I am bike packing across America from West to East coast for 90 days covering 5300k.  I am terrible at navigation, have never changed a tyre on a bike and can’t remember how to put up a tent.   This is going to be hard!.   I am doing this with a couple of friends who are splitting the ride with me. One is going to do the first 6 weeks and the other the second.  Annette, who is riding the first leg  is super organised, brilliant at Navigation and technically superior all round .

I have every confidence that I can get from a to b on this stretch without going round in circles and having learnt a few skills along the way.  Amy, who is on the second leg is also a good mechanic but like me, less organised and navigationally challenged; this could be ‘ interesting’ but she’s Irish too so I expect she wont care about getting lost. If we make the flight out of the US on the 9th of August it will be a miracle I am not too sure why I am doing this. It seemed like a good idea at the time having read a book about someone doing it for 6 months on their own and I thought “ why not?”. I can ride a bike ok, I am fairly fit and ‘ other people’ always seem to be doing cool things so I thought I would have a go .

In the meantime, through Annette, I have been introduced to a great charity that helps younger people with cancer and also focusses on the important of exercise during and after a cancer diagnosis.  Having had breast cancer in 2021 and being a bit of an exercise addict I can really relate to this charity ( apart from the bit about being young)  and therefore I am hoping to raise a bit of money for them by doing this trip.

My husband Adam has set up a website https://www.i-ride.net/ we’ll update with blogs and photos to keep a bit of enthusiasm and motivation going ,  but also to keep me motivated when at some point I have a meltdown about my grey roots and unshaven legs You can find out more about the charity here and link here if you would like to donate.   It’s a 5400k trip and would love to be able to raise a £1 a K. Most of them are up hill on a very heavy bike so I’m hoping it’s achievable! 

That’s it for now - wish me luck.

Marion

www.i-ride.net