Trans America Bike Trip

I've been thinking about possibly riding the Trans America Bike Trail (http://www.adventurecycling.org/…/adven…/transamerica-trail/) for several years.

Why? Because! Lots of reasons. At some level, though, if you have to ask they won't make much sense. But here are a few.

• Travel: I've been fortunate in life to have travelled a bit. Much of it by air. It's quick and generally (or it used to be) convenient. But you don't really see much beyond the aluminium tube and airports when you fly, and, of course, your destination. You certainly don't experience the world you fly over. Travel by car is a bit better. Even so mostly what you see is interstate highway and scenery going by at speed while sealed in an air conditioned cocoon. Every few hours you get to experience a gas station or wayside restaurant. One is much the same as another and of course you need to get back on the road to get to your destination so you don't really experience much.  Still, cars are a bit better than flying but even so you don't really get much by way of experience of the places you drive through.
  
  Travelling by bicycle appeals precisely because it is slow and you are, of necessity, exposed to the places you travel through. Because it is slow you are not going to get anywhere fast and thus there is no particular penalty for stopping to experience a place and interact with locals. You can smell the place, feel its weather, notice details and meet far more people along the way.

• Experiences: I've always been one of the subspecies of humans who enjoy the new and change. At some level we all enjoy new experiences, a new restaurant, a new vacation destination, etc. Riding across the country is certain to provide many new experiences.

• Physical challenge: The trip is 4228 miles so there is a real physical challenge involved. Succeeding in a real physical challenge is certainly appealing. While I'm no longer a young man I'm still in reasonably good heath. There will undoubtedly be physical challenges but people older than I and in rather poorer health have successfully done the trip.
• Adventure: Of course, there is also the adventure of it. For those who don't know why adventure is important and valuable, I've not much to offer. For those who do know why, I don't need to explain.

At any event I think the reasons are good enough to at east consider the notion. So I joined the Adventure Cycling Association. We'll see what happens.