FAQs
Yes. We figure you’ll have a few questions. If we don’t address your questions here, post ’em.
How far is the trip?
4403.2 miles
Are you kidding, how long will that take you to ride?
It takes an average American off the street about 8 weeks to ride across the country. We’re giving it 4 months.
Four months on the road with the kids? How are you going to keep them entertained?
Just because we’re on the bikes every day it doesn’t mean we’re glued there. We intend to stop, meet people, attend festivals, play in parks, See things, Do things, Learn things.
Yeah, but how many hours a day will you need to be riding?
We’re need to average 43 miles per day riding 6 days a week to finish in 4 months. Depending on terrain, this should work out to about 4-6 hours of riding per day.
Aren’t you worried about Safety?
Absolutely. This is our primary concern. We might be doing something different, and potentially risky, but Kate and Stuart are still Mama and Papa bears. There is nothing more important than the safety of our children. The routes we’re riding are mapped and marked specifically for bicyclists. The routes are primarily on “roads less traveled” (no interstates), and sections (like the Katy Trail across Missouri) are on specific bike paths. We’ll have bright colors (see Pearl Izumi’s Screaming Yellow), flags, reflectors, and lights. We intend to have a support vehicle for at least part of the trip that can drive ahead to anticipate points where we might need defensive protection. Also, our maps highlight all local emergency numbers and hospitals.
Where will you sleep?
We intend to do a fair amount of camping. Our maps tell us where the nearest facilities and hotels are located. We keep hearing though how gooooood a bed and shower feel at the end of a day, so we’re also interested in perhaps finding hotel chains that might like to sponsor us or even B&Bs along the route.
What will you eat?
Murrs don’t miss meals. If they do, they get cranky. We intend to eat healthfully, like we do at home. We would love to get connected with local farmers’ markets as often as possible, because fresh, local food is entirely excellent. We hear calories and protein are uber essential for this kind of trek, so we’re sure to have lots of nuts and hardboiled eggs handy. Stuart starts looking pale if he goes more than a couple of days without ice-cream, so there’s that. When we camp we usually eat pastas, soups, fruits, and veggies.
Will Brady be potty trained in time for the trip?
OK, so this is my question—Magic 8-Ball style. Can I get an “IT IS DECIDEDLY SO”?
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