08/27/2026
Synopsis:
Distance/frequency elements: Trip duration was 162 days; total miles were 5100 averaging 31.87 miles per day. I biked forward 104 days for a total of 4656 miles averaging 45.65 miles per day. I had 37 rest/site seeing days on which I biked 444 miles averaging 12 miles per day. I had 21 days in which I did not bike. I hiked or walked a little over 80 miles documented.
The highest elevation gain was 5200 ft over 78 miles from Caney Mtn. to Table Rock, Arkansas. The steepest elevation gain was 3850 over 35 miles from Stove Prairie (Cache la Poudre River) to Chambers Lake, Colorado. The longest ride was 104.64 from Trace State Park, Mississippi to Germantown, Tennessee. This was also the longest day on the bike at about 12.5 hours.
The northernmost camp/town was the KOA in Missoula, Montana. The southernmost camp/town was Kate’s Fish Camp between Hawthorn and Gainesville, Florida. My favorite ride was from the State Forest Falls Campground to Teton National Park in Wyoming. My second most favorite ride was from a few miles east of Lolo Pass to Three Rivers Camp near Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness. The camp owners were a younger couple from Louisville. This ride was 50 miles downhill, with even 20 miles downhill still the next day. My favorite campground was Stove Prairie, Colorado next to the Cache la Poudre River, which is about a mile or so before the “Electric Ocean”, the climbing area I developed in the mid 1990’s.
My adventure started in St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest settlement in our country. I biked west through northern Florida and the panhandle to Pensacola. Adventure Cycling promotes this as the “Southern Tier Trail”. I then headed north on the “Underground Railroad Trail”, through Alabama and then Mississippi. I made my own path towards Tennessee eventually to see the grandkids in Germantown. I crossed over the Mississippi River here to Arkansas. I biked in and out of Missouri and Arkansas multiple times till I reached Kansas. Shortly after entering Kansas, I got on the “Trans American Trail”. This is perhaps the most popular U.S. biking trail. It is also known as the “Bike-centennial Trail” as it was dedicated in 1976 to celebrate our bi-centennial. I found it rewarding to be travelling on it for our 250-th!
I was only on this trail for a week or so, till I headed north to Junction City. I was born in the army base hospital in Fort Riley, Kansas while my dad was stationed there, before going to Vietnam. Mom and lived in Junction City for about 9 months before moving to Indiana. I got back on the Trans American Trail (TAT) after a few rides till Pueblo, Colorado. This section was very interesting as there are really no campgrounds for long distances. Adventure Cycling has forged partnerships with municipalities and churches to facilitate riders. At Pueblo I headed north to meet my partner, Teri. We met in Denver/Boulder area and hung out for the memorial weekend. She and I met her nephew, I climbed the second flat iron, and we went to an art and music festival in Boulder. I then headed north to Fort Collins and stayed for three nights. I lived in Fort Collins for three years, in the mid 1990’s. They have a great biking trail system and a great deal of mural art. From there I headed to the Cache la Poudre River. This is one of my favorite places in the country and visit often. After visiting my climbing area and hanging out for a few days I headed west over the Cameron Pass, then north to Walden, Colorado, where I reconnected to the TAT.
The TAT heads north-west through Wyoming eventually to the Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The trail then heads north to Missoula, Montana then south and west through Idaho. I biked in and out of Montana/Idaho multiple times. Fires started to be an issue in Idaho, and I almost got rerouted as the road was closed the day after I passed. Eventually I headed west through Oregon. After landing in Florence, Oregon and touring the area, I met Teri again. We then touched the ocean to end my bike tour but still had a few adventures to go. We visited a light house, saw a very large herd of Sea Lions, drove to California to see the Redwoods (tallest trees on the planet), went tide pool investigating, took a whale watching tour, and then eventually we flew out of Eugene to Seattle, Washington, then home.
Lodging Logistics: I spent 136 nights sleeping in a tent. I spent 15 nights in a hotel/cabin, 8 nights in a house, and three nights in a hostel. Of the 136 nights in a tent, 97 different campsites were visited. I spent 39 nights in a State Park/Forest Service/Recreation Area. I spent 17 nights on Federal land (Park/Forest Service/BLM) and 11 nights on City/County property. I spent 69 nights in private campgrounds.
Bike Issues: I did have a few minor crashes (6). These happened barely moving in which the road lip was significant and the top-heavy bike, flopped. One was on a sand road, and the worst was in a very steep ravine with a bad lip. I did tuck and roll, but no injuries. I only popped one tire, broke one derailer cable, and popped the chain once. I got a new back tire in Lander, Wyoming due to wear. I did have to clean and re-grease the back hub, thank you Alexander! I should have done this before the trip.
I had only a few other gear issues: An animal (I think an armadillo?) tried to steal my cashews will I slept, putting four to five holes in the tent. I did have a patch kit. About a month before the end of the trip tent zippers started to malfunction. Luckily the rainfly was fine. The west does not have many mosquitos or other bugs, but I did snuggle with a few creepy centipede-like bugs on occasion. The tent pole gourmet fell apart, but I used athletic tape to re-secure it. I bike in my Chaco’s, and they nearly broke in half, super glue to the rescue!
I only lost/forgot a few things along the way (toothbrushes/wash rags), but I also found a few items. I came out ahead with a good pair of sunglasses and rechargeable battery pack! I was paranoid of losing my wallet and phone, so I used a chalk bag/purse system to keep them safe.
I was on a tight budget due to the duration. I ate over 300 packages of tuna (protein) and over 200 packages of Ramen noodles (carbs). I ate mixed nuts for good fats. I ate bagels, pop-tarts or Nutri-grain bars for breakfast, plus cliff bars, peanut butter, and French bread often. Doritos and tuna are a lot better than you may think? I did not have beer for over 25 nights. I ate out less than 25 times (Subway=8, Taco Bell=8, McDonalds=5).
Luckily, I only had minor health issues: I did get cramps early on when I did not stretch out enough. First in the lower quads, then a few times in the glutes. My thumbs would cramp a few times after long rides or gravel roads. I did get too much sun and wind early, but eventually the zinc oxide protected me ok. I got a lot of cuts early (pedals and misadventure). I would reopen them often, estimating 300 events, but all minor and standard for gm. I lost more weight than I thought, 12 to 14 pounds. Pimples in the wrong place were a constant worry, especially in the east. I did have antibiotics, and this likely saved the trip, thank you doctor Neil S Hill.
Towards the end of the trip, I started to get tingly-ness in my thumbs. I also have a bit of the tingles in the Saitic nerve. This is likely in association with the new hip as I may always have this feeling the doctor noted in this general area. The new hip did well. The new leg is a bit longer though, and it may be causing some strain. I did have general aches and pains in both legs and wrists, but that makes sense due to miles and duration. I tore a bit of the front quad when I was 17, and it seemed to get irritated by windy days and the mtns.
I learned early that I needed to have active rest days (bike, walk, stretch, and isometrics). I seldom set down after rides and would stretch out contentiously. I started getting rocks for lifting and would use infrastructure for climbing related exercise.
Related to health, were the days riding in wildfire smoke. Last three weeks had smoke off and on. This affected my eyes the most, but I also had a few headaches at the end of the day. Perhaps the rudest event of the whole trip (other than the close calls by bad drivers) was a control burn in camp on a rest day? I remember 3 or 4 close calls while biking, in which the vehicle or trailer came closer than 2 feet away. This happened once while I was walking the bike and I synched up and got a bad cramp in the butt. Luckily it only lasted a few days.
Not having cell service was an issue for scheduling and google map study. I would not recommend trusting google maps in biking mode. Often it directs you to gravel/sand roads and inefficient paths (school yards and industrial complexes?)
I did not meet any negative people at all. I did get just a few negative “Honks”. A driver should never honk at a biker from behind, as it increases the danger of the situation, they should simply slow down. There is a zero percent chance that I do not “flip you off”, as it’s engrained/automatic. You are the problem not me on a bike. I did get positive honks though from passers-bys and often waves and thumbs up encouragement. I did get a few strange looks on occasion, but I was greeted daily with positive vibes. I was offered help in many instances (I would walk periodically to rest butt/hands), but only really needed assistance once to help me get my chain back on. I was offered water, given a care package (by a family in camp), and one individual wanted to Venmo me money, but I declined. He never said the amount, and I questioned for a while not saying yes.
I did journal the trip in a traditional bound book. I would draw elements of the trip also as recreation. Of course, I took a lot of pictures and posted on Facebook and Instagram. The Garmin watch kept a comprehensive journal of time, miles, and GPS data. I also used an Excel spreadsheet for location, camping info, mile totals etc.
I had tremendous weather for the trip. One, the timing was pretty spot on. I followed spring in general, had minimal bugs, but plenty wildflowers. I got out of the south before spring rains and got north before it got too hot. Even though it rained on day one, I only had two days of heavy-ish rain and about five days of light rain while biking. I stayed put in one situation that could have been dangerous in the mountains (5 plus inches of wet-heavy snow). I had rain on rest days less than 10 times.
On occasion I would not have shower facilities. I am pretty good with water bottle showers (a few more than 10) and had to use the lakes and rivers about ten times. When warm enough this is organic and very rewarding.
I would check in every day with a “Spot Gen”. Teri could see my movement throughout the day. My Garmin went off to send a warning about 6 or so times. It happened a few times when I hit deep rumbling strips too fast or if I was stretching out my arms too fast. Not a fan of rumbling strips.
Many people ask about the weight of the bike. The bike is a “Surly disc trucker”, and is exceptional, but heavy at about 32 pounds. My panniers (4), headset, back bag, solar panel and hydration pack weigh about 80 pounds without water.
I visited about 400 murals and got great joy in photographing them. I use “power beats” athletic headphones. I have over 50 Spotify play lists with 50 plus songs per playlist. I am a music “junkie” and sing (not well) often while biking. Surprisingly, I can hear the traffic behind me in almost all cases. Most people know that Joe Satriani is my favorite artist. Growing up the Beatles, Floyd and Zep were my favorites, and I still like them a lot. I hardly listen to “Classic Rock”, as it is just too over played. I still “Rage” on occasion, but on the bike trip the oldies collections were a good mix to add. Two “sappy” songs that help define my experience are “Sunshine on my Shoulders” John Denver, and more so, “Let your Love Flow” Bellamy Brothers. I suggest you listen to them, often. “Playing for Change” is 5 star!! Also do yourself and the planet a favor and get into Jesse Welles, Ren and Mon Rovia. Pretty easy to make a playlist from road/traveling songs. April Wine- Roller, Come Sail Away, Hitch a Ride, etc. I carried two books, the Dhammapada and the Tao Teh Ching.
I noted that I thought my timing was very good. I also think the east to west strategy is a plus. Originally, I wanted to go west to east and started my study of the TAT a few years ago in this manner. The main thought is the prevailing winds. Wyoming was crazy windy, but the mountain passes have snow till June often. That means a lot of hot weather. Also having the mtns from the beginning may not be great for an average biker, as I needed to get in shape. I also would have been considerably less exhilarated ending in the familiar east. My love, excitement, and strength generally grew as I went west.
Along with the parks, murals, flowers, and friendly people, was the joy of nature in general. Smells were new. Cool mornings, hot afternoons, hard work, then the refreshing taste of simply water. A new set of wildflowers to see and study. Eagles, moose, sea lions, badgers, and living with the wildlife. Being a little scared every so often, getting worked...hard, then waking up the next morning, dancing as I cleaned up camp and repacking the rig. I felt alive and in the midst of a miracle, that this life truly is!
When I had service, I would check in with Teri, and we would study the future camps. She called or got on-line and scheduled almost all the camps. This took a lot of pressure off me. We both felt better when we had four or five nights booked. I couldn’t really pre-plan too far in advance with weather and the physical demands. I rested when I needed. It was more about balance and enjoyment than speed. It would have been really hard without her help.
As noted, August 25, 2026, was the one-year anniversary of a full hip replacement. Of course, I consider myself extremely lucky to be able complete this “life-time achievement goal”. It was truly amazing! I first dreamed of doing this adventure in 1988, when I biked out west on my first tour.
I wish you all good health. It truly is the most important material thing we can possess, though it is fleeting to us all eventually.
America is a great country, and we are not as divided as some people want us to believe. Diversity is a blessing, and our population is based on immigration. There is only one earth and only one human species. All life is interconnected and all species are bio-art from the energy source. Please respect and take care of the Unity and sanctity of all life on our diverse planet.
I appreciate the support.
gm
