States: Nine (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin.)
Miles: 2,678.
Days: 39 (37 days of riding, 2 rest days.)
Average miles per day, including rest days: 68.7.
Average miles per day, NOT including rest days: 72.4 .
Total elevation gain: 101,221 feet.
Most elevation gain in one day: 8,674 feet on day eight.
Hardest day: Day eight.
Highest elevation: 9,200 feet on day five.
The single biggest sustained climb I’ve ever done, according to Strava: 5,585 feet on day five of this tour.
Number of 100+ mile days: Five.
Number of days greater than 90 miles but less than 100 miles: Five.
Flat tires: Zero .
PSI of my tires at the start of the tour: 50.
Number of times I put air in my tires during the tour: Once, on day thirty-four.
PSI of my tires when I finally put air in them on day thirty-four: 20 (front) and 22 (rear.)
Bicycle equipment that I can recommend without reservation: Teravail Sparwood tires.
Weight of bike with everything on it: Approximately 75 lbs.
Number of bottles of Nyquil consumed, so I could sleep while I was bothered by a cold and cough during much of the tour: Three.
Number of times I fell down: Two. Once when I couldn’t get unclipped while stopping while climbing on day five, and once when I slipped getting into the motel shower on day six. The second fall was actually scarier than the first.
Meat eaten: None.
Cheese pizzas eaten: Many.
Chocolate milk consumed: Several gallons.
Question I was most frequently asked: The same as on every tour I’ve done – Variations of “You’re by yourself? Aren’t you afraid?”
Most annoying question I was asked: A tie – Variations of “Are you carrying a gun?”, and variations of “How many miles do you get out of those tires?”
Scary traffic incidents: One – A few feet after I turned left out of the motel parking lot on day thirty-nine.
Unkind people: One – The very large, very angry man at the hotel breakfast on day thirty-five.
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Start: Morro Bay, California, June 15, 2024.
End: Manitowoc, Wisconsin, July 23, 2024.
States: Nine (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin.)
Miles: 2,678.
Days: 39 (37 days of riding, 2 rest days.)
Average miles per day, including rest days: 68.7.
Average miles per day, NOT including rest days: 72.4 .
Total elevation gain: 101,221 feet.
Most elevation gain in one day: 8,674 feet on day eight.
Hardest day: Day eight.
Highest elevation: 9,200 feet on day five.
The single biggest sustained climb I’ve ever done, according to Strava: 5,585 feet on day five of this tour.
Number of 100+ mile days: Five.
Number of days greater than 90 miles but less than 100 miles: Five.
Flat tires: Zero .
PSI of my tires at the start of the tour: 50.
Number of times I put air in my tires during the tour: Once, on day thirty-four.
PSI of my tires when I finally put air in them on day thirty-four: 20 (front) and 22 (rear.)
Bicycle equipment that I can recommend without reservation: Teravail Sparwood tires.
Weight of bike with everything on it: Approximately 75 lbs.
Number of bottles of Nyquil consumed, so I could sleep while I was bothered by a cold and cough during much of the tour: Three.
Number of times I fell down: Two. Once when I couldn’t get unclipped while stopping while climbing on day five, and once when I slipped getting into the motel shower on day six. The second fall was actually scarier than the first.
Meat eaten: None.
Cheese pizzas eaten: Many.
Chocolate milk consumed: Several gallons.
Question I was most frequently asked: The same as on every tour I’ve done – Variations of “You’re by yourself? Aren’t you afraid?”
Most annoying question I was asked: A tie – Variations of “Are you carrying a gun?”, and variations of “How many miles do you get out of those tires?”
Scary traffic incidents: One – A few feet after I turned left out of the motel parking lot on day thirty-nine.
Unkind people: One – The very large, very angry man at the hotel breakfast on day thirty-five.
Kind, helpful people: Many.