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Welcome to Shifting Gears. The purpose of this site is to post updates from the road on my upcoming bike trip. The ambitious ride aims to cover all of the lower 48 states, spending at least one night in each.
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Boston
It has been a great 4 days here in Boston with lots of friends and family. I hadn’t seen Kelly in 6 weeks and although I had dinner with...
Jon Scott
May 31, 20222 min read
Lazy Day
Today was my 15th day in a row on the bike and my last one for a little while. I have another Warmshowers stay in Boston tonight - which...
Jon Scott
May 27, 20222 min read
Maine
The Pine Tree State. The “Thumb.” Home of lobster everything, including ice cream. The beginning or the end of the Appalachian Trail,...
Jon Scott
May 26, 20223 min read
History Lesson
New England is full of history. Pilgrims, Tea Parties, Revolutionary War, etc. It’s only appropriate that I have history in New England...
Jon Scott
May 25, 20223 min read
Bike Tires on a Gravel Road
With apologies for ripping off the Lucinda Williams album title (and thanks to Tom for recommending that - I love it), there couldn’t be...
Jon Scott
May 24, 20223 min read
Google is brilliant. I would venture to guess that virtually everyone reading this has used it at least once today. Shopping, weather,...
Jon Scott
May 23, 20222 min read
The Berkshires
If you’ve ever lived or traveled extensively on the East Coast, you’re aware that the Appalachian Mountains extend from Georgia to Maine...
Jon Scott
May 22, 20222 min read
It’s All About Education
I generally consider myself to pretty bright, but there’s no doubt that academically, I had peaked by 11th grade. Just ask any of my...
Jon Scott
May 21, 20223 min read
Mother’s Day (a bit late)
I must start off by saying it is VERY hard for me to figure out what day of the week it is right now, and certainly what the date is....
Jon Scott
May 20, 20222 min read
Delaware Water Gap
Delaware Water Gap (DWG) is a little trail town on the Appalachian Trail. The entire town caters to hikers passing through and most...
Jon Scott
May 19, 20224 min read
Stefan Keller
Today marks a month since I started this trip in Shreveport. I’ve ridden almost 1950 miles, climbed nearly 70,000 feet, and been in the...
Jon Scott
May 18, 20224 min read
Philly
For the most part, I have tried to plan my journey avoiding major cities. Nashville and Boston were the obvious exceptions because I was...
Jon Scott
May 17, 20222 min read
A Bridge Too High
My past experience with bridges has been documented in an earlier post, but mostly because I had no choice, I went up and over. Today,...
Jon Scott
May 16, 20223 min read
Ocean City
Let me start by saying I never did see the ocean. I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning in town but there was so much fog, I have...
Jon Scott
May 15, 20222 min read
Fixed Gear
Today’s ride was a blessedly short 44 miles. Not because I needed a rest but for a variety of other reasons that became obvious within...
Jon Scott
May 14, 20223 min read
Delmarva
The common thinking is that Delmarva is a mash up of the three states that share this peninsula, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. I...
Jon Scott
May 13, 20222 min read
Logistics
At some level, this entire undertaking is about logistics. Where to stay, what roads to ride, what to pack, etc. That is the low-hanging...
Jon Scott
May 13, 20222 min read
Blue Ridge Parkway
Wow! I have driven down the Blue Ridge Parkway years ago and it was pretty spectacular in a car. I drove up back roads from Greenville...
Jon Scott
May 12, 20223 min read
Lost on the Swamp Rabbit
Over the years, I have received two backhanded compliments that I can recall (I have received plenty of backhands that had no hint of...
Jon Scott
May 10, 20224 min read
Mmmm, Burgers!
Everyone has a favorite food. Maybe it’s something you make yourself at home or maybe it’s what you order every single time you go to...
Jon Scott
May 9, 20223 min read
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