u/InvestigatorJolly496

I started my bike trip in San Diego heading toward Joshua Tree as my first major stop and scheduled to make Austin Texas in 5 weeks. I packed my skin tight bike shorts with neon yellow tai boxing shorts to put atop for visibility. I had my cycling jersey with a size-to-small arm length and a safari hat that hardly covered my rear neck. I was riding 80-90mile days just to find camping.

I made it the first 3days and realized there is zero shade in the desert. You cant even find a bush to take cover under. The sun relentlessly beats 14hours a day in the spring and every hour is one more layer of skin peeled apart from your dusty bare soul. Day 5 I found the town of Hope,AZ and a large boulder lay in the path of the setting sun to create a shade circle. I laid in that shade for 10minutes to prepare myself for arrival to the KOA only a few Miles down the road.

I got to Phoenix area after putting in 115 miles of riding to get to my host home deep in the city at 10pm. They asked me if I needed a ride anywhere on my day off and I stared them in the eye with a crazed face, beat red forehead, well-done cheeks, and blonde blazed beard and said “I beg you to take me to REI to find some lightweight,long sleeve, sun protection. Dear Lord save me from myself.

Catch more stories in my new memoir about riding a bicycle to 30states over 7,000 miles!
“Home is where the heart lands” by Richie Wolfe.

Wolfesdenwriting.com

I upgraded from a LHT to an Ogre 29er and this thing rules.

I rode a surly long haul trucker around the perimeter of the USA. I stealth camped 1/3 of the trip and stayed with friends or strangers the rest. It was the most meaningful thing ive experienced in my life. People have such an inclination to be kind and curious, and I felt the bike brought it out of everyone.

*self promotion, I wrote a book named “ Home is where the heart lands”. It follows my 5month trip cycling the perimeter of the USA and visiting 30states.

I visited 30 states solo on a bicycle.