America By Bicycle

Day 53 -- Portsmouth to South Boston (MA) -- 78 Miles

2010-07-28T19:26:00.010-04:00

I had a great opportunity to reflect on my coast-to-coast journey in my solo ride home today. I thought about the places I had been, the people I shared the experience with, and the reasons why I took on this journey that has already proven to be an unforgettable chapter in my life.

Although I took a few detours, and moved at a pretty slow pace today (the headwinds were formidable, and the legs felt a bit heavy), the miles seemed to disappear quickly because I was so lost in my thoughts. Before I knew it, I was approaching the "Welcome to South Boston" sign, and I was truly proud. Pedaling to my front door was even more exhilarating!

My plan is to write a final post in the coming days. I am not sure what it will say, or if I will be able to scribe a proper conclusion to this amazing journey. My hope is that a little more reflection before signing off once and for all will be beneficial. In the meantime, I want to thank you for following my blog as I pedaled across the United States. I have been overwhelmed by your support along the way, and the opportunity to share this experience with you has been such a treat.

Day 52 -- Manchester to Portsmouth -- 64 Miles

2010-07-27T22:20:00.026-04:00

It's official -- After 3,943 miles, I have successfully pedaled my bicycle from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. With the tour officially coming to an end, I was surprised at how emotional I was -- happy to complete my goal, yet sad to say goodbye to the friends that I made during this unforgettable journey.

The first 60 miles were pretty typical except for the fact that most of the group stayed together as we rode. We usually ride at our respective paces, but today seemed as if we were collectively trying to hold on for as long as we could.

Eventually, it was time to complete the tour and we did so in style. The Rye Police Department provided an escort for the last 3 miles to the final destination -- Wallis Sands State Beach. It was really exciting, and arriving at the beach with my family cheering me on was so special.

I set out with a goal to follow in my father's footsteps -- I wanted to pedal across America just as he did 20 years ago. Furthermore, I wanted to do it in honor of "The Farrell Sisters" -- four of my aunts, each of whom passed away far too soon. Lastly, I wanted to do it for a worthy cause. It is with great pride that I am able to say that I successfully accomplished all of these goals.

Although today marked the "official" end of my cross country challenge, I still have a bit of unfinished business. Tomorrow, I will pedal from Portsmouth to Southie.

For me, there is something special about being able to say that I pedaled from San Francisco to my front door. Furthermore, the ride will serve as an opportunity to surpass the 4,000 mile mark (which I am thrilled about), and, since I will be riding solo, to reflect on the past 2 months -- a truly amazing chapter in my life.

Day 51 -- Brattleboro to Manchester (NH) -- 92 Miles

2010-07-26T15:57:00.008-04:00

Lots of climbing again today -- over 6,000 feet -- that allowed us to once again test our legs. After 46 days of riding, my legs are certainly not fresh, but I am grateful that I was able to handle all of the ascents. Admittedly, some of the climbs were intense. One in particular seemed like we were pedaling up a wall -- an average of 16% grade (with a max of 24%) for over a mile.

In spite of the challenging terrain, it was yet another great day to be on the bike. We had beautiful weather all day and passed through some great, little New Hampshire towns (e.g. Keene, Francestown, Bennington). And, I am one day closer to being home. In fact, Manchester is actually closer to home than our final destination tomorrow (Portsmouth).

Soon enough, I'll be lounging on my couch, sleeping in my bed, and attempting to get back to the routine I had before taking on this cross country challenge. While I am excited for all of that, I have to say that this cycling experience has been truly amazing, and it will be hard to say goodbye to it all.

Since tomorrow is the official end of the tour (I, however, will extend my ride an extra day so that I can pedal to my front door so the blog go on for a little while longer), things get hectic after the ride -- people have to pack, box up their bikes, catch flights, etc. As a result, we will be having a farewell dinner tonight -- an opportunity to say goodbye, reminisce, and celebrate our journey together. I am really looking forward to it, especially since my wife will be driving up to Manchester so that she can partake in the festivities and meet the "other crazy cyclists" with whom I have spent the last two months of my life.

Day 50 -- Latham to Brattleboro (VT) -- 82 Miles

2010-07-25T14:59:00.007-04:00

Greetings from New England! Although there were many things today that made me feel close to home -- the scenery, architecture, landscape, familiar stores to name a few -- arriving at a hotel that had NESN as one of its tv channels sealed the deal. Watching the Sox game and hearing the soothing sounds of Remy and Orsillo will be quite a treat.

We had another great ride today. There was some substantial climbing (about 5000 feet), so we had an opportunity to (re)test our "climbing legs." Thankfully, I felt strong throughout the ride, and I was able to conqure part of Green Mountain as well as Hogback Mountain. Our hard work on the climbs were rewarded with some quality descents. Similar to my descent at Monarch Pass, I topped out at slightly over 50m.p.h. -- quite a thrill.

Overall, it was a great day -- the weather was cooperative, the scenery was beautiful, and I officially made it to New England. I even took a quick detour to New Hampshire, so technically I was in 3 different states today -- not a bad day!

Day 49 -- Little Falls to Latham -- 79 Miles

2010-07-24T21:39:00.006-04:00

As I spend my last night in New York, it's really hitting me that this trip is truly close to being over. It's a strange feeling -- in one regard, it feels like this trip has passed by so fast. Yet when I think about specific rides from early on in the tour, they seemed like they happened a lifetime ago. I am not sure if that makes sense, but hopefully you catch my drift.

Today was another enjoyable day. Unfortunately, we got wet again --some people loved the rain and soaked it all in (literally), but not me -- I had to deal with those wet socks again (I don't need to remind you about my feelings on wet socks, do I?). Most of the rain happened during the first part of the day, although we were hit with a couple of scattered showers as the day came to a close. Even after the rain subsided it remained pretty humid, so it was a pretty wet day all around. I think my wet t-shirtesque bike jersey as seen above is an accurate portryal of how the day went and felt.

As I mentioned yesterday, one of my best friends (and 4-year college roommate), Mike Smiley, picked me up at my hotel in Latham after the ride. We went out for a bite to eat, bounced around the Saratoga area, and generally had a good time just catching up on the things we have been up to over the last two months.

I enjoyed spending quality time with Mike -- a guy who is like a brother to me. I should probably get used to catching up with old friends and family, as there are only a few more days until I say goodbye to my cross country cycling family!

Day 48 -- Liverpool to Little Falls -- 80 Miles

2010-07-23T15:34:00.021-04:00

"They don't call it the 'Cross Country Easy,' they call it the 'Cross Country Challenge!'"

Michele Sahli, Tour Director - 2010

What a day! We endured non-stop torrential downpours for 80 miles. No exaggeration --it was teeming from the moment we left our hotel in Liverpool, to the moment we arrived in Little Falls. Unfortunately, it never really warmed up either -- temperatures remained in the low 60's throughout the course of the ride.

As you would imagine, I become much more cautious when it's raining and I am in the saddle. I don't like to ride too close to anyone, and I don't like people right on my wheel either. It's not worth it. This is especially true since we have come so far on this trip -- the last thing anyone needs is a careless accident resulting from riding too close in bad weather.

That said, I managed to ride a reasonable distance from other riders, and at a very comfortable pace. Admittedly, it was slower than my normal pace, but there was no reason to rush -- after all, we were drenched from jump street, so what's a few more minutes going to matter, right?

The ride was not very taxing from a physical perspective, and I felt great after 80 miles. Aside from the normal mental challenges of riding in the rain, the only thing that really bothered me was dealing with wet socks. Seriously, is there anything in the world worse than wet socks? I think not. I know "Mama Hurls" would agree with me on that one.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Latham, NY, where I will meet up with one of my best friends (and 4-year college roommate) -- Mike Smiley -- a current assistant basketball coach at nearby Union College. I am looking forward to it -- should be a lot of fun!

Day 47 -- Canandaigua to Liverpool -- 70 Miles

2010-07-22T13:24:00.011-04:00

I am running out of positive adjectives to describe our daily rides. Honestly -- at the end of each ride, I sit back and think about how enjoyable it was, but I am afraid that I never am able to properly convey it on the blog without coming off as a broken record. Oh well -- I am having fun every day, and you'll just have to take my word for it -- repetitive as it may be.

Anyway, relatively short day today -- yes, 70 miles equals a short ride these days -- strange, I know. Conditions were favorable throughout the day, and I managed to ride at a comfortable pace for the duration.

Some of the highlights of the ride include: pedaling along the Erie Canal (we will be doing that again tomorrow), visiting the first house that One Eleven Robb and his wife owned (in Liverpool, NY), and enjoying a post-ride lunch at Heid's -- a famous landmark in central New York.

A couple of other interesting moments included riding along Farrell Road as we entered the greater Liverpool area. Also, when we visited One Eleven Robb's old house, we chatted with the current owner -- whose last name was Farrell. Any "Farrell encounter" is a good one -- two in one day is special!

We have some fun planned for tonight. One Eleven Robb has a brother, Rick, who lives 15 minutes from our hotel. Rick and his wife, Linda, have invited the entire bike group to their house for dinner and drinks. It should be a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to it!

Day 46 -- Hamburg to Canandaigua -- 100 Miles

2010-07-21T17:10:00.004-04:00

Please don't let this scenic photo by Canandaiuga Lake fool you. Yes, the sun is shining and evertyhing looks peaceful and serene, but we battled the weather to get to that point. We pedaled through approximately 35-40 miles in some pretty heavy rain.

There was really nothing great about the wet miles, except for the discovery of my new favorite sign of the trip (I'll bet that only my wife and I appreciate this, but oh well). Once things cleared up, however, the ride was phenomenal.

I spent the dry half of the day with Georgia Joy, Pam (staff), One-Eleven Robb, Sooner Rick, and Chevy Chase Phil. As you can tell from the picture, we are becoming so cohesive as a cycling unit that we even eat lunch in a paceline (actually, as we ate our post-ride meal outside, it started to look stormy, so we were all forced to move the side that was protected by an awning).

Overall, it was another great day. This might sound crazy, but I think that the rain in the beginning of the day was a blessing for our group. There has been a lot of chatter about how the trip is winding down, and I felt a sense of complacency beginning to loom. Even though there was only 35-40 miles worth of rain, I think it was enough to serve as a reminder that we still have a long way to go, and need to stay focused at all times.

Today marked the final century of the tour -- I mean it this time! Actually, our cue sheet only had us scheduled for 94 miles, but after detours to downtown Canandaigua and the lake, we arrived at the hotel with 98 miles completed. Tacking on another 2 and making it an official century seemed like the right thing to do.

Day 45 -- Erie to Hamburg (NY) -- 86 Miles

2010-07-20T14:23:00.011-04:00

Today was a great day to be on a bike. There were slightly overcast skies that kept the temperatures extremely comfortable throughout the day.

I spent the day riding with Judy (staff member), Sooner Rick, and One Eleven Robb. When we weren't fixing flats (both Rick and Robb fell victim to a punctured tire), we were moving at a very nice, but brisk, pace.

We pedaled along Route 5 for the majority of the day, and were able to see some fantastic views of Lake Erie -- the largest body of water we've seen since Pacific Ocean (in San Francisco) -- as we rode. Once again, I found myself thinking about my dad (pictured right) throughout the ride, and how he felt as he traveled along the same roads 20 years ago.

As usual, it felt great to enter a new state -- our 11th on the journey. I thought Pennsylvania sounded close to home -- New York sounds even better. We will be spending 5 nights in New York, and hopefully the reamining rides in this state are as comfortable as the one we had today!

Day 44 -- Erie -- Rest Day

2010-07-19T15:47:00.013-04:00

Not much to report -- much needed rest day today, and I took full advantage of it. I need to make sure that I am physically ready to pedal home.

I just returned from dinner at The Pufferbelly Restaurant with Scott, Robb and Larry. We enjoyed a great meal at a place that seemed to have a lot of history associated with it. After dinner, Scott treated the group (even our cab driver, Howie) to gelato. For all of my Southie/Irish bretheren reading the blog, gelato is Italian ice cream, and it is delicious. It was my first experience with gelato, but it won't be my last.

Today does, however, mark the last rest day of the trip. At dinner it was briefly mentioned that, as a group, we will be undergoing a "series of lasts" over the next 8 days. The rest day meal tradition that Scott, Robb, Larry, and I have had throughout our cross country challenge is something I will certainly miss. Like so many of the rest of the group members, Scott, Robb, and Larry are great people, and a lot of fun to be around.

Ok, enough of this mawkish gushing. It's time to put the game face on, and get ready to ride tomorrow -- the countdown to completion is on!

Day 43 -- Youngstown to Erie (PA) -- 103 Miles

2010-07-18T15:53:00.013-04:00

4 consecutive centuries -- check! Candidly, I am glad that the stretch of 100+ mile days are over. My body is feeling tired, and a rest day is exactly what I want and need. I was psyched to check into our Erie, PA, hotel knowing that I don't even have to look at my bike tomorrow if I so choose.

Regarding today's ride: except for a series nasty hills (13% grade) that we had to conquer at the very end of the ride, it was a reasonably challenging day. I spent most of the day riding in a paceline, and it helped a great deal. I did my fair share of pulling, and I also benefitted from the drafting I recieved when people in front of me were pulling -- It made the ride a lot more bearable.

The highlight of the ride was stopping at White Turkey Drive-In -- a place that served shakes, root beer floats, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. Something about it reminded me of Sully's, and, for a fleeting moment, I felt home.

Pennsylvania -- as I have said in the past about other states, it just sounds closer to home. I am sure that my father (pictured above, right) felt the same way when he arrived there on his bike 20 years ago!

Day 42 -- Wooster to Youngstown -- 103 Miles

2010-07-17T20:04:00.015-04:00

After hotel location changes, we were slated to do only 90 miles today rather than the 93 I had anticipated and wrote about in earlier posts. As previously mentioned, I was planning on riding 7 extra miles to make it a century. For some reason, having to ride 10 extra miles seemed like a lot less fun. I realize that it all adds up to 100, but a voluntary 10 versus a voluntary 7 is a big difference. To end up with 103 miles -- well that's just strange, and I'll explain how that happened in a moment (the anticipation must be killing you, huh?).

The first leg of the ride was quite enjoyable. I rode with a group of 7 and pulled for a considerable amount of the time. Upon reaching the SAG stop, I was greeted by some members of the Stark County Bicycle Club (pictured with me above)-- a club that "roommate Larry" is a proud member of. It was great to meet some of the people that Larry rides with when he is not keeping me in line on our cross country challenge.

After leaving the SAG, I rode by myself for the most part. The road conditions were awful. Honestly, Ohio -- how about using some of that "American Reinvestment Act" money to clean it up, huh?

At one point in my travels, I incorrectly read my cue sheet and pedaled 1.25 miles in the wrong direction. After realizing my mistake, I immediately turned around and pedaled 1.25 miles to get back on track. Normally, getting lost can be annoying, but I didn't mind at all today because I figured I now only had to do 7.5 extra miles to get my century.

I pedaled onward, and about a mile before arriving at the hotel, I bumped into a fellow rider, Gloria. I asked her if she was interested in riding extra miles with me so that she could turn her day into a century as well. Gloria accepted the challenge but told me that she needed the full 10 miles to get there (Quick aside: Gloria turned 60 on this trip, and she is one heck of an impressive cyclist).

Gloria and I bopped around Youngstown, ended up doing slightly more than 10 miles, which is how I ended up with 103 miles for the day (aren't you glad you read the post to find out? I thought so). As expected, I dreaded each one of the voluntary miles, but in the end I was pleased with my decision.

After the ride, "roommate Larry's" friend and racquetball partner, Ed Tkatch, and his wife, Dee, drove from Salem, Ohio, picked us up at our hotel, and treated us to dinner. We went to a place called Quaker Steak and Lube -- it was a lot of fun, and it was so thoughtful of Ed and Dee to include me in the festivities.

Our route for tomorrow has been changed -- we are now scheduled to ride 103 miles (not 96 as originally planned) to Erie, Pennsylvania. Now I won't have to ride any extra miles to get my 4th consecutive century. I am looking forward to completing that task, and am equally eager to have a rest day after it's done.

Day 41 -- Marysville to Wooster -- 104 Miles

2010-07-16T16:30:00.002-04:00

Another century completed. In fact, today marked the last "official" century of the tour. I am, however, still planning on stretching the next two rides (93 and 96 miles, respectively) into 100 mile days. I will undoubtedly regret the decision as I ride the extra 7 miles tomorrow (and 4 on Sunday), but I'll be glad I did it in the end... I hope!

Interesting ride today. I felt great for the first 96 miles -- the last 8 were awful. I rode with some of the stronger members of the group throughout the day, but apparently I spent a little too much time "playing with the big boys," as I was really feeling the burn as the day came to an end. Oh well -- I still really enjoyed the ride.

I think that I had become a bit spoiled by some of the flat terrain we have been blessed with on recent rides, and today served as a great wake up call. The last 40 miles were extremely challenging -- several rolling hills with grades as high as 15% at times. It was like being back in Missouri.

Once the ride ended, the fun did not stop. A dear family friend, Karen Foley (pictured with me above), came to check in on me at the hotel. Although I have made several friends on this cross country trip, it was refreshing to see another Southie native! Karen currently works in Ohio for part of the year, and was kind enough to drive down to pay me a visit.

All things considered, it was another great day. I am starting to hear rumbles of "light at the end of the tunnel," and "trip is really winding down." I cannot believe we only have 11 days left -- 10 riding, 1 rest. I just have to remember to take it all in, and enjoy it while it lasts.

Day 40 -- Richmond to Marysville (OH) -- 106 Miles

2010-07-15T16:30:00.009-04:00

Greetings from Ohio! Unfortunately, I accidently deleted the picture of me at the state line before I downloaded it, so you will just have to trust me when I tell you that I officially crossed the state line. Yes, that is me in Marysville, Ohio in the picture above!

Regarding the ride: Today was really fun -- I rode at a pretty good clip, and really enjoyed the fact that I have successfully made it to another state. 40 miles after pedaling through the morning mist, we reached the first SAG, where a former alumnus of this cross country challenge met us and brought us a bunch of snacks. It was very thoughtful and generous of him.

A mere 10 miles later, we were greeted by a tailgate party being hosted by Wade and Tony Schroeder's family and friends. These folks did it right -- hot dogs, sausages, snacks, beers -- they had the works! I stopped and met a bunch people, but I realized that I still had 50+ miles to ride so I passed on the food and drink.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Enjoyable, but uneventful. I eventually reached the hotel, and happily accepted a care package from my wife. A package from Mary in Marysville -- very nice!

Day 39 -- Indianapolis to Richmond -- 75 Miles

2010-07-14T13:20:00.005-04:00

Another enjoyable day on the cross country challenge. We departed Indianapolis with fresh(er) legs after a relaxing rest day. We were slated to ride 75 miles to Richmond -- most of which were pedaled along Route 40.

It was a pretty straightforward day from a riding perspective, but we did have a chance to enjoy one great tourist attraction: The Hoosier Gym & Community Center in Knightstown. This is the gym where they filmed many of the hoop scenes in the movie "Hoosiers." For those of you have seen the film, you will recognize the gym and locker room in my photos from the day.

It was a great experience. We had an opportunity to shoot around, take pictures, and were given a tour of the facility. As we shot around in the gym, I received some requests to dunk the baksetball -- something I was not sure I was capable of doing anymore. It took me a few attempts (I was in my socks only and was overly cautious and tentative), but I was able to throw one down eventually.

Admittedly, it appears that I do not have the hops that I once posessed, but I am going to give myself a break and chalk it up to pedaling nearly 3,000 miles over the past 39 days, and attempting to dunk without sneakers. Excuses, excuses, I know. I guess I am still just trying to pretend that I qualify as an athlete -- a guy can dream, right?

Anyway, the tour of "Hickory High's" gymnasium was a lot of fun, even in spite of the fact that I am not a fan of the Hoosiers movie. I know that's blasphemous -- especially for a hoops (and movie) fan, but it just never did anything for me. That said, I think I will have a new respect for the movie now that I have seen where part of it was filmed.

The rest of the day was nice, but nothing special. We just pedaled along the highway until we reached Richmond, and, ultimately, our hotel. We have four long days coming up: 104, 104, 93, and 96 miles, respectively. I am hoping to stretch those last two into "official centuries" so that I can check "completing 4 consecutive 100+ mile days" off of my list (what list you ask? I don't know -- it just sounds good). It's easy to say now, as I sit comfortably in my air conditioned hotel room. Hopefully I feel as eager to do it when it's actually time to make it happen.

Day 38 -- Indianapolis -- Rest Day

2010-07-13T12:56:00.012-04:00

Rest day today. I spent the morning walking around town, and visiting some of the local museums -- namely the Indiana State Museum, and the NCAA Hall of Champions. Since it's my day off, I will keep this post brief, and let my photos from the day do the talking for me.

I just returned from a phenomenal dinner at St. Elmo Steakhouse. The last time I ate there was 7 years ago -- the night before playing in the NCAA tournament my sophomore year. Hard to believe that was 7 years ago.

Day 37 -- Crawfordsville to Indianapolis -- 63 Miles

2010-07-12T17:14:00.011-04:00

Another great day today! I rode the first thirty miles as a member of the "Phil Young Wagon Train" -- an 11 person paceline led by Phil from Maryland. The conditions were reasonable, and Phil had the urge to pull us all the way into our first and only SAG stop, so I just kept a low profile and tucked into the line.

After hitting the SAG stop, it was time do some sightseeing. We were already on the outskirts of Indianapolis suburbs, so we had all day to see what the general area had to offer. Our first activity was at Roark Welding and Engineering. Ted, the owner of the shop, was kind enough to give us sweaty cyclists a tour of his shop.

Since the Roark company has several contracts with the military we were not allowed to take pictures for most of the tour. I was however, allowed to get a shot of the simple front entrance, and their custom titanium bicycle area of their shop. Quick aside: the titanium bikes that they fabricate are awesome -- I want one someday.

After the Roark tour, we pedaled onward to Indianapolis. We made our way through Eagle Creek Park, and ultimately ended up at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After witnessing its incredible size (both the track and the stands), we got back in the saddle, and cruised over to the Major Taylor Velodrome. If you do not know anything about Major Taylor, I encourage you to read up on him, as his story is very fascinating.

After a couple of laps at the velodrome (the banked curves made things interesting. Honestly, it was not for me), I continued towards the hotel. Prior to making it "home" for the night, I managed to get some pictures at NCAA headquarters (as well as a shot of their hall of champions, and, as seen above, their mascot), Lucas Oil Stadium -- home of the Indianapolis Colts, and Union Station -- the former nexus of the city.

Again, today was a truly great day. It was the quintessential touring day, and there is nothing wrong with that! I suppose that's enough storytelling for today. In fact, I should probably get some sleep -- I want to get up early and throw eggs at Peyton Manning's billboard tomorrow.

Day 36 -- Champaign to Crawfordsville (IN) -- 82 Miles

2010-07-11T16:14:00.012-04:00

Great ride today -- said goodbye to Illinois as we crossed into Indiana, and said hello to the "Eastern Standard Time Zone." Other than that, I have nothing major to report.

I rode the first 20 miles solo. After that I pedaled by Larry Frederick, who decided to hold my wheel for the final 62 miles. We worked out a nice deal -- I pulled us along, and he treated me to cold drinks and snacks (we were ahead of the SAG support van, and decided to do our own thing rather than wait).

Larry called us "the old dog" and "the new dog." I am not sure about the adjectives, but we both worked like dogs to make it to Crawfordsville. We really hammered it out, but we enjoyed ourselves too.

Since I am talking about Larry, I figure it's a good time to give a brief background about him. This is Larry's 4th cross country bike trip. In fact, he pedaled across the country with my friend, Dan Hannigan, in 1996. Larry's son, Aaron, also joined him on the 1996 journey -- Aaron was 13 years old at the time (impressive, huh?).

A former Oakland police officer, Larry was on duty one night (in 1982), and was struck by a drunk driver going 65 m.p.h. Miraculously, he survived the accident after receiving 110 units of blood.

Since then, Larry has essentially dedicated his life to raising awareness about the importance of donating blood. It is not uncommon for Larry, who is joined by his daughter, Adella, on this trip, to pedal 100 miles and then go off to a local blood drive and give a presentation. They are such an impressive family. Although I have stolen a lot of its thunder, I encourage you to visit Larry and Adella's website.

After reading more about Larry, you can understand why this self-proclaimed "old dog" gave his "new dog" a run for his money today. The guy has the heart of a lion. Or a dog. Whatever -- you get the idea.

Day 35 -- Springfield to Champaign -- 103 Miles

2010-07-10T16:35:00.009-04:00

Great day to be on a bike. I am relieved to be saying that after 3 consecutive centuries (well, 97 miles on one of the days, but close enough). Although we had a relatively long day in the saddle, the scenery did not change much. Similar to yesterday's ride, we found ourselves on several country roads, and observed cornfield after cornfield after cornfield (with the occassional soybean field).

I spent the majority of the day riding with Phil from Maryland, Kiwi Rick, Larry Frederick, Sooner Rick, and pedaled a little bit with a few others along the way to Champaign. We rode at a nice, brisk pace and the mileage seemed to dissapear due to the good company. I wish I had more to write about. Except for one roadblock (literally), it was a pretty uneventful 100+ miles.

After the ride, I cleaned up and made my way to mass with The Schroeder Boys and "Tour de Fran" DiGiano to pray for strength -- both physical and mental -- to finish the last 17 days (15 cycling, 2 rest) of the challenge. When I arrived at the church and saw the name of it, I took it as a sign that someone upstairs has my back.

Day 34 -- Quincy to Springfield -- 111 Miles

2010-07-09T18:28:00.008-04:00

Greetings from Springfield -- the state capital of Illinois, and (eternal) home of Honest Abe Lincoln.

I had a tough day today. For some reason I was not on "Crusader Time" (a rule my college basketball coach implemented. It meant you arrived somewhere, and were ready to go 15 minutes early for everything) for the luggage load, and I ended up being the last person to leave the hotel. For some of my Holy Cross hoop friends, please know that I am as surprised as you probably are that I was not on "Crusader Time." Normally, I show up to things on "Hurley Time" -- 15 minutes before "Crusader Time." Credit for coming up with the creative name goes to my 4-year college roommate.

Anyway, once I finally did depart the hotel in Quincy, it was not long (4 miles) before I hit another stumbling block-- flat tire. After changing the tire, I hammered to the first SAG. I refueled at the SAG, hit the road, and was starting to hit my stride. As I approached the Illinois River Bridge, I was ready to step it up another notch but I fell victim to yet another flat. Once again, I changed it out, hit the road, and enjoyed the rest of the flat-free ride.

From a scenic/terrain standpoint, Illinois masqueraded itself as Missouri during the first leg, as we were subjected to a fair amount of rolling hills. In the second leg, Illinois seemed more like Kansas -- cornfield after cornfield after cornfield (minus, for the most part, the awful aroma). Thankfully, I eventually made it to Springfield, and there was some semblance of civilization.

We were originally slated to ride 106 miles, but I added 5 miles so that I could see Abe Lincoln's tomb. Chances are I will not be coming back to Springfield anytime soon, so I figured it was best to "man up" and do the extra mileage. I was pleased with that decision. Now, I am about to make an even better decision -- hit the sack so that I try and crush another century tomorrow.

Day 33 -- Kirksville to Quincy (IL) -- 97 Miles

2010-07-08T17:08:00.004-04:00

Check Missouri off of the list, and bring on Illinois. In hindsight, I admit that Missouri was a formidable opponent. The rolling terrain continued until we reached the state line, which happened to be at the Mississippi River.

Upon reaching the Mississppi River, we had to take a ferry to officially enter Illinois. Yesterday, we were told that the ferry was not going to be shuttling back and forth due to high water levels and flooding. Instead, we were going to have to be shuttled in the SAG van over a bridge that does not allow bikers. Apparently, conditions changed overnight, and we went back to the original ferry plan.

Once we reached Illinois, I, along with the rest of the group, was thrilled to pedal along its flat roads. It was a nice treat after the roller coaster ride that we had been on for the past 3 days. Overall, it was an enjoyable day -- weather was cooperative, checked another state off the list, and ultimately made it closer to completion!

Day 32 -- Chillicothe to Kirksville -- 84 Miles

2010-07-07T16:56:00.012-04:00

Great challenge today! Our ride was very similar to yesterday's, except a bit more intense. The humidity was higher -- a whopping 95% -- and it made things nasty, muggy, and wet. The climbs were more challenging -- the rolling hills of Missouri are no joke. The downhills, as you would imagine, were fun, but making the ascent to the top was not quite as enjoyable. Doing it over and over (and over, and over) again made for an interesting day. Some members of our group informed me that some of the climbs were at a 14% grade. It got intense at times, but we survived! The scenic views helped.

One thing that weighed on my mind throughout the ride was that I was pedaling on the exact same roads that my father pedaled on 20 years ago. Actually, this has been the case since I arrived in Dodge City, Kansas, but since I have a picture to prove it I figured today was a good time to mention it.

Knowing that my father had been on these roads helped me a great deal today. Mostly, it made me pedal faster because in my mind -- my crazy, screwed up mind -- I could hear him talking trash about him doing this route better and faster (in a loving, friendly sort of way, of course) 20 years ago. Yes, I am weird -- I know.

Eventually, the country roads gave way to the city of Kirksville -- home of Truman State University, a place I pedaled around after grabbing a quick, post-ride lunch.

Our cycling group is saying goodbye to Missouri tomorrow, as we will be entering Illinois. Call me crazy, but for some reason Illinois sounds so much closer to home than Missouri does. Progress is a good thing!

Day 31 -- St. Joseph to Chillicothe -- 90 Miles

2010-07-06T16:39:00.009-04:00

90 miler today. The forecast called for rain all day, but thankfully the meterologists were incorrect, as we only had to battle the rain for the last 8 miles. The humidity, on the other hand, decided to show up for the duration of today's ride. It was muggy out there -- but I didn't mind it too much. It almost felt like home (although rumor has it that Boston got into the triple digits today).

I spent the day riding with Sooner Rick, Georgia Joy, and Phil from Maryland. All three of them are extremely strong riders, so I was glad that I was able to hang with them throughout the day. Well, either that, or they all took pity on the 6'8" freak and took it easy on me. Either way, I managed to roll into the hotel alongside of them.

The terrain, as expected, was like a roller coaster. We climbed approximately 4,000 feet, but barely changed our overall elevation. It was up and down all day, but it was a great challenge.

One of the highlights of the day was pedaling through Amish country. Although the Amish seem to be very friendly people, our bike group was instructed to not take pictures (during yesterday's route rap) of them, as they consider it disrespectful, and I did my best to respect their wishes.

We passed by a "live (Amish) produce auction," and it was very intriguing. I am pretty sure that this guy was the emcee for the event. The bid process was happening very fast -- the Amish know what they want, and don't waste any time! It was also great to see this "share the road" sign as an Amish horse and carriage simulataneously passed by us. The timing could not have been more perfect.

After making our way through the Amish area, we eventually arrived in Chillicothe (pronounced chilly-COTH-ee), our hometown for the evening. Chillicothe is best known as being "The Home of Sliced Bread." On July 7, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company began selling pre-sliced bread to grocers, marking the first time sliced bread was available commercially in the world. You learn something new every day!

Tomorrow we have approximately 85 miles, part of which brings us through "Thousand Hills State Park." Sounds like fun!

Day 30 -- St. Joseph -- Rest Day

2010-07-05T00:01:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned the other day, I, along with several members of the group, was interviewed by a reporter from the Topeka Capital-Journal. My lovely wife found the article online, and I thought it would be nice to share with you (plus, it's a rest day, so copy and paste is a much better option than writing something original). Enjoy!

X-Country Cyclists Stop In Topeka

Endurance bicyclist Larry Frederick has overcome mountains since being struck down by a drunken motorist more than a quarter of a century ago in California.

Crediting the blood of others and some of his own sweat and tears for his recovery, Frederick and his daughter, Adella, are pedaling across the country with a group of 25 others who stopped in Topeka on Saturday for a rest.

"Giving blood is the only gift that truly comes from your heart," Larry Frederick said during an "America by Bicycle" riders' meeting at the Holiday Inn West Holidome, 605 S.W. Fairlawn.

It was 105 units of blood that helped save the former police officer from death in 1982 when he was injured while on patrol in Oakland, Calif. Now, Frederick is making his fourth "Life Across America" trip to promote America's blood centers and the importance of donating blood.

Others in the group are riding for different charities or personal reasons, but by July 27, nearly all of them will have pedaled 3,847 miles in 52 days — from San Francisco to Portsmouth, N.H.

Cindy Stephens, of Valencia, Calif., has raised about $2,500 for AIDS Lifecycle, which aims to end AIDS. She said she decided to make the trip when she turned 50.

John Hurley, 27, of Boston, said he decided to ride after his father rode from Los Angeles to Boston in 1990.

"It's been a lifelong dream of mine to do the same," he said.

Hurley said he has raised nearly $28,000 in donations for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation through his ride. The most challenging obstacle, he said, is finding the mental strength to ride each day.

Carolyn Oros, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1990s, is riding to raise money for Bike MS. She said she draws her mental strength from her battle with the illness before it went into remission.

"I ride because I still can," she said.

Don Fair, 64, of Baltimore, said he decided to ride for World Bicycle Relief, which provides bicycles to villages and schools in Africa.

"I had been to Africa with my daughter and saw how they used their bikes for everything," he said. "I got back and thought of how I could help and found this group."

While most of the riders will end their trip in July, the Fredericks will begin a second phase of their journey, which includes visiting at least 50 blood centers across the country.

"My life was saved by blood," Larry Frederick said. "If I wouldn't have made it that night — "

"I wouldn't have been born," Adella interrupted.

Day 29 -- Topeka to St. Joseph (MO) -- 89 Miles

2010-07-04T21:41:00.009-04:00

"I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Check that, as you can see above, it's official -- we crossed state lines and entered Missouri this morning. We are one state closer to completing the challenge!

Overall, we had a great ride. It rained for the first hour, but we managed to avoid the scattered storms for the rest of the day. As a matter of fact, the stormy forecast actually kept the temperature in the mid 70's, and made the ride fairly comfortable. The roads, however, were pretty slick throughout the day, yet we still managed to conquer the rolling terrain that the ride had to offer.

I rode most of the day with Wild Thing Rob, and Sooner Rick. Although we moved along at a quick pace, the ride felt somewhat leisurely. We chatted quite a bit, and it really made our trip to St. Joseph an enjoyable one.

I arrived at the hotel before the luggage van, but it did not stop me from checking into the room, and subsequently falling asleep in my bike clothes. I dozed off as I was watched a replay of stage one of the Tour de France, and had a dream that I was as strong rider as the guys in the peloton. Sadly, in spite of my improvement on the bike since the start of this trip, that's probably going to remain a dream quite awhile.

I want to take an opportunity to apologize for the lack of pictures from the past week. I blame Kansas, really. I hope that the limited amount that I have shared give you a feel for what I saw as I pedaled. I realize that I was not able to capture the putrid aroma that permeates throughout the state of Kansas, but if you really want to experience that then I suggest you book a flight out there (after, of course, you consult a shrink).

Anyway, that's really it. It's nice to be in a new state, and even nicer to have a rest day tomorrow! Happy 4th of July to you all, and thank you for your continued support!

Day 28 -- Abilene to Topeka -- 114 Miles

2010-07-03T18:26:00.008-04:00

Challenging day! Our cue sheet had us lined up for 108 miler to Topeka (the 114 I have above adds on a 6 mile, rountrip bike to mass). In these 108 miles, we mostly had headwinds and crosswinds, but we were rewarded with the occassional puff of a tailwind when the road curved in the "right" direction. We also pedaled through the rain (nothing too crazy; a light drizzle) for about 30 minutes.

Also, in spite of losing about 350 feet of elevation over the course of the day, we had a great deal of rolling terrain (a preview of what's ahead in Missouri), and climbed approximately 4000 feet. In spite of all of the challenges, I felt strong, and managed to ride at a pretty good clip.

After a quick shower, I went to mass, and then made it back to our hotel (a hotel whose pool has a water slide that's bigger than some you see at actual water parks) in time for route rap and dinner.

After dinner, I was interviewed by a reporter, Kevin Elliott, from the Topeka Capital - Journal. Kevin chatted with a handful of members of our group (mostly the ones who are riding for charity) about the reasons behind our decisions to take on this challenge. So, if you're bored and need something to google, look for the article on the America by Bicycle group. What else do you have to do on the 4th of July? That's what I thought.

Day 27 -- McPherson to Abilene -- 65 Miles

2010-07-02T14:58:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I felt like I was riding the thing you see me on in the picture above. As I mentioned, it was one of those days that I just had to grind out. Today, was a different story -- I, along with everyone else, was hauling. We were (finally) blessed with a tailwind for a good portion of the ride, and we took full advantage of it.

In other, "it's a small world" news, I pedaled the first part of the day with Sooner Rick (he's from Oklahoma). As it turns out, his best friend, college roommate, and business partner, is the father of a girl that I graduated high school with. Just to keep it in perspective, I was one of only 93 in my graduating class. We had a nice chat about their business, my high school, and a bunch of other stuff that really made the mileage seem to dissapear.

Anyway, back to the ride. Aside from the kicking tailwind, I think that everyone was excited to reach the official halfway point of our trip from a mileage standpoint. It's hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago I was in San Francisco, and now I am in the place where former president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was raised.

After a quick lunch, I was on cruise control for 1.5 miles to the hotel. After checking in, I hit the pool and did a nice long water stretch to try and make sure that I am adequately prepared for the second half of the cross country challenge!

Day 26 -- Great Bend to McPherson -- 64 Miles

2010-07-01T15:06:00.006-04:00

Nothing special to report today. Our cue sheet had precisely two cues: right out of current hotel, and left into new hotel. We spent the entire 64 miles on US Highway 56, and battled 15 m.p.h. headwinds for a good portion of the day.

I spent the day riding solo, and it was one of those days that I just had to grind out. One thing that helped me was knowing that, at the end of the ride, there would be an ice cold, chocolate milkshake from Braum's with my name on it. It was delicious.

Because we only had 64 miles (yeah, when I start saying "only 64 miles", it becomes obvious that we are riding alot), we were able to get into the hotel relatively early. I spent some extra time cleaning my bike, and now I am just relaxing until route rap and dinner. Life is good!

Day 25 -- Dodge City to Great Bend -- 86 Miles

2010-06-30T15:12:00.013-04:00

Today was a truly enjoyable ride. Although I enjoyed the festivities from last night, I was excited to "get out of dodge," and make some progress.

There is not too much to report from today -- same scenery (or lack thereof), same aroma. I rode the first 15-20 miles with Freddy -- a ski and snowboard instructor from Colorado -- and I enjoyed hearing about his life outside of the cycling world.

I spent the rest of the day on my own. The conditions were favorable, and I enjoyed being alone with my thoughts. Some of the highlights of the day include: arriving at Kinsley, Kansas -- A.K.A. Midway, U.S.A., as it is equidistant from both New York City and San Francisco (1,561 miles as you can see above). It is not quite the halfway point of our cross country challenge, but it was still fun to be there and take a couple of pictures.

Kinsley is also home to the Edwards County Sod House and Museum. Trust me, it was as exciting as it reads. That said, I was there, it was free, and I checked it out. Why wouldn't I?

I enjoyed the final leg of our ride today because we went through the town of Larned -- a town that has its streets in alphabetical and numeric order, similar to the way it is in Southie. It made me a little homesick, but it stirred up some great memories. It also got "Southie is my hometown" stuck in my head for the rest of the ride -- not a bad thing!

Day 24 -- Garden City to Dodge City -- 51 Miles

2010-06-29T14:22:00.007-04:00

It felt nice to ride about half as many miles as we have been riding over the past few days. I really enjoyed the ride into the Old Western town of Dodge City. I feel like I should be using words like "ya'll" and "yee-haw." At the very least, I should have perused Cowboy Bob's Dictionary before I arrived. After all, anytime your hotel is located on Wyatt Earp Boulevard you know you are in a Wild, Wild West type of town. Oh well. I am here for less than 24 hours -- I guess the people of Dodge City are going to just have to deal with the Southie kid who drops his "R's" when he talks.

Anyway, the ride was very pleasant today. I spent most of the day solo, and hammered out a quick 22 miles to the SAG stop. After a few minutes there, I got back in the saddle and made my way to the town of Cimarron-- home to Clark Pharmacy -- where I treated myself to an old school, chocolate milkshake. This place was great -- it was like stepping into a time machine (except for the fact that the place now has its own website). Even Oprah has been here, so clearly this place must be the real deal, right?

After Clark, I only had 16 miles left, and I cruised right into the lovely Dodge City. I managed to get a fair amount of photos from the day, but I'd advise you to check in on these photos later, as I plan to add more to the album after I buzz around down town. Wait... I mean.... "Ya'll be sure 'n' come back now, ya heahr?"

Update: Photos from Boot Hill Museum and The Long Branch Variety Show (Featuring Miss Kitty and her Can-Can Dancers) have been added to today's album.

Day 23 -- Lamar to Garden City (KS) -- 106 Miles

2010-06-28T21:34:00.011-04:00

At our daily route rap, our cycling group usually has a brief discussion about the ride we just endured, but most of the focus is on the upcoming ride. Ordinarily, one of our ride leaders (and head mechanic), Gerard, asks us how the ride went today. And, ordinarily, the group responds with cheers and upbeat words like "phenomenal," fantastic," and "great." Today, however, I heard words like "awful," "hard," and, my personal favorite, "I am never riding my bike again." That last one was a joke... I think.

For all intents and purposes, the last 3 cycling days have been centuries (97, 121, and 106, respectively), and today was definitely a character-building day. I'd call it "hard", but I wouldn't call it "awful," and I certainly won't give in by "never riding my bike again." But the best way that I, personally, would characterize today would be as a "making it to Mary" day.

Today, I used my wife, Mary, as my source of inspiration. After reviewing the cue sheet, I divided my ride into three parts -- each of which had a "make it to Mary" portion. The first segment brought us into a new state, Kansas (proof in picture above). Another state completed -- one state closer to "making it to Mary."

During part two, we pedaled along Route 50. As was the case yesterday, there was not much in terms of sightseeing -- this picture kind of says it all. That said, part two brought us into the central time zone. Just like that, I was one hour away from Eastern Standard Time. Just like that, I was getting closer to "making it to Mary."

Part three of our ride kept us on Route 50. I hammered away as the temperature rose, and the winds (headwinds and cross winds all day) continued to howl. Interestingly enough, our cue sheet has us to exit at Route 50 at Route 156/Mary Street of all places. As the homestretch continued, my level of fatigue increased, but I reminded myself that I was "making it to Mary" -- Mary street, and, essentially, Mary wife.

Eventually, I made it to our home for the night, and I am glad that I had a great source of inspiration to help me along the way.

P.S. -- Sorry for any non-facebookers reading this post. The hyperlink's on Mary's name are facebook pictures of her. Just wanted to throw that out there so you get the picture (no pun intended).

Day 22 -- Pueblo to Lamar -- 121 Miles

2010-06-27T17:00:00.007-04:00

Another century in the books! The first 60 miles of today's ride was very pleasant. There was no wind factor and flat terrain -- a good combination. After aboout 20 miles of pedaling by myself, I teamed up with the gentlemen above (L to R: Me, Kiwi Rick, Robb, and Scott), and we traded off 1 mile pulls through the outskirts of Pubelo, followed by the town of Fowler until we hit the first SAG stop.

We continued this routine for the second leg (miles 39-75), although the headwinds really kicked in at the 60 mile mark. Eventually, however, we made it to the second SAG after pedaling through the towns of Manzanola, Rock Ford, Swink, and La Junta. It should be known that as we pedaled through these areas, we were overwhelmed by the smell of feedlots, slaughterhouses, and cow dung. It's the reason, I don't have many pictures from the day. I hope you understand --trust me, nothing we saw all day was worth stopping to capture on camera.

After the 2nd SAG, my fellow riders and I continued our paceline through the towns of Las Animas and Hasty. We had an unprecedented 3rd SAG stop upon reaching Hasty. At this point we had 102 miles under our belt, and we were ready to be done with the saddle, the headwinds, and the heat. We willed our way through the last 20 miles or so and eventually found ourselves in front of yet another 5 star hotel -- Cow Palace Inn -- where we will rest up for another century tomorrow!

Day 21 -- Pueblo -- Rest Day

2010-06-26T22:03:00.006-04:00

Greetings from Pueblo (again) -- not much to report for today. Other than relax, get some laundry done, and relax some more (which, yesterday, I vowed to do), I managed to take a quick dip in the pool/jacuzzi, watch a dissapointing finish to the US World Cup match, and enjoy a fantastic dinner with Scott, Robb, and Larry (see above). All things considered, it was a truly enjoyable day away from the bike.

Day 20 -- Salida to Pueblo -- 97 Miles

2010-06-25T14:46:00.006-04:00

Unbelievable day today -- everything was great from jump street. We started the day with a hearty breakfast at "Patio Pancake," and began our voyage to Pueblo.

The first leg of the trip was quick (actually, all of the legs were quick -- we were humming today), and beautiful. We pedaled along the Arkansas River, and we lost altitude as we approached the first SAG stop. At the SAG, I got a chance to see a whitewater rafting group (for the rest of my photos from the day, please click here) cruising along the river, as well as three mountain goats bopping around the area. It was pretty awesome. It really made me homesick -- I miss my pet mountain goat.

The next leg of our trip had some rolling terrain, and brought us through the Canon City -- a seemingly nice place. After pedaling through Canon City (Home to Holy Cross Winery by the way), we made it to the Leo Sydney Boston War Memorial Park, and had our second SAG stop.

Next, it was time for the homestretch. It was amazing how different the terrain in the 3rd leg was in comparison to the terrain of past couple of days (as well as today's first two legs for that matter). We went from green meadows and mountain views, to rolling hills and relatively barren scenery.

In the end, I made it to the hotel in Pueblo, and am excited to have a rest day tomorrow. I am looking forward to relaxing, getting some laundry done, and relaxing some more.

Day 19 -- Gunnison to Salida -- 67 Miles

2010-06-24T22:02:00.011-04:00

What a great ride today! Knowing that we had a big climb today, I made a point to get on the road immediately after I loaded my luggage, as I was excited to approach the summit.

I rode the first 30 miles with Kevin (from Pennsylvania) and Phil (from Chevy Chase, MD). The terrain was rolling, and we traded off pulls every 2 miles, and moved at a pretty good clip until we hit first SAG stop. At the SAG, we did our usual routine, although with the upcoming climb to Monarch Pass – an elevation of 11,312 feet – there seemed to be a mixed vibe of trepidation and excitement.

As expected, the ride to Monarch Pass was a great challenge. It consisted of a 9 mile climb at a 6% grade that had a little bit of everything – switchbacks, long straight-aways, winding roads with no shoulder or guardrail, etc. As you can imagine, the sights got prettier the more we climbed.

I felt awesome as I climbed. I don’t consider myself the strongest climber (i.e. I wouldn’t be a “KOM” in any bike race/tour), but I am confident that I have made a marked improvement in this area since the challenge began.

Reaching the summit was fantastic. Normally, I buy into the “be happy, but not satisfied” adage, but I gave myself a break today – getting to the top gave me great satisfaction. After a few pictures at the Monarch Pass/Continental Divide sign, my first thought was that I have jumped out of a plane at a lower elevation (10,000 feet) than where I am currently standing. Kind of a weird thought, I know. It must have been the lack of oxygen.

Knowing that the rest of the ride was mostly downhill, I took my time at the summit. I bought a “I made it to the top” t-shirt (great satisfaction – remember?) at the gift shop, and rode the tram that offered spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. Feel free to check them out in my photos from the day.

After departing the summit, I hauled it to Salida. I cruised between 30-40 m.p.h. for most of the initial downhill. There was one stretch, however, where I opened it up. There were no cars or trucks behind me, so I pedaled as hard as I couldon a straight-away and hit 50.4 m.p.h. – it was intense, but great fun.

Once I saw the speed hit the 50 m.p.h. on the bike computer I was, once again, satisfied. For me, there was no need to push it to go any faster. The remainder of the ride was very pleasant (losing altitude the whole way), and I made it safely to the hotel knowing that I conquered the Rocky Mountains!

Day 18 -- Montrose to Gunnison -- 64 Miles

2010-06-23T15:21:00.005-04:00

Today was a tale of two rides. The first fifteen miles were extremely challenging. It didn't help that I woke up to a flat tire. It was a good, old fashioned "hotel flat." If you ask me, I think Larry slashed my tire in the middle of the night. I am pretty sure he has it out for me, and I might have to start sleeping with one eye open to ensure my safety, and, more importantly, the safety of my bike (just kidding).

Anyway, back to the ride. The headwinds, a constant in this area because of Black Canyon, were in full force during the first fifteen miles. This first leg also consisted of a pretty intense climb to Cerro Summit, one of several summits of the Rocky Mountains. After cresting, the wind calmed down, we had a nice descent into the town of Cimarron -- home to one of the greatest pieces of pie I have ever eaten.

During last night's route rap, we were notified of the top quality pies that the Pleasant Valley Store had to offer. And who am I to turn down delicious pie? As you can probably tell from the picture above, I was "proud to partake of their pecan pie!" It truly was worth the pit stop.

Fortunately, after the pie, I was able to burn those calories right off with another climb to the Blue Mesa Summit. Here, I filled up my water bottles and continued to pedal away. I enjoyed another nice descent into the lonely town of Sapinero. The descent gave way to a gradual climb as we approached Gunnison.

Ordinarily, I would not classify myself as a big sightseeing guy -- I am usually not an outdoorsy type. But the ride from Blue Mesa until I reached the hotel in Gunnison was absolutely gorgeous. It sounds corny, but there were points along this stretch where I had goosebumps -- it was that breathtaking.

It made the miserable fifteen miles that began our day seem more than worth it. I tried my best to capture some of the scenes in the photos from the day, but, once again, I am concerned that they are not an accurate portrayal of what I saw today. Enjoy them anyway!

Big day tomorrow: we are climbing to Monarch Pass -- an elevation of 11,312 feet -- and we will reach the continental divide. Bring it on!

Day 17 -- Grand Junction to Montrose -- 72 Miles

2010-06-22T16:57:00.008-04:00

A very interesting day today! My new pal, Sue, gave us riders the option of taking the "scenic route" out of Grand Junction. Only 8 us took Sue up on her offer, and I am thrilled with my decision. It was so nice to get a feel for Grand Junction. It's such a charming town. There are times when we stay on the outskirts of various towns, so it's easy to miss out on the chance to check out what a place truly has to offer.

My favorite part of the scenic tour of of Grand Junction was finally finding a bike that fits me. It was phenomenal. Now, I know where to look for a bike next time I pedal cross country (just kidding, Mary -- this is a once in a lifetime thing... I think). In all seriousness, the trip through Grand Junction's center of town was a great treat, and it really set the tone for a fun day.

After the "scenic group" said goodbye to Sue (for now, as she will be joining us in St. Joseph, MO and finishing the tour with us), we made our way to Route 50, which is where most of our ride took place. Once again, we battled the wind, especially in the first leg -- a leg that also had some solid climbs to the first SAG. After refueling, we rejoined Route 50, went through the town of Delta, and eventually found ourselves in Montrose.

I stopped for a sandwich and an ice-cold, chocolate milkshake (guilt-free I might add) about a mile before I hit the hotel, and now I am mentally preparing for upcoming rides through the Rocky Mountains.

Day 16 -- Green River to Grand Junction (CO) -- 105 Miles

2010-06-22T16:02:00.005-04:00

I apologize that this post did not go up yesterday (computer issues), but I am back and happy to report a few items of business. First, our group completed our 3rd century (105 miles to be exact). Also, as you can see above, we have made it to Colorado -- Utah is in the rear view mirror!

Getting to Colorado, however, did not come easy. Our mileage was in the triple digits, as was the temperature -- some reports had it as high as 104 degrees. Boy, was it hot! But, at least there were no headwinds, and I am truly grateful for that.

I also suffered two flat tires yesterday. The first was about 3 miles before our 2nd SAG stop, and it was tough to swallow, as I was absolutely flying when the tire deflated. The second flat was on a downhill about 8 miles after the 2nd SAG stop.

Typically, I only carry one extra inner tube, and since I used it on the first flat, I figured I was stuck waiting for the support van once I received the second flat. Thankfully, however, it just so happened that about 200 feet up the road there was a woman shouting at me to walk my bike over to her so she could help.

As it turns out, this woman, Sue, is a native of Grand Junction, Colorado, and has done several cross country rides with the same touring group that has organized my current challenge. She knew we were approaching her hometown, and decided to wait along the freeway (I-70), hand out freeze-pops, and cheer us on as we approached the home stretch of the ride. It was so thoughtful.

When I finally made it to Sue, not only did she offer me an ice-cold freeze pop (the red flavor hit the spot), but she also hooked me up with an extra inner tube and a floor pump, and got me back on the road a lot quicker than I originally had anticipated. What luck, huh? It was awesome!

The rest of the ride went smoothly, save for the extra miles I decided to ride after incorrectly reading my cue sheet (map). Oh well, I eventually made it to the hotel, and slept well knowing that 3 states (California, Nevada, Utah) are a thing of the past.

I don't have many photos from the day, but please check out the few that I did capture.

Day 15 -- Price to Green River-- 66 Miles

2010-06-20T15:32:00.011-04:00

The headwinds continue to howl!

We had a pretty tough day today. I am not sure anyone was mentally prepared, as we were under the impression that today was going to be an "easy ride." Well, as easy as 66 miles can be that is. On paper, it did look relatively easy. We were going to be losing altitude all day, and were supposed to be able to buzz down some nice descents.

Once again, however, the wind had different plans for us. It fiercely howled in our faces throughout the day -- especially on the second leg. It definitely made things challenging.

That said, the views made it worth it. I realize that I write something like this nearly everyday, and I apologize if I am starting to bore you. But I mean it when I say it -- I have been fortunate to see some great things. It truly does make these headwinds a bit easier to bear. I hope that my photos from today prove how nice (and different) it is out here, and give you an idea of how lucky I am to be doing this challenge.

Happy Father's Day, Big D!

2010-06-19T21:48:00.007-04:00

In honor of Father's Day, I thought it would be nice to share some photos of the cross country trip that my father (AKA Big D) completed in 1990. Happy Father's Day, Big D! I love you.

Day 14 -- Provo to Price -- 80 Miles

2010-06-19T17:51:00.006-04:00

After our route rap last night, I figured that today's ride would not be anything special. Not every ride is filled with breathtaking sights and scenic views, and I assumed that today would be just an ugly, necessary ride to get us closer to finishing our goal -- nothing more, nothing less. Boy, was I wrong.

We tackled the Wasatch Mountains, and faced some challenges as we rode. Our first fifty miles consisted of a steady climb that brought us through an intesne wind vortex at Spanish Fork -- home to several new windmills -- and ultimately up the Wasatch Range to Soldier Summit. That by itself is a fairly tough ride. The road work that eliminated the shoulder made things even more challenging. And even when there was a shoulder, some genius decided that a rumble strip in the middle of the shoulder (rather than tucked in at the left next to the white line of the shoulder as it normally is), was a smart idea.

The last 28 miles were mostly downhill, although a serious headwind hampered us from cruising home nice and easy. In fact, I am not sure I have ever had to pedal so hard while going downhill to maintain a decent speed. In spite of these hurdles, the stunning views made it all worth it. I tried to capture some of the beauty in my photos from the day.

I know my mileage from my ride summary only adds up to 78. But, after the ride, I (along with Wade, Tony, and Fran) had a 2 mile, roundtrip ride to Church that gave me my 80 mile total. After all, I am trying to continue to be a good, Catholic boy in spite of my extensive travel schedule. Also, these 2 miles put me comfortably over the 1,000 mile mark for the trip (rather than at exactly 1,000 if I didn't go to church). It was a no brainer.

One last thing: Thank you, Holiday Inn Express -- Price, for putting your shower heads at a height that doesn't force me to strain my back and body more than I do when I am out riding the bike. Well done!

Day 13 -- Salt Lake City to Provo -- 65 Miles

2010-06-18T17:12:00.008-04:00

Although the result of last night's NBA finals game ended my rest day on a sour note, the day off in Salt Lake City was, overall, a good experience. As I mentioned yesterday, I enjoyed seeing all that this beautiful place had to offer. More importantly, however, the time away from the bike offered advantages from both a mental and physical standpoint.

Physically, I was able to recharge the batteries and recuperate from the first 11 days of the challenge. Mentally, I had time to remember (not that I could really forget) why, and for whom, I am doing this ride. Hence, the apparel choice for today (see above).

Today was a perfect opportunity to "ride with the girls." I believe that, often times, resting after a tough workout (or series of workouts) can lead to complacency, or a false sense of accomplishment. I wanted to make sure I remain dedicated to, and focused on, the task at hand. So, thank you, Farrell Sisters, for having my back -- literally!

Summary of the ride: We rode the first 20 miles in some interesting places. After departing the hotel, we found ourselves on a bike path located on Salt Lake Airport's property. Normally, I keep my eyes out for cars and trucks, but as I rode along this airport stretch, I was worried I was going to end up on a runway. Ultimately, I managed to stay grounded during this phase. That is, I did not go the way of the plane, or "pull an E.T."

The airport stretch gave way to another bike path, which was pleasant, but relatively crowded and full of tight turns and narrow bridges. As a result, we had to take it slow. Once we exited the path, I thought that I would finally have an opportunity to open it up and hammer away. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The rest of the ride was primarily full of strip malls, stop lights, and a great deal of congestion, which ultimately kept me at a slower pace than I would have liked.

That said, I was fortunate enough to capture some photos from the day, which, as usual, I encourage you to view. Some highlights include: pedaling through Sandy, Utah -- hometown of the fictional, "Big Loving Henrickson's." I thought for sure I would see either Bill, Barb, Margene, or Nicki -- no such luck. Cycling by Rio Tinto Stadium -- home of Real Salt Lake -- as well as Lavell Edwards Stadium -- home of BYU football -- was also a lot of fun. It was especially nice to pass by some sporting venues that were not basketball related, as it kept me from thinking about the Celtics' loss from last night.

Oh, man, now I am thinking about the loss again. Oh well, maybe dinner at The Sizzler tonight will take my mind off of it. That's right, The Sizzler. Don't be jealous.

Day 12 -- Salt Lake City -- Rest Day

2010-06-17T18:57:00.004-04:00

I really enjoyed my rest day today. I visited Temple Square where I learned about the history and beliefs of the Mormons and Latter-Day Saints. I also walked around Salt Lake City to see what it had to offer (quick summary: amazingly clean and very beautiful), and even got a chance to see John Stockton and Karl Malone (sort of).

Once again, I will let my pictures from the day do the talking. After all, it is my rest day -- why should I exert any effort by writing?

Day 11 -- Wendover to Salt Lake City (UT) -- 121 Miles

2010-06-16T18:02:00.008-04:00

Greetings from Utah! I sure am glad to be here -- it certainly was a challenge to get here. A fellow rider, Scott, described today's ride perfectly by referring to it as a "Jekyll and Hyde" ride. One minute we would be cruising, and next thing you know, we were getting blasted in the face by 35 m.p.h. winds (with gusts up to 58 m.p.h. -- according to the local news). It was pretty wild, but very rewarding to complete another century and change.

Once again, the majority of our ride was on I-80. I am told that we are done cycling on this crazy road. Although I referred to this interstate as "my new best friend" yesterday, I admit that I am relieved that those days are behind me!

The first 60 miles of our ride were beautiful. After crossing the Nevada/Utah state line, we pedaled along the Bonneville Salt Flats, and it was amazing to see all of the salt deposits, and was hard to believe that all of this dried up land was once a body of water as big as Lake Michigan.

After refueling at the first SAG stop, I re-entered I-80 and cycled away. The first 20 miles of this leg were fairly comfortable, and then the wind became quite a nuisance. I fought through it, until my first flat tire forced me pull over and do some repairs. A few other riders helped get me back on track, and I eventually made it to the second SAG stop -- 90 miles done, 31 to go.

The last leg was when the real Jekyll and Hyde wind showed itself. At one point we turned onto Highway 202, and we had to cross a bridge that went over I-80, just in front the Great Salt Lake Marina. I was shocked when I looked down at my bike computer to realize that I was pedaling 5.9 m.p.h. I realized that I was about 100 miles in at this point -- but, as Amy Poehler and Seth Myers would likely say, “Really, John? Less than 6 m.p.h. Really? You were on a bike going slower than most people run. Really?”

Two minutes later, I was doing 34 m.p.h. on a flat road, and was inching ever closer to the hotel. Take that, Amy and Seth! At long last, I ultimately found myself in front of the Comfort Inn, and I couldn’t have been happier (until, of course, I remembered that tomorrow is a rest day).

Please feel free to take a look at my photos from the day. Unfortunately, we did not cycle through downtown Salt Lake City, so I don’t have any photos of the area yet. I plan to take care of that tomorrow -- on my rest day. Did I mention that I don’t have a ride tomorrow?

Day 10 -- Elko to Wendover -- 108 Miles

2010-06-15T20:03:00.005-04:00

First century of the Cross Country Challenge is complete! Actually, we did 108 miles to be exact.

Although the views were beautiful throughout the ride, there is not too much to report. The ride was basically 100 miles on my new best friend, I-80. The other 8 miles were comprised of a stretch on Business Route 80 (parallel to the interstate), and a couple of turns off of exit 410 that allowed us get to our hotel and casino.

Please take a look at my photos from the day to get an idea of what I was fortunate enough to see all day.

I apologize for the brevity of this post, but the casino downstairs has Celtics pre-game and the Red Sox game, and I want to take advantage of watching both. It's not exactly my father's "man cave," but it'll do.

Day 9 -- Battle Mountain to Elko -- 74 Miles

2010-06-14T19:20:00.007-04:00

Great day to be on a bike. Donning our America By Bicycle cycling jerseys to celebrate Flag Day, the group loaded the trailer and made our way to Elko -- The Heart of Northeast Nevada (sweet nickname, I know).

Our first leg -- 25 miles -- was pretty straightforward (except for the part where I thought I was an extra in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"). I rode in a paceline with a few other guys, and we hammered away until we made it to the SAG stop.

The second leg -- another 25 (give or take) miles -- was a little tougher. It consisted of a 12 mile climb to Emigrant Pass. As I climbed, I thought about what my boy Steve Quinn likes to tell himself when he trains: "what goes up must come down." His statement was right on, as our steady climb gave way to a 10 mile descent, and ultimately the 2nd SAG stop.

The third leg brought us through Carlin Canyon, which was absolutely beautiful. I stopped to take several pictures, which can be seen here (along with my others for the day), and I was amazed at how peaceful and quiet things were in this area. It was so serene. The ride ended after a beautiful stretch of I-80, where I was able to see the Ruby Mountains in the distance. Truly amazing.

I eventually arrived at the hotel, cleaned my bike, grabbed some lunch, and am ready to rest up for tomorrow -- 108 miles to Wendover, Utah. By the end of the day tomorrow, I will be on the verge of adding another state to the list, and I will be a time zone closer to completion. We are making progress!

Day 8 -- Winnemucca to Battle Mountain -- 56 Miles

2010-06-13T17:01:00.011-04:00

Recovery ride today. Thankfully, the winds were not howling in our face. In fact, we finally had a slight wind at our back for most of the ride. I spent most of my day riding with Phil and Ken, and we were moving. Our first leg to the SAG stop (about 25 miles) went pretty fast, except for the last 4 miles where we climbed to Golconda Summit – an elevation of 5,159 feet.

Phil, Ken, and I quickly departed the SAG stop and hammered out the last 30 miles. We were flying! It was nice to ride at a nice clip and simultaneously hear myself think. It was even nicer to check into the hotel in Battle Mountain just after 10:15am.

Since we rode pretty quickly, I don’t have many photos of the day, but I welcome you to check out the limited few that I did take. In case you are wondering, Battle Mountain does not have much to offer, as it was once designated as the "armpit of America." That said, I am extremely thankful for the Laundromat across the street from the hotel. I feel like a new (cleaner) man.

Pedaling to Elko, Nevada tomorrow (about 75 miles), and hoping for some favorable conditions once again.

Day 7 -- Lovelock to Winnemucca -- 73 Miles

2010-06-12T19:08:00.004-04:00

Hello from Winnemucca, Nevada. Winnemucca: it just sounds like a place you should visit, doesn't it? Well, thankfully, 73 miles after departing OJ Simpson's new hometown, I have arrived, and I can officially say that I have been here.

Another tough ride today -- one that was basically broken up into thirds. From a headwinds perspective, the first leg had even stronger headwinds than yesterday. The second was about the same, and the third was not quite as grueling. Once again, we spent a good portion of our ride on I-80. Essentially, today's ride was a slightly smaller version of yesterday's ride.

Since I bored you to tears with the details yesterday, I will let my photos of the day do the talking today.

On a separate note, I want to thank you all for your continued support. I have received several encouraging blog comments, texts, emails, phone calls, etc. and I want you all to know that I am truly thankful and appreciative.

Day 6 -- Sparks to Lovelock -- 86 Miles*

2010-06-11T19:33:00.007-04:00

What a challenging day! We were scheduled to pedal 91 miles from Sparks to Lovelock. Let's dig a little deeper: 91 miles on a regular day is a challenge in and of itself. 91 miles primarily on I-80 East? That adds an extra level of difficulty. 91 miles primarily on I-80 East, with a headwind between 15-20m.p.h. (and gusts of up to 30m.p.h.)? Well, that's just downright wrong.

In spite of the unfavorable conditions, the gang hit the highway at our respective paces and fought bravely against the wind. And, I must say, the wind fought back -- hard. It was relentless. I felt like Sisyphus out there: everytime I thought I had conquered the wind, I was punished with more -- the wind was my boulder.

Early on in the ride, a fellow rider, Ken Coele (not to be confused with this guy), and I broke away from the "peloton," formed our own 2-man paceline , took turns pulling/drafting, and worked tirelessly until we hit the first SAG stop. After munching on a snack, and topping off the water bottles, we got back on I-80 East for 36 scheduled miles to the next SAG stop.

At SAG stop #2 we were informed that there was construction ahead on the highway, and that we would need to be shuttled 5 miles up the road in the SAG van. Suddenly our 91 mile trek turned into an 86 miler. To be candid, I was not thrilled with this news. It meant I would not be able to ride"EFI" (every 'fantastic' inch) for the day (I am a proud guy, and I like to be able to claim that -- what can I say?). Furthermore, Ken and I had to wait an additional 20-25 minutes until a few more people showed up because they would not just shuttle two of us.

After getting dropped just beyond the construction, we continued our ride, eventually exited the interstate, and pedaled another 14 miles on a service road parallel to I-80 East (read: same direction, same headwind). We finally made it into Lovelock, and ultimately to the Sturgeon's Inn and Casino where we will lay our heads tonight.

Unfortunately, I do not have many photos from the day, but you are welcome to look at the select few that I did take. I hope to take some more pictures at dinner tonight, mostly so you can familiarize yourself with the group I am with, so please check back later (UPDATE: added a few pictures, although dinner was kind of crazy so none of the group). But, if you cannot wait, and you really want more of idea of what I saw today, just click here, here, and here. Hey, it's not always mountain tops and lake views out here on the Cross Country Challenge!

Day 5 -- Truckee to Sparks (NV) -- 66 Miles

2010-06-10T18:28:00.007-04:00

Greetings from Nevada! That's right, California is in the past. I thought that yesterday's sights were beautiful, but today's were even better.

A quick recap of the ride: After 8 miles, we found ourselves standing in front of Squaw Valley USA: home of the 1960 Olympic Games. After a few pictures, we pedaled onward and eventually made our way into Tahoe City, where we cycled along Lake Tahoe. I know it sounds corny, but there are no words that can truly describe how beautiful the sights were. In fact, I am a bit concerned that I was not able to capture it in the pictures either. That said, I hope you can get somewhat of a the picturesque scenes in my photos of the day.

During our route rap from the previous night, we learned about a great bakery on our route -- Brockway Bakery. The group and I stopped in and enjoyed our respective pastries. I went with an almond bear claw -- it was awesome.

After the pit stop, we eventually crossed the state line and found ourselves in Nevada. We continued to pedal and made our way through "Incline Village," and onto Route 431 where we climbed for 8.2 miles straight. It was fairly steady (approximately 6-8% grade the whole time), but it was still 8.2 solid miles of climbing, but as you can imagine, there were some great sights along the way. Upon finishing that leg, we arrived at Mount Rose Summit -- an elevation of 8,991 feet.

After a quick SAG stop at Mt. Rose, we had a 16.7 mile descent down the mountain. Yes, it was fun going 35-40 m.p.h. for 16.7 miles, but it was extremely cold, and a bit intense. Since I was able to hammer out that 16.7 pretty quickly, I was on pace to get to the hotel before I was allowed to check in. So, I took my time, picked up a few necessities, ate lunch, and evenutally cruised to the Holiday Inn at a nice, slow pace.

Once again, I enjoyed another great day on the Cross Country Challenge.

Day 4 -- Auburn to Truckee -- 74 Miles

2010-06-09T19:59:00.007-04:00

I knew today was going to be a challenge. We were slated to pedal 74 miles from Auburn to Truckee -- a trip which included nearly 9,000 feet of climbing through the Sierra Mountains -- no small feat. And if that was not enough, I (along with the rest of the gang) pedaled the first 50 miles through pouring rain, howling winds, and (relatively) cold temperatures.

The last 18 miles of this first 50 was on I-80, which, given the conditions, made things extremely interesting. To put these 18 miles in persective: Have you ever seen a movie, or tv show where a person is standing idle on the sidewalk on a rainy day, and a car buzzes by and soaks them? Well, today, that person was me. And those cars? Well, they were mostly 18 wheelers. And that person alluded to above only got soaked once. Me? 20 times minimum. It was definitely a mental challenge, and I was psyched to finally pedal off I-80 at exit 165 and finally be done with the highway.

The last 25 miles were great. Don't get me wrong, they were a challenge (climb after climb after climb). Thankfully, however, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and it made things a little more pleasant. And the views -- well, I will let you check them out yourself. The snow capped mountains, the beautiful trees, lakes and other scenery made for a beautiful ride -- worth all of the climbing (I mean that).

Once I arrived in Historic Truckee, I made a point to find Squeeze-In: home of the best omelette on the planet. Unfortunately, once I arrived the kitchen was about to close so I was not able to order on omelette as I had hoped. On the brightside, I was able to meet and get a picture with Kay, daughter of the owner of this famous breakfast spot, and one of the girls featured in the Bobby Flay Showdown filmed there.

All things considered -- the rain, the cold, the mountain climbs, etc. -- today was another fun day. Oh, except for the part when I fell off my bike going over a set of railroad tracks about 30 miles in. Whoops! No worries -- no harm done.

Day 3 -- Sacramento to Auburn -- 55 Miles

2010-06-08T17:31:00.005-04:00

Exciting day today -- once I rolled into "Old Town Auburn" I encountered the first "person" taller than I am (see above). So what if it's a statue of a gold miner from the 19th century? In all seriousness, not much to report. The first 30+ miles of the trek was on the Jedediah Smith Memorial Bikeway. It was nice to knock off some miles and not have to concern myself with vehicular traffic.

After the trail ended, I hit the SAG stop, and pedaled with a group of riders until I decided to pull off and take some pictures. My photos of the day can be found here. I apologize that they are not in chronolgical order, and will do my best to make sure it does not happen again.

After losing the group I had been riding with, I hammered away on my own. It was nice to have some time and be with my own thoughts, and climbing some of the hills solo was a nice prep for tomorrow's big day through the mountains.

As I approached Auburn, I stopped at a deli for a sandwich, and then made my way to the hotel.... or so I thought. I ended up taking some wrong turns and ended up in Old Town. In hindsight, it was for the best as I wanted to see it anyway. Eventually, I made my way back to the hotel, but stopped at a bike shop to pick up some odds 'n' ends.

Now, I am sitting in the hotel room, contemplating whether to take a nap, or hit the pool. Life is good!

Day 2 -- Vallejo to Sacramento -- 70 Miles

2010-06-07T22:56:00.008-04:00

During yesterday's route rap, our cycling group was told that after a few tough climbs early in the day we would not have any other hurdles to overcome. This proved to be a little misleading. After the final big climb, the group was ready to hammer out our remaining mileage. Unfourtunately, we stumbled on some "road closed" signs posted on a chain link fence. Did that stop us from plowing ahead? Not exactly -- we figured hopping the fence with our bikes was a wise idea. Things got even crazier after that. We eventually found ourselves facing a "little hole" to get by. Or over. Or around. You get the idea.

As you can see from my photos of the day, we managed to find a ridge along the side of the chasm that allowed us to get to the other sides with our bikes. As I trekked along, I found myself a bit angry at how poorly this ridge was roped off, and how little attention had been paid to safety. Then I remembered that we illegally entered the site, quickly dismissed my negative feelings, and pedaled ahead.

The next 40 miles were great. We had a nice tailwind for the majority, and were able to cruise well over 20 m.p.h. for quite awhile. Furthermore, the scenery was great -- farmland, crops, animals. After seeing these great sights today, it's hard to believe I was in downtown San Francisco just 24 hours ago.

After stretching my legs and grabbing a snack at the SAG wagon, I pedaled another 15 miles, made my way through the campus at UC Davis, and came upon the sight that anyone mid-workout wants to see -- In 'n' Out Burger: the single greatest fast food burger joint around (Five Guys also deserves a shout out, but In 'n' Out is superior -- fact). As a cheeseburger lover, I felt obligated to treat myself to a double double (animal style of course).

After devouring the burger, I survived the self-inflicted food coma, as well as the final 15 miles to the Best Western-Sandman in Sacramento. Now, it's time to hydrate and get some rest. We have a moderate day tomorrow -- approximately 51 miles to Aubrn, CA -- and then we hit the Sierra Mountains.

Day 1 -- San Francisco to Vallejo -- 76 miles

2010-06-06T21:52:00.021-04:00

Well, folks, it's official -- day one of my cross country challenge is in the books. And what a day it was. After leaving our hotel in San Francisco, we encountered some rain and heavy fog after about 8 miles. This lasted for about 20 miles, so we had to brave the cold as we did our ceremonial rear wheel dip in the Pacific Ocean (see picture above). Furthermore, the fog hampered our ability to see the Golden Gate Bridge as we pedaled across. That said, it was still exciting to make the 1.7 mile trek over this famous landmark.

Strangely enough, as soon as we crossed the Bridge the sun began to shine brightly, and it remained sunny for the rest of the ride. We had a "SAG stop" (a required stop where all the riders sign in and have an opportunity to fill up water bottles and have a snack), and made our way through Sausalito -- an absoultely gorgeous town.

The rest of the day consisted of rolling hills, pedaling on major highways, bike paths, busy streets, quiet roads -- a little bit of everything. All things considered, I am pleased with how the day went, and am looking forward to getting after it again tomorrow.

Kindly click here to visit my pictures from the day (I have to load them on a separate webpage; otherwise, my blog layout goes out of whack. Side note: I welcome any tips on how to fix this without using a separate webpage).

Registration, Orientation, and Larry

2010-06-05T22:57:00.008-04:00

The time to pedal home has just about arrived!

Today was a pretty busy day. After registering myself in with the group leaders, I had my bike assembled, sat through the rules and regulations of the tour, and went for a quick 10-mile spin just to make sure that I remembered how to ride a bike, and to ensure that my bike was in working order.

After the ride, I met my roommate, Larry (pictured below). As you can imagine, I had no idea what to expect prior to meeting the guy I'll be bunking with over the next two months. And when we finally did meet, I admit that Larry was different from what I imagined. That said, I am thrilled to have him as a roommate -- what an inspiration. I am not sure how old Larry is (we are not "there yet" in our relationship), but to put it in perspective, he recently (November '09) lost his wife of 46 years, and is using this ride as an opportunity to get the "cobwebs out of his head and clear his mind." Pretty awesome, huh? Yeah, I thought so too.

After hanging out in the hotel room with Larry, we made our way to orientation. It was pretty informal (no trust falls or anything), but very helpful. We had a "route rap" (a discussion of the next day's ride), a walk through of a typical day, and we were given some nuggets of knowledge about what we should expect. It was nice to meet the rest of the gang, and I'll be sure to write about them once I become a bit more familiar with them. Until then, you will just have to keep on checking in on me to make sure that Larry and I are getting it done!

73 mile ride tomorrow -- over the Golden Gate Bridge, through Sausalito, and ending in Vallejo, CA. Wish me luck!

San Francisco Excursion #2

2010-06-04T20:20:00.004-04:00

I just returned to my hotel after another nice day here in San Francisco. Before I share some highlights with you, an item of business: I have not established a clear-cut identity for the blog, and I am not sure I will. My plan is to avoid it from becoming only detailed journal entry of my daily rides, or strictly a collage of pictures from my sightseeing experiences, or just a platform for me to rant and rave about things that are on my mind. I guess it's going to be a little bit of each (and hopefully much more) -- a smorgasbord of sorts. I am just hoping that, in aggregate, it's enough to keep you all following the blog.

That said, a couple of things to report. First, my bike arrived at the hotel today. I must admit that I had been harboring some apprehension until I saw the boxed up bike. I was nervous that my method of getting home would not join me on the West Coast in time.

Second, I had a great day in town – I spent some quality time at Pier 39 where I saw the Sea Lion-ebrities, and some of the other great attractions that this place had to offer. I also took a nice tour of Alcatraz Island – home to some of history’s most notorious criminals (including Southie's Whitey Bulger). And yes, I had Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris on the mind as I toured the island. Thankfully, however, I was not held captive on the island -- although I did spend a couple of minutes "in the hole" as you can see in the picture above (Side note: nothing is really made for people who are 6'8" -- The "hole" cells at Alcatraz are certainly no exception).

Scenes from the day:
Pier 39:

Sea Lions (or 'Sea Lion-ebrities' as they are affectionately called at Pier 39):

Pre-Alcatraz signs:

Alcatraz -- "The Rock":

A couple of scenic photos (foggy day so not ideal):

The Journey Begins

2010-06-03T23:20:00.007-04:00

I remember sitting on the stairs at my parent's house as I watched my dad leave town to embark upon his cross country bike trip twenty years ago. Today, it was my turn to head out to the west coast so that I can complete my journey. I have a few pictures to document how I spent my day.

7am (ET): Outside the front of my house ready to head to Logan Airport. Is it me, or is my hair getting grayer by the day?

8:45 (ET): Boarding jetBlue flight 635 for San Francisco. Overall it was a decent flight -- pros: a direct flight with the usual jetBlue perks, plus an empty seat between me (on the aisle) and the guy sitting by the window. Always nice, especially for a 6'8" guy like me. cons: the tv was on the fritz throughout the flight, and there were 3 babies on the flight (right behind me) that were screaming for a good portion of it. Thank goodness for headphones!

Approximately 2pm (ET): Channel 13 on jetBlue's "in-flight" TV. It illustrates how far we have traveled by plane. It was at this point where I had, as expected, my "wait a minute, I have to pedal this far (and then some) back home" moment. Bring it on!

Approximately 1pm (PT): Kindly welcomed to San Francisco by Mayor Newsom (sort of)...

After getting settled into the hotel room, I went into town. I walked around to see what San Francisco is all about, and subsequently found a sports bar where I ate dinner and watched the Celtics get smacked around. A couple of observations:

1. We've all seen it in movies, but the hills in San Francisco are no joke. Although I captured a handful of pictures to prove it, Lombard Street is the only street I will share. Below are my amateur photos (notice the cyclist pedaling down the hill in the first one), but I recommend looking at a professional picture to get a true sense of what this street is all about:

Lombard Street:

2. I realize that I am in California, but I still found myself surprised at how many Lakers' fans were wandering around town. I know that San Fran has a huge Red Sox following, so I guess it's too much to ask for them to like two Boston teams. Oh well -- I mostly kept to myself anyway, but the people I did interact with were extremely friendly in spite of my allegiance to the Celts.

3. I found San Francisco public transportation to be fantastic (and very clean). The hotel I am staying at is off the beaten path (READ: Holiday Inn Express at SFO Airport), but getting into town was fairly easy.

Much as it was twenty years ago with my dad, It was tough to say goodbye today. I am definitely going to miss my family and friends. However, as I have said in the past, I remain convinced that this challenge is going to be a truly memorable experience -- and today kicked things off right!

This Thing Is Really Happening

2010-05-19T12:51:00.007-04:00

I just got off the phone with the group that organized my upcoming trip to finalize some logistics on transporting my bike to San Francisco. Upon hanging up, I was immediately hit with some stomach butterflies. It was one of those "wow, this thing is really happening" moments. It was not the first time I experienced one of those moments, and I am certain that it will not be the last.

That said, I admit that I am extremely excited for the adventure. I am confident that the bike trip will be an experience filled with memories that I will forever cherish. I am equally confident that I will not regret my decision to take on this challenge in spite of how much I know I will miss my family and friends while I am gone.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, my plan is to blog on a daily basis once the trip begins. I hope that all of you will continue to visit the site, and I thank you all for the continued support!

Digging Deep

2010-05-17T21:43:00.010-04:00

Today I received a heartfelt, handwritten letter from a dear family friend, Michael. It was so kind and thoughtful. Rather than share all of the details of the letter, I prefer to share a couple of snippets and the poem that Michael included.

The poem is called "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley. Yes, this is the same poem that served as the source of inspiration for Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment, and is the title of the Matt Damon/Morgan Freeman movie depicting the events of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Side note: Invictus is a terrible flick. Don't get me wrong, the storyline itself is great, but director Clint Eastwood phoned this one in. I love Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, but somehow they were not given much to work with.

And although I did not enjoy sitting through the Invictus movie, I admit that I really like the poem, and I thank you, Michael, for sharing it with me. I, too, plan to "use it on days with I have to 'dig deep' to make it through" -- on the upcoming bike trip, and beyond.

As someone who, in the past, has scoured the internet in search of inspirational quotes that speak to me (Admit it, you've done it too), I can say that the poem below is among my favorites. As Michael mentioned in his letter to me, it's nice to know that "when all is said and done, I have the strength to finish what I started." I could not agree more, and I will undoubtedly be reading this poem in 20 days -- right before I pedal over the Golden Gate Bridge and make my way East. Thanks again, Michael!

Invictus

by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

A Good "Time"

2010-04-28T20:43:00.033-04:00

With the help of family and friends, I hosted a LCRF fundraiser party (or -- as we South Bostonians say -- a "time") this past Friday. I am so thankful for all of the support and generosity from those who were able to attend. It was an extremely humbling experience. In aggregate, the party helped me raise over $12,000 -- I am quickly approaching my goal!

That said, I leave you with some pictures from the "time", and I thank you again for your continued support.

Bike Trip Fundraiser Party

2010-03-30T12:45:00.009-04:00

I am hosting a fundraising party for my bike trip on Friday, April 23rd, at The Seapoint (367 East 8th Street - South Boston). A $20 dollar donation at the door is recommended, and there will be free appetizers, cash bar, and an opportunity to win several raffle prizes.

It will be a great time, and I look forward to seeing you there. If you cannot attend, but are interested in purchasing some raffle tickets (you do not have to attend the event to claim a prize) please feel free to email me at mrjohnhurley@yahoo.com, and keep in mind the following details for raffle tickets that are being pre-sold:

1. 50/50: 100 tickets are being sold at $100/ticket. The drawing will be held at the event. $5,000 will go to the lucky winner, with the other $5,000 going directly to LCRF. If you do not one to buy a ticket individually, please feel free to split a ticket with a group of friends.

2. (3) Big Items Raffle: Jonathan Palpebon autographed ball coupled with a pair of Red Sox tickets, an iPod touch, and a BluRay player with assorted movies are the items on the docket. Raffle chances for these items cost $1 per, and $10 for a book of 12.

There will also be raffle tickets items available for smaller items (e.g. gift certificates) at the event.

Once again, this event will be a great time, and I look forward to seeing you there. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me about any questions, concerns, or comments, and feel free to forward this information along to anyone you think might be interested. Thanks, everyone!

A Trip Down Memory Lane...

2010-03-26T20:00:00.001-04:00

At long last, the pictures from my father's bike trip (LA to Boston, 1990) have been found. A special thank you is in order to my mom and sister for finding them, as well as to Matt Trainor for scanning them in for me.

I don't have much to say other than these pictures are in no particular order. Rather, they are a random assortment that I chose to post in an effort to give you a feel for Big Jay's "Pedal for Power" experience from 20 years ago. Enjoy!

I will be sure to post more of these great pictures soon.

Denise

2010-03-20T21:13:00.006-04:00

As many of you know, a major factor in my decision to pedal across the country is to honor my aunts, "The Farrell Sisters." To date, I have only written in depth about Maude, but I pledge to write about the others --Katie, Eileen, and Betty Ann -- soon. Given the past 72 hours, however, I feel the need to write about Denise.

My uncle, Bobby (my mom's brother), was married to Betty Ann for over thirty years until she lost a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Upon her death, Uncle Bobby, my family, and I were crushed. We wondered why God would take Bobby's bride -- someone so incredibly special -- at such a young age?

Bobby, the charismatic, singer extraordinaire, was in store for some trying times. Having already buried his younger sister, Katie, in July '04, he then buried Betty Ann in August '05, and two of his three remaining younger sisters, Eileen and Maude, in November '05 and February '09 respectively.

After Betty Ann's passing, Bobby was blessed with love once again. Denise Cogliano came into Bobby's life and taught him that it was okay to live life to the fullest and to love again. She possessed such a caring personality and a positive outlook on life. Her light shined brightly on us Farrells and Hurleys, and the fact that she and Bobby found each other was such a special blessing.

Yesterday, Denise died unexpectedly. Once again, Uncle Bobby, my family, and I are crushed. Once again, we are wondering why God would take someone so incredibly special away at such a young age. We are devastated.

Denise, my entire family is eternally thankful that you became such a special part of our lives, and, most importantly, in Uncle Bobby's life. We miss you already, and we love you dearly.

A "Lung" Way To Go For Respect

2010-03-20T18:43:00.019-04:00

Before I get to business on this blog, I'd first like to apologize to my "followers" for the delay between posts. With midterms, training, and everything in between, this past month has been quite a whirlwind. That said, I admit that it has been nice to hear requests for an update. I am pleased to know that you have an interest in reading what I write. Well, either that, or you need something to distract you during work. Either way, I am happy to oblige, and I thank you for your continued support.

Yesterday, I had a great meeting with Deborah Walsh, executive director for LCRF. After months of peppering her and her wonderful staff with countless emails and phone calls, it was nice to finally chat in person. Our discussion was very enthralling, but there is one story that Deborah shared with me that continues to bother me.

Deborah began to tell me about the history of LCRF, and its founder, Laurie Carson. Prior to starting LCRF, Laurie worked for a prominent cancer treatment institute (name purposely omitted -- let's call them the "group"). During her tenure, Laurie decided that she wanted to step up her efforts for "the group," and she offered to organize a fundraiser in an attempt to raise money and awareness to lung cancer.

Much to Laurie's dismay and chagrin, the "group" turned down her offer. They told Laurie that they did not want to be associated with lung cancer, or the smoking stigma that comes with it. Upon hearing this, I immediately wished that I had the opportunity to be next to Laurie when she was snubbed -- I would have went all sorts of Al Pacino on the "group."

For the record, I do not condone smoking, and I do not disagree with the fact that lung cancer is directly correlated to smoking; not in every case, but many of them. But, after all -- cancer is cancer, right? I believe that efforts to cure cancer should be appreciated across the board; there should not be a game of favorites between its variations.

My sister-in-law, Cristie, said it perfectly by proclaiming that lung cancer is not a "sexy cancer." To keep things in context, Cristie also noted that she does not "begrudge any of the phenomenal groups who raise funds and awareness for other types of cancer," rather she thinks that "they should all be important and in our faces all the time." I could not agree more, Cristie. Well said.

Unfortunately, the reality is that people like Deborah Walsh, Laurie Carson, and the rest of the LCRF staff have a "lung" way to go until they get the resepect they deserve in their endeavor to bring lung cancer to the forefront of people's minds. I am just glad that I can help do my part with the bike trip.

Missing Mottie

2010-02-02T17:18:00.005-05:00

By and large, my training has been going very well. I have been tracking my progress with the help of my friends at Travis Cycle (Side Note: If you ever want to learn about cycling, or are interested in buying a bike, Mark Travis is the man to talk to. Don't let the unorthodox website fool you), and overall, I have been feeling great from a physical and mental standpoint.

Today, however, was tough. I walked into the living room and I saw the same indoor trainer, the same bike, the same seat, and I immediately felt exhausted. I was just not feeling it -- my legs were sore, and my stomach felt unsettled. It was just one of those days -- we've all been there.

I figured that I would hop on the bike and pedal my way through it. I started hammering away, but I continued to feel sluggish. I started watching tv as I rode, but that was not enough of a distraction to help me overcome the dreaded fatigue factor. I put on the "workout playlist" on my ipod in a desperate attempt to step things up. No luck -- nothing was working.

And then it dawned on me -- today is the one year anniversary of my Aunt Maude's death. Maude, or "Mottie," as she was affectionately known to me and my siblings, immediately became my source of inspiration. Mottie was more than my aunt. She was my Godmother, a friend, a confidant, and someone whom I could always rely on. She is one of the four "Farrell Sisters" that I am honoring in the cross country challenge.

As I continued to ride, I mentally brought myself back to all of the great times that I was fortunate enough to share with Mottie -- the movies at her house, the long talks about life, the "Tuesdays with Mottie," which represented the years worth of Tuesday nights that she spent babysitting us Hurley kids so that my parents could work nights and provide for us. I could go on forever.

As I remembered her, my sluggishness immediately vanished. In fact, I had the best bike workout to date. Even in death, Mottie, as usual, came through. There are times (READ: always) when I wish she was physically still with us, but I find great comfort in knowing that I can easily recall so many happy memories of a woman who was taken from this earth far too soon.

Although Mottie was on my mind a great deal today, especially because it marks the anniversary of her death, you can be sure that she is on my mind each and every day. I know that there are people out there (some who even follow this blog) that are in the same boat.

So, Mottie, if you're reading this from "upstairs," I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Not only for today, but for everything throughout my life. I love you dearly, and I miss you terribly. You can rest assured that I will complete my cross country challenge in your honor (and in honor of the rest of the beloved "Farrell Sisters"). I will not let you down -- how could I? Lord knows you never let me down.

Another prideful perspective

2010-01-18T21:00:00.010-05:00

I have always been fascinated by my father's cross country bike trip stories. It is apparent that his bike trip was such a positive experience for him; the places he visited, the sights he saw, the friends he made -- he loved it all.

To this day, it is not uncommon for me to be watching some obscure movie with dad, in his "man cave" of course, only to be startled when he bellows (for those of you who know "Big Jay," you know what I mean), "Hey, check it out... That's Santa Fe. I was there on my bike trip. What a beautiful place. I was RIGHT THERE!

These moments often trigger dad's memory, and he goes on to tell me about his experience on a particular ride. He recalls everything with such great detail, and he tells his stories with such great pride. And I love hearing all about it --I always have.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to hear a new perspective. Same idea, different person. Dan (pictured above, right) and I worked together on the construction of Boston's newest, swankiest hotel and residences - the Mandarin Oriental. Dan is your classic "take pride in his work" type, and he has bailed me (and many of my former colleagues) out of more pinches than I care to admit.

Dan is also an avid cyclist. He pedaled across America in 1996 (virtually on the same route that I will be taking). Additionally, he toured through Switzerland, France, and Germany over the course of 10 days. Most recently, Dan "rode the west" -- he pedaled from Astoria, Oregon to Newport Beach, California. Suffice it to say that Dan is the man -- the guy gets it done!

When I told Dan that I was doing a cross country trip, he suggested that I join him and his wife for dinner at their house so that he could share with me his cross country experience. I was happy to oblige.

It was great to hear about all of Dan's cycling experiences. I had a great time looking at his binder full of memos, maps, and memories as well as the countless photos that documented his voyages. But what I found most fascinating was the smile that Dan wore and the sense of pride that he exuded as he told me about it. I have so many times seen that same look and swagger in my father.

I immediately became even more fired up for my upcoming trip (I did not think that was possible). Although I have observed the sense of pride that comes with completing a cross country bike trip in both Dan and in my father, the reality is that I truly cannot relate to it. I appreciate it, and I respect it, but I am not a member of the cross country club -- not yet, at least. But I will be soon enough! Until then, it's back to training.

It's like riding a bike... Right?

2010-01-05T20:47:00.013-05:00

Thus far, in my journey of becoming a cyclist, I have found myself thinking about the age old adage, "it's like riding a bike." I appreciate that this saying transcends cycling, and has become a cliche used in so many life situations. But on a literal level, I love the fact that riding a bike, a fun childhood experience for so many of us, is something that becomes ingrained in your brain once you learn how to do it. You never forget the basics -- what could be better?

Unfortunately, the basics are all I have going for me right now. The "little Johnnie Hurley" you see above, in the mid-to-late 1980's picture taken in my backyard with my injured father, knows about the same amount of information about cycling as the "not-so little" John Hurley of today (I promised myself I wouldn't refer to myself in the 3rd person on the blog -- whoops!). That said, I am proud to say that I am making progress.

I have been hammering away on my indoor trainer, and I feel great from a physical standpoint. I have enjoyed countless articles and websites about cycling and everything associated with it - you name it, I'll read it. I have bought some great books on bike training and long distance cycling. I have received more emails about road-bike trails in Massachusetts than I care to admit. I am on my way!

And, while I remain a rookie in all things cycling, I am having fun with the learning curve. I am eager to become an expert, but I am thoroughly enjoying the experience of working my way up.

The best part? Even if I don't learn everything there is to know -- if I am not sure whether I am producing enough wattage per pedal stroke, or I don't find out which bib shorts are best for my lanky, 6 foot 8 inch frame, nor do I discover what chamois cream is best for preventing and treating saddle sores (gross, I know. But what do you expect after hours and hours of sitting on this?) -- it won't matter that much in the grand scheme of things.

Because when I find myself on this challenge, in the middle of the country, exhausted from the day's ride, the only thing I will need to know to get me through are the basics -- and those you never forget. Again, I ask - what could be better?

It's Official - I Am Pedaling Across America

2009-12-18T14:12:00.008-05:00

Welcome to my blog, and thank you so much for visiting the site.

As you see in the "About Me" section, I do not consider myself a cyclist. Unfortunately, for you, I consider myself to be even less of a blogger. That said, I will try my best to keep you entertained (I hope you are still reading), and hopefully that's enough to keep you coming back. My goal in this first post is to summarize the answers of any who, what, where, when, and why questions that may be out there. So, without further ado, I respectfully submit the following:

The purpose of this blog is to write about my experiences leading up to, and during, my upcoming bicycle ride from San Francisco, CA to Portsmouth, NH. I have decided to participate in this cross country challenge to:

1. Raise $20,000 for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF). There is more information about donating below.

2. Honor "The Farrell Sisters" -- Four of my aunts who recently passed away; Each of them passed before the age of 50, and two lost grueling battles with lung cancer.

3. Accomplish my dream of completing a cross country cycling trip; a dream that has been mine since my father completed the feat 20 years ago (He pedaled from Los Angeles to Boston).

I depart from San Francisco on June 5th, 2010. 3,847 miles and 52 days (45 days of cycling, 7 rest days) later, I will arrive in Portsmouth. Between now and the start of the trip, I intend to periodically give updates about my training, my previously mentioned fundraising endeavor, and other random tidbits that pertain to this challenge.

Once my ride begins, I plan on posting on a daily basis. I will talk about how I am faring both physically and mentally, discuss each day's ride, track how many miles I have traveled (per day and overall), detail some of my sightseeing experiences, complain about how much I miss my beautiful wife, and provide other stories that will hopefully keep you visiting the blog.

I hope that you will consider helping me reach my $20,000 fundraising goal by making a tax-deductible donation. If you are able and willing to donate, please click here, or on the LCRF logo at the top of the page. Also, please write "John Hurley - Bike Trip" in the "How did you hear about us" or "Tribute" section of the page.

Given the recent downturn of the economy, I understand that making a donation is quite a sacrifice. But please know that any amount that you can contribute is both welcomed and greatly appreciated. I sincerely thank you for considering to help me raise money for a truly great foundation.