Day 51 – that’s crazy in itself!

Our new team of myself, Liz, Galen and Andrew left our campsite in El Centro near the Mexican border ready for another hot day in the desert!

After a 10 mile trip south to Calexico, we found a Walmart where not only did we pick up loads of water but also another ‘stray’ cyclist in Matt from Denver, Colorado who is cycling from Phoenix to LA.

With the team up to 5 now, we headed west into the Yuha Desert which unsurprisingly turned out to be hot, dry and…boring.

We had chosen to take a detour along the 98 rather than the official route due to warnings about road surfaces. This road turned out to be the one quite a few illegal immigrants die on and around due to lack of water and searing heat when trying to cross over from Mexico.

Fortunately, we all survived the conditions as the cycling was pretty easy with no hills to mention reaching Ocitillo for a lunch and shade break! We then managed to bully Matt into taking on the killer hill we had heard so much about to take us up and over to San Diego over the next two days!

My comment of “it’s easier to suffer together” seemed to clinch it for Matt and we set off not really knowing what to expect.

In reality, the hill wasn’t as bad as some people had made out. Don’t get me wrong it was hard and the heat didn’t help but the gradient was about 6% so it was just a case of steady pace and keep turning the legs!

Another break in Jacumba which is right on the Mexican border was followed by a few more miles and hills to Live Oak Springs where we all camped after Liz’s pannier had a dog’s jaws clamped around it as we approached!

Just 68 miles today but a lot of inclines so we all slept well! Strangely we also reached 300ft below sea level but ended up much higher!

Can’t believe tomorrow is the last day of an awesome adventure!

Day 52 – THE FINISH!!

Everyone got up in high spirits ready for lots of downhill into sunny San Diego!

Whislt there was a lot of downhill (plus some unexpected inclines) we hit some incredible fog and then rain on the way into the city which was a shame but didn’t put a dampener on the fact we had now cycled across the entire country!

After 4 hours or so we finally hit Ocean Beach (via a wrong turn because we were so excited and racing through San Diego’s coastal area), stripped off and legged it into the Pacific Ocean!

The pictures tell the story of today but it’s hard to really desrcibe the feeling of completing such an epic journey! I want to do this justice so will post a seperate blog post soon on the lessons learned, the ups, the downs, the good, the bad and the ugly dogs in Kentucky!

All I can say for now is thank you to everyone who has been involved from the sponsors to the people we have met briefly and those we have spent time withm in particular the strays picked up in the last week!

Day 47 saw us head through the beautiful scenic highway 89 towards Sedona. Although the scenery was incredible the roads were very narrow and we nearly got wiped out my some idiot girl overtaking seven cars at once.

The huge hill down to Sedona was full of switch backs so couldn’t really pick up much speed but it was great to discover this route off the official maps.

We ended up in Cottonwood at the foot of Mingus Mountain and camped out at Dead Horse Ranch. Only managed 50 miles today due to the late start but ready to tackle Mingus Mountain.

Day 48 was tough.

We thought it was a case of getting up Mingus Mountain then a lot of downhill but got proved very wrong!

Mingus Mountain was a long climb which took a couple of hours then a good descent the other side. I didn’t have enough water so getting to Prescott was a relief.

We thought we then had a nice easy ride towards Yarnell only to find we had another 15 MILES of uphill including switchbacks so this was mentally and physically tough to take but we made it through eventually and Yarnell turned out to be a great place to stay with a quality restaurant called Rumours!

Today was actually very satisfying in the end as it was a tough 80 miles but glad to have pushed through and got it done. It proved again that sometimes you just have to get your head down and keep going as there really is no other option if you want to hit your goals!

The next day was so much better as we smashed out 30 miles easily going downhill from Yarnell and continued like this pretty much all day as it was mainly flat.

We met a guy called Galen from Washington DC who we’ve stuck with until the end of the trip as he’s a great guy and goes at the same pace as us so it’s good to have someone else to ride with! Because we were going so well today we went past our target of Quartzsite to Blythe racking up 125 miles. The final parts of this were along the I-10 interstate which wasn’t too cool but we got there after our longest day on the bike so very happy despite a couple of flats!

On Day 50 we met Galen again at a shop on route and he also had another guy with him, Andrew from Atalanta who had done the whole country on a Walmart bike and with next to no gear which was very inspiring! We’ve taken him under our wings to get him some food and water!

Today was another century day with 102 miles done through the desert including a weird little desert-activity town called Glamis. The shop here is ridiculously expensive which was annoying after a hard morning but there isn’t much competition in the middle of the dunes!

It’s strange being so close to San Diego now but great to have some new people to ride with as it keeps everyone going a little bit faster!

On Day 45 we arrived in Flagstaff which was pretty tough going as we were in need of a rest day after some longer days.

I could also get my disabled bike fixed having had enough of riding with three gears and Liz could get to a dentist to sort out a tooth infection!

Whilst the bike was getting fixed at Flagstaff Bicycle and Fitness who were very helpful with great prices, we hired a car and headed up to the Grand Canyon. We had hoped to cycle this section but due to my technical issues it wasn’t going to be possible!

Driving a car again was slightly odd especially as we were obviously on the other side of the road to what we’re used to back at home. Fortunately, there was no driving off the edge of the Grand Canyon…

There’s not a lot you can say about the Grand Canyon as you can’t really convey the awesome sights you see so here are a couple of photo’s. You can also see a great video shot as I sat on the edge in the video reel above – check it out!

I feel like a 10 year old when they realise that holidays are over and its back to school tomorrow!

It’s going to take something special to bea the experience of cycling through the Rockies as Fall takes a grip but onwards and upwards (or downwards hopefully!)

Day 40

A cross wind today made the route from Dolorea to Monticello difficult but an awesome smoothie at the Peace Cafe helped considerably.

We then turned directly into the wind towards blanding expecting a rough ride but actually found it easier than with a cross wind! I think its because you know whats coming and can just knuckle down and work hard. With a crosswind you’re constantly leaning into it to stay upright and can’t really get on with it!

We did however get an absolute soaking which spoilt some potentially good downhills!

It felt good to get some solid miles done after the constant ups and downs of the Rockies although we both still miss the mountains!

83 miles done today including one dog ambush whih ended in me gettig both the dog and Liz in the mouth with pepper spraywhich I found ki da funny but Liz didnt…

Day 41 was a rest day in BLanding which turned out to be a great idea as just 75 miles away at Lake Powell there was a tornado so we would have got caught in some bad and evem dangerous winds.

Day 42

On to Mexican Hat.

The weather was ideal for cycling and we started off with or highest opening hours average speed throug some great but different scenery in Utah. I’ve never been to Mars but I imagine this is what it looks like with red rock everywhere and random outcrops of rock!

All going very well until I got the first puncture in a while. This was just a mi or inconvenience compared to what was to come…

We had a nasty incline that came out of nowhere but was dealt with then all of a sudden my gears wouldnt work as we approached Mexican Hat for lunch.

On inspection we found the gear cable had gone completely – not good when the nearest bike shop was 90 miles away in Cortez which was in the opposite direction to our route!

After a lot of faffing around we decided to stay at the San Juan motel and try to fix the bike as there was nowhere to camp and we were in the middle of nowhere!

Fortunately the motel manager came up with a genius way to fix the gear cable and derailleur with a pair of vice gri. Pliers and some duct tape. Tje idea was to fix the derailleur in such a way as to keep the gears in a low gear so the bike was still rideable up any hills to follow.

Not ideal but the only solution we had. This put me in a bad place mentally as I just couldnt relax on the bike nor switch into high gears on the flat thus slowing us down!

Day 43

The 3 gear bike got its first action from Mexican Hat, as we targetted Kayenta just 48 miles away.

We made it althoug it was a very frustrating day because after some initial hills it would have been perfect flat-downhill riding but my gears met no speed could be generated!

Kayenta also turned out to be a rather dusty Navajo town with little to do all afternoon. It seems to be another desperate American town with little going for it except passing trade for the local tourist sites. With my bike as it is we knew we wouldn’t make the next town so had to just sit around!

We managed to blag a night out the back of a B and B and got out asap the next morning.

Day 44

The early start proved too cold so we got a coffee and waited half an hour before setting off properly.

Despite the gear problem we made pretty good time up some steady inclines. Theres little between Kayenta and the next proper town Tuba City but the odd gas station broke up the ride and let us get out the sun. The afternoon saw quite a lot of downhill and we we were doing so well we decided to carry on past Tuba actually making Cameron at 99 miles despite the bike issues so very pleased!

Although Cameron is just a developed trading post we were ableto camp at a gas station and get some much needed sleep!

The scenery so far in Utah and into Arizona has been awesome and very different to the Rockies. Unfortunately my enjoment has been tempered by the bike problems but Flagstaff is now just 52 milea away where we have a bike shop appointment booked!

California is gettin very close and the end is in sight! Not sure if this is good or not….?

(This post is written on my IPhone so excuse any mistakes and be assured there are some awesome photos and videos of the rockies to follow!)

Day 37

Due to near freezing temperatures the start from Gunnison was a little later than usual bu the scenery in the first 25 miles was off the charts including the Blue Mesa Reservoir which looked so good we thought it had been photo-shopped!

Liz was so taken aback by the views along to Sapanero that she randomly fell off her bike as we stopped for yet another photo-you would have thought she would have the hang of it by now…
The terrain got a fair bit hillier as we left the Curecanti national park but with Fall really starting to kick in the views take your mind off the non-stop aching in the quads!

After nailing the five mile climb to Cero Summit the reward of an amazing downhill made up for the disappointing lack of anything at the top of these climbs! There was also the reward of a sneaky piece of ice
cream in the park from some kids
party!!!

Only 65 miles done today as the next campsite was too far to keep going.

Day 38

Feeling pretty crap today due to a bit of the delibitatin man flu but battled on and doubled up on the doses of Vitamin C and Green Life from Phil Richards Performance. The Green Life in particular has been massively important in limiting the inevitable decline in health over the duration of the cycle with optimal nutrition very tough most of the time!

We battled on with the added kick in the nuts of a headwind in the morning, making it up and over Dallas Divide which was hard work for 8-9 miles but the downhill was brilliant as always! Then had a really tough hill up towards Telluride where we camped.

We both loved Telluride so much in the short time we were there that we’re planning to get a house out there as soon as finances allow to use as a holiday home / Storm Force Fitness retreat! It’s such a funky, outdoor kind of place that it suits us both perfectly and we met a resident who promised to help us all he can!

The night was very cold and wet with a dumping of snow on the surrounding mountains. To get out of the cold in the morning we found an awesome cafe in the town for a big hot bowl of porridge which got us going ready for the climb up to Lizard Head 12 miles away.

The weather nearly came down on us with a big hail storm but held off long enough for us to ge a huge dose of more mountain views and meet some more good people along the way.

The downhill to Dolores was stunning but we’re both a bit depressed about leavig the Rockies! We will however definitely be back many times in the future.

You cannot beat the outdoor life and the almost helpless feelings of being at the mercy of the power of the Rockies and everything they offer.

Without doubt the best week of the trip. There is somethig about the mou tains that brings out the creativity in me giving me some great business ideas for when we return to the ‘real world’. That said this is now my world with plenty more adventure to come!

So apparently we have some hills to cycle up!

We’ve been watching the Rockies grow from a shadow in the distance to some awe-inspiring, amazing giants over the last few days and have finally made it to Pueblo two days before target date!

Only did 20 miles into Pueblo from Boone then took the day to sort the bikes out (thanks to The Great Divide Bike Shop!) and have a motel/laundry day!

The road to Pueblo was pretty uneventful but because we were in the rest day mindset, the 20 miles seemed to take an age. I think this goes to show that when you have bigger goals, you get into more of an attack mentality and get more done. Something to ponder on.

We did however see some bizarre ferret-like creatures running around on the side of the road building mounds which was a giggle!

Day 34 was the ebst day of the trip for both os us so far as we climbed to 9000ft out of Pueblo reaching the top at about 4pm. The route took us through Wetmore where we were able to get out of the sun at a small cafe and refuel after the first 30 miles.

We kept a pretty steady pace up as the Rockies tend to be more long and gradual compared to the shorter, sharper inclines of the Appalachians although some were hard going at times!

Then the fun started as we cycled down the other side, literally flying down to Westcliffe where we saw a bizarre sight….

We managed to knock out just over 82 miles on this first day ending in Cotopaxi at a KOA campsite where I spent the night plotting when I can buy a holiday home in Colorado – it’s an incredible place for many, many reasons!

Yesterday saw us climb Monarch’s Pass, the highest point of the whole cycle at 11,312 ft. This was harder going at times simply because of the tiredness from the day before as it wasn’t really any steeper than the previous day nor were we ascending any more as we started at a higher point. The views continued to be incredible which probably slowed us down as we took so many photos!

Reached the top at about 15.45 then had another brilliant downhill the other side!

Had hoped to reach Gunnison but the light ran out so we pitched up on the roadside and got some well earned rest!

We’re now in Gunnison which is a greast little town having a break and some decent food before heading off to Montrose through some state parks tomorrow!

Even though we only did 12 miles today to get to Gunnison we had some scares as we started riding at 7am and it was FREEZING – well almost as it was about 5 degrees. I had to keep Liz ticking to Gunnison as she was so cold that there were tears and she felt really ill which started to worry me and we almost caught a lift into Gunnison as there seemed a real threat of hypothermia.

All credit to Liz she battled on to a nice warm coffee at Subway then a shower in a motel!

By the way, if this blog is making you ‘wish I could do that’ but then you find excuses why you couldn’t watch this video which I filmed at the topof Monarch’s Pass…

The Rockies are suddenly getting very close! This a VERY GOOD thing as I’m fed up of listening to people saying that we shouldn’t be doing it as it may snow a little etc etc.

We’re here for the challenge so bring it on! Those who understand the beauty of the Rockies and the mindset of long distance cycling and what crossing the Rockies will mean have been much more positive and now that we’re nearly in Pueblo (basically one of the gateways to the mountain passes) we’re being told the weather should be great!

To me this is a great example of how most people always look for the negatives and the problems rather than the solutions.

Anyway, the great news is we have just 40-50 miles to Pueblo so we’re taking it easy for the rest of the day and tomorrow where we’ll get nearly a full days rest and can recharge in a motel before heading into the mountains!

The last 4-5 days through Kansas have been tough mentally at times due to the boring nature of the plains but the roads have been all but flat and the wind pretty much the same. Given that it can be shocking in Kansas I for one am truly grateful for not having to battle a headwind for a week!

However, it has been the Week of Puncture! I nearly crashed on a flat, open road when I got attacked by a thorn in my front tyre causing it to fully deflate in a matter of seconds! On inspection we found FOUR PUNCTURES in the tube. This followed 3-4 others over the last few days which, whilst part of cycling gets a bit tedious when you just want to ride!

Nothing is more than frustrating than the dangerous attitude of truckers along the 96 sometimes though. There really is no need for the way they drive so close when the road is open but we’ve battled through and stayed on the road.

Most of the time….

We did have one day of a 20-25mph cross wind when cycling to Rosalia where we met 3 girls we had been ‘chasing’ as we heard they were a day or so ahead of us and we wanted to speak to them about plans for the Rockies. We camped in the same park then lost them the next day and we’re not sure how as they left before us, then we ended up ahead. Odd.

We’re now banging out 80-90 mile days as a matter of course although due to the isolated nature of Kansas towns and they’re lack of amenities we had to hit certain destinations to make sure we at least had somewhere to camp and get water! We’ve also started getting up at 0430 so we can get a few miles before the sun and wind tend to pick up and this has worked a treat although dragging Liz out of the tent can be interesting…

After Rosalia we headed West (as always!) towards Buhler which was a great little town with a cafe called the Mustard Seed doing THE BEST fruit smoothies – awesome on a hot day! Go there if you can.

We then hit problems as our designated road had been dug up and the diversion didn’t quite add up so we ended up doing 10-11 miles extra to get back on track – riding a busy highway into a headwind isn’t much fun especially when the shoulder is tiny!

Day 28 from Nickerson to Great Bend was a bit windy and rainy but ended well being allowed to sleep in the changing room of the Great Bend Fire Station when there was a rainstorm outside!

The open road has really opened my brain up with some great ideas for Storm Force Fitness development – they tend to come flooding in after a lunch time caffeine hit to get us going to the final destination for that day!

Day 29 was a late start as the alarm was set wrong but turned out great as the wind was nowhere to be seen so we were able to reach Dighton 97 miles away in about 7 hours. Also found a rare salad at K and J foods which was a welcome change! However, today brought a new enemy in these little green monsters that look like tiny grapes with spikes that stick to you like velcro and really hurt when you get a spike under a finger nail – if you know what they are called let me know!

The last two days have been good weather wise as we pushed on through Western Kansas, hitting the Colorado border and progressing well through the small towns despite the multi-puncture! Small towns and Sundays are not a good combination when you need food but we got through with no real problems due to keeping up good speed and smashing out another 150 miles in two days.

During this time I’ve almost convinced myself to do an ironman next year and the RAAM the year after – google the RAAM and check it out. I may do it with a team but want another huge challenge!

And so we’re in Fowler with another 15 until tonight’s destination at Boone with just an easy 20 miles tomorrow to our rest day in Pueblo where we can get more inner tubes to get us through the Rockies!

The mountains are looming in the distance which has got us excited although I think Liz may be looking forward to the rest day more than the mountains… Just kidding she’s pushing on well!

The experience of cycling across America has been incredible so far and really whet the appetite for more things which at first seem impossible because “I can’t”, “I haven’t got time”, “I can’t afford it” and all the other invalid reasons we find for not getting out our comfort zones!

Here’s to more weeks on the road!

The last five days have flown by as we cycled through Missouri heading for the open plains of Kansas!

We were scheduled to ride through the Ozarks but as we a re desperate to reach Colorado and the Rocky Mountains as soon as possible to see if we are able to ride through (or divert due to weather conditions) we decided to divert North to head along the Katy Trail.

The terrain on the Katy Trail is A LOT flatter than the Ozarks apparently so we figured we could make better time this way despite the north and southward journeys. So after lots of rolling hills from Farmington we reached St Clair where we were forced to stay in a really nice motel called Budget Lodging. We only had 60 miles on the GPS but the light was fading and the rain coming so we figured tackling another 20 mile to a campsite could be disasterous!

I would definitely recommend cycling the Katy Trail as an alternative to riding through the Ozarks if you are keen to keep up mileage as although the terrain may slow you a little bit the flat terrain and great scenery more than makes up for it.

We narrowly avoided a couple of biggish snakes on the path which woke us up!

The next day saw more rolling hills as we headed along Highway 47 which we were told was dangerous and really busy as we neared the intersection, only to find it was exceptionally quiet! We must have picked a good day! On the way we were lucky to find Revolution Cycles in Washington then found it to be closed…but then the owner showed up half an hour before it opened!

Not only did this mean the relief of spare inner tubes following some punctures but the owner also encouraged me to tackle the official Race Across America (RAAM) so I’m thinking about it! If you’re interested in forming a team of 4 or 8 for 2012 then let me know!

We finally made it to the trail, joingint at Dutzow and heading West. The flatness was a relief although the terrain loose at times making it hard going and taking around 15-20% off our usual flat ‘cruising’ speed. After 75 miles we were saved by a cyclist’s shelter in Tebbet’s right on the trail which was $5 for the night and had a nice little bar next to it where we listened to one of the local old ladies singing karaoke (hilarious video to follow!)

Day 22 saw us complete 103 miles on the trail which is our first century but couldn’t find a campsite in Sedalia so ended up in a Super 8 motel again which we didn’t want to do as we’re trying to camp as much as possible.

Day 23 was a frustratingly late start from Sedalia due to me having to go to the library for business emails, Liz leaving her hydrapack at the library then me getting another puncture which turned out to be down to a small piece of wire stuck in the tyre. We finished the trail today but the final bits were tough due to sandy terrain which slowed us down at various stages combined with a bit of an incline and a lot of heat! We did get a free night camping behind the Clinton Community centre so all was good in the end despite a lightning storm threatening late at night. Only 42 miles today as a recovery and because of late start!

Another frustrating morning as we were both so tired we slept in from 0500 to 0630. I also woke up to a burst inflatable sleeping mat so had to go and buy a roll up one from Walmart! Very annoying as the mats cost 40 GBP each and have only been used for 3 weeks so far.

We were still off the official ACA route and headed along Route 13 to Butler then south to Nevada finishing on 77 miles.

We found an awesome RV / campground in Nevada called Osage Prairie RV Park which you can see coverage of in the video blog above.. The owners Jill and John were awesome and so kind letting us stay for free since we were cycling across America and even helped us out with food, extension cables and a fan for the tent! We can’t thank them enough and it is meeting people with such genuine generosity which is making the trip so special as we often get caught out in various ways when it comes to food and accomodation so thank you guys if you are reading this – we can’t say how grateful we are!

And so to Day 25 today – Liz’s birthday!!!

We agreed we’d stay in a motel for her birthday (wow the high life!). Unfortunately Liz found it hard going today and we’re not really sure why so stopped at 60 miles in Iola around 1300 and had an easy afternoon after a couple of hot days.

We’re now into Kansas so expecting some hot, windy, isolated days before reaching Colorado!

There may not be many blog posts for a week or so as I have no idea what internet availability will be like but we’ll be back soon!

1600 miles exxactly completed today so nearly half way and still on target for 8 weeks!

Since my last update, I really feel like we’re starting to get a grasp of how best to handle certain days, the mental side of cycling for an entire day and have really experienced what cycling across America is all about!

Here’s a brief summary of what’s been going on. I’ve got a few videos for you but need a PC that likes my camera…!

We left after our rest day in Berea and chose to head along the highways to get to Hodgenville and then Springfield as fast as possible as I was hoping to meet fellow fitness pro Pat Rigsby in the former but he had to go to Boston for the the weekend!

Highways are always a trade off between speed and boredom. Some are actually very scenic and quiet whilst others just make you nervous and the tedious nature of staying on such a road can make it more of a mental challenge than a physical one!

We chose to camp in Springfield’s city park so had a nice freebie!

The next day saw us heading off towards McDaniels where we had some campsites lined up but after getting absolutely soaked in some horrendous rain storms that target became impossible especially as we spent to long in a nice little spot the Cozy Cafe in Hodgenville (stop there for a nice warm drink when you’re soaked through!)

However, we crossed paths with a fellow adventurer headed in the opposite direction who told us about the Double L grocery store near Hadlin Springs where we not only were able to camp under a big canvass but also met the owners the Lucas family who were phenomenal.

People like these guys really characterise the friendly, helpful nature of most along the route and we even managed a game of ‘Corn Hole’ (video to follow….!) You MUST stay here if you get the chance – it’s on route so you can’t really miss it before Hadlin Springs IF HEADING EAST TO WEST on the Trans Am route.

The next day stayed dry despite a wet night and early AM so we were grateful to be able to post another 71 miles ending up at the Fire Station in Utica for another free night.

This is INCREDIBLE as you basically get the place to yourself with showers, air con, laundry room and even mattresses to get an awesome nights sleep on!

The next day saw lots of flat or rolling roads through Western Kentucky so managed to post our first 80 miler despite both getting some knee pain. We had to ‘cheat’ a little right at the end as to cross the Ohio River requires a 5 minute ferry crossing over to Cave In Rock where we camped the night in the state park – where we actually found the rare occurence of a salad in the restaurant…!

Today also see a GPS ‘shortcut’ gone wrong which led to half an hour circling a bemused looking Amish community in the middle of nowhere which we finally got out of. It’s cool but kinda weird to see how these people dress and live but fair play to them for not just conforming to what modern society dictates!

Day 18 was quite frankly boring as we did another highway shortcut. Another 80 miles were completed but the cycling was ideal audiobook time…! We had a motel stop this night but changed motels after paying at the Heritage Inn only to find the rooms were crap!

Refund!

We paid an extra 8 dollars for a much better Super 8 room up the road.

Finally, today.

I’m a little annoyed as athe GPS finished on 96.96 miles. An awesome tally for us but we took a shortcut along the 13 from Carbondale to Murphysboro which cut off the 3 miles which would have given us our first century!

Nevermind!!! The AM was very flat as we took the Mississippi Levee route which is very flat, open and quiet but great riding and gives you that real sense of being on the open road, riding free!

The PM was a little tougher with rolling hills but nothing compared to some we’ve done and via a puncture scare, we made it to Farmington 10 minutes before my 17.30 target.

We had intended to stay in the city park but the police informed us of a cyclists hostel which turned out to be PERFECT!

It’s like a private apartment as we have kitchen, PC with free internet, laundry and bunk bed rooms with the added bonus of Walmart down the road so we can make our own dinner. You HAVE to stay here if you can and might even like a rest day here to recover on the sofa’s!

It’s called Al’s Place and is located on the intersection between Franklin Street and Liberty Street but you need to go see the police down the road first for the code to the door. You’ll be amazed and so happy when you see this place (I’ll get the videos and photos up asap!)

So that’s us up to now!

Up to nearly 1200 miles in 19 days and flying along nicely.

The Alkalizing Salts and Green Life powders from our sponsors Phil Richards Performance which we’ve been using for fighting the acidic build up of long days on the bike and largely crap food have been a god-send!

If you live in the UK I strongly suggest you contact Phil Richards Performance and speak to Sarah about your needs whether it be for health, alkalizing your body or for sports performance, these products should be at the top of your shopping list (after clean, healthy natural food of course!) Please tell Sarah that I sent you – she’ll look after you as they always do!

I’ll tell you more about these products soon but they’ve done wonders for maintaining a degree of health and vitamin intake and replacing lost electrolytes on the bike AND preventing sore legs when riding day after day!

The dogs of Kentucky seem to have abated which is a result!

I have a lot of time for personal thought and reflection and have been listening to Micheal Heppel’s book Flip It today which is a great read / listen on the bike for learning how to ‘flip’ you’re thinking to get the most out of everything.

Combined with reading The Secret and Awaken The Giant Within, it’s really making me realised that I really can do ANYTHING I want and in terms of the cycling when it gets tough, it doesn’t really matter where the body is at any point in time so long as the mind is in the right place!

Here’s to more big mileage days and heading for Kansas!

As I write this, it’s Day 13 of our cycle across the USA, and I’m in the local library of Berea, Kentucky after nailing a beautiful Asian falafel salad and blueberry pie.

Yes I had a pie. When you’ve cycle around 750 miles in 12 days, you too will be allowed a pie…! Those of you who follow me for nutrition advice on how to lose body fat, are not allowed a pie unless you have done the above or similar.

Seriously though, whilst I didn’t need the pie ( my argument about the high antioxidant levels from the blueberries fell on deaf ears), the truth is, from a body fat perspective, I can get away with it right now! Also it is proving impossible to eat healthily whilst completing this mission as a lot of the time we have to choose between service station food or not eating as we can’t carry much food on the bike and fresh stuff ruins fast in the heat.

We do our best and wolf down salads and fruit where possible but those of you who are able to prepare salads and nice bags of nuts and fruit should NEVER adopt such a strategy!

Anyway, enough about pies.

The last few days have been tiring as the legs haven’t had a rest until now and yesterday was hard especially as there were virtually no grocery stores from Booneville to Berea.

Fortunately, a lady stopped when driving past and invited us to her house 2 miles down the road for some shade and ice cold water!

If you ever follow the Adventure Cycling Maps, this is the Sleepy Hollow Farm B&B which is no longer actually offered as such due to the owner’s travelling antics!

The last few days have unfortunately been marred a little by dogs allowed loose to run after us up the road. Fortunately none have done anything other than get very close and bark lots.

We had received good advice to get some pepper spray which I unloaded in the eyes of one vicious monster. That will teach Liz not to make my dinner….

Just kidding, the dog got it good and ran off!

Other than that we’ve managed to stay in the Presbyterian church in Booneville for free which also had a cold shower and sheltered picnic table which saved a few dollars – we’ll be trying more churches from now on for freebies!

Had to nail some long, steady hills and short, nasty ones through Eastern Kentucky so hoping we cna get a few days of flatter terrain after today’s rest but you just never know!

The experience so far has been awesome despite the tough times but as explained in the video below it’s reminding just what’s possible when you don’t give yourself the option of stopping or quitting.

I was knackered when I made the video so excuse the rambling but you should get the main gist of it!

The upshot is that a day’s cycling as we are takes you through a range of emotions and a lot of times we want to just stop and pitch the tent but we have our targets, we know why we are doing it, and we know that quitting is not an option.

You enjoy the ups, take the downs on the chin and do what you have to do to get through. Quite often this would not be possible without the teamwork between myself and Liz so make sure you surround yourself with people who will push you to be better and hit your personal targets whatever they may be. If you let yourself be surrounded by passion vampires who just moan all the time and let you off when you’re being lazy, you’ll never get anywhere!

I’m currently listening to the audio version of ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne. It’s a powerful book/film about how you attract only what you deserve with your thoughts and words.

If you constantly focus on negative things such as how fat you are or how tired you are, you’ll only ever attract more of the same. All it takes is to flip this and focus on positive thoughts, words and body language as you complete whatever journey you’re on and you’ll be AMAZED what happens – often when you least expect it.

I truly believe this is what led to that little old lady cruising up next to us when Liz was struggling with the heat yesterday. I spent the whole day being grateful for everything that was going right and the opportunity I have before me right now to complete a challenge most would never contemplate because they’re too busy moaning about what’s WRONG in their life and why the world hates them.

Don’t be that person. Small changes in your attitude will lead to big changes in your life!

Think carefully about that next time you want to moan or give up when the going gets tough!

Back with more updates soon!

Here are some random pics from recent days…..