Hitchhiker's Guide

By Ben |

This afternoon I biked to a movie theater I had passed on the way into town -- in West Orange, near Edison's historic lab -- to catch a matinee of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."  On the way back I had to ride in rush-hour traffic, and I was very glad I hadn't had to do that yesterday when I was pulling the trailer!  I'll have to time my departure carefully.

4.94 mi

To Montclair, NJ

By Ben |

I took a sufficiently out-of-the-way route from New Brunswick to Montclair that I avoided most of the traffic, but even so it was like a single continuous suburb.  I got a fourth flat tire.

The distance was much less than I expected, so that I arrived in Montclair around 1:00!  Uncle Dave is taking time off work after an operation and expects to stay home through this week, just to be sure.  I'll be staying in his son Ethan's room -- Ethan is driving trucks for the Marines in Iraq.

To New Brunswick

By Ben |

Joan and Lloyd treated me to a generous brunch, so I didn't get out the door until 11:00.

The weather was good today, and the roads were nice, through some beautiful, pale green forests... it would have been great if I hadn't gotten three flat tires.  Well, it was great anyway!  I rode through Princeton, which was every bit as pretentious as one might expect.  I stopped at a bike shop but the clerk was so rude to me I walked out, even though I really needed some tire patches!

To Ewing, NJ

By Ben |

A light rain fell all morning as I rode out of Philadelphia, but it stopped after noon as I approached Trenton.  As soon as I'd crossed the Delaware, before I'd ridden 100 feet, three drivers had welcomed me to New Jersey by shouting rude things.  The most creative was the witch's theme from "The Wizard of Oz."

April 29: Pennsylvaniadventures

By Ben |

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on April 29, 2005] [additional text subsequently added from the week's journal entries]

Hi, folks! I'm back in Philadelphia, staying at my nephew's grandparents' (Jay and Elsa's) house. I hope to get back in shape (and see some sights around Philly) before I venture into the Garden State!

I took the commuter train into downtown Philly and the Greyhound to Pittsburgh and the city bus to Becca and Daniel's house without incident.

To Philadelphia

By Ben |

It's a good thing I didn't have farther to go today... Philadelphia is a lot hillier than I had anticipated, and getting into town was trickier.  I stopped at a bike shop in West Chester and got an official bike map of the Philadelphia area.  The proprietor gave it to me for free because he knew it to be inaccurate, and he gave me some tips about roads that are better or worse than indicated.

38.2 mi

April 14: Philadelphia

By Ben |

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on April 14, 2005]

What a beautiful week of weather! I don't know when I've ever experienced seven days of perfect bicycling weather in a row. Unfortunately I wasn't able to appreciate the first five because I was sick, but I was dimly aware that I would otherwise have been appreciative!