Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

For most of you that know me, well you'll know I can be a little  spontaneous at times, I dont always follow a conventional path in life and like to do things in my own way. Recently I've been doing quite a bit of cycling and had a crazy idea, whilst sat in traffic on the M4 the other week, I wondered whether it would be possible to cycle across america? something I've always thought about doing on a Harley.... 24hrs later I've googled it and I'm signed up to ride 4200 miles from Seattle to Boston yes on a bike, no pistons involved!!!...It's a 9week organsised tour with around 30 other nutters of equal mental instability! Somedays over 100miles a day with 6000ft + climbs. Now  if I'd thought about this for to long I would have definatley convinced myself I was to unfit!  so a bit about the trip...

p.s just to annoy the americans you will note I've shown the date format  the propper way round the english way!

FINAL UPDATE WEEKS 5 - 9

Through the flat lands of wisconsin and minnessotta, mountains passess and hills behind us we had some fantastic days, flat and fast much more my style!, hey I even managed a stage win one day covering 85miles and back in by 11.45am. I think the elite peleton may have been sight seeing of having to many latte stops that day! Had my first crash of the tour, no permenant injuries just very liitle skin left on my arm!

Crossing over lake michigan on a steam powered ferry, and then heading east towards new england, We had a sunday stop in Lake Placid in New York state, hosts of the 1980 winter Olympic Games, Ofcourse I couldnt leave without a dry run in the bobseleigh! $65 well spent even though it was over in 45 seconds!

Through New york state we rode by picturesque lakes, Vinyards and encounterd hills for the first time since the big mountain passes of washington, wyoming and south dakota.  In compraison these hills were hardly worth changing gear for! In the final week we crossed 4 of the new england sates and eventually reached the atlantic on saturday August 18th at About 2pm we had a police escort through the seaside town of gloucester massachuttes and rode in convoy down to the atlantic shoreline. 

UPDATE AFTER WEEKS 3 & 4

Spent the last two weeks crusising through wyoming and south dakato. We had the biggest day of the tour on thursday of week 3 in the Big Horn Mountain Range in Wyoming which was just short of 100miles with over 9000ft of climbing. Naturally I was a little concerned about such a feat of endurance, so emabraked on the challenge with a 5am start to make sure I got in before dark! I thought the rockies were bad enough  but this took things to a whole new level....one hill which went on for 35miles! evntually it was beaten and I set about a 50mph decent overtaking a truck and two trailing cars....well if they will hog the road at a pathetic 30mph what do they expect...I dont think the truck driver was to impressed at being overtaken by a little fella on a push bike!

things didnt exactly go smoothly this week! we were forced to go through a 30mile stretch of road works which involved freshly laid gravel on  tar... not advisably on a road bike. I had my head down on the areo bars and was pushing along a 20mph when the back wheel suddenly locked solid...I fought to stay on the bike and very luckily did to find the derailleur sheared off and jammed in the wheel, so with no gears and a buckled wheel in the middle of nowhere I was suddenly very glad I had been sane enough to do a supported tour! an hour later and I was able to continue the last 25 miles on a someone else's bike who kindly volenteered to get in the van so I wouldnt have to break the continuity...thanks Sheree!!! Luckily the mechanics put new gears on and straighten the wheel.

Im starting to be extremly envious of the weather you'll all having in the uk I will never again curse rain and 17oC summers days. Staurday was a day sent by the devil... temperatures well into the 40's with a 30mph head wind which is basically like dragging 10bags of sand through a blast furnace... features of the day were a bend in the road and the odd tree! i think about 15people gave in and got in the van, ofcourse stubourn determination got me through it and I evntually landed at a very welcome air conditioned hotel in Pierre South Dakota.

so its been eventful and full of highs and lows, we're approaching the halway point now my odometer reads 2036miles. still a very long way to go, but pending extreme weather the trip should be getting a little easier from now on, we start week 5 tomorrow on our way into Minnesota. its a great bunch of people we're having some pure comedy moments and the changing landscape has been epic.

UPDATE AFTER WEEKS 1 & 2

Hi All, I'm well under way now with the first thousand miles behind me. Now to say it is tough would be an understatement so far we've had torrential rain, searing heat into the high 30's, Snow and 30mph head winds. Now for most of you that know me particulary the ski trip boys, you'll know im not really a morning person well this is like boot camp, breakfast is at 6.30am!!!... I was so tired the other day i had tea in my bowl and porrige in a plastic cup!!! Now before you even thick about breakfast at 6.30am you have to pack up your tent and load all your gear into the van! so i now have a morning ritual of alarm on snooze until 6.00am,first job is to rub chamois cream into my ass then cycling shorts on and then start to decamp !!! the yanks are super keen there's furious activity from 4.45am every morning!!!! as you would expect my tent is the last left standing! now thers is an option to camp indoors in the school gyms... but there are a few serial snorers in the group so ive soon learnt my lesson there!

So to cross a continent you need to do some serious mileage every day, anything below 75 miles is an easy day... i think we may have had one! and the biggest is 106miles! should have been 102 but a thought !'d add a few miles with a wrong turn! we've crossed three states Washington, Montana, Idaho and now in Jackson Wyoming. The mountain climbs have been enough to put me in a coffin... i was going so slowly yesterday (2.9Mph) the bike barley had enough stabilty to stay upright! so in summary worst day so far has been 75miles into 30mph head winds constantly uphill all day in saering heat!!! and the highlight would have to be flying down a three lane highway (287) with a fierce tail wind at 35mph without even pedling... 45mph if you made an effort... oh and 56mph land speed record down the backside of teton Pass was pretty good to if not a little worrying at times!

so in summary is physically unbelievably tough but the landscape is Epic!

thanks for all your donations so far, I really apprecaite it...messages of support or piss taking will be most welcome

p.s. out of the 33 coast to coast riders doing the full 4200 miles so far about 10 have been in the SAG van (basically had to get a lift) I am not one of those 10 and have vowed to ride every inch no matter what it takes (the slogan adopted is EFI (Every F'in Inch)!!!!

 

 

 

 

Week 1 Washington, Idaho, Montana 16/6/12 - 23/6/12 - 605 miles

I'll be starting the tour in the washington waterfront area (Seattle) dipping my rear tyre in the Pacific ocean (must keep it official!) heading east, the route will traverse the snowcapped cascade mountain range down into picturesque valleys, crossing whitewater rivers of idaho through wine country and across the Grand Coulee Dam the eighth wonder of the world 26,200ft climbed in the first week with a very sore ass!... I'm sure I'll be looking forward to a day off at the foothills of the rockies ready for week 2

Week 2 Montana - Wyoming 24/6/12 to 30/6/12 - 456Miles

Commencing through the breathtaking scenery of western Montana before embarking on 8400ft climb into the heart of the rockies (now bear in mind that my ass will be in shreads at this point and the fact that I dont do hills, this is a little concerning! Not to worry the descent down into jackson should increase my average speed a peg or two!...dangermouse (as the ski boys know me!) will be flat out.... speeds you'r friend.... has got me into trouble in a number of occassions.

Week 3 Wyoming State 1/7/12 - 7/7/12 - 505Miles

Heading on east via two of americas most famous landmarks the Grand Teton mountains and Devils Tower, (made famous by the movie close encounters) the route crosses Wyoming's diverse landscape of mountains, high plateaus and grasslands. Wildlife spotting on route with elk, moose, deer and bears... bears blimey!!! now been the joker I am, I will ofcourse be taking a few salmon and some honey to hide amongst my companions kit!!!

Week 4 Wyoming - South Dakota 8/7/12 - 14/712 - 458 Miles

Continuing on east along the needles highway through the shadowy blackhills We'll pass by Mount Rushmore where I'll ofcourse try and stop for a photo with ex presidents. Across the plains of native america the tour contiunues into the Badlands National Park. More wildlife to spot on route will include eagles, anetlope, bison and prairie dogs, concluding the week in south dakotas capital Pierre for a well erned cold beer!

Week 5 South Dakota - Minesota - 496 Miles

Around 2000miles in now the midway point into the heartland of north america, the route crosses the rivers and streams of south dakota and throuh the lake covered woodlands of minnesota, riding beside stunning lakesore paths this is one of the best bike trails in the US. Concluding in small town of northfiled where locals apparently foiled a famous Jesse James Robbery. By this point I'll be standing up for all meals and sitting down in comfort will be a distant pleasure!

Week 6 Wisconsin 22/7/12 - 28/7/12 - 410Miles

The tour continues on east through quaint towns along the Mississippi through the rolling countryside of Wisconsin onto Beaver Dam, the route follows the Kettle Moraine Scenic Byway towards Lake Michigan.

Week 7 Michigan - Ontario 29/7/12 - 4/8/12 - 512Miles

The week starts in the historical harbour of Luddington Michigan and heads through the rich forrests of mount pleasent, Passing through a 19th Century bavarian Village towards the Canadian Border into Ontario. Cycling along the tranquil north shore of lake Erie towards Port Dover with its soft sandy beeches and home of the world largest freshwater fishing fleet. The week Concludes at the thundering Niagra Falls.

Week 8 New York State - 5/8/12 - 11/8/12 - 438Miles

Following Lake Ontario's south Shoreline we cycle through Alexandria Bay famous for its thousands of islands, this is one of the most picturesque weeks passing through lush wine contry vineyards, cystal blue-green lakesand feilds of radiant sunflowers. The week concludes in lake Placid, a year round vacation mecca.

Week 9 the Home Run to Boston 12/8/12 - 18/8/12 - 375Miles

Not long to go now now after nearly 4000miles a 375mile ride is beginning to sound like a sunday morning run to marlow with a ham and chese toastie stop! Starting at lake placid with a all day descent towards lake champlain, we'll catch a ferry across to Burlington Vermont (no thats not cheating I wont here a word of it!) Apparently passing Ben & Jerry's flagship factory I'll be needing to catch up on a few calories at this point!, through the green mountains of vermont and white mountains of new hampshire we'll head on down towards the boston coastline and the atlantic shore to dip in the front tyre and celebrate with the coldest beer I can find...

4200 Miles Epic!

Im sure you're worn out just reading the intinery.... spare a thought for my poor ass!!!, but more importantly this is for a great cause that really can make a difference to some young lives, so your donations will be very much appreciated.

Look forward to catching up with you when I get back, ill try and keep you informed with a weekly blog for your amusment!

Greg