Floridian Jim Musante had planned to take a solo cross-country tour on his bicycle back in September.
Just a couple of days after leaving San Diego, however, he hooked with two University of Washington students — Matt Kopicky and Seth Berling — and they decided to make the trip together.
Wise choice.
They were following the same bike route across the southern tier and faced 1,400 miles of empty desert highway all the way into Texas. In an interview in the Orlando Sentinel, he describes the segment: “excruciatingly painful, boring, extremely hot and dangerous.” Under those circumstances, it's good to have company.
They saw posted warnings for sandstorms, and some towns plotted on their maps didn't exist anymore. There were other unforeseen hazards, such as dogs that forced the group to reroute twice and another time delayed their start one morning.
The devastation left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita also posed problems with ad hoc route changes through the Gulf states.
The three finished the bicycle ride in just 32 days, finishing up in St. Augustine. They averaged about 95 miles a day.
Musante told the Orlando Sentinel that bicycle touring is the best way to travel. “You pull in everything. You pass by so much in the car. You miss all the little towns.”
Recent Comments