Trans American Electric Bike Tour Experiences
Why Are People So Nice to Bicyclists?
posted by Anna
Boris and I have had our fare share of travel experiences. For us, one of the beautiful things about extended travel is connecting with people – people who are kind, interesting and willing to give you a hand if you find yourself in a bind. Boris experienced this on his many car breakdowns while traversing Africa, and I have seen it too when living with local families in Peru and Ecuador. But I think both of us can safely say that we hadn’t experienced true generosity in our home country, the great US of A, until this tour.
Everywhere we turn, we find that people willing to lend more than a hand. They offer us food, lodging, and best of all, friendship.
We’ve had almost 30 nights of stays with either Airbnb or Couchsurfing hosts. Almost every host goes out of their way to be welcoming and accommodating. Some have waited outside their homes to see us ride in safely in the dark, cold rain. Others have brought milk and cookies to our room. Some have even given up their own beds for us! Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 40 – A Mile High in the City
posted by Boris
Day #40
Miles Covered Today: 43
Hours on The Road: 4.00 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 2,333
Where We Are: Denver, Colorado
Day Overview: The silhouette of mountains in the distance was almost like a mirage. After spending 8 days in the High Plains, there is a tendency to forget that any other form of terrain even exists. But it was there – becoming more defined with every mile that I got closer to Denver. Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 39 – Ghost Towns of Middle America
posted by Boris
Miles Covered Today: 55
Hours on The Road: 4.50 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 2,290
Where We Are: Byers, Colorado
Day Overview: When I spent the previous night in Anton, CO (population: 7), my host – Elva – and I spent some time chatting on the porch in the evening.
We talked about the little towns. Towns that are located far away from the Interstates and that have been going through a slow, but never-ending deterioration as the traffic, people and life have been moving away from them. Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 38 — No Man’s Land
posted by Boris
Day #38
Miles Covered Today: 88
Hours on The Road: 8.00 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 2,235
Where We Are: Anton, Colorado
Day Overview: The day started off to a late, leisurely start. There were only 52 miles planned until the next destination, so there wasn’t much urgency to getting on the road early. That turned out to be a mistake.
At around 11 am, fully packed and ready, I pulled my bike into a gas station in St. Francis, KS. They had a small sit-down area inside and were the only operating place in town to get some breakfast.
As the staff was making the eggs in the back, I started chatting with a few locals who were sitting next to me. “You may want to stock up here” they said – “after you leave St. Francis, it becomes somewhat of a no man’s land for the next 140 miles.” Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 37 — Looking for Dorothy
posted by Boris
Day #37
Miles Covered Today: 88
Hours on The Road: 8.50 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 2,147
Where We Are: St. Francis, Kansas
Day Overview: People who have driven cross-country will often report that Kansas was the most uneventful and boring part of their trip. In a car, perhaps. There’s not a whole lot to see, so people will tend to push the pedal to the metal and plow through the state.
But on a bicycle, it’s a different story. It’s an incredible feeling that overcomes you once you enter the prairie. Its wide open spaces, big white clouds that hang right over you, and the lack of any trees and vegetation simply accentuate how enormously large the plains are. And as you’re cycling through the open road – completely on your own, with nothing and nobody for miles – it feels… quite incredible.
Next Scheduled Event: Denver, CO on Monday, May 21st. See full schedule of future stops.
