Maine to North Dakota
(Originally Maine to Washington)
Why?
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Why Ride a Bicycle Across the Country? Introduction The one response I hear most often when I tell someone I’m crossing the country on a bike is, “Oh, that’s nice, Do you ride a Harley?” A ride across the country on a Harley would be a fun trip but once I explain that I’m riding a BICYCLE their facial expressions usually change either to a look of awe or bewilderment. The next question these folks invariably ask is Why? But I noticed a rather odd pattern forming as news of my trip leaked out to friends and family, when I told the people who know me about my plans they didn’t ask “why” and they didn’t seem surprised. A few thought I was a little nuts, and a few were sure that I wouldn't last a week (these folks obviously didn't know me as well as they thought they did) but my closest friends understood that this wan't a test of my manhood, it was just something I needed to do. As for my cycling friends, they were understandably envious, I had talked with them about such a trip for years and swore I would take the trip some day, but I had no idea that “some day” would happen now! A Short Diversion Before I get into the details of “why,” I’d like to relate a story that is very relevant to the moment. While working in L.A. a few years ago I was having lunch with a couple of buddies. They knew I was a cyclist and somehow we got onto the subject of my wanting to cross the country by bicycle, I explained my plans and we had a general discussion about the logistics involved in such a trip when out of the blue my buddy Jim asked the question “How fast will you go?” I will never forget that moment in time. Before Jim asked that particular question I had never consciously considered the full ramifications of taking this trip, but by simply asking that one little question he had forever crystallized my desire to fulfill this crazy dream! My response was a rather excited one and went something like the following “You’ve nailed it on the nose Jim, the whole point is the exact opposite of what you ask, it isn’t about the speed or how fast or even how far, it’s exactly the opposite! It’s all about not having to watch a clock or a calendar, or to answer a phone or to meet a deadline. It’s not about setting a speed record or some other record. This trip is about breaking free from the chains of normal life and living every day at whatever speed and in whatever manner you desire, to travel wherever the mood strikes you at each moment in time! It’s about beating life at it’s own game!” It was a great question! Richard’s response to this exchange will be something I’ll remember for many years to come, he simply said, with all sincerity “I want to go!” He got it! He understood exactly what I was talking about!. And the answer is… (Not so fast there Speedy!) So, why would I or anyone else cross the country on a bicycle? The answer isn’t as simple to put into words as one might think, in my mind the reason is crystal clear but explaining it takes a little more effort, so here goes.
The above list satisfies many of the common driving forces of human
nature; ego, adrenaline, pride, self-esteem, and the stark realization
that time goes by faster as we get older. All of these things play a
part in my decision, but these players hold minor bit parts in my
version of the game of life… A reason others may take such a trip Another reason that people might take such a trip is for a cause, this is very commendable and worthy of praise, I’d be happy to raise money for a worthy cause by pedaling away the miles however I have other motives for taking this ride, my cause is of a much more personal nature and has nothing to do with money, prestige or admiration. The driving force behind this trip I hate to ruin the suspense but the truth is quite simple really, like Siddhartha, Thoreau and others who stepped off the beaten path in search of something bigger than themselves, I want or should say I “need” to do more than simply exist, I want to LIVE life… The Thoreau quote I used in my welcome letter on the home page of this site says it very well, here is that quote in its full glory: "I went to the woods
because I wished to live deliberately, to
front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion." From Walden - Chapter 2 – Where I lived, And what I lived for Whenever I read that particular passage from Walden I can’t help but think that somehow we (mankind) have cheated ourselves out of something wonderful. So many people spend their entire lives chasing a dream, some work to the bone only to die months after retiring, others resign their dreams to failure at an early age and live a life of near hopeless subsistence… After reading Thoreau’s words the answers seem clear, one must live deliberately, reduce life to its essentials, learn by its lessons and then make a choice, you either master your own destiny or you perish. But there is something even worse than to perish! Imagine a life of quiet resignation where your dreams and desires and all that you will ever be, ever accomplish and ever own are dictated by those around you simply because you believe “they” (society) know better. This is what happens when you give up your dreams… It’s impossible to expect others to believe in you if you can’t believe in yourself! But what “if?” What if we make a decision to just go for it! I’ll quote myself this time since it sums it up so well… “But to taste the
freedom, if only for a short while, of being your own person, living
life on your own terms, in your own time and at your own pace, of
satisfying your whims as they strike you and discovering what matters
most in life to one's self”
I would also add to the above list; to throw away the clock & calendar and all that goes with living on someone else’s terms and on their schedule! To travel a great distance under my own power as my pioneer ancestors before me, to discover new awe-inspiring places that my eyes would otherwise have never seen, where I may pause and soak in what the world has to offer! The accomplishment of these feats would add another notch on the scale I use that defines my road to success! Once I have completed this trip I can forever after thumb my nose at life with pride and say “I have beaten you, O harsh game of life! I have LIVED and not died before I was too old to spend the dreams of my youth!” A word of encouragement To those of you who might be experiencing frustration, unhappiness or just want a better life I’ll share a little secret with you. As Thoreau says “Man generally hits what he aims at” and I have found this to be true. You have to understand what it is you really want out of life and then fixate on it, you must ignore everyone who says your ideas or dreams are silly and march confidently forward towards success. I’d also add this, believe in yourself, you’ll make mistakes along the way but you’ll learn valuable lessons from those mistakes, ones you won’t be apt to repeat. As an example of believing in oneself, when I was in my early twenties I really wanted to own my own home, it was very important to me, I bought that first house at age 23. A couple of years later I wanted to be my own boss, I started my first successful business at age 26. There were several other examples of such events that happened in my life, all of which would never have happened had I listened to “common wisdom.” And oddly, the one thing I never wished for during all that time was “to have a million dollars” and guess what, I don’t have a million dollars. Money is a great thing but having it just to have it? I’ve never liked the price of admission to that game. The moral of the above story is you will get what you want but be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. The secret is to be conscious of what you’re after and be sincere in your desires and needs. If your goal is to have a million dollars then want it for the right reasons and help as many people along the way as you can… You might be surprised at how things turn out. In closing Man will always crave reality, the desire to find one’s own reality may lie below the surface for years and for some they may never find (make) a happy reality. Some will crave the reality others have made for them simply because it’s an easier path. Some will spend a lifetime desiring the things that only money can buy, measuring their success in life by the stack of chips they have amassed. Some people will have led a happy and fulfilling life full of love and happiness while others will have lived the life of a miserable wretch. And there are others among us who crave their own true reality, one they prove for themselves, they crave a reality that can be made only by the labor of their own hands and through the visions of their own dreams… a person is fortunate who has come to the realization that they have the complete power to define and shape their own life if only they step off that path… Sometimes just a toe off that beaten path is enough. The FAQ Q - How far will you be riding? A – My planned route shows about 4600 miles,
the distance will probably be greater by 10%-15% for inaccuracies in
mapping (mountains, un-mapped curves etc…) and I’ll be doing plenty of
sight-seeing along the way as well. Once I get to the Pacific (NW coast
of Q – How far will you ride each day? A – I used a daily average of 45 miles when routing my trip, that’s an easy distance for me to ride even on a bad day. There will be days when I may only get 30 miles (mountains or nasty head winds) and other when I’ll cycle over 100 miles (tailwinds!) My expectation is that in the beginning I’ll cycle an average of 35-45 miles per day and that will increase as I grow stronger during the trip, in the end the trip daily average will probably be right around 55 miles per day. Q - How long will it take (coast to coast) A – Approximately 110 days, I have several rest days included in my trip. Q – Where will you sleep? A – Most nights I’ll sleep in a tent (I bought a comfy and very sturdy tent!) usually at a state, national or private campground. Some nights I’ll stay with friends along the way and every two or three weeks I may check into a hotel for a change of pace. (On previous camping trips I usually planned a one night hotel stay in the middle just to recharge but I found that I liked my tent better and usually ended up canceling the motel reservations. I expect that may happen often on this trip) Q – What will you eat? A – I’ll generally eat a snack first thing in the morning and cycle for an hour or so and stop for a real breakfast, I’ll usually prepare my own lunch and some dinners from food I purchase at grocery stores along the way. During the day I’ll eat GORP, Granola and on really hot days I’ll eat extra high carb (salty & sweet) snacks. Q – How much water will you carry at any one time? A – I’ll be carrying two 24 oz Polar insulated water bottles and two Zefal 33oz Magnum bottles (for a total of 114 oz’s, just shy of a gallon) At the start of the day I’ll usually have the two 24oz bottles full with a weak Gatorade mix (from powder) Along the way I’ll fill up an additional 33 Oz (Zefal Magnum) bottle of plain water and refill bottles as I need them throughout the day as the opportunity presents itself. On really hot days I’ll start out with all 4 bottles full. When crossing parts of the West where I may not see a town for two days I’ll carry one or two additional 64oz pop bottles full of water strapped to my rear rack. Q – How much weight will you be carrying on the bike? A – The gear weighs in at 53lbs, and another 10 lbs to 15 lbs of food and water depending on where I’m at, so 60 lbs to 70 lbs all together. (The average cross country touring cyclist carries about 45 lbs, but since I’m going solo I have to carry everything myself.) Q – What will you do if it rains? A – I’ll ride. If it’s really nasty I’ll seek cover and I may use a particularly nasty weather front as a good excuse to check into a hotel on occasion. I learned this, at least, by my
experiment; |
