Just Another Bike Ride Across America

As some of you may or may not know, the summer of 2006 I attempted to ride my bike around the perimeter of the US in 100 days. The end result was a less than completed loop and a steer tube that is now permanently fused into the stack. It still steers, so while this defies all physics and principles of mechanical engineering (that can't be true), I still ride that bike.

People do these kinds of trips all the time. This fact can easily be proven simply by referencing the company, Adventure Cycling, who have somehow managed to run a business based on selling maps to people who are not interested in making good time. Recently I stumbled across a blog of two guys who are riding the southern tier (I've never understood why they use the "tier" adjective. Isn't it just a route?) from some place in California to some place in Florida. There's really nothing that unique about their trip itself. They're raising money for a non-profit in Denver, lots of people do that, however, they have managed to raise over $17,000 which is pretty insane. I felt lucky to raise the 5gs or so from mine.

The most interesting part about their trip is the guy updating the blog is really good at capturing exactly what these trips turn into as your riding. It's the weird encounters with locals at a gas station where you just have no response for whatever they say. It's the highs and lows of the trip. It's getting really annoyed at still having to ride your bike the next day that nothing short of a unicorn sighting could possibly be worth stopping and taking a picture. It's fixing a flat to just have the tire go flat again within seconds. I think you get the point. These trips end up being about just about everything else except riding your bike a long way. I've read all their entries to this point and I think they're really good.

Just Another Bike Ride Across America, take a look as their almost done. And, you know, if you're so inclined, make a donation. The cause, like most, is a worthy one.