After riding the Dairyland Dare last weekend, I thought I was both a stud and a wuss at the same time. It can do that to you.

Anyhow, I was treating my sister to breakfast at the Pointer Café, and a big guy came in, 6'8" I later learned. That size is not totally unusual in this area. Think of the UW offensive line being bigger than many NFL lines.... We have the beef.

Back to the story. Guy seemed nice, and quiet. I walk outside with my sister, and there is a massive steel bike, front/rear panniers, fully loaded. Unpainted but well clear-coated. Fenders were aluminum with scorches from a torch, then cleared. From a distance a massive old bike.

But not up close. Full-on custom steel frame, old school geometry, but a pair of twin outboard top tubes alongside the main, and the cables ran through them. Custom fork with braze-ons for racks, and more for a custom rack he hasn't gotten around to yet. Custom racks that look like they'd hold me. 40h rear wheel, 36h front, laced to a modern dyno hub and 11-speed rear. 700x35 tires. Disc brakes with small rotors. Running 1x11 with 34 on the front, 11-50 rear. Ortliebs fore and aft.

Fully loaded, 140 lbs. With rider, 400 lbs. This bike was carrying the torch for steel in a way I've not seen.

So, I ask him where he's coming from. We're in Wisconsin. "San Diego." "How old are you?" "59." He's just a few months younger than I am. "I'm guessing 68cm?" "67."

He left San Diego in May. He rode that day from the Mississipi River at Dubuque Iowa, to Mineral Point WI and was there around 10 am. That's all uphill, in a way. He was planning on Madison for lunch, 50 more miles.

He intends to cross Lake Michigan by ferry, and work his way to the Erie Canal. His name is John Murphy, and one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

Pics when I get them.

If you are on his route, and it's hit or miss, say hi. He uses warmshowers.com or something like that. He's passing my state by water, so I can't help. He's not asking for help. He's worth every minute you can spend with him. Cross country on a huge steel bike with 140 lbs of gear, at age 59. Some gods were sent to earth.

Ask him about Bill Walton.