I'm going to cycle across the US!

No I haven't ridden a bicycle and about 15 years, but I'm going to do it! How hard can it be? 😟
I am headed to Portland on August 10th to be with my beautiful daughter when she gives birth to myEn savoir plus
The bike

I found the bike that I'm going to ride. It is a beautiful black Novara Safari. I bought it from a great guy named George who has helped me out tremendously !
Now I have to work on learning to rideEn savoir plus
1st ride

I took the bike out for the first time today. I was a little wobbly at first, but overall not too bad.
I rode for about 4 miles... I may not be able to walk tomorrow
accomplishment!

Doubled my time on the bike today! 10 1/2 miles!!! Crossed the beautiful Willamette river. I am so excited about this trip!
Getting better

I'm actually not riding more than 11 or 12 miles a day, but the ride has definitely gotten easier. My legs aren't shaking when I get off the bike. My butt is adjusting. and i feel like I could justEn savoir plus
Gear

I think I have but just about everything that I need for the trip. Just waiting for the panniers i ordered to come in so that I can pack everything!
Yes all of this is supposed to fit into two bagsEn savoir plus
25 miles!!

Today I biked the 25 miles to my daughter's house! I went through some crazy Portland Hills with insane inclines. So steep that twice I had to get off my bike and walk up the hill, but I made it!
IEn savoir plus
1week to go!!!

This time next Sunday I will hop on my bike and head toward the coast. I'll travel all the way down the 101 into California, through the Redwoods, then slowly trek my way east till I (eventually) getEn savoir plus
Four days left!

I can't believe it's so close!
Here is an updated gear picture. I look back at the first gear picture (and chuckle) All of this is going to fit on my bike. . . . .?🤔🤔🤔
2 days till takeoff

This is it! This bad boy is packed up and ready to go!
Practice ride

Today I decided to take my loaded bike on the 22 mile trek to my daughters. Google Maps lead me on some crazy bike trail that ended up kicking my already sore booty. I didn't eat right and I ran outEn savoir plus
Today is the day!

loaded up and on my way!!!
Day 1

52.4 miles. I am impressed with myself :)
Today was cloudy and chilly.
Didn't really have to climb much.
This is what I am most worried about with the weight on my bike.
Locus maps took me to aEn savoir plus
Day 2:

Today was not a particularly good day. I rode 58 miles with an extremely sore rear end, and constant pain in my left knee.
My route today had a lot more elevation. Not too bad, but the weight on myEn savoir plus
Day 3 :

Conquered my first big hill today. It was 754 feet in elevation. Not sure what the grade was but it was hard!!! It took me an hour and a half with many breaks .
When I finally got to the top a guy inEn savoir plus
Day 4:

Overcast and chilly today.
Had another large hill to conquer. Not quite as bad as the first one, but still pretty tough. I can't imagine ever being able to get all of the way up without stopping forEn savoir plus
Day 5:

Today was a really great day!
Woke up early to rain, so I layed around in my tent for a while thinking how wet I was going be all day, and how wet my stuff would be that night.
I waited for theEn savoir plus
Day 6:

Woke up this morning to a beautiful day! Most of my 35 mile ride down the 101 ran right next to the water giving me a spectacular view. Even the constant hills could not damper the day.
I took aEn savoir plus
Day 7 :

Another pretty day! Right where I camped the 101 starts to turn inland, so all that flat land that I thought was ahead of me was really to the west. I got to spend another day taking on smallEn savoir plus
Day 8 :

The weather is definitely cooperating. Clear skies again.
Had a fairly easy ride the first half of the day. Then I took the seven devils road to Bandon. In hindsight I should have realized devilEn savoir plus
Day 9 :

Woke up early this morning to a heavy fog that had settled on the coast. I rode into Bandon which is a quaint little fishing town just south of where I camped last night.
There i stopped on the dockEn savoir plus
Day 10 :

Woke up this morning to a bad case of vertigo. This has happened to me a 4 or 5 times before. It sucks! I had to stay where I was and pretty much sleep it off. I really needed an off day, but this wasEn savoir plus
Day 11 :

It turned out to be a pretty darn good day.
I wasn't feeling 100% when I woke up, but much better than yesterday. I definitely wasn't staying in the same spot again.
I got an early start around 8En savoir plus
Day: 12

Goodbye Oregon....
Hello C A L I F O R N I A ! ! ! ! ! !
I've officially ridden a few less than 400 miles and crossed my first state line. Quite an accomplishment I would say!
I realized todayEn savoir plus
Day: 13

I woke up tired this morning. Could have been the thunderstorms rolling through in the middle of the night. They are scary from inside a tent in the middle of the woods
It stoped raining around 8amEn savoir plus