Mom and Dad dropped me off on the C&O at Williamsport MD. this evening. They both had to work today and we wanted to go to dinner one more time. By the time I got to the towpath it was 5pm. I only had about 4 miles to ride to the nearest campsite so I wasn’t worried about the time. Besides it was a beautiful sunny day that was perfect for an evening ride.
I spent the day doing some last minute things on my bike and gathering up and packing my gear. From hanging things up to air out or dry, doing laundry and working on my bike, my gear was scattered all over the house, yard and deck. And since I’m a terrible procrastinator I waited untill today to start getting ready. But I was packed and ready to go about the time they got home from work.
I took a few pictures as I was packing. Feel free to ask me questions about any of my gear. My front panniers are the “pantry”and “kitchen”. I like to cook and I enjoy food so I know I bring stuff that is not a necessity. (like my mini cheese grater). I have a little cutting board and a 2 quart pot that are not pictured. The pot is for cooking on a campfire. I use a jetboil stove which I love but I would not want to use it to simmer something for several hours. Like collard greens or lima beans. Also the pot for the stove is pretty small, not even a quart. Great for coffee, pasta and Ramen but not so good for something like corned beef and cabbage.
One rear pannier is for clothing and the other is tent, sleeping bag, air mattress and hammock. For clothing I have 2 pairs socks 2 pairs boxers 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of pants, 1 town shirt, 1 short sleeve and 1 long sleeve shirt, top and bottom thermals, a lightweight puffy jacket, a water and windproof shell, cycling sleeves, a warm hat and a safety vest for road riding.
It was great seeing my family and friends. The six days flew by, but I am ready to get back to riding.
This is like phase 2 of my journey. I have ridden 3783.29 miles so far. The red line is where I have ridden. The blue is what I have skipped.
I’m disappointed that I only lost 17 pounds. I had hoped I could eat whatever I wanted and still lose weight with all the exercise I was getting. That’s not the case though. So dureing phase 2,I will try to cook a bit healthier and be more aware of my snacking and portion size. I weighed 330 pounds this morning. Also over the past couple weeks I lost track of my budget. I am starting fresh as of today. My goal was and still is ten dollars a day. I still have the same 3 goals. 1. Lose 100 pounds 2. spend $10 a day or less and 3. bike 15,000 miles around the US and Canada.
I got into camp about 5:30. After all the work I did on my bike it felt like a new ride. I probably get a bit carried away with maintenance. I even went so far as to grease the bearings inside the pedals.
I’m headed towards Washington DC right now. I’m not sure where I will go after I get there. The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia are very appealing but there is a line of Nat Forest from West Virginia to North Carolina that would offer easy to find campsites. But lots of elevation gain. I have a few days to think about it. If you have been following my blog then you already know I dont plan things out. Haha
Great picture of you guys! I like the map with the route you’ve traveled, the visual is nice. Have fun, look forward to reading about your adventures!
Please don’t be discouraged by having “only” lost 17 pounds. That is 17 pounds lost. Your body is getting used to a very different lifestyle with potentially a lot more activity than before you headed out. It is normal for the body to loose weight in the first 1-2 weeks and then stand still for a few more until it realizes “hey, this is a new thing that is not going away”. You also potentially built muscle etc.
Try to mark your body-image success by some other factors for a couple of weeks. How are your clothes fitting? How are you feeling? Is your overall fitness level increasing? Does it feel easier to do things compared to when you started?
Try to only look at the scale every other month or so for a bit.
Also: I admire that you want to stick with your 10$ a day budget. I am so impressed by what you are doing.
Maybe share some of the things you are cooking on the road? I would love to see more of what you can do while living out of a few bags
Thank you. I do feel really great! My overall fitness is a lot better.. Biking has gotten quite a bit easier,uphill especially. Clothes fit about the same but so many things are easier. Like crawling out of my tent or getting out of my hammock. I really appreciate the encouragement. The $10 a day is the hardest part of this challenge. It’s so easy to go to a restaurant and spend $15 to $20. Even a quick stop at Dunkin or Starbucks to feed my French vanilla iced latte addiction is over half my daily budget. Thanks again for the encouragement!
hey! found your blog from the youtube channel “Kara and Nate”. i love what you’re doing and think it’s so awesome!! i’m definitely going to follow the blog. keep going!! 🙂
That’s awesome! Thanks for following.
Hi Matt, I was so happy to see you this week. Thank you for stopping by the store. I absolutely love reading your blog. It’s actually fun to follow along with you as you travel. I admire your adventurous nature. Stick to your goals… you will make them. And be careful!
It was great seeing you. I’m glad you enjoy the blog!
Matthew thats a beautiful picture! theres a lot of love in that picture! enjoy your journey and be safe!
I discovered you through Kara & Nate’s YouTube channel. I look forward to following you on your journey. I also wanted to mention, in regard to “only losing 17 pounds…” that there is a period of time when you will not lose much actual weight because you are gaining muscle weight as you lose fat weight. HANG IN THERE!
Thank you for the encouraging comment! Welcome to my blog.