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