2nd State of 10... At Last!

current location: Chattanooga, TN
total mileage: 645
approximate # of kayaks I've seen in the past 3 days: see total mileage
# of days I've cried: 6
identifiable types of roadkill: 19
servings of ice cream consumed: 23
# of marriage proposals: 1
level of seat comfort (on a scale of 1 to 11): 8.74


Note to self: "Self, scenic tours are meant for driving, not cycling." After learning this the hard way coming into Asheville, my subsequent route included deviating from the Blue Ridge Parkway ASAP. Busier, more direct roads have faster traffic, but an existent shoulder, and (usually) more gradual inclines and declines. Sounds good to me! My mom joined up with me in Asheville and has been riding along on a bike to remind me that I can't coast... I mean, to accompany me for my personal safety. We've had a great time, between steep hills coming out of the Nantahala and Ocoee gorges, dealing with the creepy stalker guy, finding out that Verizon (unlike Visa) is NOT everywhere we want to be, tenting in a wild thunderstorm, a flat tire on her bike, 216 miles, FINALLY arriving in Tennessee, pizza, ice cream, laughing, and pillow fights.

My favorite reactions so far:
- the motorcyclists who pass, subtly glance in their mirror, then shake their head.
- "You're so hot! Will you marry me?!"... yelled from a rafter on the Nantahala River.

Reactions generating my fakest courtesy laughs (ahem.. properly juxtaposed from the reactions above):
- "You're missing a wheel!"
- "Don't fall!" (are we still in kindergarten?)
- "Helmet!" (spoken reprovingly to me as I passed because I was wearing my visor instead. Look, buddy, sometimes skin protection takes precedence over head protection - get over it!)


Hooray for finally reaching The Volunteer State, the land of "Agriculture and Commerce," the 36th biggest state, or shall I optimistically say, the 15th smallest? And now I just hope it won't take another 14 days of riding to get through this second state in my journey....
Carpe Diem.








SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Carolina Fatz bike shop in Asheville, NC
Eric, Marian, & Stella Larson
Todd Campbell & Jan
Scott's Bikes in Cleveland, TN

Click here to donate online. For additional donation info, please see the initial post, "Up and Rolling."

Coker unicycle product info.

Asheville, NC

current location: Asheville, NC
total mileage: 429
# of days I've cried: 4
identifiable types of roadkill: 14
servings of ice cream consumed: 13
# of dogs that have chased me: 8
level of seat comfort (on a scale of 1 to 11): 9




Safe and sound in Ashevegas, relaxing and catching up on organizational tasks in the Ferguson home. The best way to describe how my quads have felt 24/7 since the beginning of this journey is "swollen." So swollen, in fact, that I've lost most of the muscular definition in my quads, and can't touch my heel to my rear. Despite this lack of muscular cooperation, I was able to ride 24 miles while only resting my bottom once... my crowning achievement for the week.

Between changing terrain, the immeasureable amount of hospitality, and fatigue, I've learned a lot about my surroundings, people, and myself:

- The only time I enjoy a headwind is going downhill, when it becomes a huge relief to my often-aching knees; a headwind any other time makes the flat seem steep and the steep seem steeper.
- If the map notes that a town has services, this may not be accurate, so be prepared for 35 miles without any food or water.
- Maps may also fail to label road names, so be prepared for many miles of extraneous riding.
- In North Carolina, tobacco is a crop still very much a part of the rural economy and lives of rural citizens, as I discovered from passing a contraption consisting of 1 tractor, 4 boxes of tobacco plants, and 5 people. Perhaps the coolest thing I've seen so far.
- The sweetest words to a hungry rider's ears are, "Would you like to come into our house for some refreshments?"
- When people are taken by surprise, they like to stare and point, rarely bothering to wave and/or smile, even if waved at and smiled at.
- Horse-drawn carriages are still used, and when they cross paths with a unicyclist in the middle of nowhere, both parties get a good chuckle.
- Country-folk warn me of city-folk, and city-folk warn me of country-folk. I've met only amazing people in both contexts, so I'd say I have nothing to worry about!
- Dense fog that provides only 15 yards of visibility is a blessing in disguise, forcing me to stay in the present.
- It's okay to walk up parts of 15-mile climbs. I already lost one wheel and all my gears, so I have little left to lose except a little pride.
- If your parents are worried sick about your solo activity, do it anyway, and maybe they'll come with you.... [my mom flies into Asheville today to ride along!]
- Gummi worms, music, and friendly horses can cure a cranky mood.
- Delight = cruising downhill after an exhausting day, rockin' to some Jesus music, a mystical sunset, and optimism undampened by severe fog or wind.

[Mt. Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi]











SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Steve and Debbie Shough
Zack Rothrock
Barry and Lou Ann Dinkins
Lisa & Mickey Hauser
Steve and Margie Wooten
Rick of the 15-mile climb
Ed and Daniel of the Linville Falls campground
Shirley Ferguson


Click here to donate online. For additional donation info, please see the initial post, "Up and Rolling."

Coker unicycle product info.

Jamestown, NC

A wonderful two days have brought me to Jamestown, a small town near Greensboro, NC. It is an amazing thing to ride without pain. Wow. Even when starting my ride at 3pm yesterday, I was able to log just about 40 miles yesterday because the miles flew by now that I'm not focusing on how much pain I'm in. Katherine Rinaldi met me in Chapel Hill and welcomed me into her abode where she fed me several quesadillas before riding a bit with me on her bike. Simply scrumptious. Yesterday evening was magical, complete with bluegrass playing in the distance while I cycled through the countryside, a goat farm, lakes, an amazing sunset, taking time to make a daisy chain, and more roadkill. Simply smiles. When I arrived at Snow Camp, NC, Kath and Christy Morgan called me with three questions: (A)Could I use some company? (B)Do I need ice cream? and (C)Is there any way they can talk me out of doing this trip. The answers, quite clearly, were yes, yes, and NO. Needless to say, they hunted me down in the dark, driving a ways just to bring me ice cream and company. Simply supreme. Kath even let me sleep at her house and drove me all the way back in the morning to where I had ridden!

Today I utilized my new solar-powered ipod charger to "rock and roll," as it were (courtesy of Matt Burney... and it doubles as a cell-out phone charger too!). It helped the miles pass; I was getting kinda bored, and a soundtrack to life is nice sometimes. Most of today I rode into a strong to quite strong headwind which brought me a friendly thunderstorm to cycle through this afternoon. Pat Cochran, a kind librarian here in Jamestown provided a hot meal, a hot shower, and a warm bed for me tonight, to my pleasant surprise, eliminating the need to utilize my blonde hair and eyelashes to bamboozle a free hotel room.

Tasks accomplished while riding:
(1)sorting out and deleting all old pix on digital camera
(2)reading a book
(3)getting a map out of my backpack and figuring out where I'm going
(4)wrapping a headlamp around my seatpost
(5)taking off backpack and removing raincoat, attaching jacket to backpack and putting it back on my shoulders
(6)chatting and text-messaging on cell phone.
ain't it great to have no need for handle bars?

Hooray for salty skin, tan lines, and double cheeseburgers.
Carpe Diem.

TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE:
WWAY NewsChannel 3, Wilmington, NC
WECT NewsChannel 6, Wilmington, NC
[click on the links at these websites to find the videos]

Click here to donate online. For additional donation info, please see the initial post, "Up and Rolling."

Coker unicycle product info.

Onward from Durham, NC

After graduating from Duke this weekend, and spending a few days to frantically pack my life into duffel bags, I will leave Durham this afternoon heading west, west, and further west. A week of family time does a body good, as does a newly-modified unicycle seat. Thanks to the input of Lars Clausen and Keith Cash, one-wheelers who have done the coast-to-coast gig, I was able to put together an amazingly comfortable seat; the phrase "I feel your pain" had returned to its literal meaning.

Thank you to every person who has contacted me about the trip and offered encouragement and support. It means so much to know that there's a community following up with me and helping me along the way, locally and remotely. Thanks also to my friends Ashley Coll and Kaitlin Hancock for the most wonderful shoes in the world. I got the white pirate print. Go figure. ;)

Onward.
Carpe Diem.

TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE:
WWAY NewsChannel 3, Wilmington, NC
WECT NewsChannel 6, Wilmington, NC
[click on the links at these websites to find the videos]

Click here to donate online. For additional donation info, please see the initial post, "Up and Rolling."

Coker unicycle product info.

The Journey Begins...

TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE:
WWAY NewsChannel 3, Wilmington, NC
WECT NewsChannel 6, Wilmington, NC
[click on the links at these websites to find the videos]

Click here to donate online. For additional donation info, please see the initial post, "Up and Rolling."

Coker unicycle product info.



starting location: Wrightsville Beach, NC
current location: Durham, NC
total mileage: 147
identifiable types of roadkill: 10
saddest roadkill: a tortoise, with its shell broken right down the middle.
# of dogs that have chased me: 4
level of seat comfort (on a scale of 1 to 11): 2


What a start. Although the route was quite flat, the beginning of this journey has certainly had its ups and downs, all within my prior expectations ranging from tears to glee. I started riding May 6, Saturday afternoon, having finished my finals the day before. While my body adjusts to the unicycle-touring lifestyle, physical pain hounds me. Despite the pain, however, there have been plenty of things that have come my way to help keep a smile on my face - if not at the time, in hindsight.

My first face-to-face interaction with the media for this adventure occurred at launch in Wrightsville Beach, NC. When arranging to meet with the news channel, I caught myself saying, "I've got long blonde hair and will be wearing bright blue spandex..." as if the huge unicycle wouldn't give me away. Surprisingly, I never had to put on the pair of flip-flops I brought along; few people questioned the fact that I was barefoot, and no grocery stores seemed to be able to get past the unicycle to see/care that I was non-shod. Although I prefer to ride barefoot, it definitely has its disadvantages, such as feet covered in bites after accidentally standing on a fireant hill. Whoops.

Reactions from passers have included, but are not limited to:
- a horn honking the song "Dixie"... welcome to the south.
- "We dun seen you on the Tay-Vay! We think it's a real good thang whatchyer doin'!"... welcome to the rural south.
- dropped jaws.
- swerving cars.

Funniest intersection:
the only two signs at this intersection along Highway 55 were for taxidermy, and cotton-picker service, sales, and rentals. Later on that road was a billboard for plastic surgery, with the largest words on it notating the location, "Cape Fear." Sound appealing?

The time I'm now spending in Durham is well-needed - not only to get my diploma and to see my family, but to make crucial adjustments on the unicycle seat. After having lost a significant amount of feeling downstairs after only my first 1/2-day, then riding through the discomfort for 120 more miles, something needs to be done. By the end of this section, I had somewhat gotten used to this discomfort, but as I was in the middle of a 45-mile day (yesterday), my right quad and shin muscles began to cramp, bringing me an afternoon of tears, grunts, groans, and angry words directed at my body. I continued to ride about 20 miles (~3 hours) in this state.

Comical (in hindsight) story for that day: The initiation of this cramping episode occurred as I stopped to pet a horse and accidentally touched the electric wire fence. The shock shot through the right side of my body, down my leg, and made me a firm believer in the power of electricity... and an admirer of Benjamin Franklin.

In closing, thank you to all the North Carolina residents who keep their dogs chained up. Dogs have a surprisingly keen sense of the abnormal, therefore finding 600-horsepower 18-wheeled vehicles much less threatening than a 1-girlpower 1-wheeled vehicle. I do have pepper spray with me, but I'd prefer to not use it, as I cannot outrun/outroll dogs.

Brownie points if you suggest a name(s) for my unicycle [onewheelforlife@gmail.com].
Carpe Diem...