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D-Tour 2007: Glendale, AZ to Del Rio, TX Events

Planning a 1000 mile bike ride…

Many of you have heard me talk about my biking commute to work. Last summer I put about 1500 miles on my bike 19 miles at a time. Well it was on those rides that I began to appreciate being on the bike; I really enjoy cycling. Then I stopped riding for any number of excuses. I stayed off the bike when winter hit. I know, for many of you still looking at snow the idea of an Arizona winter seems a joke, but it gets cold!

Anyway, I said to my wife last summer that I wanted to ride my bike cross country – from the west coast to the east coast. I did some digging to find that a typical cross country bicycle tour covers two to five thousand miles, takes two to three months, and costs anywhere from $3,000 – $7000! So… I though what if I attempt a smaller less ambitious 1,000 mile trip?

Stephanie was very supportive of the idea. I know I can get a couple of weeks off of work. So now that we have decided on a distance, we needed to decide on where to go and when. My brother Jeremy happens to be graduating from pilot trainning this June in Del Rio – about 900 miles from here! Ok, so I’m starting to see a plan, but the only way I know to get to Del Rio from here involve highways and interstates. I needed to find a bike route from here to there.

Now that you are up to speed — this is where I was at two months ago. I haven’t been training for a long ride, I haven’t been saving to pay for a long ride, I haven’t worked on finding a route to Del Rio. I’m no longer in the shape I was last summer when we started down this road (pardon the pun). But today I found the route! My route starts in Tempe, heads to El Paso, then on to Del Rio.

So I only have a month or so left. Not enough time to train properly and I’m going on a cruise between now and then as well – making money a little hard to come by… Still planning on attempting the trip – I’ll keep you posted…

One reply on “Planning a 1000 mile bike ride…”

Okay, so after reading your initial blog I have a new idea. This is all very neat, by the way. I’m excited that everything seems to be coming together, as far as your route and the two-fold destination. Not that the cruise and its endless indulgences will be contributing but none the less I believe you can do it. So, anyway for the tee:

Front:
Pop a wheelie….I did!
Back:
Date and destination
(Maybe make it retro or old school like a vintage tee)

Please just make sure you plan efficiently enough to at least have time to shower and shave before the graduation….Forest!

Peace,
Joanne

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