Welcome Back for Season 3 – Canada to Mexico!

Welcome back to loyal readers of the Shifting Gears blog, and welcome to new readers!

On September 19th, we start cycling from Canada to Mexico. We will ride down the Pacific Coast from Vancouver, BC to the USA-Mexico border. In all likelihood, we will not actually enter Mexico as it seems like a gimmick to spend all that border-crossing time just to head the few miles to Tijuana and turn back. A celebratory tequila in San Diego will be just fine. But Canada to Mexico sounds awesome! 

In the fall of 2021, Heather and I cycled, by ourselves with paniers on our bikes, from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL. The 2,970 miles cross-country journey took 46 days from the Pacific to Atlantic Ocean. We cycled a daily average of 72 miles on 41 days and rested 5 days. We faced many challenges and hardships including severe heat of 108°, dehydration, steep long climbing over the Continental Divide, painful “chip & seal” roads in Texas, hand numbness, saddle sores, and menacing dog chases, to name some. Yet it was all worth it as there were so many incredible highlights including meeting extraordinary people and experiencing their kindness. It was everything we could have hoped for, and even more!

Celebrating our finish from the Pacific to the Atlantic in 2021

Last year, fall of 2022, we followed with another self-supported ride of 2,667 miles from Bar Harbor, ME to Key West, FL the most southern point in the continental USA. We averaged 65 miles a day, intentionally down from 72. We rode an identical 41 days and had 4 days of rest – one fewer than in 2021. 

Alan Brown of the Reeve Foundation welcomed us to our "finish line" in Key West, FL in 2022

While shorter in distance, this year’s odyssey looms as our most challenging ride yet as the average daily climb is more than double last year’s Atlantic Coast ride!! And it is 60% more daily climb than on our cross-country trek. As we ride self-supported, carrying all our personal belongings of 24 pounds on our bikes, the climbing is the most challenging part of the ride.

At present, this is our intended route. It may vary according to weather, bike issues, fatigue or other unexpected plot twists. 

Proposed Route 2023 – who is ready to join us for a few miles?

We look forward to glorious scenic vistas as we ride around Washington’s San Juan Islands, down the rugged Oregon Coastline and through the Redwoods in Northern California on Avenue of the Giants. And just as much, we look ahead to the charming small towns that you miss when driving on an Interstate, and the adventure of the unknown that challenges us. But mostly, we anticipate the random encounters with strangers we meet along the way. I swear some of them in the past are truly modern-day angels who deliver us from harm. 

If you know anybody along our path with whom we should connect, feel free to send us their contact info. As well, if you know of great sweet snacks that must be tried- let us know of those as well! I’ve already received ice cream suggestions from friends. Though I confess, since I “failed” my annual physical last fall and that is AFTER 6 weeks of near daily riding – I may need to modify my sugary ways! While the many shakes and desserts don’t present a weight problem for me, they do have other adverse effects. (I can still savor the taste of those 4 servings of baklava from Aleppo Sweets in Providence!)

Enjoying a sugar injection pit-stop at McShakeology Milkshake Bar. Can this continue?

Which trip is harder? The Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) lists their 3 adventures as follows:

• Our 2021 ride: Southern Tier (ST) as 100,005’ over 2,897 miles = 35’ per mile elevation climb
• Our 2022 ride: Atlantic Coast (AC) as 73,840’ over 2,656 miles = 28’ per mile elevation climb
• Our 2023 ride: Pacific Coast (PC) as 106,425’ over 1,853 miles = 57’ per mile elevation climb

Distance is only a small part of the challenge. Climbing is much more of the issue and why we think this will be a harder trip physically! 

We are frequently asked if we trained less or more this year? I didn’t do anything intentionally different. When I tabulated my rides from April through September, I see that this year I did 3 fewer rides; each was slightly shorter on average by 14 minutes and 190’ less elevation. That is negligible and likely on account of more confidence with 2 successes under our belt.  This year in training, I did build up to 21 pounds in my panniers (weights and cans of food), and was surprised in looking back that last year I topped off in training at 16 pounds. I would have done less this year had I realized that. Last year my bike was loaded with 24 pounds of personal belongings. This year I am determined to reduce that – and am leaving my iPad at home! I tried to avoid both under-training and over-training which each has its own risks. Only time will tell if I succeeded in that. 

We did intentionally change one goal which is to reduce our daily average from 65 to 55 miles of riding. This is both to slow down and enjoy even more of the journey, and on account of the greater climbing. Also hope this will help prevent/reduce my saddle sores. 😊

I will try to blog my observations of life on the road that allow you to feel like you are along on our adventure. And I will again attempt to lower the bar and warn not to expect high prose. Hopefully you feel like you get to experience our journey with us.

Our original motivation for epic rides came from the spectacular week-long rides we had in Nova Scotia (culturally unique Cabot Trail, 2018) and in Newfoundland (Viking Trail, 2019). Those rides inspired us to step back from working full time so we could pursue greater adventures while we were in good health. [New readers can enjoy full details in blog entry titled: The Backstory – how did this come to be. And you can retrace our story starting with September 2021 entries.]

However, what started as rides motivated by an admittedly selfish thirst for adventure, have become rides with a much bigger meaning. We again are cycling to support the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to honor our friends Lenny and Ernie, two individuals who we admire for their strength of character in living with paralysis. By their examples of perseverance and positivity in confronting adversity, they inspire us to ride when it is most difficult. (For readers who landed here without receiving an initial email from Heather or me, you can see our dedication letter to Lenny & Ernie and contribute here.)

A shout out to our daughter Sydney for once again managing the technical side of this blog, allowing me to email her my copy and photos that she drops in to format. Thanks Syd.

We look forward to hearing from you - questions, suggestions and comments. 

Thank you for reading. Pacific Coast- here we come!

Mark 

© Copyright Mark Segal 2023