Dipping tires in Pacific Ocean near Cannon Beach, Oregon, before cycling across America.
80 days later, dipping tires in Atlantic Ocean after cycling 4,500 miles across America
I had the great fortune to cycle across America on a self-contained bike trip from Oregon to North Carolina (in 2008). I was not an avid or experienced cyclist before the adventure, but the cross-country adventure seemed worth the attempt.
Rolling into camp in Pueblo, Colorado.
I bought a touring bike, gear, maps, and plane ticket. I took a 90 day sabbatical from work and flew out to the west coast. 4,500 miles and smiles later, my bike tires rolled into the Atlantic Ocean.
Some quick facts about my bike across America adventure:
- Roughly 4,500 miles cycled from Astoria, Oregon to Topsail Beach, North Carolina.
- 80 days total.
- 56.25 miles per day.
- Never had a century, a 100 mile day.
- 11 US states (Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina).
- 15 blown tires between two bikes.
- Over $4,000 raised for NC student scholarships
- Total cost, including bike and airfare, roughly $4,200.
Here’s every blog post from my Bike across America adventure.
Below you’ll find articles that will help you plan, pay for, and succeed on a bike trip across America.
Thank you for your information. It was very helpful to read.
If you had 15 flats over 2 bikes then something is wrong with your setup or you are incredibly unlucky.
Maybe you have old or cheap tyres or badly built wheels.
Even 2 flats pr bike is a lost.
No doubt my partner had too much packed weight on his thin tires. We also found he had a decayed tire liner that cut into tubes for a while. Hope this information helps on your bike trip across America. Good luck.