[John_V]

... I’m the tall skinny guy.

Sigh! I used to be skinny once.

 

[Merlincustom]

A few more. We were in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania in the space of 5 miles as we crossed into PA from Wheeling. Pics of an Ohio air show, and a 2 lane road in PA leading to Reels Corner, just a few miles from where 18 years later Flight 93 would crash on 9-11. As it happens, just before I met my wife in 1983 I was dating the sister of one of the Flight 93 flight attendants.

 

[Merlincustom]

Colorado into Kansas, and some wildlife interactions.

 

[Merlincustom]

More in the Rockies. Highest elevation at 11,300 feet, Berthoud Pass.

 

[rola643]

^ Lots of mechanical pictures

 

[Merlincustom]

^ Lots of mechanical pictures

I think I replaced 3 spokes between the start and Utah when the wheel was rebuilt. Everything else was flat tires. I think I had 5 or 6. We did manage to stay ahead of the weather. Just one partial day of rain, not till Illinois.

 

[longjohn]

I think I replaced 3 spokes between the start and Utah when the wheel was rebuilt. Everything else was flat tires. I think I had 5 or 6. We did manage to stay ahead of the weather. Just one partial day of rain, not till Illinois.

I only see two water bottles on those bikes. Did you carry any other water? Was it sometimes hard to find water?

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

This is so cool. Keep’em coming.

 

[Merlincustom]

I only see two water bottles on those bikes. Did you carry any other water? Was it sometimes hard to find water?

Yeah, in the desert in Nevada and Utah. We would bungee cord gallon containers of water from a store to the rear racks. At times we were 60 miles from towns out there in the west.

 

[Merlincustom]

This is so cool. Keep’em coming.

Here’s the last of them. Golden Gate, some Nevada desert, waterfall and hot air balloon in the Rockies, dome shaped bike shop in Steamboat Springs. The bike shop photo is a more recent pic. I regretted not taking a pic of it on the trip.

 

[maelochs]

Thanks for posting.

 

[John_V]

Thanks for posting your cross country ride. I’m worn out just looking at them.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

Thanks for sharing that with us. VERY COOL!!

 

[rola643]

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Here’s the last of them. Golden Gate, some Nevada desert, waterfall and hot air balloon in the Rockies, dome shaped bike shop in Steamboat Springs. The bike shop photo is a more recent pic. I regretted not taking a pic of it on the trip.

I've enjoyed all the photos of your journey. I am very curious though, would you do it again today if you were 26 again today? I ask because I used to think I would like to do that when I retired but I'm not sure I would....trust being out on the open roads and camping like that anymore. Honestly, I couldn't even tell you the last century I've ridden.

I do have a friend that completed this journey but he and his brother did it over a couple of summers, just a time off of work thing but we meet him and road the last portion of it a couple of years ago. Pretty cool.

 

[Merlincustom]

I've enjoyed all the photos of your journey. I am very curious though, would you do it again today if you were 26 again today? I ask because I used to think I would like to do that when I retired but I'm not sure I would....trust being out on the open roads and camping like that anymore. Honestly, I couldn't even tell you the last century I've ridden.

I do have a friend that completed this journey but he and his brother did it over a couple of summers, just a time off of work thing but we meet him and road the last portion of it a couple of years ago. Pretty cool.

I would definitely do it again at age 26. I had no real issues physically on the trip except for some pudendal nerve numbness for a few days which subsided with a slight saddle adjustment. Much later, I went across Pennsylvania in three days, about 120 miles per day average, and developed some carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar tunnel syndrome that kept me off of the bike for about six months. I was I think 50 years old at the time. I think this ultra distance cycling stuff is definitely a young man’s game, at least for this man.

 

[Merlincustom]

I think a big trip with today’s technology would be fascinating. Strava, Instagram, Go Pro vids, etc. so many ways to document the journey. I look forward every year to looking at the Rapha Festive 500 winner submissions to see just how creative some people are. Drone shots, hand held and tripod video recording. Pretty amazing.

 

[maelochs]

If I had a long enough run of good mental and physical health to prepare for it, I would definitely go cross-country fully loaded again. But I wouldn't be doing 100-miles days this time .... maybe I might ride into better endurance over the weeks, but I don't recover like I did 30 years ago. And I would definitely bring a serious camera and a few good lenses .... so if I had riding partners they had best be really, really patient.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

Went to the hills with my boys for a hike today. It was 18°F!!

 

[Merlincustom]

^What a setting!

 

[rola643]

Went to the hills with my boys for a hike today. It was 18°F!!

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I can only imagine the peace and quiet, not to mention the serenity of being there.