Ride Across America - Remeniscence

October 6, 2024

Wait, what? 2024? I’m not sure where the year went, but the first anniversary of the completion of our Ride Across America feels like a good time to reminisce a bit.

We had goals for the ride to raise money/awareness for veterans’ charities, enjoy camaraderie with classmates, and have fun. Check, check, and check. Over $600k raised, constant interactions with classmates, and more fun than we could have hoped for.

So with the basic stuff covered, my mind returns to some of the pleasant surprises of the journey. Travel by bicycle allowed us to see this great country up-close and personal. We traveled through the “fly over” states at an average speed of about 13 miles per hour. We met farmers’ dogs, got tooted at by freight trains, and raced storms to hotels. Most of us had driven across the country more than once traveling to duty stations, but crossing the country on bicycles via backroads showed us a new side of things. Middle America seemed to embrace Halloween very early; homes had decorations up in force in mid-September. I discovered and enjoyed seeing barn quilts, which I now look for wherever I travel. We had the surreal experience of arriving in Livingston, Montana the day Jimmy Buffett left us. And not surprisingly, for a group of people trained to operate in harsh environments, we improved. With each day we grew more efficient, more fit, more confident. After some early trouble, we learned to cheat the wind by riding in a paceline. Centuries (100-mile days) went from unprecedented to routine. I like to think we could have turned around at Annapolis and cycled back to Whidbey Island with ease. But all good things come to an end, and while the Ride Across America ended a year ago, its spirit and mission continue.

So now the BamaRama 500. Some returning riders and some new folks pursuing the same noble goals. What will this group of riders learn about themselves, about Alabama and its people? What stories will they create? We wish them well, we pray for tailwinds and courteous drivers. We hope their SAGs have Nutella and peanut butter sandwiches, washed down with red Gatorade. We hope they form new friendships and strengthen old ones.

Personally, I hope they learn to fix their own flat tires…