Finishing what I started

In 2019, I rode my bike from Chicago, IL, to Amarillo, TX, along the historic Route 66 highway. Now, six years later, I'll complete the journey and ride on to Santa Monica Pier in LA.

Street marking along Route 66

One of my favorite quotes is by the Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen. He intentionally wedged his ship, the Fram, into the polar ice floes, trusting that the current would carry him toward the North Pole. His innovations in equipment, clothing, and travel methods would go on to influence generations of polar explorers. He says:

"it is within us all... our mysterious longing to accomplish something, to fill life with something more than the daily journey from home to office. It is our ever present longing to surmount difficulties and dangers, to see that which is hidden... it is the call of the unknown, the longing for the land beyond, the divine power deeply rooted within the soul of man… the force of human thought which spreads its wings and flies where freedom knows no bounds."

Cycling from one city to another in a first-world country along a defunct highway—where countless others have ridden before—is hardly a dazzling act of exploration. And yet, every few years, I’m overtaken by a powerful desire to shake the captivity of my ordinary world. To shed complacency and become one with the elements. To push my body and mind until they move in sync. To see beyond the boundaries of routine. To remember that anything is possible.

Six years ago, I planned the first half of the trip in eight days, bought a bike, and rode 1,200 miles in 17 days. My preparation amounted to answering two questions: “Will there be a bike available in Chicago when I land?” and “Can I keep my legs moving for eight to nine hours a day?”

This time, I have the luxury of a four- to five-month lead-up. I even own a bike.

I’m going to use this space to document the planning, the training, my evolving fitness and nutrition—and, of course, the ride itself. Join me as I prepare for the journey and discover what it does to my body along the way.

Me pretending to be at the end, History Museum on the Square in Springfield, MO. A must visit!