Bicycle ride across America, 1998

by Larry Gorden

 

On May 1, 1998, Alfred "Jake" Jacobson and I set out on a bicycle journey across the United States.  This was Jake's idea, he had done it years earlier with another friend from his home town in the Boston area.  We took a little different and easier route than Jake's previous journey where they went over the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Our trip went pretty much as planned; we completed the 3202 miles in 34 days.  The pictures tell the story.

 

Click on map for high resolution image (700 KB)

Click here for Pictures (~6MB)

Trip summary with brief comments.

Day Miles Avg MPH Climb (ft) Time (hrs) Flats Stop Location Comments
            Newport Beach, CA Start
1 113.0 11.2 6120 10:02 1 Morongo Valley, CA  Hard day! Too many problems
2 82.7 12.1 2870 6:48 1 Amboy, CA Max temp 102 deg F
3 84.3 12.0 3180 7:00   Needles, CA Got onto I-40
4 89.5 12.2 5150 7:19 1 140 & Hy 93 +2, CA Camped beside freeway
5 89.3 10.1 8020 8:53   Williams, AZ Climb, rain, hail = tough
6 93.3 14.1 2140 6:39 1 Winslow, AZ Beautiful day, good ride
7 88.5 12.3 2950 7:11 2 Chambers, AZ Good day, rolling hills
8 113.6 13.8 3580 8:17 1 Grants, NM Thunder storms around us
9 83.2 14.2 2810 5:54 3 Albuquerque, NM Flats suck!
10 109.7 13.5 4250 8:09 1 Santa Rosa, NM Good ride after initial climb
11 153.6 18.0 3890 8:32 4 Dalhart, TX Strong tail wind! Yee Ha!
12 76.4 13.2 650 5:49 5 Guymon, OK Flats REALLY suck!
13 91.6 13.5 2010 6:42   Fowler, KN Temp upto 97deg F, humid
14 86.3 12.7 1270 6:48   Pratt, KN Camped in city park
15 119.8 17.6 1320 6:50   Florarice, KN Morning stormy but cleared
16 106.6 13.3 2760 7:57 1 Overbrook, KN Bird shit on my head!
17 57.3 12.0 2180 4:47   Overland Park, Some R&R at brother’s house
18 99.5 11.7 4900 8:27   Carollton, MO MO has hills!
19 111.3 13.6 3230 8:09 1 Monroe City, MO Temp up to 96 dog F, humid
20 41.1 10.9 1860 3:48   Quincy, Il Pounded by bad thunderstorm
21 125.1 12.1 3060 10:18   Pekin, II Thunderstorm, longest day!
22 60.8 10.2 4810 5:58   Chenoa, II Thunderstorm AM, head wind
23 90.9 10.1 820 8:57   Remington, IN More head winds = hard day
24 101.3 13.0 2000 7:48   Huntington, IN Drenched by rain after dinner
25 112.8 15.0 890 7:38   Findley, OH Excellent day, good ride
26 105.9 13.1 2090 8:05   Brunswick, OH Too much traffic
27 103.6 11.6 5340 8:58   Meadville, PN Amish country, hilly
28 71.1 10.4 5550 6:55   Falconer, NY More hills, stop at bike shop
29 113.6 12.8 5720 8:54   E. Avon, NY some light rain, good day
30 106.7 11.6 7400 9:15   Casenova, NY Beautiful day, hard ride, hills
31 46.7 11.7 3500 3:59 1 Richfield Spr, NY Storms, tornados chasing us
32 103.0 12.4 6820 8:17 1 Pittsfield, MA Cool, wind mostly favorable
33 111.8 11.4 6710 9:47   W.Boilston, MA Over the Birkshier mountains
34 51.8 12.0 2130 4:17   Revere Beach, MA Bitter/sweet ending
Total 3202.0   121,980   24    

 

Article in Malden (Boston suburb) newspaper.