The back story to my bicycle ride across the USA.

Yes, another blog about a guy riding his bicycle across America.

Dear Friends and Family, or anyone else who wanders across this,

I recently retired from the Navy after 29+ years of active duty service.  Counting time in NJROTC and ROTC in college I have worn a Navy uniform since 1980 with the exception of one year in High School when my family moved to WA (the state, not D.C.).  Having spoken with a lot of people who left the Navy because they wanted to, or were told to go the main thing I discovered was the need to develop a personal transition plan.  You also need a professional plan but I am not there yet.  That will happen when I complete this ride and need to find a job, or drive my wife nuts being home all day.

For me, the ride across America on a bicycle is the way to personally transition.  Many have asked why, usually looking at me like I have a grasshopper stuck to my forehead or they just come right out and say I am crazy.  The Forrest Gump references are all appreciated, each and every time I hear it.

Why am I doing this:
Because I have almost 38 years wearing a uniform.  I need to take off that armor and prepare to deal with the world without it on.
I want to meet the 99.5% of Americans (or at least a subset of them) who have never served in the military. 
I want to see places in America I have never been to before.
And finally, there is one reason I may share when I get back. 

Where am I riding?
I will start in Oak Harbor, WA next week at my in-laws' home and follow four AdventureCycling.org routes: Northern Tier, Lewis and Clark, Underground Railroad, and Southern Tier.  The easiest way to explain it is two rights, then two lefts.  I will officially start the route in Anacortes, WA and from there ride east until Bismarck, ND.  I will take my first right there and follow the Missouri River, then another right at the Mississippi River, thence south to Pensacola, FL, take a left at P-Cola, then another left at St. Augustine, FL, and end up back here at Neptune Beach, FL.  So two rights, then two lefts, then home.  Calculated distance is about 4,800 miles.  I figure I will do something in excess of 5,000 miles with side trips, etc.  It will take as long as it takes. I'm retired remember.

My personal rules:
I will not bore you with updates about the scenery, or miles ridden each day, or pictures of sunsets I take along the way.  There are lots of great blogs about those kinds of rides.  You can check out several on CrazyGuyonaBike.  I have promised my wife a proof of life check every day when I stop.  I will not be trackable on some kind of GPS device updated to the cloud. 
I will take one picture a day.  With one exception below.  I am doing this because I first wanted to do this when I was ten years old in 1976 during the BikeCentennial.  Therefor I am largely treating it as though I did the ride back then, and back then we didn't have digital cameras loaded with photos we never look at again other than to bore to tears people we think need to see how much better our life is than theirs. 
I am not using a GPS device loaded with map software.  I am using an old-fashioned bike computer and a bunch of maps from AdventureCycling.
I plan to sleep in a tent, stay with people I meet, use WarmShowers hospitality, and occasionally rent a motel room for the night.
I will blog about the people I meet along the way, with their permission.  Once a week I plan to stop and force myself to meet someone unlike me to get to know their story.  If they allow me, I will share it with you.  The main point of this is for me to get to know that other 99.5%.  I am excited about it.

What can you do for me?
Pray for me. Seriously.  But I want you to pray that God uses me to fulfill His will.  I am not asking you to pray for my safety.  Safety means I may not be put in situations to meet people and get to know God's creation the way I think He wants me to.  So pray that he would use me to fulfill His will.  I do not plan to be reckless.  I have a family I love and I plan to rejoin them at the end of this ride.

Support an organization of your choice helping wounded veterans.  Team Red, White, and Blue is a personal favorite of mine.  Wounded Warrior is based here in Jacksonville and is doing some great things.  Or, pick one of your favorites and donate your time, talent, and money.

So, why ride instead of hiking the AT, or climbing a mountain, or going on a retreat of some kind?  Because I am a bicycle rider - a pedaling man.  A bike has always meant freedom to me.  Some people are runners, golfers, gamblers, volunteers, etc. 

I ride.