Day 1

Hello! This is our account of our trip across the country. We do have information of how to get started planning, but that video is currently being edited. So lets jump into it! We flew to San Fransisco, stayed at an airport hotel and then put our bikes together in the room. At 5 A.M. we started off onto our long journey. 

It took us longer than expected to get from the airport to the bridge, 26 miles. Then we rode 6 more miles and got on a ferry. This ferry is the ONLY time in the whole trip we are planning on not pedaling. We started again from across the bay in Vallejo and rode through a few small towns, and climbed a few big hills. Honestly, they were steep, and difficult. 

After another 30 miles we ended in Winters, CA. We were no where near a campground, and the Bed and Breakfast we called did not answer. So we found a bridge and started to set up camp as the sunset. 

We found out this was against city ordinance, but we were both dead. We are still adjusting to the time difference, and with 72 hilly laden miles under our belt, 8 pm felt like 11 pm. Luckily, a man walking his dogs invited us to camp in his backyard. His name was Dave and he was super nice, including offering us his pool, shower, electricity, wifi (which I'm using to post this), and showed us his human powered helicopter him and his brother have been working on for 10 years (still not operational). It's now 5:30 AM and we are packing up. As we realize how difficult this trip will be, we have to take this one day at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and only freaks-of-nature cycle across the US in less than 2 weeks.  Got to go!

DAY 2

We started our day riding through Davis, then made it to Sacramento. So many cyclists in this area!

We were on the American River Trail for 31 miles. it was pretty!

After the trail, we climbed through really hilly suburbs. We ascended about 1400 feet for the day, and it was difficult. On day 3 we are going to try to climb 2000 feet. Oh brother!

DAy 3 & 4

Day 3 started at 1,400' elevation. Day 4 ended at 8,537'. We did not realize what this meant. It meant that we would be pushing as hard as we can, uphill, while moving only 4 mph. This is emotionally difficult. This is physically difficult. Many said this would be the hardest part of the trip. Well feast your eyes on this sleeping beauty:

It was over 100 degrees on Day 3 which made us so sweaty we couldn't see. It was hot. It was exhausting. Also it was beautiful northern California.

On the way up we saw some absolutely beautiful lakes, like Silver Lake. Amazing food at the Kit Carson Lodge, definitely want to come back there.

Getting up was the first thing, but coming down was crazy too. We dropped at an 8% gradation for over 3 miles. This means we had to feather our front and back brakes, like rapid firing a laser gun on a space ship. Left Trigger! Right Trigger! Left Trigger! Right Trigger!  While trying not too look at the amazing views like this: 

This is our campsite at the end of day 4, just outside Woodfords, California. Wifi! Yay! We haven't had service in a longgggg timeeeee (2 days)

Day 5

Day 5 was great! Lots of downhill riding, which was a reward for pushing to 78 miles yesterday while climbing 5200'. It was like we have been winding up a crank toy for days and days and today we got to watch those teeth chatter. We went 100 miles today and had our first taste of the desert. 

We started the day by crossing into Nevada!

Rode 100 miles on the dot exactly to get to Fallon. It was a hot desert day, and in Stagecoach, Nevada we stopped at a gas station that had a metal band playing outside. They played very loudly. 

To see some video of the beautiful Sierra Nevadas and to hear the band in the picture above play, watch this short video I threw together real quick. 

I'm aware this video is not my best work. My apologies, still adjusting to traveling 13 hours a day. We are getting stronger though, and starting to find our routine. This next week we will climb 12 desert summits!

We would like a day of rest, but we are keeping the nose to the grind stone to stay on schedule. We want to go to Cedar Point for HollowWeekends!