Jose Maria Campos

July 22nd. The Final Day of Our Journey Across America by Bicycle.

2011-01-02T22:54:00.000-08:00

July 22nd. The Final Day of Our Journey Across America by Bicycle. Manchester to Portsmouth NH. Elevation: 210 ft. to sea level. 53.8miles. At the banquet, Audrey made a suggestion, a very well deserved request, for Surghe to be at the front and lead all the cyclist into the beach for the dipping of front wheel ceremony at Wallis State Beach in Portsmouth,NH. During the dinner it cross my mind that maybe, just maybe the support crew would ask me to be one of the cyclist leading the group to the wheel dipping ceremony because I was the oldest in the group. I had a light breakfast and loaded the luggage at 7: 30 a.m., right at 7:35 we started on our final ride to the beach. I rode with several groups, but actually on this last day all the groups stayed together; we even visited Exeter Preparatory School together. During the ride I had a pensive moment where three Archangels were hovering over all the cyclist as they rode into Wallis State Beach. I was amongst the second group that arrived at Rye Junior High School, designated place for all cyclists to fall in formation to ride as single group into Wallis State Beach. To my surprise just as I had thought during the banquet about the support crew asking me to be one of the cyclists leading the group---Andy asked me, John Douglas, Steve Foley (from Tasmania) to accompany Surghe to lead the group. It was really a true pleasure and honor to be one of the four to lead the main group of cyclists. For four miles Surghe(Trindad/Tobago), John Douglas(Seattle, Washington), Myself and Steve Foley (Tasmania) lead the whole group of cyclist to Wallis State Beach, NH. As we approached the beach I could see my dear Jelica (what a joy to see her) Bane and Daka; they were taking photos and movies of the ceremonial ride to the beach. Once we reached the sandy beach there was complete extacy, jubilation-everyone (guest, cyclists, relatives and bystanders congratulating and hugging each other. Some, like Skip jumped into the water, others took pictures of the dipping of the front wheel into the water. My dear Jelica and I embraced and kissed and proceeded to take photos of the different riders. Somewhere from the beach amongst the many people, I heard someone calling my name; it was a person I didn't recognize, but I could tell he was a very friendly person --it was Sister Maria's friend from Ireland, Michael Ryan, principal or retired principal from Providence School also intimate friend of Richard Walsh (from Ireland) another cyclist. Michael Ryan recognize me from the description Sister Maria had given him. !What a journey! God delivered me safely and in good health. Thank you dear Lord for reminding me everyday that this endeavor was for the well-being of the least of your children, the Mayans of the Highlands of Guatemala. This constant reminder gave me the energy and the impetus to ride, climb and enjoy the long distances. ! Thanks be to God! (2951)Manchester,NH. final loading time and departure time, (2952)same as previous, (2953)group of cyclists with AB B jersey, (2954)Kingston Village Market SAG stop all with AB B Gary, Carey, Wayne, Fred, Skip, John(El Rancho H. S.), Don, Steve Quin(Australia), Gary(Chicago), Forest (Maryland), (2955) same as previous, (2956) Richard Walsh(Ireland), and Allen (England), (2957) Racking Crew-Gary from Calif.,Al from Germany, Wayne from Wales, Steve Quin from Australia, John from Calif.-El Rancho H.S., (2959) Group picture at Rye Elementary School - Richard from Virginia, John from Buffalo,NY., Don Chism, Skip King, Tom Montville professor at Rutgers, Myself, John(Kip) and C. J., Audrey, Susan, Amy, John's wife from Buffalo,NY., (2960)same as previous, (2961) Group picture Rye Junior H.S., (2962) Christina, Michelle and Gerard at Wallis State Beach, NH.

July 21st. Brattleboro VT. to Manchester, NH.

2011-01-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

July 21st. Brattleboro VT. to Manchester, NH. Elevation: 210 ft. 86 miles. Seven miles out of Brattleboro around Chesterfield, NH. we cross the New Hampshire State Line. I made a point to ride very cautious the last two days. The terrain was very hilly; we all felt that it was one of the most strenuous day. At the 23rd. mile Gilsum Road changed to Old Sullivan Road where we rode on a dirt road for a mile which was down hill and extremely bumpy. At some point this day, I started to become very pensive and sad due to the fact that the whole tour was coming to an end. The last day I was going to ride with the many fine friends I had ridden for 52 wonderful days. I also had mixed feelings on how to ride--part of me wanted to ride fast because Lou, Helen and Stephanie were going to be waiting for me in Manchester and another part of me wanted to prolong the ride because the whole tour was coming to an end. Second SAG stop was in Francestown,NH. by some stables and an important hall. Across the road was a church--the whole area was a historical site (Levi Woodbury) was born here. Somehow we got to the hotel very early, maybe we knew it was the day of the banquet and we wanted to relax and freshen-up for the banquet. Again, in the hotel my mind sank in gloom because it would be the last time I would be with this great group of friends. Jay and his wife shared with the group several pizzas and Tom Montville's friend brought Vermont Cheese, crackers and beer and we party in the lobby. Later in the early evening Lou, Helen and Stephanie join me in the lobby where I introduce them to the group gathered in the lobby. We all proceeded to the banquet room Lou, Helen and Stephanie set with me. (2937) Steve Foley from Tasmania at the NH. State Line, (2939) Myself by the NH. State Line, (2940) Welcome-Bienvenue to NH. sign, (2941) Francestown church on left side of road-Levi Woodbury historical sign, (2943) Comfort Inn Hotel Function Room-Helen, Stephanie, Lou and myself, (2944) Tom Montville-Rutgers University Professor and myself. Tom and I rode many days together. (2945) Jay Rohrer from Virginia, his wife, daughter and son in law at banquet, (2946) Richard Tangard also from Virginia and his wife (a Greek Lady).

July 20th. Latham,NY. to Brattleboro,VT.

2011-01-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

July 20th. Latham,NY. to Brattleboro,VT. Elevation: 226 ft. 75.7 miles. I rode with several groups, but for the great part of the day I rode alone. Got to the Vermont State Border with Tom Montville and Don Chism and Skip King. Proceeded by myself and arrived at Bennington and visited the tower commemorating the Battle of Bennington. For some reason I believe I was here with Jelica, my wife when she was pregnant with Margarita and we traveled to my brother's wedding in 1976. After Bennington I enjoyed the company of Forrest, Gary and Debra for a while. Don, Skip and Audrey went to see a cover bridge unique to Vermont. Don caught up with us by Wilmington SAG stop and we stopped by the Hot Dog Stand. Don and I took some pictures at Hogback Mountain Summit. Eight miles before reaching the motel, I was caught in a heavy storm lightening, rain, thunder and hail, I arrived soaking wet.

July 19th. Little Falls to Lathem NY.

2011-01-02T18:34:00.000-08:00

July 19th. Little Falls to Lathem NY. Elevation: 130 ft. 78.6 mile. I knew I had to ride sort of fast because I was going to meet Don Berens, Randy Evans' roommate,(whom he met on his ride across America). I started to ride with the racking crew up to Fort Klock, an English Fort built in 1750. As I was to commence, to my dissatisfaction I noticed a slow leak on the front tire. Forrest with Debra and Gary(The Neumayers) helped me change to a new tube. We rode along the Mohawk Valley, a very pretty countryside full of history. As I hurried to meet Don Berens, as previously planned I noticed the Shrine of Lilly of the Mohawk Valley, a shrine dedicated to Tetehewitha Kateri, an Indian maiden soon to be canonized a saint. Lilly of the Mohawk Valley Shrine is located somewhere between Fonda and Amsterdam, NY. A couple of miles ahead I stopped at an Indian Pow Wow. Soon after the Pow Wow I entered the bike path where I was suppose to meet Don around 12:00 p.m., at this point I was almost an hour and half late. Luckily Don was very patient and waited for me. From a distance I noticed a rider and I loudly called his name, Don immediately responded and stopped. We introduced each other and rode together the rest of the way to the hotel. Often when one rides with a new interesting friend one covers distances quickly so Don and I in no time got to Schenectady where we stopped at Jumpin-Jacks a favorite ice cream place for a milk shake. At Jumpin-Jacks we met with Joe Williams another rider. Don took me through the old Dutch section of Schenectady, NY. Upon our arrival to the hotel, Don accompanied me inside the hotel and kept a close watch to my joyful reaction to the sign in the front desk which read " Go Jose'- the guys from Mc Donald's are pulling for you! Randy suggested Don to write the sign. Don offered to take to church, around 4:20 p.m. Don his wife and children picked me up at the hotel to attend Mass. Don- What a kind and humble man! (2896) Fort Klock- built 1750, (2897) Fort Klock, (2898) Fort Klock- cooking fire place, (2899) Wide view of Fort Klock, (2901) Saint Kateri Shrine, (2902) Statue of Saint Kateri encircled by a huge Rosary, (2903) Sign of the National Kateri Shrine and Indian Museum, (2905) Saint Tetewitha Kateri Statue, (2906) Fonda Kateri Shrine- a little history about the site on the Mohawk Valley, NY., (2907) Native American Peace Grove- a prayer by the Iroquis Prophet, (2908) Pipe and Tomahawk, (2909) An Indian Poster Picture depicting Indian Emergence-birth, (2910) Early picture of Saint Kateri, (2912) Church /Chapel of Saint Kateri, (2914)Another early painting of Saint Kateri,(2915)Another view of the chapel, (2916) Kateri's last words, (2917) Freeway 5 by Schenectady, NY., (2918) Mohawk River Valley, (2919) Indian Pow-Wow in the Mohawk Valley, (2920) Pow-Wow, (2921) Joe and Don at Jumpin-Jack's Root Beer Stand, (2922) Don Berens and I at Jumpin-Jacks Root Beer Stand, in Schenectady,NY. , (2923) Saint John's the Apostle Church, (2924) Union University, (2925) Mohawk River, (2926) Dolly Parton Bridge, (2929 & 2930) GO JOSE' SIGN written by Don and requested by Calif. riding friend Randy Evans.

July 18th. Liverpool to Little Falls, NY.

2011-01-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

July 18th. Liverpool to Little Falls, NY. Elevation: 370 ft. 78.6 miles. No pictures ! Finger lakes area of New York formed by the glacier period thousands of years ago.

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July 17th. Canandaigua, NY. to Liverpool, NY.

2011-01-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

July 17th. Canandaigua, NY. to Liverpool, NY. Elevation: 522ft. 69.3 miles. I don't remember taking pictures this day. My batteries were discharged. Rolling hills and lots of vineyards. Don Berens left me a message and his phone number.

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July 16th. Hamburg to Canandiagua,NY.

2011-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

July 16th. Hamburg to Canandiagua,NY. Elevation: 685 ft. 94.3miles Today, since I had to meet Gale and Nick Pitaris I was one of the first ones to depart the hotel-something unusual! C.J., Kip and I were riding in front and stopped by Lake Seneca (one of the finger lakes) in the city of Geneva,NY. Somewhere after Geneva, I left C.J. and Kip and rode ahead of them. The country side in this part of NY. is beautiful-many vineyards. Focused on meeting Nick and Gale, I was amongst the first ones to arrive at the hotel where Nick surprised me from behind. It was a great feeling to see Nick, Gale and their granddaughter (Alexandria). To my surprise the front desk presented me with a letter from Don Berens (Lathan,NY.), Randy Evan's friend. After cleaning up the Pitaris treated me to a nice lunch. (2886)Lakefront Park- City of Geneva,NY., (2888)Alexandria,Nick and Gale in front of Super 8 Motel, 4450 Eastern Blvd., Canandaigua,NY., (2889) Same as previous-Alexandria,Gale and I, (2890) Nick and I.

July 15 th. Erie, PA. to Hamburg, NY.

2011-01-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

July 15 th. Erie, PA. to Hamburg, NY. Elevation: 680 ft. 81.4 miles. Left Erie around 7: 05 am; it was a beautiful day . We rode along Lake Erie, all along the road were vineyards. I understand this area of New York is developing fairly good wines. We saw several very pretty sites along the shoreline. The ride was to some degree similar to the day we rode in Lake Tahoe. At Westfield, NY. we stop to enjoy a picture perfect cove and a lighthouse. (1053) Lake Erie and part of cove, (1054) similar to previous, (1055) Lighthouse, (1056) all pictures were in Daniel Reed Memorial Pier in town of Westfield/ Barcelona.

July 14th. Rest Day in Erie, PA.

2011-01-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

July 14th. Rest Day in Erie, PA. Visited several churches and had breakfast at McDonalds. Visited St. Peter's Cathedral, St. Stanislaus and St. Mary's Church. In St. Mary's Church I spoke to Father Girad (Jerry)Wright, an Oblate of Mary Priest. To my surprise he knew Father Larry and told me that he and Fr. Antollini had founded (or started ) St. Peter Channel in Hawaiian Gardens, CA. (2864) an angel holding an urn of holy water, (2866) Main altar of St. Peter's Cathedral, (2868) right stain glass window, (2869) the choir, (2870) left stain glass window, (2872) Peter's Cathedral Preparatory School, (2873) outside of St. Peter's Cathedral, (2874) same as previous, (2875) St. Mary's Church, (2876) Seawolves Baseball Park, (2877) same as previous, (2878) Home of the Erie Otters.

July 13th. Youngstown, OH. to Erie, PA.

2011-01-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

July 13th. Youngstown, OH. to Erie, PA. Elevation: 710 ft. 97.1 miles. Rode with Skip and Don. We rode at a very constant speed and still had time to take pictures and enjoy a sandwich and a Root Beer Float at Richardson's Root Beer Stand. The ride was along Lake Erie with many magnificent vistas-many vineyards. Along the way about 10 miles before Erie, I saw a Greek Orthodox Church having a festival. I was tempted to stop because I visualize the great food they had to offer. Upon arrival in Erie we rode directly to the pier and enjoyed the view and fresh air of Lake Erie. Joined Skip and Don for a beer and some delicious french fries. (2844) Octagonal Barn, (2845,2846,2847,2848,2849) Richardson's Root Beer Stand-Ohio, (2852 & 2853) Pennsylvania State Line, (2854) Erie Pier, (2855) Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center, (2856) a local giving us directions, (2857) Sailboat on Lake Erie, (2858) Tower at end of pier.

July 12th. Wooster to Youngstown,OH.

2011-01-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

July 12th. Wooster to Youngstown,OH. Elevation 882 ft. 93.3 miles. Sort of a lazy day for me. Rode with Richard (Ireland) part of the way. Somewhere around Orville they were setting up for a parade and the city was decorated with flags--they were celebrating "Canal Day." Went to church at Saint Joseph's Church with Greg (Dayton, OH.). The front desk lady at the hotel offered to drive Greg and I and our bicycles to church. She was one of the many wonderful people across the country to go out of their way to help us-cyclists. (2840) Richard (Ireland) taking pictures of horses at close range, (2841) Marshallville in preparation for "Canal Day" celebration, (2842) Tarsitano winery and cafe, (2843) Tarsitano Vineyard.

July 11th. Marysville to Wooster, OH.

2011-01-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

July 11th. Marysville to Wooster, OH. Elevation: 912 ft. 103 miles. I did not take any pictures. The only eventful thing besides riding was seeing Bob Hough from Wooster. He look good, but said that he still could not hear from his right ear. It was great to see him and his wife.

July 10 th. Richmond IN. to Marysville,OH.

2011-01-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

July 10 th. Richmond IN. to Marysville,OH. Elevation: 1050 ft. 105.4 miles. Rode with several groups, but ended up riding with Skip and Don. John took a picture of Amy's shadow and it motivated me to take several shadow pictures (John & Amy, Myself, and of John Douglas). Somewhere before Covington we stopped at a pond full of water lilies which had a cemetery as a background. To our suprise a father and his children had signs welcoming us. Father plans to do the across America Ride-- he is a teacher. How do you like to be served by the Mayor of St. Paris, Ohio? Joe Braden, the mayor of St. Paris has a restaurant and he had a sign welcoming the bikers. A very friendly person. (2828) Ohio state line, (2829) John and Amy's shadow, (2830 & 2831) my shadow, (2832) John Douglas's shadow, (2833) Lilly pond, (2834) an Ohio river, (2835) Joyce and Nathan? and Father welcoming us. (2836) Octagon barn and silo, (2837 & 2838) Susan and Tom waiting for train to go by, (2839) Mayor, Joe Braden's Restaurant welcoming bikers.

July 9th. Indianapolis to Richmond, IN.

2011-01-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

July 9th. Indianapolis to Richmond, IN. Elevation 979 ft. 73.7 miles. The day started with a heavy fog, but glad it was not raining. Skip King, one of the cyclist was born and raised in Indianapolis, so he led a group of us to the house of his youth. Today we have one new rider, John Crone, from Calif. as a matter of fact he teaches at El Rancho High School- what a coincidence and a small world. We are also happy that John Douglas has rejoin ed us. Some of us stopped in the town of Knightstown where we visited the school gym where the movie "Hoosiers," with Gene Hackman was filmed. It was a beautiful ride into Richmond, (Glen Miller home town) with a flat terrain and a good tail wind. (2818) Skip in front of his childhood home, (2822) Inside view of the Hoosiers Gym, (2823) Foyer and ticket booth, (2824)Gene Hackman and players, (2825) Hoosiers Gym Records, (2826) Outside of Hoosier's gym, (2827) Greg (from Dayton, Ohio) and me.

July 8th. Rest Day at Indianapolis,IN.

2011-01-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

July 8th. Rest Day at Indianapolis,IN. Had breakfast at 9:00, clean and lubricated the train gear of my bike. Walked to the center of the city, on the way I stopped to watch a baseball game at beautiful baseball park. I didn't realize how sport-minded Indianapolis is- there are several sports arenas and a new in-door stadium- "Lucas Oil Stadium," where the colts play. Walked around the capital, the monument is dedicated to the brave soldiers of the wars, and visited the "St. John the Apostle Church. Took a quick detour to the Hyatt Building in search of a rest room! (2810) War Monument, (2811bottom section of the War Monument, (2812) Indiana State Capital, (2813) light fixture around War Monument,(2814) State capital, (2817) other view of the monument.

July 7th. Crawsfordville to Indianapolis, IN.

2010-12-30T23:30:00.000-08:00

July 7th. Crawsfordville to Indianapolis, IN. Elevation: 708 ft. 62.5 miles. Very rainy morning plus lightening and thunder. The ride was delayed until it was safe to ride. Some cyclist decided to ride the van instead of riding their bikes. Skip and Fred, graduates of Wabash College invited Audrey and I to see the campus. Wabash College a small, quaint college was founded in 1832. Fred and Skip spoke to some of their old professors. On our way to Indianapolis we stopped at the Roarke Bicycle Factory, The Indianapolis Speedway, and the Major Taylor Velodrome.(2796,2797) Joey's Main Street Cafe,( 2798, 2801) Fred and Skip graduates of Wabash College, (2802,2803) Roarke Bicycle Factory, ( 2804,2806) Indianapolis' Motor Speedway, (2807,2808) Velodrome Movies, (2809) Major Taylor Velodrome Sign.

July 6th. Champaign to Crawsfordville, IN.

2010-12-30T23:19:00.000-08:00

July 6th. Champaign to Crawsfordville, IN. Elevation: 788 ft. 87.2 miles. Rode with Skip, Tom Montville and Don along many farms w;here corn and soy beans are grown. All four of us got lost at the 8.4 mile mark. At the 1st. SAG stop we found out that we were the only ones that had gotten lost. At the Indiana State Line we took several pictures. We had lunch at the Bus Stop Restaurant in Veedersburg, IN. The owner and hostess of the restaurant was also a boxer and an artist. An interested lady! I indulged in a huge meal plus a big piece of raspberry pie, hence I was not able to continue riding at a fast pace and therefore; I fell behind the group. I was able to catch up later. In Crawsfordville we had dinner and breakfast at Joey's Main Street Cafe. (2788) soy bean plantation, (2789,2791,2793), Indiana State Line, (2794,2795) The Bus Stop Restaurant.

July 5th. Springfield to Champaign,IL.

2010-12-30T23:03:00.000-08:00

July 5th. Springfield to Champaign,IL. Elevation: 738 ft. 97 miles. I started early-one of the 1st. ones out of the hotel. I decided to ride in the front as much as possible. It was a windy day and I rode with a pace-line of about 11 members. The road narrowed and the group pace-line fell apart. Rub Swordly, whose girl friend had just joined us the previous night to ride the remainder of the way had an accident (broke his clavicle ). Rub and his girl friend (Terry) left us the following day. I was pleased with myself because even though I was exhausted I continued hammering and managed to come in with the fast group. I forced myself to keep up with the pace. (2785) Site of Lincoln's Cabin, (2786) Holy Name Church, Champaign, IL. (2787) Park in Champaign.

July 4th. Quincey to Springfield, IL

2010-12-30T22:43:00.000-08:00

July 4th. Quincey to Springfield, IL. Elevation 610 ft. 109.6 miles. Started out slow, but soon got into my rhythm. The town of Liberty had USA flags decorating many of the buildings. The town of Meredosia was preparing for a 4th. of July party-it was very tempting to stop and buy a hot dog. (2763) a resort just outside of Liberty, (2764) a sign entering the city of Liberty, (2766) Springfield, IL. state capitol, (2767) Lincoln's statue, (2768) Myself in front of radio/TV van, (2770) State Capitol, (2771&2772) Lincoln' House, (2773) sample of Lincoln's House before 2nd. floor addition, (2774) Receiving Room in Lincoln's House, (2775) same as previous, (2776) Lincoln's bed, (2777) Lincoln's favorite desk, (2778)co mode, (2779) wife's bed, (2780) kitchen, ( 2781, 2782, 2783) Lincoln's Tomb.

July 3rd. Kirksville to Quincy, IL.

2010-12-30T21:46:00.000-08:00

July 3rd. Kirksville to Quincy, IL. Elevation 488 ft. 97 miles. Today was the day everyone dreaded, but expected-we were overdue for a heavy down pour. I dressed in a complete rain gear-rain pants, booties, and a red rain proof jacket. The irony is that I didn't get wet from the rain, but from my own perspiration. The endless, continuous hills took its toll on our hamstrings. The rain and the strong headwinds made it more difficult. Rub Swordly from Pennsylvania, Tom Montville and I rode together. Met Michelle, had a piece of pie and loaded our bicycle into the van to be shuttled across the flooded Mississippi. As we were shuttled across the Mississippi River from Missouri to Qunicy,IL, we saw the excessive sand and sand bags in an effort to reinforce the levees.

July 2nd. Chillicothe to Kirksville,MO.

2010-12-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

July 2nd. Chillicothe to Kirksville,MO. Elevation: 965 ft. 83.1 miles. Today was a rainy day, but actually, it was not too bad. The rain was actually refreshing, the bad thing is that you had to clean the bike. Rode with Tom Montville, Professor of microbiology at Rutgers' University. We helped each other all the way to Kirksville. Took a picture of a sign that read Laredo, MO. 8 miles. You may notice that the elevation was 965 ft., but the terrain is extremely hilly (like a perpetual roller coaster)that we actually climbed 5,180 ft. (2761) A beautiful house in huge lot with its' won pond, (2762) Laredo, MO. sign.

July 1st. St. Joseph to Chillicothe, MO.

2010-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

July 1st. St. Joseph to Chillicothe, MO. Elevation 823 ft. 89.4 miles. I felt strong and decided to ride by myself. At Jamesport,MO. there is an Amish Restaurant with a variety of excellent pies. I had the red raspberry pie with ice cream. The newspaper of Jamesport took pictures of several cyclist and will print an article in the local newspaper. (2760) Jamesport SAG stop.

June 30th. Rest Day-St. Joseph,MO.

2010-12-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

June 30th. Rest Day-St. Joseph,MO. Did my laundry and cleaned my bike. Jerry and Sandra Mogg, went out of their way to shuttle us from hotel to down town all day long. Jerry had ridden with America by bike before and therefore he knew we were going to be in St. Joseph. (2754) Pony Express Museum, (2755 Info. on the pony express, (2757) water hydrant with hose for a fence, (2759) Jesse James House.

June 29th. Topeka,KS. to St. Joseph, MO.

2010-12-30T19:02:00.000-08:00

June 29th. Topeka,KS. to St. Joseph, MO. Elevation: 823 ft. 89 miles. Great Day! Regained my confidence- I was not dropped and rode much better. On way to St. Joseph we passed through Atchison, KS. (known for the famous " Atchison,Topeka and Santa Fe railroad lines. Atchison is also birthplace of Amelia Earhart. In Atchison we cross the Missouri River and left Kansas and entered Missouri River Valley. In St. Joseph we entered the park way, a beautiful road and were greeted by the most hospitable couple (Jerry and Sandra Mogg). Jerry went out of his way to signal us to his shaded yard where he had chairs and reclining chairs arranged. He treated us with snacks, lemonade and Tea. (2747) Leaving Kansas sign by the bridge,(2748) Pictures of the Missouri, (2750 & 2751) Missouri Sign, (2752 & 2753) Jerry &Sandra Mogg and the generous hospitable treat........

June 28th. Abilene to Topeka, KS.

2010-12-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

June 28th. Abilene to Topeka, KS. Elevation: 940 ft. 118 miles. This was a horrible day for me. The terrain was totally strange to me; it was like ribbon of rolling hills one after another all the way to Topeka, KS. (118 miles). I was so frustrated with myself that I got lost (.5 miles before Dover,KS.). I had been contemplating on a piece of pie in Dover ( known for its rhubarb pie). Past Dover I caught with Kip (from N. Carolina)and gave me some pointers on how to ride the rolling hills.(2743) Me on top of a bale of hay, (2744) Lake Wanbaunsee on way to Topeka, (2745) Art work depicting a bicycle.

June 27th. McPherson to Abilene,KS.

2010-12-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

June 27th. McPherson to Abilene,KS. Elevation: 1,155 ft. 64.3 miles. The night at McPherson was very stormy, we were all concerned about the following morning being to wet of a ride. It turn out to be a beautiful day. 6.1 miles out of McPherson we turn left towards the town to Canton, KS. ( a beautiful country road all the way to Abilene, KS. Took some pictures in front of a farmers house because it's unique mail box. We also spoke to him about the economy of the country- he explain to us how the media tries to make us believe that because of ethanol now the cost of cattle feed is more expensive -not true-after corn is processed for ethanol they feed the corn to the cattle. In Abilene (Skip, Don and I ) went to the Eisenhower Museum. (2724) Hot/Cold water tanks in Canton, KS. , (2725) Very green pasture and healthy looking cattle, (2726) C.J. and Kip, (2727) Oil Rig , (2728 and 2729) mail box, (2730) Skip, Don and I at AB official 1/2 way point, (2731 and 2732 )Creative photo at 1/2 way point, (2733) Don's cheer leading jump, (2734) Don by the Chisholm Trail sign, (2735) Eisenhower Statue and museum grounds, (2738 & 2739) Murals inside of museum, (2740) Chapel where family is buried.

June 26th. Great Bend to McPherson, KS

2010-12-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

June 26th. Great Bend to McPherson, KS. Elevation: 1,490 ft. 64.3 miles. Passed through the town of Ellinwood, KS., where wheat is King. The light poles are decorated with metal wheat plants.

June 25th. Dodge City to Great Bend,KS.

2010-12-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

June 25th. Dodge City to Great Bend,KS. Elevation 1,843 ft. 85.3 miles. On the way to Great Bend, still following the Arkansas River we came to the city of Kinsley,KS. (halfway point between San Francisco and New York City). The SAG stop was at the park where the famous Sod House is located. The store where Sod House is preserved is worth the stop. (2716, 2717,2718) crazy photos in front of locomotive, (2719) Midway USA sign, (2720,2721,2722).

June 24th. Garden City to Dodge City KS.

2010-12-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

June 24th. Garden City to Dodge City KS. Reunited with the cycling group after 4 days while attending Alissa's and Dave's lovely wedding. Garden City to Dodge City KS. Elevation 2,830 ft. 51.3 miles. The highway is filled with cattle trucks, feedlots and grain silos. Dodge City looks abandoned and economically depressed. Over 5 million head o longhorn cattle were driven up from Texas to Dodge City to be loaded on the train. Peace officers Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson resided at one time in Dodge City. ((2710) Don getting a close-up of the cattle, (2711) Santa Fe Trail tracks (2712) Monument in Dodge City dedicated to the longhorns, (2713 ) Hetty from Holland and Shurghe in his western hat and marshal badge, (2714) Grain Silo, (2715) Railroad tracks with silo in background.

June20th. Salida To Pueblo,CO.

2010-12-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

June20th. Salida To Pueblo,CO. Elevation: 4,690 ft. 94.3 miles. Drove the rental car from Salida to Pueblo following the Arkansas River ( a beautiful canyon). Visited the Royal Gorge. (2648) John Douglas relaxing, (2649 Movie of Don and Skip coming down the Arkansas Canyon( a very beautiful and colorful canyon ride, (2650) Royal Gorge Sign, ((2653) Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge, (2554) same as previous, (2655) Albino buffalo, (2656) Royal Gorge Arkansas River -1053 ft., (2657) Royal Gorge and Arkansas River below making a bend, (2659) Myself on Suspension bridge, (2663)Self photo with Royal Gorge on the background.

June 19th. Gunnison to Salida,CO.

2010-12-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

June 19th. Gunnison to Salida,CO. Elevation: 7,038 ft. 66.1 miles. Today I picked up the rental car for the wedding. Skip drove with me to Salida; we stopped at Monarch Pass, where Skip gave encouraging word and helped the riders with their bikes as they reached the summit. (2639)Monarch Pass, (2640) Richard (from Ireland); Audrey; Steve(from Tasmania); Shurghe(Trinidad/Tobago); Myself, (2641) Same as previous plus Skip King, (2642) Shurghe by Monarch Pass sign, (2643)Snow covered mountains around Monarch Pass, (2644) Monarch pass Scenic Ride, (2645)Store at Monarch Pass.

Good night and so long!

June 18th. Montrose,CO to Gunnisson, CO.

2010-12-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

Add commentary and pictures.

June 18th. Montrose to Gunnison, CO. Elevation: 7,681 ft. 63.3 miles. The scenery was majestic. Our 50 members rode withe 2500 other cyclist (Ride the Rockies Group) the same route. Ride the Rockies Group know how to party; they had food stands, water, smoothies, photographers, TV media coverage and " KAIBOS! Today's ride included two huge climbs: 1st. Cerro Summit which 7 miles with a grade of 7 or 8% and a very strong headwind ( I could only go 4 or 5 miles/hr. 2nd. Climb was 8 miles ( a constant gradual climb, we reach 8,000 ft. of elevation. Stopped at Gunnison Lake Resort where and bought myself a delicious smoothie. I got caught up with Don and his nephew (Scott). At the Day's Inn in Gunnison, Maria, the maid from Nayarit,Mexico was eating her lunch very deliciously and shared 2 corn tortillas with some Picadillo. (2625) The beginning of 1st. climb from Montrose to Gunnison, (2626) Cerro Summit, (2627) Cerro Summit descent, (2628)Movie of the 1st. SAG stop, (2629) Close to 1000 cyclist resting at 1st. SAG stop, (2630) 2nd. climb- a photo of a rock ridge formation, (2632) A view from above looking down, (2633) 2nd. SAG station on top of summit, (2634) Richard (Ireland); Shuresh (Trindad/Tobago); myself at 2nd. SAG station, (2635) myself at 2nd rest station, (2636&2637) a beautiful canyon on way to Gunnison, (2638) Gunnison Lake Resort.

June 17th Grand Junction to Montrose,CO.

2010-12-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

Grand Junction to Montrose, Co. Elevation: 5,820 ft. 70.2 miles. We started at 7:35 am; we were shown the way out of Grand Junction because of heavy construction, by Susan, a local cyclist. Susan did Across America previously and acted as a welcoming committee to Grand Junction. Before arriving to Grand Junction she parked her car under a bridge (for shade) and stopped each one of us and presented us with H2O and a frozen fruit flavored icy. (2618) Farmhouse on top of a mesa, (2621) American Flag "Land of the Free-Because of our Brave" (2622) Highest Mesa in the world-10,000 ft. high, (2623) Snow capped mountains of Colorado in the horizon, (2624) View of snow capped mountain outside of Montrose,CO.

June 16th. Green River to Grand Junction, CO.

2010-12-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

Green River to Grand Junction,CO. Elevation: 4,590 ft. 96.5 miles. Don Chism and I were riding extremely well in the heat, keeping ourselves hydrated. It was a very hot day, we were riding very fast that we missed the 2nd. SAG stop which was somewhat disconcerting because we were without water and had not eaten anything. Other riders (Bill, Wayne and Steve from Australia) kindly shared H2O with us. Crossing the Colorado River I had a flat, thanks to Don we quickly fixed the flat. In Fruita, a small town, Don and I had lunch. (2610) La Sal Mountains in Colorado, (2612) Cactus flower in bloom, (2613) a patch of Cactus flowers, (2614) Welcome to Colorado sign, (2615) same as previous, (2617) Utah Winter Olympic Games sign.

june 15th. Price to Green River, UT.

2010-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

Price to Green River, UT. Elevation 4,080 ft. 67.2 miles. Green River is a small town, we arrived early due to a strong tailwind. Walked across the Green River Bridge which at the present time is very high due to the melting in Wyoming (its origin). Bought ice cream, ate it while I was socializing with some truckers that were watching car racing from Michigan. (2599) Gary/Debra from Chicago and Forrest, (2600) desert mesa, (2601) movie of the arid landscape in Provo County, (2605) two bikes reclining on a gate and a rock formation, (2607) me by the hot sunny road overlooking the mesa ridge, (2608) more mesas, (2609) the Green River in Green River, UT.

June 14th. Provo to Price UT

2008-11-30T15:09:00.000-08:00

June 14th. Provo to Price UT. Elevation 5,547 ft. 75.2 miles. One of the worst days, I started the the day with a back wheel blow-out. We had two big climbs and the headwind was unforgiving. I decided to ride by myself because I was having a very rough day. (2591) road towards Price, (2592)movie of the first SAG stop, (2593) beautiful Rest Area rides soak their feet in the cold brook, (2594) altitude of Soldier Summit, (2595) Skip at Soldier's Summit, (2596) a canyon on way to Price, (2597) a carbon processing plant, (2598) Gary, Debra and Forrest.

June 13th. Salt Lake City to Provo,UT.

2008-07-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Elevation 4,571 ft. 65miles.

This was a beautiful day, nice and sunny, the route had wonderful country roads. I Took several photos before arriving in Provo. Take a look

Forrest (from Florida) and myself.

Movie of the Wasatch Mountains around Provo

Beautiful Wasatch Mountains

Me with Wasatch Mountains backdrop

on our way to Provo.

Lavell Edwards Stadium for BYU.

My Bike with the BYU Campinille in the background... Provo is a beautiful college town.

June 12th My First Day of Rest

2008-07-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today is my first rest day on my journey. We've made it 20% of the way and it's been absolutely amazing so far. From California through Nevada and Utah this has been a great journey so far.

I had a chance to finally catch up on some emails to Tomas and took the opportunity to patch up some tubes.

My great friend from childhood, Jess Agraz came to visit me. Meeting my friend was the high light of the day. It brought back so many good memories from my childhood in Laredo Texas.
Jess and I took some pictures together

Jess ran for the Mayor of Salt Lake City.

W inter Olympic Building in Salt Lake

Jess thank you for the donation!!

You can donate too, just click here

June 11th. Wendover to Salt Lake City, UT

2008-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Elevation 4,,390 ft. 117.4 miles. Part of Wendover is in Nevada and part in Utah. Crossing into Wendover, UT. we found ourselves in t;he Great Salt Lake Desert which is also where the Bonneville Salt Flats (known for speed records) are located.

This stretch of the rode has no vegetation -so there is no shade, the sun just beats you down. Morton has a salt processing plant here which seems very appropriate. Often you see tire tracks on the marsh and salt due to falling asleep behind the stearing wheel (very boring scenery).

Even though I had 3 flats and Don 2 flats we made it to Salt Lke City at 2:00 p.m. Very often we were crusing at 26 miles/hr.(strong tailwinds).

The Wasatch mountains make a beautiful backdrop as we approach Salt Lake City. At this point we have traveled 812 miles (20%of the way), average 74 miles/day and elevation gain of 32,380 ft.

Amy & John (a couple from Buffalo, NY. ), Skip, Don and I stopped to take pictures of the Salt Lake. The site should be familiar to my family due to a previous vacation (15years ago).

This Muslim looking building overlooks the Salt Lake - Jelica ,Margarita, Tomas and Danica do you remember this building?

Peace... on the Salt Flats in Utah.

Don and myself with Salt Lake in the background

June 10th. Elko to Wendover, NV.

2008-06-30T00:43:00.000-07:00

Elevation 4,570 ft. and a total of 107.6 miles.

The route followed the Emigrant Trail to Well,NV (the origin of Humboldt River).

We had two Summits to climb today (Pequog summit-6,97 ft. and Silvefr Zone Pass-5,940 ft.).

Hetty from Holland had an accident due to strong cross wind which blew her off her bike. She is a very tough lady, received some stitches on chin, but rode the following day.

Today was the beginning of a double century.

The morning sky as we departed.

Looming clouds as we ride.

Skip and Don with some snow cap mountains behind.

Downhill we go.

A video from our group on the side of the road.

June 9th. Battle Mountain to Elko. NV.

2008-06-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

Elevation 5,0060 ft. 72.1 miles.

We started the day with a huge climb ( 12 miles) of 6% grade to Emigrant Pass. What a way to start off the day! We got off I-80 and took the Exit 280 SR766 to the town of Carlin,NV. Took photos of Emigrant Pass (6114 ft.) and of Carlin Canyon which culminates with three tunnels.

It was a climb to Emigrant Pass

A nice little view.. Notice the snow on the mountains in the background.

June 8th. Winnemucca to Battle Mountain,NV.

2008-06-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

Elevation 4,507 ft. 55.6 miles.

Today I rode with Skip,King and Don Chism (from Las Vegas). The terrain is like huge bowl with mountains on both sides--there is still snow on the high peaks. Sunny and a bit windy.

At Battle Mountain, I ate a huge lunch at the Aguila Real Restaurant. Battle Mountain was named by a miner, who supposedly fought some Indians in 1857. Battle Mountain is known for mining,railroad and agriculture.

Before getting to the hotel we had a 6 mile climb (Golconda Summit).

Here's a picture from our morning SAG stop on the side of the road.

Just a small little climb... :-)

Here's a picture from our afternoon SAG stop.

A few of us taking a little rest.

June 7th. Lovelock to Winnemucca

2008-06-29T23:49:00.000-07:00

Total Elevation 4324 ft. We rode 73.5 miles today and rode along the Humboldt River for almost 60 miles against a very strong headwind that was relentless. To combat the wind we decided to form a double pace line of 17 members and constantly rotated the lead rider every 3 tenths of a mile.

Winnemucca was having a Basque Festival and we observed several dances, a tug of war and ate a chorizo (suasage) hot dog- the best ever!

Drying out our shorts

Some women engaging in traditional Basque dances

Basque Festival!!!

Here's a video of the group on the road today.

June 6th. Sparks to Lovelock, NV

2008-06-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

Elevation 3900 ft. 91.5 miles. Today flew by as we finished the ride in 6 hrs. 15 minutes. The first 30 miles were very scenic and we followed the Truckee River Valley.

Most of the ride was on I-80 East and I rode with Skip and Don today.

After 70 miles on the I- 80 we transitioned to route 401 where the landscape was very arid. There was an endless salt bed on the right side.

Here are some photos from the day.

Skip and Don on the road in front of me...

We're almost there.

Don't let love pass you by.

June 5th: Down the Hill to Sparks, NV!

2008-06-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

Today we had a beautiful ride in the Tahoe area. We rode a total 69.9 miles and had to climb Mt Rose. Truckee was 25 degrees in the morning!!

We proceeded to Lake Tahoe and took photos from different sites along the shoreline. Here are a few pictures from Tahoe.

Here's a picture that I tool of a scenic pier stretching out into the Lake.

At the Squaw Valley Entrance, Skip,Don, Fred(Atlanta,Georgia)and myself took group pictures.

Welcome to Nevada... I've crossed the state of California!!

Just when I thought it was all down hill I had to climb Mt. Rose. The ride to the Summit of Mt. Rose is 8.2 miles long with a 6 or 7% grade. The descent is 16 miles long and gained speed of 43 miles/hr. Mt. Rose Summit is 8,991 ft. We couldn't have had a more beautiful day.

Some Video Scenery of Beautiful Lake Tahoe.

What an amazing day.

June 4th: Truckee, Here we Come!!

2008-06-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

Wow.. Today we gained 5,820 ft. in elevation and rode 79.7 miles.

Brian Cox (Alhambra, CA.)and I got lost at the 21.8 mile. Took a wrong turn and descended 3 miles; it put us 40 minutes behind. I-80 East has to much traffic plus it has a lot of debris. We stopped at the 58.1 mile at a Burger King for a cup of hot chocolate, due to fact that it was too cold. As we climbed Emigrant Pass and Yuba Pass, we saw our first site of snow, high in the mountains. The climb to Donner Pass was a challenge; the descent and the view were magnificent! Amy and John ( couple from Buffalo,NY.)and I took pictures of the Donner's Party Monument.

Here are some pictures and video from the days journey.

Donner Pass was beautiful and such a reward after the long climb.

My Son & Daughter come up here to go Snowboarding but never on a bike!!

Yes... We're riding next to 18 wheelers on I-80 East.

June 3rd. Sacramento to Auburn

2008-06-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Today was road from Sacramento to Auburn We gained a total Elevation of 1,255 ft. while riding 5l.1miles. Shortly getting on the road we road an a beautiful bike trail call the Jebediah Smith Bicycle Trail. This trail was along the American River and it was beautiful scenery. Here is a picture of the river from the bike trail.

Along this path we were able to see the Folsom Reservoir and the Folsom Prison from a distance.

As we rode through the foot hills approaching the Sierra Nevada Mountain range the scenery began to change. Here is a picture from the road with the SAG vehicle stopping in front of an arch.

Today was an easy day :-)

Tomorrow we go to Truckee.

I'm Back on my Blog

2008-06-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

To all who are following along... my apologies for the week of silence. It's been a bit hectic trying to get all the images and videos uploaded from the road but I'm back with several exciting experiences and photos.

51 Miles to Sacramento

2008-06-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

With the first day behind me, I awoke rested and less nervous to continue my journey. It was much warmer than yesterday which suits me well as I enjoy taking long rides in the summer heat. The course was well mapped this time and I had a strong ride keeping up with all the riders at the front of the pack.

The landscape was filled with wheat fields and other agricultural establishments. On the way we stopped in Davis, CA and went through the campus of University of California, Davis.

Compared to yesterday it was a much shorter ride measuring 52 miles. I completed around 1:45 pm and decided to walk around the area near our motel before dinner. Although the ride was easy I know that the next two days will be much more challenging as we begin our ascent up the Sierra Madre mountains.

View Larger Map

Tomorrow we ride to Auburn, Ca

and We're Off!

2008-06-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

The first day of the American by Bike Cross Country Challenge was very exciting and challenging at the same time. We got on the road early and almost immediately we were presented with a challenging clime over the hills of Milbrae, Ca to reach the Pacific Ocean. Once we reached the Pacific I took the opportunity to dip my read wheel into the water as I started my journey to the Atlantic.

All of the riders also posed for a group picture.

As we rode up along the coast and through San Francisco California, it was very cold and several people had trouble staying on the course. The directions provided for our route that day were difficult to follow and I ended up getting lost in San Francisco. While I was attempting to find my way back to the course and the rest of the group I ran into a woman with a straw hat who was also riding a bicycle. She told me she knew the area very well and helped me back to the route I was supposed to follow. What amazed me most was that this woman who was very nimble on her bike was 75 years old. It was great inspiration for the rest of us youngsters. :-)

I was by myself for most of the route as I made my way to Golden Gate Park. From there we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge (Video Below) and headed North to Sausalito, Ca.

It was a clear beautiful day and I was so excited to be on my way for such a great cause. The route continued North East through San Rafael, Ca along HWY 37 to Fairfield, Ca which a the North most point of the San Francisco Bay.

View Larger Map

I arrived around 6:00pm and learned that several other riders had also lost their way. My daughter Margarita and son Tomas drove out to meet me around 8:00pm and I was so happy to see them and share the stories of my first day.

It's going to be a long journey but this was a great first day.

The Day Before

2008-05-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

Today the America by Bike group met for orientation at the Holiday Inn Express in Burlingame, Ca. This was just south of the San Francisco International Airport and it was chilly outside.

The orientation was good but a bit repetitious with a heavy focus on safety. We have a very diverse group of riders with representation from across the world. There are two Brits, one Irish, one from Trinidad & Tobago nicknamed "Sarge", two Australians, two Germans and a cute couple from the Netherlands who never rode hills before.

America by Bike staff gave us our packages today which contained a jersey and a riding cap. Here's a picture in the hotel room.

Tomorrow the challenge begins!!

You Can Still Donate!

2008-05-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

To all that have donated... Thank You from the bottom of my heart!

To those who are interested, donations will be accepted until July 22, 2008

Here is a guide if you are considering donating to this worthy cause,

First of all give what you can afford.
All donations, small or large are equally welcome!

If you want to make your donation commensurate to total mileage, 3,836 miles, you may want to consider by starting with the lowest amount: a penny a mile--$38.36. Or you may want to consider 10 cents per mile!

Whatever you donate please do it with love and from the kindness of your heart!

Ways to Donate

CHECKS:

Make checks payable to HELPS INTERNATIONAL, include Project 747 on the memo line.
Send checks to; HELPS INTERNATIONAL, 15301 Dallas Parkway, Suite 200, Addison, Texas 75001, Project # 747

CREDIT CARD ONLINE:

Go to https://secure.helpsintl.org/donations/online_donation.php?program_ID=1
Make sure to enter “Project 747" in the comments box in the Donation Program section of the form.

CREDIT CARD by PHONE:

Dial 1-800-41-HELPS(43577), specify donation for Project 747.

For any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

The Big Ride for a Small Group

2008-05-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

The ride starts in San Francisco and ends in New Hampshire; it will take 52 days (May 31 through July 22, 2008), averaging 80 miles per day. Please support this humanistic endeavor in helping our forgotten brothers by donating to this worthy cause. Donations will be utilized for medical services and the purchase/installation of vented concrete block stoves. These stoves will burn wood very efficiently, thus conserving the forest, environment and restoring health by eliminating toxic fumes. Each stove costs just a little over $100.00.

Let us all rally under the flag of "Humanitarianism" and assume a compromise to listen to the silent voices of our needy brothers and sisters. Please see below for how you may donate to this cause. The fund raiser is in effect now through July 22, 2008. I assure you it is for a great noble cause. The gratitude displayed on their faces is something that melts your heart.

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

"Yo quisiera que un puñado de HUMANIDAD todos tuvieramos

Y que nadie niegue a nadie un rayo del sol en Primavera!"

Hello / Hola

2008-05-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome.

My name is Jose Maria Campos.

My odyssey began as the result of a medical mission to the highlands of Guatemala with the Bakersfield, CA. HELPS INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TEAM.

HELPS INTERNATIONAL is a non-denominational, Christian non-profit organization based in Texas. They are involved in several special projects dealing with heath, education and economic development. I am so thankful to HELPS for sponsoring the fundraiser, and financing my ride across America. Without their support this endeavour would not be possible.

Our neglected brothers and sisters, the decedents of the ancient Mayans, spurred me to humanitarian action. And now here I am, asking God almighty to heighten my challenging and adventurous personality to meet this very worthy cause with love, joy and dispatch.

I am a recently retired educator and high school counselor. I've always enjoyed helping others and giving people the knowledge, tools and support to achieve their goals and advance their purpose.

I have the pleasure of being 69 years young and was born, raised and educated in my loving city of LAREDO,TEXAS.

I am a proud father of three beautiful children. My loving wife, Jelica, my pillar of strength has always supported me in all my journeys and in many many ways, she has even trained with me.

Thanks to all my riding friends from Mcdonalds in Seal Beach on PCH for their encouraging words and my good friend Stanton Lum for his long hours in helping me train.

I am brand new to this "Blogging" thing and this is the first entry in my new Blog. I will be keeping this Blog up to date with the chronicles of my experiences.

In about 2 weeks I will begin my journey across the United States of America on my classic Masi Bicycle.

Please check back here often for updates on my itinerary and frequent journal updates.

Sincerely,

Jose Maria Campos