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Bernie Schmidt's Excellent Cycling Adventures

Cycling is a rather late discovery for me and I'm pleased to have found a kinestetic activity that motivates me with a goal - yes, I was doing the health club thing, but it seemed so industrial - all these earnest people pounding away on state-of-the-art fitness equipment, in rows with blaring music/TV feeds/iPods/whirring equipment - it wasn't enough to exercise for the sake of exercise

So I came up with a "stretch goal" that would inspire me to pick myself off the coach and exercise regularly because now I had a "gaining idea" - I was exercising to be able to pedal across the United States on my own.

My Trip across America - connect the dots

cycle across america

Over several years I have been cycling across the US one segment at a time, taking the most southerly route possible, first along the US-Mexican border, then the Gulf of Mexico.

Trip by car using interstate highways 2,350 miles / 3,800 km
Journey by bicycle on secondary roads 2,800 miles / 4,500 km

I'm a travel minimalist with a desire for creature comforts - I pack lighter than most for a bike trip: tools / food / water / one change of clothes.

I have a daily goal to get to a town that has a motel and a restaurant. My exercise regime back in Toronto was to make sure that I was fit enough to pedal 100 miles/160 km per day for a week at a time.

Trip Journals

Best Story Days:

Feb 1998 - Day 4
Douglas - Lordsburg:
A Train in the Desert

Fall 2005 - Day 3
Alpine - Del Rio:
200mi/325km in 1 Day

Fall 2006 - Day 3
Boulevard - Yuma:
Mountain to Desert to Dehydration

Fall 2006 - Day 5
Gila Bend - Ajo:
Ricki, Bombs and Coppermines

Feb 2008 - Day 4
Galveston - Cameron:
Ferries, Bridges and Hurricanes

Fall 2008 - Day 6
Lake City -
Jacksonville:
The Final Day

 

Geographically:

San Diego CA -
Tucson AZ

Fall 2006

Tucson AZ -
El Paso TX

Feb 1998

El Paso TX -
San Antonio TX

Fall 2005

San Antonio TX -
New Orleans LA

Feb 2008

New Orleans LA - Jacksonville FLA
Fall 2008


Chronologically:

Feb 1998
Tucson AZ -
El Paso TX

Fall 2005
El Paso TX -
San Antonio TX

Fall 2006
San Diego CA -
Tucson AZ


Feb 2008
San Antonio TX -
New Orleans LA

Fall 2008
New Orleans LA -
Jacksonville FLA



 

 

 

Copyright 2005-2010 bernie schmidt all rights reserved