dreams was so kind to give the Beast a free week, we want to be sure to be there on time. Since breaking down camp and packing up the bikes is about an hour long process, we didn’t want to take any chances of being late. Also, it’ll be nice to have a change of scenery.
After doing a final load of wash and playing one too many computer video games, we found ourselves too tired to stay awake around 10pm. It was still in the high 80’s but we opted to head for bed and let nature take its course. The hot, clammy night air made all three of us (Frankenbutt, Coco and me) shuffle our sleeping spots around until we weren’t touching one another at all. Ah, when will this heat wave break?
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