while at work last night, i met three guys riding to just outside of DC on their way home from Cumberland. i told them about gramps and one of the guys told me he had seen a chipper old man on his recumbent bike near the Paw Paw Tunnel on the C & O canal. and that he was looking rather good despite the rain and mud. gah! was i thankful to hear those words! i remember when he told the family about taking this trip alone and most of us were very verbal about him not taking it because we feared it was too dangerous. but, i think as time passed we were more understanding of why he wanted to take the trip. (Nebraska was where he grew up)
here's a little bio he wrote for his website: Born in 1948 I retired from the US Army 20 years ago worked as an engineer for a short period of time then went to work for the Federal Technology Service of the General Services Agency -- when it was reorganized I retired again and now spend most of my time playing with the 13 grandkids, volunteering as a Bike Ranger for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and trying to get my act together to start touring again (I did some when stationed with the Army in Germany 30 years ago and loved it!) -- I'm currently riding a Stratus XP LWB recumbent.
when i had talked to him this morning, he sounded very chipper (he always does, so that's a good sign) and told me that he was taking a rest and staying at a bed & breakfast in cumberland. thank goodness!
follow his journey as he takes a trip of a lifetime from Maryland, through PA, up to the Adventure Cycling Association Northern Tier, through Iowa, and finally finishing in Nebraska ("Where The West Begins")
GO GRAMPS! YOU'RE THE BEST!
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