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Week One

Day 8 - May 3 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
"Rest Day" in Lee, MA
A rest day was built into the original proposed itinerary, anticipating having pedaled from Boston to Lee, but we ended up driving more than riding. We had considered riding some today, but the 25-mpg chilly wind discouraged that.
We drove out of the driveway of the motel just as Jim Pollard was coming up on our right. Like I have said before, "Timing is everything."
Breakfast with Jim Pollard was set in a private dining room, with linens, china, flowers on the table, so elegant! The waitress had a tux shirt/bowtie! We could order anything we wanted. Jim and the M & M's had omelets, while John had French toast and eggs.
After breakfast, we joined 30 or so HD residents for their "Morning Orientation." Some overheads had been prepared, and we told the residents about our Ramble.
After talking more with Jim, we joined the residents again for a "Finer Things" geography lesson, where Jim elicited responses from the residents, who were trying to identify the states on the US map.
We left Laurel Lakes close to noon. John and Marie went grocery shopping at the local Price Chopper while Marie N. made some phone calls about arrangements in Connecticut.
After lunch, Marie N. drove to Lenox to get an adjustment on the front brake of "Hope" and also went to a Custom One-Hour Photo Shop and got two rolls of film developed. We are trying to let everyone see some of what is going on by posting photos to the website. Marie N. sends the photos to her husband Ron, who scans them and sends them electronically to our Webmaster, Jennifer Hickok in California. She then posts the photos to the website: www.bikeforthecure.org
John fired up the sauna during this time, and Marie read and caught up on her journaling.
Marie N. didn't feel like a big dinner, so John and Marie went to a local Greek restaurant. Marie had a grinder, and John a gyro.
Good weather is predicted for tomorrow.

With love from the road, in Lee MA,
Marie Nemec
John and Marie Elsner

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Day 9 - May 4 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
Lee, MA to 5 miles south of South Canaan in CT, on Route 63
We woke to a perfect riding day. The wind had diminished, it was sunny and cool but it felt like it had the potential to warm up nicely. Marie N. left the motel on her bike at 8:30. We hung out until 9:45 when John left on his bike and Marie in the van.
We all made our way separately down to Great Barrington where we met at the coffee house, "Sip of Seattle", that we had stopped at on Thursday. Again we left in a staggered fashion and met at a rest area for lunch. The wind was blowing a little, but this was definitely the most pleasant lunch stop we've had on the trip so far.
The day continued in a similar fashion with a lot of staggered starts and meeting points. We stayed on Hwy. 7 through Canaan and then down to Route 63. After five miles on Route 63 Marie E. drove ahead looking for a place to meet and noticed that the road was now gaining altitude in a pretty serious way. We had been skirting the Canaan Mountains most of the afternoon and the riding had been pleasantly rolling, but now it looked like we were about to go up and over. We wanted to get as many miles in today as possible since the weather and scenery were so beautiful. But it was now 3:00, so we decided to call it a day and make this climb tomorrow.
We drove back toward Great Barrington to our motel room. On the way we stopped at the home of Jane, the lovely woman who didn't have a room available at her B&B to donate to us but instead paid for us to stay at another motel in the area. This visit was truly an example of fate. It turns out that the woman who was renting Jane's room (which made it unavailable to us), Linda, is part of an HD family. Her husband and several of his siblings have the disease. She is relocating her family from Indiana to Vermont and staying at Jane's for a few more weeks. She hadn't known about the Garbage Trail Walk before she came east, but she heard about it and is going to walk tomorrow. What a small world!
We visited with Jane and her family and Linda and her sister and then drove to a nearby bike shop to get a new sweatpad for John's helmet. They were closed, so we stopped at the Price Chopper next door for some milk and then enjoyed some dinner at the Barrington Brewery & Restaurant. The woman at the visitor center had recommended it.
We checked into the Briarcliff Motel where John marveled at the telephoto peephole two inches in diameter that allows you to see the whole panorama of the parking lot. We worked on our journals and Marie N. participated in a telephone interview with a newspaperwoman from Canaan CT.

Miles: 37.25
Riding time: 3:54:00 (Marie N.'s time)
Road Change: 8 cents
Cumulative Road Change: $2.14
With love from the road in Great Barrington MA,
John and Marie Elsner
Marie Nemec
The Colonial Road Warriors

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Day 10 - May 5 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
5 miles south of South Canaan, CT on Route 63 to Torrington, CT
Today was a leisurely day as far as biking goes since we covered most of the miles yesterday. The plan called for doing Arlo Guthrie's Garbage Trail Walk to Massacre HD at 10:00, so we were able to have a relaxing morning. We showed up at the Guthrie Center by 9:40 and it was already buzzing with people. We made our donation and joined approximately 100 other walkers on the 6.3-mile walk from the Guthrie Center just outside of Great Barrington, MA to the former Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge, MA. It was fun to see familiar faces there, like Jim Pollard, Erica from Laurel Lake, Pat & Paul Pillis, and Ed & Bonnie Taylor. The Hunt-Dis list was well represented.
The sun was shining and it was starting to feel downright warm. This is a pretty laid back walk although they did have water stops every mile and an ice cream stop at mile four. The fifth water stop was located at the site of the closed dumped that was the start of the whole Alice's Restaurant song thing. The last stop before Alice's was the Stockbridge police station, which included a photo opp with a police officer in front of the door of the jail cell that Arlo was held in because of his littering crime. The walk ended at Alice's restaurant (Alice posted bail for Arlo back when this all happened) where there were sandwiches, lemonade, chips, apples and cookies available for those who participated. We were transported back to The Guthrie Center in a restored 1967 VW micro bus (like the one Arlo was in when he dumped the garbage).
It was 2:30 before we left there to resume riding where we had stopped yesterday. Today all three of us were able to ride because Ed and Bonnie Taylor from Tennessee were here to SAG for us. They will also SAG on May 7 & 8. They are in the area visiting their daughter Melody Avery in Meriden, CT.
We all met up at the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington, CT where we had a donated room. Although we only had 14 miles to ride there were some serious hills to contend with.
After relaxing a bit in the room we all went out for a wonderful Italian dinner. We must thank Ed and Bonnie for treating us to this delicious meal.
After dinner John and Marie walked through an old cemetery to see if they could find any tombstones that had a 1700's date. The earliest date they could find was Jan 6, 1800. We rejoined Marie N. back at the hotel and took care of business for the remainder of the night.

Miles ridden: 13.28
Riding time: 59:15
Average speed: 13.3 mph
Maximum speed: 37.5 mph
Total trip miles: 153.4
Road Change: 2 cents
With love from the road,
John and Marie Elsner
Marie Nemec

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Day 11 - May 6 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
Torrington - Farmington CT
Another fantastic spring day in New England.
Patsy Marr, the widow of Doug Marr (past Nat'l Chairman of HDSA - 1989-1993) met us at the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington. It is such an honor to have her as our SAG driver today.
While we were waiting for Patsy, I read an old framed newspaper clipping which indicated former guests Lauren Bacall, Paul Newman, John Updike, Mick Jagger, Bess Meyerson, and Mary Tyler Moore. The building dates from 1891, and is quite historic.
John and Patsy drove separately to Farmington, with Patsy leaving her vehicle at the UConn Medical Center. They then drove back together in our SAG van, meeting the M & M's on Hwy 4, about 7.5 miles E of Torrington. John and Marie then took off for Meriden, to do some riding into tomorrow's schedule, while Patsy SAGged with me to Farmington. There were some sections of hills where I had to walk, maybe a mile altogether, but a lot was downhill or level, too.
We arrived at the very plush Homewood Suites; I have a separate room, with a kitchenette, sitting room, bathroom, and bedroom. Plenty of room to store my bike "Hope."
Patsy and I drove to get some lunch, then after dropping me back at the Homewood Suites, she took off South on Hwy 10 to meet John and Marie.
I took the opportunity to do a load of wash, and shower.
We had a lovely reception at the UConn Health Center, just up the hill from the Homewood Suites. Bonnie Hennig, LCSW, MC'd the event. In her remarks, she called us "the Ramblers." Don't be surprised if we continue to use that phrase! Patsy Marr presented Dr.James Duffy with a plaque authorized by John G. Rowland, Gov. of CT, which commemorates the Funding of $300,000 a year from the state of Conn. budget, and proclaims May as HD Month.
In attendance were Dr. Wally Deckel, who is doing research on cerebral blood flow and HD. Also other staff members were on hand, so was Kimberly Gleason from HDSA-NE and a few Phd's, including our beloved Bonnie Taylor, her husband Ed, and their daughter Melody Avery.
A highlight was meeting Charles Huntington, the great grandson of Dr. George Huntington, after whom HD is named.
Sold quite a few T-shirts, and got $150 in donations.
Bonnie and Ed took us back at the Homewood Suites.
Marie N. made a trip to the CVS Pharmacy to update her thyroid prescription.

Miles: Marie N - 14
Marie E - 37.5
John - 30
Road Change - 64 cents
Cumulative Road Change - $2.80
With love from "The Ramblers,"
Marie Nemec
John and Marie Elsner

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Day 12 - May 7 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
Farmington - Shelton CT
Another good riding day through Connecticut...
It was drizzling as we began to load up the van after a very nice continental breakfast in the Homewood Suites. We all enjoyed the "make it yourself" waffle maker, with a premeasured cup of batter.
Drove to the designated meeting spot near I-691 and Route 10. There we met up with Ed & Bonnie Taylor and their daughter Melody Avery. Melody is the first to join us as a guest rider!
The whole ride was through urban areas in CT. Mixed blessings ... we had constant traffic, beeping horns, erratic drivers turning right in front of us as we rode straight ahead, etc. But the plus side is that CT residents seem very free with their money; between the four of us riding today plus Bonnie, we found $5 worth of "Road Change!" That is an all time high, which may never be duplicated again!
In Hamden, we saw the Ghost Parking Lot of automobiles enveloped in asphalt, dating from 1977. The paving surface of the various gradated levels, from full exposure of the body contours to complete burial was conceived to generate interest and dialogue in the community, based upon an iconography of equivocation and ambiguity. Huh?
We stopped for lunch in New Haven, across the street from Melody's alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University. We actually ate in a nice, shady cemetery. While looking at the brass "headstones" I came across one for Cliff Burwell (1898-1976) - composer of "Sweet Lorraine."
Melody told us there are 5 colleges/universities in New Haven: Yale, So. Conn. State, Albertus Magnus, Univ. of New Haven, and Quinnipiac Univ.
After lunch, John and Marie sped ahead, saying they'd meet us in the hotel. Melody and I rode together pretty much, but somehow along Route 1 we lost both Ed and Bonnie, who were SAGging for us. Just after we crossed the Housatonic River (which we saw up in Great Barrington MA) we all but Bonnie had a rendezvous in the Home Depot parking lot! John decided that was enough riding for today, given the traffic. So, we loaded up the bikes, and ate the leftover cookies and brownies from yesterday's reception at UConn Health Center. Marie E. thought we should take out the reception sign we had been given, and see if we could generate some donations. One woman did drive up, seeing the bikes, magnetic door signs, etc. so we gave her a pink brochure.
The hotel didn't end up being in Bridgeport; it's in Shelton, about 6 miles inland, so we drove there and Ed, Bonnie, and Melody drove back to Meriden, where Melody lives. They will join us tomorrow for one more day of SAGging.
Very nice room, with plenty of room for John and Marie's bikes, which are safer in the room than overnight on the Yakima rack on the roof of the van.
Dinner at the local diner. I had a beef patty with cottage cheese and salad (and a few of Marie E.'s fries.) Marie had a burger, and John had a gyro.
Feeling tired tonight. One more full day of riding before New York City.

Miles: 32 Road Change - $5.00
Cumulative Road Change - $7.80
With love from the "Ramblers,"
Marie Nemec
John & Marie Elsner

Day 13 - May 8 - HD Ramble "Round the Colonies
Shelton CT - New Rochelle NY
What a day, with about the only similarity to yesterday being the steady stream of traffic and the way in which CT and NY drivers behave.
Bonnie, Ed, and Melody met us at the Amerisuites before 8:00 a.m. Melody joined the SAG crew today.
We SAGged to Fairfield, and started riding there. John and Marie were "gone in 60 seconds" (gone from my view). Ed was going to SAG with them, and Bonnie Melody with me, with our totally dissimilar riding speeds.
We had agreed to meet in Norwalk CT at Stew Leonard's, a huge multi-faceted marketplace. Out front there's a small "farm" with turkeys, calves, chickens, and more in an urban setting. Fresh produce was for sale, but also packaged food inside. Milk and OJ were on production lines for containerization, and there were animated singing milk containers and a Chiquita Banana.
Then the problems began. About 1 1/2 miles from Stew Leonard's, I was pedaling along up a slight hill. A man driving a brand new Chevy Blazer pulled out of a driveway without seeing me, and grazed my bike's right side handlebars! It didn't harm me, or my bike, but it really scared me. After getting the insurance info from the driver, I gave him one of our pink ride brochures, but neglected to completely zip shut my bike bag on the rear rack. After composing myself, I continued to ride about 4 more miles. When I stopped to take a banana out of the bag, I couldn't find my glasses case! I called Bonnie on the cell phone. She and Melody had just finished getting lunch for us at Stew Leonard's and were heading towards me. I told them what had happened, and to start looking for the case. I started walking towards them, looking for the case. When we met up, we loaded my bike into their van, and drove back to Stew Leonard's, turned around, and then started looking. Melody spotted the case as we drove through an underpass. I jumped out, hoping against hope that the glasses would be intact, but no ... they were smashed! Good thing I had brought my older pair of glasses along, as a back up.
We then drove on to the designated lunch meeting place in Darien. We had excellent sandwiches from Stew Leonard's. We were amused by the sign that said "No Sledding" on a hill near the cemetery.
I was too shaken to continue riding, so John and Marie rode on to New Rochelle, with Ed SAGging. Bonnie, Melody, and I found a bike shop to again adjust the front brake on my bike. Only the left side is acting properly. I also decided to buy a mirror for "Hope."
We worked our way back to Rte 1 through Stamford (home of the World Wrestling Federation), Cos Cob, and Greenwich. Soon we were greeted by a sign welcoming us to New York.
Found Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, which Charlotte had arranged for an overnight. A church in transition, there are many Spanish-speaking congregation members. Pastor Eric Swenson has an after school program for elem. school aged children. After hugs, we bid fond farewells and Godspeed to Ed, Bonnie, and Melody. They were awesome SAGgers!
We got to eat dinner with the school children and their mentors. Two Bible studies tonight: one English upstairs, Spanish downstairs.

Thanking God for His provisions today.
Miles: Marie N. 16
John & Marie 40
Road Change: 7 cents
With love from "the Ramblers,"
Marie Nemec
John and Marie Elsner

Day 14 - May 9 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
New Rochelle NY - Secaucus NJ
We bite "The Big Apple"
Left New Rochelle about 8:30 am, having plotted out our route to our "home away from home" for the next 3 days. John drove, Marie E. navigated, and I tried to spot appropriate signage to get to our destination.
Managed to arrive in Secaucus in time to get in on the continental breakfast at the Hampton Inn. After showers and some phone calls, we were ready to brave the mass transportation system.
Took the 320 bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal; it seemed as large a big city airline terminal. Walked from there to the National Office of HDSA and me the staff members that were there. Anita, Mikayla, Deb S., Berna, Sarah, Bob, Ed, Dayanara, Jessica, and of course our "tour guide" Deb Lovecki. Berna told us of her experience on 9-11 of seeing the WTC and then "nothin' but sky." Jessica, Deb, and "the Ramblers" went to The Triple Crown restaurant for a scrumptious lunch; mostly sandwiches and salads were consumed.
We then walked "uptown" to Times Square, and bought discounted tickets to "Les Miserables." Then we walked around some more, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of NYC. Only in New York - a man rollerblading down the street, talking on a cell phone! Saw Rockefeller Plaza, from which the NBC Today Show is broadcast.
Walked back to the Marriott Marquis Hotel and rested awhile in their 8th floor lobby. Picked up a light dinner (fruit, salad, chicken, muffins (J & M)) from a sidewalk cafe before heading to the Imperial Theatre on W. 45th St.
"Les Miz" is a powerful story, which intertwined the lives of Jean Valjean (an ex-prisoner) and Jabert, who relentlessly tracks him. The staging was unique, with a huge rotating circle in the middle of the stage. The acting and singing were just tremendous; I should write a whole message just on "Les Miz" but time doesn't permit. It was such a thrill to see Broadway production.
Took the 320 bus back to Secaucus with no major hitches, albeit we were confused because they use one loading door during the day, and a different one after 10:00 pm.
Arrived safely at the Hampton Inn, at just about midnight.
Our first day in NYC, with more to come.

With love from "The Big Apple,"
The Ramblers 3
Road Change - 0
No bike miles
Sorry about confusing yesterday's message number - it should have been 13. It was unintentional, not like hotel floor numbering.

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Day 13 - May 8 - HD Ramble "Round the Colonies
Shelton CT - New Rochelle NY
What a day, with about the only similarity to yesterday being the steady stream of traffic and the way in which CT and NY drivers behave.
Bonnie, Ed, and Melody met us at the Amerisuites before 8:00 a.m. Melody joined the SAG crew today.
We SAGged to Fairfield, and started riding there. John and Marie were "gone in 60 seconds" (gone from my view). Ed was going to SAG with them, and Bonnie Melody with me, with our totally dissimilar riding speeds.
We had agreed to meet in Norwalk CT at Stew Leonard's, a huge multi-faceted marketplace. Out front there's a small "farm" with turkeys, calves, chickens, and more in an urban setting. Fresh produce was for sale, but also packaged food inside. Milk and OJ were on production lines for containerization, and there were animated singing milk containers and a Chiquita Banana.
Then the problems began. About 1 1/2 miles from Stew Leonard's, I was pedaling along up a slight hill. A man driving a brand new Chevy Blazer pulled out of a driveway without seeing me, and grazed my bike's right side handlebars! It didn't harm me, or my bike, but it really scared me. After getting the insurance info from the driver, I gave him one of our pink ride brochures, but neglected to completely zip shut my bike bag on the rear rack. After composing myself, I continued to ride about 4 more miles. When I stopped to take a banana out of the bag, I couldn't find my glasses case! I called Bonnie on the cell phone. She and Melody had just finished getting lunch for us at Stew Leonard's and were heading towards me. I told them what had happened, and to start looking for the case. I started walking towards them, looking for the case. When we met up, we loaded my bike into their van, and drove back to Stew Leonard's, turned around, and then started looking. Melody spotted the case as we drove through an underpass. I jumped out, hoping against hope that the glasses would be intact, but no ... they were smashed! Good thing I had brought my older pair of glasses along, as a back up.
We then drove on to the designated lunch meeting place in Darien. We had excellent sandwiches from Stew Leonard's. We were amused by the sign that said "No Sledding" on a hill near the cemetery.
I was too shaken to continue riding, so John and Marie rode on to New Rochelle, with Ed SAGging. Bonnie, Melody, and I found a bike shop to again adjust the front brake on my bike. Only the left side is acting properly. I also decided to buy a mirror for "Hope."
We worked our way back to Rte 1 through Stamford (home of the World Wrestling Federation), Cos Cob, and Greenwich. Soon we were greeted by a sign welcoming us to New York.
Found Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, which Charlotte had arranged for an overnight. A church in transition, there are many Spanish-speaking congregation members. Pastor Eric Swenson has an after school program for elem. school aged children. After hugs, we bid fond farewells and Godspeed to Ed, Bonnie, and Melody. They were awesome SAGgers!
We got to eat dinner with the school children and their mentors. Two Bible studies tonight: one English upstairs, Spanish downstairs.

Thanking God for His provisions today.
Miles: Marie N. 16
John & Marie 40
Road Change: 7 cents
With love from "the Ramblers,"
Marie Nemec
John and Marie Elsner

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Day 14 - May 9 - HD Ramble 'Round the Colonies
New Rochelle NY - Secaucus NJ
We bite "The Big Apple"
Left New Rochelle about 8:30 am, having plotted out our route to our "home away from home" for the next 3 days. John drove, Marie E. navigated, and I tried to spot appropriate signage to get to our destination.
Managed to arrive in Secaucus in time to get in on the continental breakfast at the Hampton Inn. After showers and some phone calls, we were ready to brave the mass transportation system.
Took the 320 bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal; it seemed as large a big city airline terminal. Walked from there to the National Office of HDSA and me the staff members that were there. Anita, Mikayla, Deb S., Berna, Sarah, Bob, Ed, Dayanara, Jessica, and of course our "tour guide" Deb Lovecki. Berna told us of her experience on 9-11 of seeing the WTC and then "nothin' but sky." Jessica, Deb, and "the Ramblers" went to The Triple Crown restaurant for a scrumptious lunch; mostly sandwiches and salads were consumed.
We then walked "uptown" to Times Square, and bought discounted tickets to "Les Miserables." Then we walked around some more, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of NYC. Only in New York - a man rollerblading down the street, talking on a cell phone! Saw Rockefeller Plaza, from which the NBC Today Show is broadcast.
Walked back to the Marriott Marquis Hotel and rested awhile in their 8th floor lobby. Picked up a light dinner (fruit, salad, chicken, muffins (J & M)) from a sidewalk cafe before heading to the Imperial Theatre on W. 45th St.
"Les Miz" is a powerful story, which intertwined the lives of Jean Valjean (an ex-prisoner) and Jabert, who relentlessly tracks him. The staging was unique, with a huge rotating circle in the middle of the stage. The acting and singing were just tremendous; I should write a whole message just on "Les Miz" but time doesn't permit. It was such a thrill to see Broadway production.
Took the 320 bus back to Secaucus with no major hitches, albeit we were confused because they use one loading door during the day, and a different one after 10:00 pm.
Arrived safely at the Hampton Inn, at just about midnight.
Our first day in NYC, with more to come.

With love from "The Big Apple,"
The Ramblers 3
Road Change - 0
No bike miles
Sorry about confusing yesterday's message number - it should have been 13. It was unintentional, not like hotel floor numbering.