Jacumba, CA

The actual fence between US and Mexico. Eighteen feet high. Steel beams filled with concrete. Upsetting to see. Makes an arbitrary line of division so real...

Border patrol was swarming around the area. They even eyed us as we took a picture.

We talked to some locals from Jacumba (located just yards from the border) and they are actually all against the fence. They said the fence was a waste of money, an eyesore, doesn't even keep out illegals and an inconvenience as many used to cross the border routinely and easily in order to shop and explore. Now the nearest crossing point is 35 miles away and they then have to drive back 35 miles on the Mexican side just to get where once was a mere 500 feet away.

Locals said that many Mexican families gather with their Mexican-American relatives around the fence, on each other's respective "sides" on Sundays. They have bonfires and drink beers. So appalling to know that there is a fence to make them physically divided.

Lake Morena, California

2 flat tires and hot (!!) weather. Turns out biking across the country isn't a walk in the park...

Lake Morena is beautiful, though.

Early start tomorrow.

Ma Tar Awa, Alpine, California

Great first day of riding. Produce is cheap. 20 avocados for $5!!

La Jolla, San Diego

A cruise around. Testing new equipment and catching up.

Ben's Welcome

Hello and welcome.

I just arrived in San Diego from New York.  It will now take 2 to 3 months by bicycle to cover the ground which a plane flew over in five and a half hours.  There are many reasons why I am embarking on this bike trip across America.  Adventure, exploration, exercise, and self-discovery are the first to come to mind.  There is something unique about traveling by bicycle, you experience the land in a deeply intimate way.  There is no window or metal cage separating you from the outside world.  You feel, hear, and smell that which you are traveling through.

I am eager to continue my study of American history by hitting the road and exploring my country in all its diversity.  While I bike through 12 or more states I hope to learn the local stories of their people and their towns.  As the presidential election gears up and inevitably divides the country, I want to see what it means to be an American and if such a definition really exists.  What do we have in common and what makes us different?  Is there merit to the phrase "E Pluribus Unum?"

We will start our trip on Wednesday morning by dipping our rear wheels in the Pacific ocean.  When we reach the Atlantic we will conclude by dipping our front wheels.  In between we will be riding through the dramatic landscapes of the southwest, over the mountains of the rockies, and across the great plains of the midwest--camping, couchsurfing, and staying with friends and family along the way.  The route is (nearly) fully planned although many uncertainties lie ahead.  I do not know fully what to expect or what I will learn, but I suppose that is the point. 

I will be keeping a personal travel diary but do not anticipate writing too much on this blog while on the road.  The blog will mainly serve to update our followers on our current location, and we will be periodically uploading photos and providing some more details and thoughts.  If we wind up coming anywhere nearby please let us know and all are welcome to meet up at any point along the trip.  Email may be difficult at times, but our cells will be on us and all welcome to text or call us at any point.

Thanks for supporting and following us as we set forth. 

-Ben   

The Beginning (by Mike)

It all started, for me, two summers ago, back East, in my New York City suburban hometown. Ben had just finished his PacWest bike trip from Seattle to Los Angeles and I had just come back from a trip to Rome, Italy with my brother. We found each other back in Hastings taking a break: Ben, a physical one, and myself, a mental one.

Ben indulged me with talk about his biking adventure and articulated the incredible sights, sounds, and feelings that one experiences while self-propelling a body 1500 miles on a bike, exposed to all the elements. I fell in love with the idea of his trip. It contained exploration, physical conditioning, mental focus, but most of all — freedom.

The time back in Hastings was fun. It was filled with old friends, high school memories, and run-ins with exes. The trip back home was refreshing but the thing that stuck in my mind was Ben's bike trip.

I saw Ben one last time before leaving back to Redlands, California. We said our goodbyes and wished each other the best. As the train pulled into the station to take me to the airport Ben mentioned that he was planning a bike trip for after graduation (two years down the line). This one would be a little more ambitious  — across the country. He casually stated that if I wanted to come I was invited. My last words before the train left were, "If you're serious, I'm in."

...

Fast forward twenty months to February 2012. I was in California at university back from a semester abroad in Italy (I fell in love with the culture two summers prior during my first trip with Alex). I was on my dorm bed procrastinating reading for my African American Literature class while my mind was running through possible post senior-year plans. The bike trip plan came back to me. I reached for my phone and payed Ben a call. It started with, "Hey, Ben. Remember that bike trip you were telling me about?"

It was set — after graduating I would be returning home, to New York, by bike. 

After the conversation I was excited. The idea was awesome and I loved telling people about it.

Yet, in typical Michael fashion, I had put off any planning for the last second. The last semester of school flew by and I soon found myself still without a bike or a single mile ridden with only one month until go-time. Yikes! 

I quickly went out, dropped some cash, purchased a Trek 2.1, and magically found a cycling group (Redlands Water Bottle Transit Co.) during a solo-ride to Mount Rubidoux in Riverside, California.

I soon turned into a cycling enthusiast. I slammed 700 miles over the course of the next thirty-some-odd days. (I owe so much to RWBTC. They took me under their wing, trained me, taught me, and encouraged me for all these days. They did it all out of the kindness of their hearts and the love of the sport. Without them I could not be where I am right now; as prepared either mentally or physically) 

I was so focused on cycling that graduation just seemed like a small event that was just getting in the way of my trip.

...

Graduation came and went. I got my diploma, a kiss from my Mom and a handshake from my Dad. It already feels like the past even though it only happened three days ago. 

I am now sitting in a loft-apartment in San Diego. Instead of being days away from the trip, I'm now hours. I'm energized by the idea of it all feeling high. 

Here we go, baby. 60+ days, 3500+ miles, 2 friends, and lots of open road. 

Let's go!!!!