Iowa Girl, Biking Across America (If I Can Do It, So Can You): Bike Tour Blog
Photos
All of us come to points in our lives where we ask ourselves 'What am I going to do with my life? What happens next?' Some of us go to college, grad school. Get a new job, make a five year plan. Or...go on a bike tour! That's what I decided to do.
I'm riding my Surly Long Haul Trucker on the TransAmerica route from the Oregon coast to Iowa, hopefully in time for RAGBRAI. I'm carrying everything with me, and I'm doing it by myself.
Planning my trip over the last 10 months, many people I talked with expressed interest in the idea of doing a bike tour but usually admitted that it didn't seem like a reality...costing too much money, taking too much time, not feeling fit enough, and the fear of going alone were the common excuses given.
I'm NOT a cyclist. Before this trip I had never ridden my bike more than 30 or 40 miles in flat Iowa, and I have been known to fall off my bike or ride it into objects not blocking my path. I make my living working as a waitress. My bike maintenance knowledge extends to knowing how to patch a flat tire, but I've never actually tried to do it.
If going on a bike tour is something that you really want to do, then it IS possible. With no money, no muscle, no experience, no company and even no balls, I'm riding my bike across the country. And if I can do it then you can.
Join me next week as I update you on week one... Crossing my first mountain pass.
Ambar de Kok-Mercado
4:37 pm on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Yay!!!!
B.A. Morelli
5:05 pm on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
What a great adventure. How many miles per day do you think you will ride?
Alison Gowans
10:07 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Since I know Jaime has limited internet access, I'll reply on her behalf. Based on where she is on the map, we're estimating she's traveling about 50 miles a day at the moment. Anticipating more per day once she's out of the mountains.
Jon taiber
7:19 pm on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
You are amazing! Good luck and I hope to see you in IowA by ragbrai
Larry fitzpatrick
9:34 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Jaime, two of my kids and I did the same thing in 1999. It's an awesome adventure!
Alison Gowans
10:06 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Larry - do you have any advice for her on her trip?
Jerica Gritsch
3:15 pm on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Good for you, wish I could do it with you. Here's to tailwinds and keeping the tire side down! :)
Aaron Thomas
8:11 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Is this the only place to follow her? Reminds me of the documentary 10mph.
Alison Gowans
10:58 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Hi Aaron - Yep, this is the only place to follow Jaime's trip. If you sign up for the daily newsletter, you'll see new posts in your inbox. http://cedarfalls.patch.com/newsletters
Alison Gowans
10:59 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
I haven't heard of 10mph, what's it about?
Randi Shannon
6:16 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Good for her! Life is an adventure-Go go go!!!
Terri Holliday
8:36 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Wow..you are amazing:) I will watch your progress. Good luck to you!
Kak Pierson
5:30 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012
HI!!!!! I am Iowa girl too :) I am doing RAGBRAI and would love to meet you!
Richard Barringer
6:31 pm on Friday, December 14, 2012
This is an amazing story I have rode the southern tier twice florida to california with little funds. Camped the whole trip Doing it again in feb. 2013 but this time I will have my big social check. Ha Ha. Plan on riding to las vegas
Ryan James Phillips
6:37 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Hi. I'm 22 years of age and totally lost in life. I have a job and most things to satisfy my life, but I long for adventure! I currently live in the uk. I recently visited a friend in Poland and over a couple of drinks and a few doobs we came up with this idea of traveling America on a bike with an engine. My friend is more clued up with the technical side of how we going to this so all I want to know is it possible for two foreigners to do this? We both would be first timers in the USA. Can we be totally clueless? Would it be easy to get one off jobs to fund our trips from point to point? We plan on camping. Is it possible to do this for charity maybe?