My Adventure: by Dale Simonson
I thrive on adventure at times, so when my 4 college roommates and I decided to have a mini reunion in Ventura, California two months before my first real job was set to begin in New York City, the rather spontaneous idea of bicycling across country to my new life on the East Coast popped into my head. Winter was still pretty much in full force at home in Minnesota, so my preparation consisted of purchasing a bike, panniers, and a tent, and putting in 3 or 4 sessions on the stationary bike at my parents’ health club. Then I boxed up my bike for the flight to California, enjoyed 3 days of fun with my former roomies, and joined them on our last morning to dip my rear tire in the Pacific Ocean before pedaling off into the unknown.
And what an unknown it was. It was pre-Google Maps and pre-smartphone days and I had only purchased a California highway map the day before. From that day onward, I always figured out my route on-the-fly, stopping at a gas station every time I crossed a state line to purchase the next state’s highway map. Never when I started pedaling in the morning did I already know where I would spend that night. If I felt good, I’d pedal 100+ miles in a day. If I felt lazy, I’d perhaps peddle 70 or 80 miles. 45 days later, after pedaling 3,600 miles through 12 states, I reached Wilmington, Delaware where I borrowed a friend’s car for the final drive to New York City and my new desk job.
My sleeping circumstances varied as much as the changing scenery. Surprisingly, I used my tent only a half-dozen nights. It was mostly just dead ballast that I schlepped across the country. Instead, wonderfully kind strangers invited me into their homes over a dozen nights. Other nights I slept at a fire station, under picnic shelters, in an office building, an abandoned trailer, and out under the stars in my sleeping bag. Once each week I treated myself to a motel room, and I luxuriated in even better hotel accommodations for the 5 nights my parents joined me to leapfrog with their car and bikes, taking turns pedaling along with me.
I had no idea what to expect from the adventure, but what I discovered was truly extraordinary and has shaped my perspective on the country and on humanity ever since. Regarding the country, I was amazed at the grassroots view of a huge range of sub-cultures as I progressed state to state eastward. Such diversity, all within the same country. Regarding humanity, I gained a refreshing appreciation for the goodness in human nature. Wherever I went, I met kind, friendly and generous people. Granted, as a solo traveler with a Midwestern friendliness on a heavily laden bicycle and a clean-cut appearance, I was an approachable curiosity that made it easy to meet people. But the extent to which so many strangers went out of their way to help me is forever etched in my memory.
Advice to Others:
The most important message I want readers to gain from my experience is that an adventure like this need not require much preparation or money. There’s a huge price range for bicycles, but there is no need for anything particularly fancy or expensive. Used equipment would not be difficult to come by, and could reduce costs significantly with zero impact on the experience. Rural motels are not expensive if you want the occasional night of proper lodging, but camping out works equally well. My only other cost was food, which is a daily expense regardless of whether you hang out at home on your couch or go on a cycling adventure. For preparation, I essentially did nothing other than purchase a flight to the West Coast and purchase highway maps. I could have pre-routed and pre-scheduled the entire journey, but there was no need to and it would only have served to diminish the daily sense of adventure and anticipation as to where I would spend the next night.
As for the time commitment, it admittedly does require a lot of that. While I crossed the country in 45 days, 60 days would have been a more comfortable pace. That said, if time is a limiting factor, one could break it up in shorter stages, or just cross a single state, or do whatever your situation permits.
The beauty of crossing the country by bicycle comes in many forms. It’s a fast enough means of transportation to make good daily progress down the road, but slow enough to see all the sights and soak up the local culture. It is also what I would call an approach means of transportation – especially if traveling solo. It is far more likely for a stranger to engage you if you ride into town on a bicycle compared to arriving on a motorcycle or car like everyone else. They want to hear your story. And then there’s the physical challenge, and commensurate gratification, of crossing the country under your own power. Talk about an eco-friendly way to travel.
My final advice is, don’t over-analyze the decision and don’t back down out of perceived dangers. I was shocked at the number of people who asked whether I packed a gun – presumably out of a distorted belief that such travel is inherently dangerous. Look into some statistics and you’ll discover the biggest danger is falling off your bicycle. Just take basic precautions, like travel on lightly-trafficked roads with wide shoulders, wear bright clothing, avoid rough neighborhoods, let someone know where you are each night… Just get out there, discover the country, and have the adventure of a lifetime!