Lexington, KY to Baltimore, MD (by bicycle)

[way2fractious]

In 2002 I began living a dream of mine – riding my bicycle across the United States. Unlike the footloose Andrew Breecher, my endeavor utilizes annual “segments” rather than several months all at once. The map below shows my past segments, the current route, and future plans.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...sam-posted.jpg

Four weeks from today I ship my touring bicycle to this year’s beginning point - Lexington, Kentucky. Five days later, on Saturday, June 10th, I fly there, too, where I reassemble the bike, load up the panniers, and start out on a two-week tour. My route makes me pedal eastward across Kentucky and Virginia to Richmond, then northward through Alexandria and Washington, D.C. to finish in Baltimore, Maryland. This year’s segment is a little over 900 miles. The brief schedule shows daily objectives.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...dailymiles.jpg

If any of you see a skinny guy on a bike that looks like the one below, be nice.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...s/atlantis.jpg

This American adventure is everything I hoped it would be. This country is incomprehensibly large, exquisitely varied and scenic, and inhabited by people with an exceedingly wide range of characteristics (mostly nice.) There are a few dogs which do not like cyclists, and swarms of mosquitoes which do. To see it from a saddle and handlebars, instead of behind a wheel and windshield, is my dream vacation.

I’m not opposed to small detours if it means I could meet some XMarks members along the way. I have conceded to carry a cell phone on this trip. PM me if you are interested. I’ve still a month to go.