Trans American Electric Bike Tour Experiences
[Road Brief] Day 36 — From Bikes to Cars and Back to Bikes Again
posted by Boris
Day #36
Miles Covered Today: 77
Hours on The Road: 7.50 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 2,059
Where We Are: McCook, NE
Day Overview: Riding on the nondescript stretch of Highway 30 – or the Lincoln Highway – may not appear significant at first glance, but it actually is quite important, as it carries a tremendous amount of history to it. History that is particularly important to cyclists!
Before departing on this trip, I’d read a book about the beginnings and expansion of Interstate highways in the US – Earl Swift’s – The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways. It may appear to be an obscure topic, but I often wondered about this amazing feat of engineering, human ingenuity, and determination. Once you consider just how much of a role the superhighways played in the economic growth of the US and how much we all rely on this mammoth road network in our day-to-day lives, you can’t help but wonder how it all came about. Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 35 — In Good Company On the Road
posted by Boris
Day #35
Miles Covered Today: 70
Hours on The Road: 8.50 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 1,982
Where We Are: Holdrege, NE
Day Overview: I was about midway through the day’s distance when I saw a couple of people walking on the highway’s shoulder towards me. It certainly presented an unusual sight – and one that is not a particularly common one either. Of even more interest was the SUV following right after them with its flashers on. I couldn’t help but stop biking and approach them to find out what was going on.
The guy just kept going, but the woman stopped. As it turns out, they are a husband-and-wife team who are walking 1,000+ miles from Colorado towards Illinois to honor the son they lost in the war. The SUV was their support vehicle, piloted by another person riding along for support. We spoke for a bit, but after a few moments, they had to press on to keep to their schedule. How well I know that particular taskmaster. Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 34 — The Wind Is A Harsh Mistress
posted by Boris
Day #34
Miles Covered Today: 80
Hours on The Road: 10.00 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 1,912
Where We Are: Grand Island, NE
Day Overview: Prior to getting on the road each day, as a part of the morning routine, we generally check on a few things. The weather by the hour, elevation charts for the route and now – especially in the Midwest – the direction of the wind. When you spend hours and hours outside every day, these little things – oftentimes inconsequential in our day-to-day lives – become really important on the road. Continue reading
When we began to plan the route for this trip, we had several agendas in mind. The most important was to pass through centers with a strong bike presence, so we could learn what different cities across the country are doing to promote bicycling. We did some research and came across Bicycling.com’s “America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities,” which was the basis for our initial destination choices.
By the time we had mapped our final route, we were excited about seeing some of those Top 50 places firsthand to learn what makes them bike-friendly. Though we’re not yet halfway done with the tour, we’ve already gained a lot of knowledge and insight into what various cities are doing to encourage cycling and introduce it into mainstream culture.
So, how exactly does a city qualify to be placed on a list of the top 50 bicycle-friendly cities? Continue reading
[Road Brief] Day 33 – The Long Trek Across Nebraska Begins
posted by Boris
Day # 33
Miles Covered Today: 66
Hours on The Road: 7.00 (including breaks)
Miles Traveled Since Beginning: 1,832
Where We Are: David City, NE
Day Overview: Fantastic day on the road today. Beautiful weather, no wind, and little traffic on the road – what more can a cyclist ask for? If it continues this way for the next week, Nebraska may end up being one of the most pleasant stretches so far!
An interesting realization also struck today. In the entire 30+ days on the road, I have yet to see any other long-distance cyclists pass me by. I certainly realize that there are an infinite number of routes that other people can take, but considering that there are quite a few people crossing the country or a region by bike each year, I’m still hoping to run into at least a few. Continue reading
