tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36611759735975400242011-12-06T00:02:30.771-05:00Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-76544751962764668752009-09-02T17:32:00.014-04:002009-09-16T21:39:44.262-04:00

Somewhere in San Francisco my sandal broke. Truth be told, it actually snapped in Telluride, CO. See when I left New York, I carried a pair of Shimano cycling shoes, a pair of running shoes, and my Chaco sandals. Wearing three shoes in rotation meant each got a fair share of wear and tear. And of course, when just west of Pueblo, CO when I sent the running shoes home (along with another 8lbs of

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-3597579621373769292009-08-23T14:33:00.006-04:002009-09-08T10:56:40.863-04:00

As many of you know, one of the ways in which I justified taking two months to myself, riding from coast to coast, was by speaking on behalf of Sojourners, a non-profit I work with in the city. I've put up links to information about Sojourners but fear not everyone who reads the blog has followed the trail to learn more, so allow me to tell you about Sojourners as well as share with you my

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-8174057983689119622009-08-21T15:15:00.007-04:002009-08-21T16:46:07.172-04:00

I really don't remember a whole lot about the last day's ride, as the events which followed after arriving to the Pacific are more memorable. One thing I do remember however, is that everything seemed to be against us. Well, that and the fact that I didn't care. I had one thing on my mind: San Franfreakincisco.Kevin and I had planned to head out from Winters early in the morning, but were

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-54394718208316550442009-08-21T13:24:00.007-04:002009-08-21T16:39:32.175-04:00

Did I mention Kevin caught up midway through Nevada? Kevin and I had rode together from the end of Missouri to the east edge of the Rockies, before I broke away to try to make a wedding and he ran into bike difficulties. So there we were, three San Diegans and two Indiana...ians... in Carson City, Nevada. Fresh out of the desert, and on the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. California

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-41591507948712714622009-08-13T13:16:00.014-04:002009-08-21T13:23:44.134-04:00

As I think I have said, Nevada's riding terrain was mountain range, followed by valley, followed by mountain range followed by valley. Like the back of my shampoo bottle: Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Ok, so maybe there wasn't much lathering or rinsing, but the idea is that it was a cycle. Long stretches of road were placed between mountain ranges that reached into the 9000s. The air was clean and

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-19783259227584955152009-08-12T21:00:00.013-04:002009-08-13T13:15:49.606-04:00

There's this little place in Nevada called Middlegate. At the time, I was riding with Kevin (Indianapolis), Mike, Jordan, and Jeremy (the three from San Diego) and had left Austin, NV that morning. 60 miles later, before coming into Middlegate, we found a tree with TONS of shoes thrown up into its branches. Below the tree was the remnants of a rather large creek that had dug into the dirt,

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-1989424105901734282009-08-03T01:01:00.002-04:002009-08-03T01:03:35.034-04:00

Well, it's been a long two months, but I've finally completed the ride! Got into San Fransisco mid-afternoon today (8/2). More to come (WITH PICTURES!) soon.

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-31416023290451380382009-07-30T19:44:00.000-04:002009-07-31T01:21:26.903-04:00

About 30 miles outside Cedar City, Utah I ran into three compadres headed west - Mike, Jordan, and Jeremy. They are all from San Diego, California and left Yorktown, Virginia around the same time I got my start. We crossed paths in a small town called Minersville, and the three had planned to stop for the day another 20 miles or so in Milford, UT. I told them that I was pushing on beyond Milford,

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-21780951526753099982009-07-26T23:22:00.001-04:002009-08-12T23:32:42.877-04:00

Utah was so beautiful! We're talking scenery of which I had seen nothing like before. Canyons and canyons, mountains and mountains, reds, yellows, purples, oranges, and a whole slew of shades of each. Frankly, gorgeous.If you were following on Twitter, one of the most memorable days there in Utah was when I had to travel from a town called Blanding to Hanksville. It was 132 miles between the

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-39740293814431214432009-07-26T23:00:00.000-04:002009-07-27T01:15:08.225-04:00

My final full day in Colorado was quite an event. I spent the morning going up over Lizzard Head Pass, from Telluride (where I left off on this journey), and after a long downhill (we're talking miles here!) I made it into Dolores, CO. Before arriving, I was told Dolores had an excellent brewery that I had to check out, if anything for their Calzones, and seeing that I had a long day ahead of

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-44017964291605960862009-07-26T18:01:00.002-04:002009-07-26T18:08:13.703-04:00

I'm not dead. I am alive and well in fact. I was hard pressed to find a library in Utah, and when I did, it was either a Saturday or Sunday or a Morman holiday, which meant they were closed. I'm now in Nevada, riding with three other dudes from Southern California. One of them is lugging this computer from which I write and I hope to crank out a number of posts within the next 24 hours... I

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-16608645678767898452009-07-17T10:58:00.009-04:002009-07-18T13:38:08.137-04:00

Last night I summited the Dallas Divide (8,970ft) just at sunset which made for excellent views of the Mount Snefefles Wilderness range surrounding Ridgeway, CO. Before the climb, when actually traveling through Ridgeway, I ran into a group of six or seven high schoolers jumping off a bridge and small cliff into the Uncompahgre River. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I found myself joining

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-43431240937290708472009-07-15T18:53:00.009-04:002009-07-16T16:35:51.967-04:00

As suspected, the gang of four parted ways on Monday after a great ride into Pueblo, CO. Eastern Colorado, up to Pueblo, is about as flat as Kansas, but more Western looking. Though I was without my three compadres, I was joined by my friend Jenny. Like Grace and Ash, I know Jenny from that camp in Minnesota where I drove boats. She lives in Denver and came down for the night where we camped just

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-18892665826755529462009-07-13T15:13:00.006-04:002009-07-13T16:29:24.145-04:00

Needless to say, Kansas flew by. We had gnarly tailwind the whole way through which allowed for us to pass the state in just four days. A couple days back, Kevin and I ran into Trevor and Will, two other cyclists that we had run into at the Rodeo back in Missouri, but left when the two of them had gone off route for a few days to make use of a hostel in Hutchinson, KS. Since running into them

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-14679328902054398332009-07-09T18:13:00.002-04:002009-07-09T18:29:15.939-04:00

At 1000 mile, my bike broke down. At 2000 miles, I just kept pedaling. See, here in Kansas, it's so flat you can't not pedal. Double negative, I know. But for real, there's no coasting for the most part else you just stop.I got into Kansas with the help of my friends Grace and Ashley, and when they left, they were sure to leave me in the care of some other wonderful folks - Pastor John at

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-46660558120725249302009-07-08T17:44:00.001-04:002009-07-09T18:29:35.589-04:00

Some folks have asked about my 4th of July, and though there were no fireworks, there was plenty of Dr. Pepper and Chicken Salad. It all started at the end of the day, when Kevin and I got into Houston, MO. If you recall, Kevin is the new friend I met around the 3rd of July. He too is riding across the country (from Yorktown, VA to San Fransisco, CA) and is also from Indianapolis. We've been

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-33306849195266994522009-07-07T17:40:00.003-04:002009-07-07T17:53:03.594-04:00

Last Friday, PBS's Bill Moyers Journal featured some of Union's finest - our President Serene Jones, Dr. Gary Dorrien, and Cornel West - speaking about the financial crisis.  This last semester I got to film a class they team taught - Christianity and the Current U.S. Crisis - which caught Bills eye.  So today on my break in Girard, KS I had a look at the PBS special and thought I'd share the

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-16391020272723881312009-07-07T16:01:00.012-04:002009-07-07T18:05:10.422-04:00

So here are a 15,000 and change.A group shot outside the Popeye Museum in Chester, IL.  I'll tell you what, I've never seen so much Popeye paraphernalia.A common sight outside the local libraries of America.  Except, there's usually a trailer behind the black bike.A bit of NYC in Missouri.  Preparation, pass it on.Grace, Ash, and me at the Rodeo in Marshfield, MO.  My first Rodeo, I wasn't quite

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-65748297040534831772009-07-06T12:58:00.015-04:002009-07-06T13:51:10.262-04:00

Show me what? Friends.Two nights ago I ran into a couple from London riding West. Quite an exciting moment as they were the first folks I had overtaken on the trip. Its not a race of course, but from time to time one still likes to catch someone. And besides, I had been trailing them for days. Riding a bit with them, they told me about a cyclists only lodge a bit further down the road. They were

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-20120388217561180572009-07-02T11:56:00.009-04:002009-07-02T16:50:42.414-04:00

I crossed Illinois in two days. Now, I stand at the gateway to the west - the Mississippi.I woke up super early this morning after a full nights sleep behind a Lutheran Church in Carbondale, IL. Now, 5:30am probably sounds crazy, but seeing as I just changed time zones a few days ago, my body thinks its still on east coast time - 5:30 is basically 6:30am. This is a good thing, because in reality

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-67198994338651966792009-06-30T15:04:00.003-04:002009-06-30T16:02:22.693-04:00

After taking a week off, I've been back on the road for another four days. Taking the first day a bit slow, the next two I tackled back at full force, hitting 80 a day. Today, I write from Marion, KY, a small city right at the edge of Kentucky and Illinois. The past two nights have been lovely stays - the first being right next to a lake and the second being at the First Baptist Church in

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-21645488089873308842009-06-26T14:10:00.009-04:002009-06-26T17:31:55.381-04:00

After a great 72 hours of funraising - the journey continues. I'm still under my goal but have been convinced to keep riding. What convinced me? An incredible amount of individual donations along with the two sponsorships mentioned below - BGI and The Hub. That and the prospects of continued donations of course. Obviously, at this point I'd like to thank then the many folks who have clearly

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-62099558479600506692009-06-24T09:38:00.000-04:002009-06-25T00:36:41.996-04:00

Last night I was able to enjoy one of my favorite past times here in Danville. When I was living in the apartment with Rob and Mark, we used to put cushions out on the porch roof and sit out there, beers in hand, watching the cars pass on Third St. and discuss life's questions. Thankfully, Rob remains in the same apartment which allowed for a return to the roof. We sat there for hours,

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-89536326914254894512009-06-23T11:03:00.000-04:002009-06-24T18:20:06.775-04:00

I rode into Kentucky Sunday afternoon, reaching the 1000 mile mark.  In fact, it was exactly 1002 miles from New York City to the boarder of Virginia and Kentucky via my route (and a few wrong turns).  On the way into Kentucky however, there were a number of hills and bits of the Appalachians that got the best of me and my steed.Not sure if I posted it, but late last week I broke another spoke.  

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-69105304622472987602009-06-22T10:50:00.000-04:002009-06-24T17:55:30.424-04:00

The following are a few funny interactions I had with different groups of people (and a few related and unrelated pictures).  Again, on the theme of not long enough events to create a full blog for each, but each meriting a mention.------------------------A few mornings ago I was riding on US 11, actually taking a shortcut of sorts, when a police car, lights fully lit, pulled around me.  Slowing

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-36772021293397854152009-06-21T08:07:00.000-04:002009-06-24T17:56:08.249-04:00

As one can see, the Cookie Lady is super excited to house and talk with cyclists that come through.  She not only welcomes folks warmly, but sends them on their way prepared - be it hunger pains or housing pains.  One of the more delightful treasures June sent me away with, in addition to a full stomach, was the business card of the Lee family who were located in Radford, VA.  Handing me the card

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-14003570951461345902009-06-20T15:34:00.000-04:002009-06-24T17:45:04.855-04:00

Previously on Whereabouts in America:I got into Afton and followed the signs to the Cookie Lady, not knowing what to expect. Making the final turn to her house, I saw before me something quite peculiar...What I found was a local CBS van. (Flash required! Make sure you have it for the video.)Or if that doesn't work - try thisAnd the article too.That should give you a feel for both the Cookie Lady

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-27807492985402030552009-06-17T15:26:00.000-04:002009-06-24T17:44:18.820-04:00

And by halftime in Charlottesville, VA, I meant overtime.After leaving the library, my stomach told me it was time to grab a burger from Five Guys. Once acquired, I headed outside to the outside mall (or whatever they call it there) to both enjoy the meat and the sun. You see, downtown Charlottesville has this neat little strip loaded with stores, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and whathaveyous,

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-38001216588151559502009-06-15T13:33:00.000-04:002009-06-24T17:41:51.904-04:00

I arrived into Charlottesville, VA today. On the way into town, I thought of just a things I wanted to blog about but didn't have enough to make each a full blog. Thus, a list:A shout out to Katy and Jesse who I randomly ran into in Lancaster, PA. Katy just finished up her MDiv at Union and has moved to Lancaster to begin her post-seminary work in the Presbyterian Church USA. While resting in

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-26261436747044289092009-06-13T12:15:00.000-04:002009-06-13T16:42:42.112-04:00

The 49th mile came and, just as the four before it, took forever to pass. I felt I had been riding uphill on the heavily trafficked road for far too long. Thankfully, I was way out on the shoulder, watching car after car pass speedily along. I had decided to make it to 50 miles before I took another break. The thought of the grapes, cheese, and crackers I was about to consume kept me going. As I

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-72925065708215584622009-06-10T11:37:00.000-04:002009-06-13T16:38:35.658-04:00

Yesterday I crossed into Maryland. And what a show the great state decided to give me! Nearly as soon as I crossed the state line, I could see some dark clouds forming in the distance. The wind was pushing against my face, coming from a southwest direction, and the clouds were to the northeast so I felt I could continue riding, guessing they would blow further northeast with the wind. But by the

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-85587184618184335942009-06-08T15:00:00.000-04:002009-06-13T16:40:03.981-04:00

So I think I have come up with a cure to the Mark and Rob syndrome previously mentioned.After a long day riding in the rain on Friday I began to look for a place to rest for the night and come across a large high school in Warrington, PA. As I rode by around 6pm, I noticed a large amount of cars coming through, dropping off kids in the front, and driving on. The kids ran like ants to the wing of

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-37489815848248381722009-06-05T18:40:00.000-04:002009-06-13T16:33:13.214-04:00

Greetings from Pennsylvania!So it's day three and I've clocked over 100 miles. Why so few you might ask? Well, because I'm out of shape. When talking to my friends Mark and Rob about their experience on the Appalachian Trail (Georgia to Maine), I learned that there's no sense in taking off hard only to hurt yourself and not be able to finish the jounrney. Thus, being out of cycling shape, I am

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-6435209397559946782009-06-01T10:40:00.000-04:002009-06-02T00:51:16.926-04:00

As I had said in the past, I was shooting for a June 1 departure date. But as Skip so graciously pointed out in a blog comment, "so, it's june 1. have you departed?" Negative. After a few days of preparation in Indianapolis and a lovely flight back to NYC, I've decided to take a day of rest. The bike is outfitted, properly dressed, and I nearly have everything I need however I was beginning

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-43071896563822537642009-05-20T18:33:00.001-04:002009-06-01T17:50:31.156-04:00

School has finished up and I continue to prepare for the ride. It's been nice the past two days to really devote my time and energy to thoughts about the ride. Prior, I worried my planning for the ride was at the expense of my schoolwork; it was just so easy to put down the theology and pick up a map. Not so anymore. Well, still easy, but at least I do so with a free conscience.You will

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661175973597540024.post-31035640505985028332009-05-14T18:30:00.000-04:002009-05-15T16:10:33.251-04:00

I've been wrestling with the idea for a good six or seven years now, and I've finally decided to do it.On June 1 (tentatively), I will begin to ride my bicycle from NYC, headed west, to the Pacific Ocean. The end point is still in question and something I need to figure out within the next two weeks. I'm thinking San Francisco or San Diego. Or somewhere in between. I hear Santa Barbara is

Nate Crimminshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05792037483128304122noreply@blogger.com1