Day -15: Introducing..... The Basics!

OK… CAMP HOPE is essentially completed, so I can now fully concentrate all my efforts on this trip. I’m pleased to present you with…

THE BASICS OF THE TRIP!
(The Route, The Players, The Projected Timetable, Frequently Asked Questions)

The Route….

Phase 1: NYC to Erie, PA
The morning of the 24th, I will wake up in Central Brooklyn, ride my bike across the Brooklyn Bridge and catch a ferry from Wall Street down to New Jersey. We will head west across New Jersey and boldly cross the Delaware River into Pennsylvania at the exact spot where George Washington did the same, albeit in the opposite direction (just imagine the colonial forces retreating on bicycle and you’ll get the idea.) From there we will cross the Appalachians in Pennsylvania and reach Pittsburgh within the next 7 – 10 days. After a short stop in the Steel City, we will head north for 2 days to meet up with The pre-established route.

(pretty accurate)

Phase 2: THE NORTHERN TIER
Riding with the safety and security of a well established Bike trail to follow, we will head out west to Chicago (another pit stop), Minneapolis; North Dakota, The Rockies, Canada, and ultimately arrive in the Seattle Metropolitan Area.

(Not all that accurate)

Phase 3: THE PACIFIC COAST
We’re gonna head South along the Pacific Coast until we hit Los Angeles. I am kind of hoping to be there for Halloween…. But that might prove difficult.

(wildly inaccurate, but you get the idea)

Phase 4: ???
We’ll have about 2 months to kill before either Matt or I have to be anywhere… so it’s anyone’s guess.


The Players…

Matt Purdy 25, Male from Florida, Actor, Living in Chicago
Steven Slovacek 25, Male from Florida, Filmmaker, Living in NYC


The Projected Timetable
I wanna avoid over-planning... but this is kind of what I had in mind
(60 Miles a day, 6 days a week)

• New York July 24th
• Pittsburgh (3 day Break) July 31st
• Chicago (6 day Break) August 14th
• Minneapolis (1 day Break) August 27th
• Seattle (3 day Break) October 1st
• Portland (2 Day Break) October 7th
• San Francisco (2 Day Break) October 22nd
• Los Angeles Indefinite Break October 31st

Frequently Asked Questions

How are you going to update this blog?

Public Libraries, Friends Houses, Internet Café’s, etc.

Are you in good enough shape to do this?

Probably not.

Where will you sleep?

We are bringing tents and will be camping in parks, campgrounds, churchyards, town squares, behind civic buildings, and unfenced property in remote areas. We are expecting to use a motel on occasion, but we would like to keep that a rare occurrence.

Isn’t this whole thing Dangerous?

Um... maybe? I don’t really know, but I am sure that the benefit far outweighs the risk. My only real worries are cars, bears and crime:
Cars: I ride many miles a day through the NYC streets, so I can’t imagine Middle America being much more treacherous than that.
Bears: We’ll be staying pretty close to the roads, but when we do camp in a remote/isolated area, I will probably have to string up my food from a tree, and sleep with “bear mace” at my side.
Crime: There are two of us… so that’s a nice deterrent… but beyond that… there is very little you can do.

Why are you doing this trip?

A) I needed time to think about my direction/career/future
B) It seems like everyone should do one stupid thing while they’re still young.
C) I have never gotten a chance to travel the US, or the World
D) Couldn’t hurt to get in shape.
E) I really enjoy riding my bike.
F) Have you ever read the poem “My Alba” by Allen Ginsberg? ...I have.

Who is this Matt P. character? What if you two don't get along?

He responded to an ad I placed while looking for a partner to ride the Northern Tier with. He and I seem to have a pretty similar backgrounds, temperament and outlook... so I'm fairly confident we'll get along great. Also... at this point in my life, it seems like I should have developed the social skills to get along with most anyone with relative ease... and besides.... who wouldn't get along with me? right?

Is it true that Radiohead might be releasing their long awaited 7th album, while you are on the road?

Sadly, this is true, but i will be monitoring their progress, and if a fall release in imminent, then I will make contingency plans to ensure that I am able to listen to it as it becomes available.

Will you have a phone?

Yes, and i have unlimited text messages. Feel free to call me after 9pm, or anytime if you have Verizon. Please bear in mind that I will be going to sleep pretty early. (718) 702-8219

I think that should cover most everything, right? With my next post, I am going to experiment with posting video and audio... Woo!

....Stay Tuned Dear Readers.....

***Update*** Matt and I will be sharing the writing duties on a 2nd blog that will be more of a straightforward retelling of the trip. Less pontificating about useless stuff, and more stories of bears and flat tires.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/purdyslo