Just to stay warm...

herkimer, NY

breakin up in here

9 corner lake!

frozen lake, seems like a field

6 Days on the Foothills Trail. Mostly rain to fill you up, weigh you down, lull your judgements, and cleanse your soul. And at the last moment, the last day -the sky opens opens up and reveals to you the mountain's victorious tops and their merciless rock faces. 

finally finished my booties, much warmer now!

Good bye L.A.

Hollywood Music Awards, Myself and beautiful, "Goldie"

on the way to the Joshua Tree, at the tanks, my brother, adrian smiles

3 amigos, Josephine's sadle, Los Angeles National Forest

Beautiful Sunsets full of pollution

hiking in the Los Angeles National Forest

this is a joshua tree

this is the ash that was floating in the air for 3 days. Not so great for breathing. I couldn't believe people everywhere were breathing this. I happen to catch a bit of a contrast on this BMW.

Every day

I've wondered about continuing the blog after the bike tour.  So much has happened. Today I jogged where I have been jogging pretty much everyday for the last few weeks. I notice different things each time; like a great song you hear again and again. I went further today than I have gone so far; past Lincoln on the bike path. I started jogging instead of walking. Each cyclist and runner is an encouragement to keep going. I feel my pains leave my body. I can not believe they call this a river. A concrete basin with walls that lead down to a canal. Bet it would be good for skate boarding, when it's dry that is. 

Some days it just seems like a puddle.  But it smells of salty sea and garbage. The birds seem to quite enjoy it, and I enjoy them. The past few days there have been more baby birds than you can imagine. More hungry birds. There are seagulls and pelicans that hang out together, greatest in number.  They do a lot of sitting, sleeping, and some dancing. The mallards seem to group with each other and fly about, flashing there pretty green heads and showing off darting inches above the water.  The crows are a strong presence, and they remind me of frog hollow, where I grew up. On my way I saw them mostly around one house, and a tangerine tree in front of it. Wonder why they like it so much there? I've come under 6 or 7 over passes now, I must have gone pretty far. Past the women that feeds the birds, passed the concrete pillars that used to be another highway, past the field of ecological growth where a man lives with an army colored book bag, passed the school yard, passed the community center, passed the athletic field...a snake. It's strange to see. He/she is 3 and a half feet long. I stop, I can't believe how close I am. The body's tall from top to ground, but skinny from side to side. I admired it for a while, and then let it be.

I looked up at the sun and used my hand in relation to the horizon to realize I had one hour of day light left. I turned around. Heading back is dead east, so the sun is on your back and your eyes can open wide to view the sites. In the distance, covered by smog, there are mountains holding up this city.  I have more energy than ever as I head over my half way point. A web, a spider hard at work, I stop to observe.  It is impeccable how well built this home is. I watched the spider for a few minutes until it finished what it was working on for quite some time; a masterpiece.  I wondered what it would do next. It tinkered in the middle, a critical move I'm sure before sprawling out to show it's beauty. Unreal. I'd better continue. 

I passed the spot where there are food dishes on the other side of the fence. This time I noticed a fresh unopened can of 9 lives and water in the bowl sitting next to the top half of a plastic animal carrier. I have observed a women come and replenish the supply a few times. She is an aged lady in great shape that where's a back pack, and she does it somewhat secretly.  Everyday I pass the same group of Mexican men, waiting on a path off the path. I think it's a bus stop up there. When I first pass them on my way, there are 2 or 3 men. On my way home it must be 10. I always wave to them and smile.  They smile and talk amongst themselves and sometimes wave. They could be my angels. Getting closer to home now I pass the school yard where there is always one boy hitting the ball on the chain attached to the pole, what's that called?  

And now, my favorite group of apartments. I always see inspiration here, and laundry on lines, and bicycles in back yards, and people talking and interacting with each other. Windows are open and children are running around creating life and movement.  This time I noticed a group of teens around the back side of an apartment building smoking a joint. The eldest boy looked at me looking at him and muttered something to his friends. I smiled and waved.  Almost home...

I notice three crows on Styrofoam cups walking as the cups turn. One stops the cup from rotating and starts pecking on it roughly. Maybe he was expecting something edible to come out it. I imagine most garbage starts out with some sort of food in it; a few crumbs, a sugary liquid, something... At this particular spot there are a few shopping carts tipped in the water wearing cloaks of seaweed. The water height is much lower now. This is the last overpass, the longest. It must be a big highway, maybe an interstate. There is a concrete wall blocking the view of the traffic above. I always sing under the overpasses. I've twice observed a man up in peaks here, but both times he was reading something, and he took note of me taking note of him. And I kept singing and smiled up toward him. It's a warm spot to go this time of night when the sun's setting. The concrete keeps all the sun inside of it through the night. 

A tree with leaves, not something you see in Los Angeles. Orange and red leaves on the ground. It's fall. This is the third time I've seen fall this year; first in the woods of upstate New York, then on the rolling of hills of red clay hill, South Carolina, now on the streets of Culver City, L.A. The never ending fall of 2008.

Is this where I get off? At first when I wasn't sure I used one particular sand pile as a landmark to get off the path. It was easy to see because someone stuck a pirates flag right in the center of it. Yep, back to the road. The highway I'm staying on is getting closer and the final descent of the outing is getting across this traffic ridden machine zone . When I get my chance I pay attention to feeling a break in line of SUV's and BMW's. The hibiscus is the final indicator that I have made it. When I get inside I open the doors and windows. 

new meaning, the Joshua Tree

old gold mine

lost horse trail


I can not begin to describe what it felt like to be in the desert.  So I will show you some images. Wks ago I was rock climbing in the Pisgah National Forest, and now I am in Southern California in the desert. Even stranger, I've spent the last 2 weeks in Los Angeles. Here' s the desert:

rock and roll

This move was a true challenge, after finally getting up, I had to do it again. It so great to have friends that encourage and support you through these type of endeavours.  Sometimes they are physically present, and sometimes they are not!

This blog is about a 4,100 mile solo-self supported Music/Bike tour I completed starting Easter Sunday and ending July 17th, 2008. I performed over 24 concerts along 14 states plus 1 Province (Quebec). For other information about the journey check out my website: http://www.rachelvanslyke.com/ and look at the media sector. If you want to see the full tour you have to go back to the Archives - Feb

If I met you on the Tour and you have any photos or video, please shoot them over to rachel@rachelvanslyke.com, I would be very happy to have them

Photo by Bill Fehr

Last Show of the Tour

The Last show of the Tour, 110 days later, the end!

This was a little spot off of the Saratoga Bike Path, I started my warming up here the night before the last show.

Full Moon, getting peace at a near by cemetary and singing before the show

I have always admired this place, Cafe Lena, Just voted the best small venue in North America by the International Folk Alliance

the oldest continuously operating coffeehouse in the United States

This photos actually taken the morning after. It was such a strange morning. In 4,000 miles of road navagating, I can actually say I felt a bit lost. and i realized I didn't have any pics or footage of the last show, so I had to snap a quick shot of the stage at Lena's. A stage that many had played on. Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and other great legands.

The after party

friends and family



and more friends!

Utica Boiler Maker

I stayed with a women that is the mother of my best friend. I hadn't seen her in years
the Boiler Maker, running road race aftermath

oh yeah, mac donalds sponsored
The Boiler Maker

the little falls cliffs. more on these later....
another touring musician on the cycling the Erie canal trail with 600 other riders. As I was heading to Utica west, they were heading east. It was great to meet and greet them all as we crossed paths.
check out this guy

a sea of clouds

Troy, NY

in the store frontage ahead is there is a coffee shop where fox news interviewed me. more on this to come...
Myself and Dave Michaels, of WEXT I went to their studios and did an interview and live performance.

I really like this little town, Troy. Some how when I was having coffee the news called the cafe to speak with me. They came down and did a clip. It's great to have positive news.