NumbBuns

Reflections by Al

The DREAM

Since I was in college I had a dream to ride my bicycle across the country.  Most folks need 3 months to complete it.  While working a full-time job, it would be nearly impossible to take that much vacation.  So, my dream was deferred until retirement.

 

The PLAN

It was St Patrick’s Day of 2021. Buck, Bruce and I were at Paddy Malone’s Pub in Jefferson City. We agreed to mark our calendars to depart on April 15th, 2022. We will be taking the “easy” method. By taking a support vehicle (not cycling with luggage/camping gear/basic staples) and staying in hotels, we believed we could complete the ride 2 weeks earlier than others. With a year’s notice, surely we can block a window for 2 and a half months. I wrote on a bar napkin “SF –> DC depart 4-15-22”. That’s San Francisco to Washington DC. The dates were set. I desired to take a northern route to avoid the heat. Later, I found several other northern rides begin in Astoria OR. The Great Alleghany Passage (GAP) trail is the #1 rated trail in the country. If we could make it to Pittsburgh, we would take the GAP and C&O Towpath trails into DC. Then we used Google Maps on bicycle mode from Astoria to Pittsburgh to set the basic route. Bruce created “the spreadsheet” with acceptable daily mileage and suggested lodging. I painstakingly reviewed each turn, each road/trail using Google Streetview to ensure satisfactory road conditions (shoulder width, rubble strips, traffic volume, drastic elevation changes, avoid gravel when possible, and long bridges for bike lanes). I added notes of potential problem areas and possible alternatives. The completed spreadsheet was 21 printed pages. The plan was set.

The Ride

There was a definite daily routine. Each evening, we checked the forecast for the next day. Based on forecasted precipitation, wind direction, and temperatures, and physical wellbeing, we set a ‘loose’ goal mileage for the next day. We tried to follow the lodging plan on the spreadsheet, but sometimes we were too short/long from the planned overnight destination. With a vehicle, it didn’t matter if we had to drive 30 miles to find lodging. The plan was dynamic. On multiple afternoons it rained and we stopped early for the day. Typically, we made reservations just an hour or two prior to arrival. If the hotel was within a mile of our route, we would typically ride to it. Otherwise, we would load the bikes at the stopping point and resume the ride there the next day. My phone is mounted to the handlebars, and I used Google Maps to navigate if needed. Somedays no navigation was needed. It was simply agreed to stay on US Hwy 12 all day (which we did for about 1,000 miles). At each stop, we would tell Bruce to drive ahead a specific number of miles (typically 10 – 15) and wait for us. Our stops would be in church parking lots, a gas station, a park, a ballpark, a café, a trailhead, a side road, or simply in someone’s driveway. At the stops, we would refresh water and grab a snack. The morning breaks were short – perhaps 5 minutes or less. As we tired, the afternoon breaks were longer – maybe 30+ minutes. Six or so stops later, we are calling it a day. After a shower at the hotel, Buck would advise a dinner plan based on Yelp reviews. Yes. It was the same routine each day.

The TEAM

It truly was a team effort to accomplish the cross-country ride. Allow me to address each team member individually.

 

BRUCE

Bruce is a friend from long ago.  Heck!  We even played on the same Little League team (league champs as I recall).  We gave Bruce many titles.  The most important title was being the Director of Safety. Bruce ensured that we had fresh batteries in our tail lights, water bottles were filled at each stop, that we were wearing a helmet and a high-visibility shirt or vest.  We all agreed that safety is a priority, but Bruce took this role seriously.  I cannot emphasize the significance of his role.  In hindsight, we were able to complete this ride in 2 months – 1 month ahead of those riders without a support vehicle.  In my mind, this is a boring job.  Can you imagine driving across the country stopping every 10 or so miles and waiting 45 minutes at each stop?  It takes a special person to fill those shoes.  Bruce’s role and having a support vehicle made this ride easier and more enjoyable.  I thanked him regularly – especially when afternoon storms popped up.  Bruce is a phone call away to come back to get us.  Bruce’s efforts were key in our success.  Thanks so much.

Bruce was also Director of Photography and Director of Social Media.  He was responsible for updating the blog.  Our blog site made it fun to share our experiences with our family and friends.  We tease Bruce, who is a retired teacher, about using his 3rdgrade writing skills.  His proud response, “I’m just writing to the level of our audience.”  Kidding aside, Bruce did a tremendous job with his daily updates, and received positive comments.  Again, many thanks to Bruce.

NOAH

Noah is Bruce’s son and has the title of Director of Technology.  Noah established the blog site and has more in-depth knowledge of the technology.  Anytime that Bruce had ‘technical difficulties’ with the blog site, we leaned on Noah.  He was helpful, and also has a calming effect on Bruce’s frustrations if something went awry.  Once Bruce was having trouble with his phone, and called Noah for help.  As Noah was walking his dad through the setting’s options while on speaker phone, he sensed his frustration.  He calmly said, “Nobody said this would be easy”.  We laughed and repeated his quote for days.

MARY BETH

Mary Beth is my wife and has the title of Director of Lodging, or DOL for short.  On multiple occasions, we struggled to find a hotel due to poor cell service or a local event that has taken all the rooms.  We would call or message Mary Beth.  The DOL always came through for us.  Many thanks to Mary Beth, my doll (or DOL)!

BUCK

Buck, my cycling buddy and long-time friend.  Buck is a strong rider, and a climbing machine.  Despite my relative slowness, he was patience and stayed with me.  On the long uphill sections, he kept my slower pace.  When heading into the wind, he gladly took the lead and let me draft behind him.  I can’t imagine a better partner with whom to tackle this adventure.  Buck is always motivated by food, and planning the next meal.  We agreed that Buck’s next profession should be a food critic.  The problem is that he generally likes everything!

AMAZED

Buck, Bruce, and I will never be accused of being the smartest guys. And we are definitely not the best planners or organizers. But we were able to pull off this amazing feat of logistics. We took it one day at a time. Each day we get closer to the destination. I’m amazed and honored that 3 guys like us can complete the ride. It tells me that anyone can do it.

GRATEFUL

I’m so thankful that the TEAM can together to accomplish this dream of mine. This journey has provided a lifetime of memories. I appreciated the words of encourage and support from everyone. Your words are inspiring. I enjoyed making friends all along the route – especially Nona from Washington and Jim from Minnesota. It was great to rekindle friendships with George in Idaho, Patrick/Amada/Robin in Wisconsin, and the Ohio Bielby family. Bruce, Buck and I all turn 60 this year. I can’t imagine a better way to commemorate our 60th birthdays. If I live to be 100, I will still be known as the crazy guy who rode his bicycle across the country for his 60th birthday. Not a bad way to be remembered.