Questions asked after the trip
Questions asked before the trip
Post-trip FAQ
How long did it take?
We took 49 days total to ride a total of 3512 miles. This includes four days off and a two shorter days of less than 30 miles.
Where did you sleep?
Our evening lodging varied greatly by geographic location. West of the Rockies we mostly camped in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, national forest areas, state parks, and rancher’s fields. East of the rockies we spent most of our time in small-town parks as near to swimming pools as possible. 90% of our camping east of the Rockies ocurred in these city parks where the degree of legality varied from town to town and from officer on duty to officer on duty. We were only removed from one park and we ended up staying in the local Salvation Army that night.
What did you eat?
We tried to consume about 5000 calories a day—partly for health, and partly because we could. Our diet started out as Ramen Noodles, Dried Italian Sausage, Bagels, Cheese, Cup-O-Noodles, Lipton Noodles, Instant Oatmeal, and Apples. At the beginning we cooked almost everything. After a while we just ate everything dry including the Ramen Noodles and Instant Oatmeal (we preferred the Quaker brand because they have interesting facts and trivia regarding aquatic creatures). Eaten dry both are actually fairly satisfying and some of us have continued to do so even post-trip. As soon as towns were closer together and we had less vertical climbing, we moved to canned foods such as Spaghettios, Chowders, Stews, and Chili. At this point, we also started making a conscious effort to eat more protein. Protein came in the form of tuna straight from the can, lunch meats, beans, and chili. At all points we highly supplemented our diet with Little Debbie snacks, chocolate milk, Snickers, Hostess Pies, and anything else that was sweet, high in calories, and cheap. It honestly came down to how could we get the most calories for the least cost.
How much did it cost?
About $15 a day including food, bike maintenance, post cards, and all other purchases.
How far did you ride every day?
We averaged 80 miles a ride day. Each day we started with a goal of about 75 miles because that was our estimated need to finish in under 52 days. Depending on the wind, hills, and motivation, our distances varied from about 60 miles to 100 miles each day. We rode six centuries (100+ miles) over the course of the trip.
How much stuff did you carry?
We each carried about 15 pounds of equipment (i.e. trailer or panniers) and about 40-50 pounds of stuff making a total of 55-65 external pounds. Our total weight according to most truck scales was 260 lbs each. In the west, where towns are further apart, our weight varied greatly depending on how much water we had and how far the next water source was.
What did you carry?
Our gear included: clothing, tents, sleeping bags (sheets once it was warm enough to ditch the bags), sleeping pads, stoves, pots, food, water, toiletries, and tools.
Did you meet a lot of interesting people?
Absolutely. Please visit our stories by following “The Latest” link at the top of this page to read about them. We had total strangers take us in for the evening and feed us and we had total strangers with accents so thick that we couldn’t understand them. Some people were incredibly nice, some mean, some very helpful, some just odd.
Was it hot in the south?
Yes. One day at 5:18 a.m. it was 74 degrees with a dewpoint of 73 degrees and 97% humidity…and it only gets hotter during the daylight hours. Most days we battled a heat index of between 90-110.
What was the hardest part of the trip?
We don’t all agree on this one. Each of us had different hardest parts both mentally and physically. One general consensus though was the state of Missouri was rough. It was long, hot, hilly, had no shoulders, and people were not overwhelming kind to cyclists. In most situations, the hardest parts came as mental challenges to stay positive, not as physical challenges to overcome.
Did any of you ever consider quiting?
This has different answers for each rider. A physical problem with Aaron’s knee brought him to a very close-to-quiting point just outside of Colorado. However, all four of us did very well emotionally, mentally, and for the most part, physically. And, perhaps as a testiment to the nature of the trip, or to the riders on it, there were never any conflicts between us that were big enough to cause us to consider leaving the group or throwing in the towel.
Why did you do this?
It depends on who you ask. Dave did it for the kids or to promote physical fitness depending on who he was able to convince. Kevin was riding for sponsorship, although no one was sponsoring him unless you believed his stories. Todd rode for adventure. Aaron rode for adventure and to take time off before starting “a real job.”
What was the best part of the trip?
Once again, please read the stories of our adventures. The stories chronicle the best and worst parts of the ride.
Did people try to run you off of the road?
Not really. Other than some random shouting and one change throwing incident, most drivers were courteous.
Is Kansas really as flat as a pancake?
Not at all…at least not where we rode through. It was very windy (always in the wrong direction), very hilly, and a little warm. Kansas does have very kind people though and great parks with swimming pools and lax security (key to cleaning up and relaxing while on the road in the midwest).
What roads did we take?
We tried to stay mainly on state routes. Extremes came in Idaho, when we had to take interstate for 30 miles, and in Colorado, when we rode on dirt for 30 miles. Our route was planned each morning and then revised at each stop along the way as we gathered information from the locals.
Pre-trip FAQ
Where are you starting?
We are starting in Florence, Oregon. We chose this city because it is right on the Pacific ocean and it has access to Highway 126, which will take us through Eugene and start us off with a gentle climb and a good distance of about 75 mies.
Where are you ending?
We are currently charted to end in the Atlantic ocean just east of Hilton Head, South Carolina. We chose this because it is shorter in distance than most of the rest of the East Coast and it looks pretty in pictures. Due to the shape of the United States, the further north we travel, the further the distance we’ll have to go to hit the Atlantic.
How long will it take?
Approximately 3500 miles broken down into 52 days.
How many miles a day is that?
We’re planning on taking off one day a week to rest and play. This means that with our current mileage estimation, we will need to average about 76 miles a day to stay on pace.
Where are you staying?
We will be staying in a couple of two-man tents that we will pitch anywhere that we can…preferably anywhere free. We will also be staying with any friends, family, and strangers who graciously open their homes and/or yards to us.
How much will this cost?
We’re planning on having about $1500 each for spending on the trip. We arrived at this number by figuring about $10 a day in necessary purchases (food, camp fee, etc.) and then tripling it to cover fun time, recovery time if we need a hotel, broken bike parts, etc. Prior to leaving, the cost has been different depending upon how much equipment we each needed to purchase including bikes, racks and panniers, trailers, tents, sleeping bags, etc.