Bring It On

One of the first things Mike Munk said to me after we met was how hard of a time I'm going to have on this tour. It's a good thing I had already hammered the final nail into the lid on the coffin of anxiety about this trip.

"You've only been cycling about five months and you want to do a trip like this? You're going to have a hard time," he said grimly as he reassembled Maddy during early bird registration yesterday. "A really hard time."

Mike is one of the ride leaders for America By Bicycle, Inc. His pedal strokes have crisscrossed the country countless times. He logged 100,000 miles ... back in 2002! He's won national medals. Within minutes of meeting him, you know that he knows what he's talking about. You have to respect that immediately.

"Tell him that you're only 30," Mark said over his shoulder. Mike spun Maddy's wheels. His forehead creased as he turned an allen key, "We had a rider last summer who was 21 years old, and she had a tough time for awhile ... You're going to have some days that you are really going to hate."

Let me be clear. Mike didn't tell me that I can't do this. I appreciate my loyalest friends jumping quickly to my defense in the comments on this post, but Mike didn't try to stop me. He just didn't sugarcoat his perceptions of my limited experience.

I appreciate honesty in all forms. Living in New York City, brutal honesty is the most refreshing fashion. Musician Ani Drifranco once said: "I can't wait to get back to New York City where at least when I walk down the street, no one ever hesitates to tell me exactly what they think of me."

I like brutal honesty, but I didn't tell Mike what I thought about his frank response. I don't like having to put my money where my mouth is and coming up short on cash. I prefer to make sure I can actually do something before I publicly announce that I can. Instead I smiled and shrugged the same way I did whenever someone in North Carolina told me how hard it was going to be to move to New York City without an apartment or a job or any corporate connections. Tough - sure. Potential to fail - possible, even likely. Regret for not even trying - guaranteed.

Mike knows this route. He knows the types of people who've taken this tour before me. He knows that I'll have a hard time. I know he's right.

Here's what he doesn't know:

I'm not afraid of a hard time.

For the last four years, I've worked at a corporation in New York City full of strong-minded women, who don't like to be told what they cannot do or receive insinuations that imply inevitable failure. As a military brat, I lived the life of a nomad, changing homes and schools every 2-3 years until I was 16. I lost my college sweetheart to a prescription drug addiction when I was 23. I worked three jobs, seven days a week for a year to move to New York. And I worked two jobs, six days a week for the last nine months to be able to afford to do this tour. I trained with a cycling coach for 2-4 hours nearly every Sunday at 7:30am after serving my last cocktail and clocking out of job #2 at five o'clock in the morning. And several of those Saturday all-nighters and Sunday early morning sessions were proceeded by 65-mile training rides. I know I still have a lot more to learn about cycling and even more to learn about cycling across North America. I'm not a cocky, naïve beginner. I'm an ambitious novice, who is ready for a hard time that doesn't involve constant uprooting of my entire life, sudden tragedy, piles of paperwork and endless emails, or trays loaded with alcohol for touchy-feely bankers.

I'll admit that I don't fully know what I'm getting myself into with this tour, but I'm a risk taker. Regret ultimately stings a lot more than failure, and I only get to live this life once (unless I come back in the next one as a cow or a worm). I want to fill my life with extraordinary moments as often as possible (especially since coming back as said cow or worm will drastically limit my ability to pursue thrilling feats). And I truly believe what I read in AbyB's Rider Kit: "Your worst day on a bicycle is better than your best day in the office."

Mike quoted that same philosophy on his website under his favorite sayings. So bring it on, Mr. Munk! I'm ready for my worst day on a bicycle! And I'm ready for some fun!

Welcome to Astoria, OR

Any latent apprehension I had about this journey was released when I arrived in Astoria yesterday evening. What negative energy could not be erased by a sunset like that?

And when I checked in at the hotel, I had mail - other than Maddy, who arrived a few hours earlier by FedEx Ground. It was a greeting card from Bianca with encouraging words that sealed the lid on my coffin of hesitation: 

This is the start of the trip you've been preparing and sacrificing for. I applaud your tenacity on this endeavor in your life. And I expect to read and hear all about it. Take this much needed time to explore this great country, see new sights and let your mind wander to thoughts it has set aside. You have wonderful friends and family supporting you ... we'll be there throughout this trip if you need us. So onward, my Katie! Bike across this damn country!

More images from Astoria:

Additional Thank You's

I'm sitting in the airport in Portland with some time to kill before I meet a friend for a late lunch and catch my bus to Astoria. There were a few things that immediately let me know that I was not in New York City anymore. One was the troop of Boy Scouts lounging at baggage claim in full "badged" regalia. The other were all the RVs just outside of the airport's revolving doors.

I have a confession. Aside from forgetting my toothbrush, I was sad to leave the city this morning. Sad enough even to wonder why this journey had ever been so important to me in the first place. It's not like I've lived a life of passion for cycling. In fact, I only took it up recently since the ability to cycle was somewhat pertinent to actually cycling across the country. Even the goal of crossing North America by bicycle in the summer of my 30th year was a harebrained idea I came up with during a brief bout of quarter life crisis when I turned 29.

I was already missing Midtown Manhattan last week when I moved a mere 5.94 miles southeast and across the East River, but I was also just getting settled into a brand new apartment in Downtown Brooklyn that I absolutely adore. Within the last month, I transitioned into a new role at work that I am really looking forward to tackling. Terrence just returned from a 10-month bj League season, and by the time I (God-willing) make it to New Hampshire, he'll be preparing to head back to Japan. I am more bummed than I have wanted to admit about missing an entire summer in New York City. I've been training for less than six months, and my miles over the last month severely dwindled under the weight of other priorities. Can I really do this? I felt like a cliché city girl when it seemed foreign to not pack eyeshadow, jewelry and stilettos in my suitcase. And since my cycling coach shut down my original plan to eat my way across North America in Chinese food - citing that it was not necessarily one of my greatest ideas - I am already craving China Gourmet.

But - as I learned from my parents - I cannot let momentary emotions blur the big picture that I know exists. As Mark Twain famously wrote, "You will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did ..." And to quote Senator Paul Tsongas, "No one on his death bed ever said, 'I wish I had spent more time in the office.'"

So before I point my bicycle east, there are a few more people who deserve a shout-out before I begin pedaling and never look back.

Jean. There are several people at our company who deserve a wealth of thanks for their assistance, encouragement and enthusiasm in the pursuit of my goal to spend my 30th summer cycling across North America. You are the main one. Thank you.

Christine and Amy (my former bosses). Thank you for your progressive management styles, for approving my request for an 8-week leave of absence - particularly in the dwindling state of this economy - and for further pursuing opportunities to help me advance internally, despite my rapidly approaching unpaid leave. Peter (my new boss), thank you for your equally liberal approach in nurturing the personal goals of your employees and for having the confidence to bring me on board just before I "clocked out" for two months. I really look forward to hitting the ground running upon my return.

Felix Calderon. I shudder at the thought of where I'd be today if it were not for you, my cycling coach, "master of my bike" (thanks for the reminder, Cristin) and new friend. You are more than just the best pro bicycle fitter in the city and an excellent coach. You are a giant heart. I have so much more to learn from you, and I can't wait to ride with you again this fall.

R&A Cycles. Thank you for never turning down my money. On a more serious note, thank you for staffing the best bicycle mechanics and cycling experts in New York.

Kyle Greathouse. Even though we were delayed by image sizing requirements (thank you to my friend Betsy at Time Warner for sending us the larger image file) and ultimately halted by copyright permissions that we were unable to obtain due to time constraints, your valiant efforts to create a cycling jersey screen-printed with Ellen DeGeneres' "World Domination" flag were above and beyond. I am so proud of you and your company Beautiful Demise. We've come a long way since Cullowhee.

Elizabeth Bolen's boss. We've never met, but thank you for all of the advice and articles you sent by way of Elizabeth. Your enthusiasm for my trip was motivating when my determination dwindled.

Bobbi Baker James. You are the best friend a girl could have, and you and Nate created the best baby a Godmother could hope for. He makes me want to be the best Godmother in the world. Thank you for consistently offering the type of support that provided me with sincere, positive reinforcement or held up a mirror of honesty when I needed either or both.

Bianca Berry. Thank you for teaching me how to cook my first seven things (ever), washing my dirty dishes, embracing my initiatives to "make it a musical day", introducing me to the wonders of the History Channel and for establishing "Apartmental Talk-Like-Sean-Connery" nights. I am really going to miss having you as a roommate and a New Yorker, and I hope all your wildest dreams come true in LA.

China Gourmet. Thank you for your Bianca-acclaimed "best Chinese food in New York City", your competitive pricing, your prompt delivery of "deliciousness" and for helping me pack on the carbs.

Avalon Fort Greene. Thank you for giving me three months rent-free. And thank you for having someone like Neil on staff, who - on Monday - is going to overnight FedEx the mini Ellen flag that I left on the bulletin board in my bedroom. I have my larger one, to wave at each state line, but I forgot the mini one that I plan to put on my bicycle.

To all of my friends that I did not mention directly, you know who you are. You know how I feel about each of you. You know you're with me for the long haul.

And Terrence. I have to thank you again. Just before we boarded our separate flights out of La Guardia this morning, I received your text message: "I want you to know I'm proud of you for chasing your goals. This is gonna be big. Enjoy. Have fun. Seal memories away. Most of all, come back home to me in one piece." You saw the look on my face as I turned to leave for Oregon and knew I needed that.

Finally, to those who read my blog - whether you follow it regularly or check in sporadically - thank you for taking time out of your day to share in my experiences, personal reflections and occasional TMI. The purpose of this blog is ultimately to provide a comprehensive record for myself. Book deals don't generally come along if you're not a Grammy-winning singer or Emmy-nominated talk show host, didn't invent the iPad, or have never had a torrid affair with a political official or Tiger Woods, but there is something somewhat liberating, refreshingly vulnerable and relatively therapeutic about taking your thoughts and just throwing them out there. There is always a risk of backlash and judgment when you open your life in any public arena (particularly when your parents are readers), but the mixture of responses - both positive and negative - can create a new channel for further reflection, if one chooses to embrace the opportunity and ability of sincere self-evaluation. That is what I hope this trip will be for me. So thank you for helping me make the journey.

The Route in Miles

Sunday, June 20 to Monday, August 9, 2010
The Across America North Tour in miles by America by Bicycle:

Day	Location	Day's Mileage
Day 0: Jun 20	Astoria, OR	0
Day 1: Jun 21	St. Helens, OR	69
Day 2: Jun 22	Welches, OR	75
Day 3: Jun 23	KahNeeTa, OR	64
Day 4: Jun 24	Prineville, OR	61
Day 5: Jun 25	John Day, OR	117
Day 6: Jun 26	Baker City, OR	81
Day 7: Jun 27	Ontario, OR	83
Day 8: Jun 28	Boise, ID	62
Day 9: Jun 29	Boise, ID (REST DAY)
Day 10: Jun 30	Mountain Home, ID	51
Day 11: Jul 1	Twin Falls, ID	97
Day 12: Jul 2	Burley, ID	38
Day 13: Jul 3	Pocatello, ID	86
Day 14: Jul 4	Idaho Falls, ID	60
Day 15: Jul 5	Jackson, WY	88
Day 16: Jul 6	Dubois, WY	88
Day 17: Jul 7	Riverton, WY	79
Day 18: Jul 8	Casper, WY	120
Day 19: Jul 9	Casper, WY (REST DAY)	0
Day 20: Jul 10	Lusk, WY	106
Day 21: Jul 11	Hot Springs, SD	92
Day 22: Jul 12	Rapid City, SD	75
Day 23: Jul 13	Wall, SD	57
Day 24: Jul 14	Pierre, SD	117
Day 25: Jul 15	Chamberlain, SD	84
Day 26: Jul 16	Mitchell, SD	70
Day 27: Jul 17	Sioux Falls, SD	72
Day 28: Jul 18	Sioux Falls, SD (REST DAY)	0
Day 29: Jul 19	Worthington, MN	70
Day 30: Jul 20	Mankato, MN	102
Day 31: Jul 21	Rochester, MN	100
Day 32: Jul 22	La Crosse, WI	90
Day 33: Jul 23	Wisconsin Dells, WI	90
Day 34: Jul 24	Fond du Lac, WI	83
Day 35: Jul 25	Manitowoc, WI	57
Day 36: Jul 26	Ludington, MI (FERRY RIDE)	7
Day 37: Jul 27	Mount Pleasant, MI	113
Day 38: Jul 28	Birch Run, MI	74
Day 39: Jul 29	Port Huron, MI	87
Day 40: Jul 30	London, Ontario	81
Day 41: Jul 31	Brantford, Ontario	66
Day 42: Aug 1	Niagara Falls, NY	72
Day 43: Aug 2	Niagara Falls, NY (REST DAY)	0
Day 44: Aug 3	Henrietta, NY	82
Day 45: Aug 4	Liverpool, NY	93
Day 46: Aug 5	Little Falls, NY	79
Day 47: Aug 6	Latham, NY	83
Day 48: Aug 7	Brattleboro, VT	79
Day 49: Aug 8	Manchester, NH	86
Day 50: Aug 9	Portsmouth, NH	62
TOTAL MILEAGE		3629

From www.abbike.com

The Route in Words

Sunday, June 20 to Monday, August 9, 2010
The Across America North Tour in detail by America by Bicycle:

The Across America North tour will cycle through some of the most beautiful and scenic areas in America. From the natural beauty of the Cascades and Rockies to spectacular river crossings like the Columbia, Missouri and Mississippi, to the national parks and monuments, each day is a unique adventure in itself. The Across America North ride is a scenic and challenging fully-supported 50-day bicycle tour from Astoria, Oregon, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This great adventure will average 80 miles per day for 3,629 miles and have five interesting and diverse rest days along the way.

The Across America North tour will depart the beautiful Pacific Northwest in Astoria, Oregon. We will head out to the rugged Oregon coast to dip our rear wheel in the Pacific Ocean and begin the trek Across America. From the mouth of the Columbia River we’ll meander along the river to Portland. You’ll see many of the small communities along the way and share in the local history and folklore of the region. Continuing from Portland, we head southeast and begin to climb up through the cascades. The terrain is challenging and the scenery breathtaking. Mount Hood is visible and will continue to get bigger and bigger as we approach and ultimately cycle past the great peak and continue the trek into eastern Oregon. After a few mountainous days, the route will settle down and cross into Idaho - a state also know for its mountains. Here we’ll take our first off day in Boise.

Our route through Idaho will stay mostly in the Snake River Valley. The ride can get dry as we cycle on the Snake River Plain. You will learn a lot about yourself and the country as we pass through small and large western towns and many Indian reservations. Relish the beauty and contrast of the hot, dry plains with the lush green river valley. The views and vistas are remarkable as we cross over the Snake River many times. The mountainous climbing begins again once we pass our last oasis in Idaho, the lush Idaho Falls and begin to head up into the Grand Teton's. “Amazing, breathtaking, tremendous natural beauty, great climbs,” are just a few of the words and feelings you will have as we cycle through this region and down into Jackson, Wyoming. As we depart Jackson, we’ll see many cyclists as we pass the backside of Yellowstone National Park and marvel at the jagged peaks of Mount Hancock. Then you’ll climb over Togwotee Pass (9,658’), cross the Continental Divide and get a nice ride down into the quaint western town of Dubois. The westerly winds can kick up on the high plains. We should get a nice ride into Casper, Wyoming, for our second off day.

After a rest, you’ll be rejuvenated and ready to continue the high plains drift through small western towns, and you’ll soon discover how the west was won. Next, we’ll stretch out our legs a little and cross the border into South Dakota. It’s back into the mountains again. We’ll cycle up into the Black Hills and through Custer State Park. The terrain is a roller coaster of natural beauty. Watch for the wildlife and see some of the devastation of wildfires from years gone by. We’ll climb right up to Mount Rushmore, a jewel of the Black Hills, and you’ll marvel at this great man-made tribute. Can you name all the presidents? We’ll have a great ride out of the mountains to our overnight refuge of Rapid City. We will continue the journey, descending still, onto the high plains of South Dakota, skirting the Badlands and roll into Wall, South Dakota, the town that made the corner drugstore and South Dakota famous. Next we’ll stretch out our legs again for a long, dry ride to Pierre, the capital of South Dakota. From Pierre, we’ll pick up the Missouri River and tag along for awhile. You’ll never believe South Dakota looks like this; it’s green, lush and beautifully rolling along the Missouri River. The views are outstanding and in many cases, you can see for miles along the river valley. Soon we’ll kick out back on the flat South Dakota prairie and spin into Sioux Falls for our third off day.

From South Dakota, we’ll cross into southern Minnesota and ride the sometimes rolling landscape northeast to the Minnesota River. Then due east crossing the Mississippi River into La Crosse, Wisconsin. We are now officially in the East!! The terrain really begins to roll up and down in rural Wisconsin. We’ll pass by real small-town America. The farms and the fields, the animals and the environment, the rolling hills and valleys make for super cycling. The route will take us past the tourist mecca and Wisconsin riverside town of Wisconsin Dells. We’ll continue the roll to Fond du Lac, just south of Lake Winnebago, and make the final rolling push to Manitowoc on the shores of Lake Michigan. Here we’ll take the fourth off day of the tour.

Plenty to do on the off day in Manitowoc, but hurry! At noon, we’ll board the 410’ SS Badger and leave Wisconsin behind. A relaxing four-hour cruise across Lake Michigan will land us in the Michigan town of Ludington. Off the boat, explore town before heading over to this evening's motel. Now it’s off to cross Michigan by bike! We will stick to the country roads, smaller cities and towns as we take a straight shot across this very flat farming region. Ending up in Port Huron, we will cross the border and go “INTERNATIONAL,” as we hop the Bluewater Bridge and cross into Ontario, Canada. Welcome to Canadian Hospitality!! We will continue to cycle very flat rural Canadian farmland and head over to London, Ontario. The next day we’ll continue the trek to Brantford, the birthplace of Wayne Gretzky. We say goodbye to our Canadian friends in a spectacular way as we cross the Rainbow Bridge over Niagara Falls and cycle back into the United States. You will have plenty of time to explore the falls as we will take our fifth and final off day in Niagara Falls, New York.

Our final leg in the Across America North tour will take us across upper New York State through the rolling farm country past Rochester. Then we’ll follow the Erie Canal through Liverpool to Utica and finally past the state capital to Latham. The final few days will take us across the Appalachian mountain range to Vermont and into Brattleboro. Next, we’ll ride the roller coaster road across the border into New Hampshire. The final day, we’ll roll right down to the ocean on the New Hampshire seacoast and dip our front wheel in the Atlantic Ocean. With a special side trip into Maine, you’ll get to add another state to your list of cycling conquests.

From www.abbike.com