Trans Am 2014: Preface

Source: www.transambikerace.com

In 2012 I rode from my parents house in Medford, NY to my new home in the Bay Area. I finished this 5,000 mile journey in 80 days. People were impressed by this number, they said I went fast, especially considering I had no idea what I was doing and I was carrying far too much stuff. Once I had settled into the Bay Area I noticed there was this huge gap between the ocean that my parents live on and the one that I lived on and I thought to myself I wonder how quick I can cross this country if I did it smarter and gave it more effort.

Fast forward 2014; somewhere clicking around the internets I found the Trans Am Bike Race, basically the same concept as the Great Divide Mountain Bike Race only instead following the 1976 Trans Am Bike Route also promoted by the Adventure Cycling Association. It seemed like an interesting challenge, there was no cost to put my name on the list, so I did, not really sure if I wanted to do it, the doubts would swirl and swirl and swirl.

"Hey, you're Patrick Dowd right?" a bearded bike Oakland native, Morgan approached me after the FWOD alleycute.
"Yeah, whatsup?"
"You're doing the Trans Am right?" he must have seen my name with Oakland under it on the website.
"Uh...Maybe? I haven't really decided, seems like it might be too much."
"You should do it, I'm signed up for it, do it." I still wasn't sure, but I kept running into Morgan and he kept prodding and pushing. Finally, one day when it was me him and Joey (an Oakland native who would start the), I made the decision right there, "I'm doing it". Shortly after I found out Morgan wasn't doing it, which I couldn't help but laugh at. I know he really wanted to do it and it just wasn't feasible for him, but he still pressured me into it with a sense of "I'm doing it, you should do it" and now he was out. Nevertheless I was in.

Now I'm on the other side. 22 days, a mysterious mile count somewhere between 4100 and 4400 (I'll get to that later on in these transmissions), a whole hell of a lot of pain, and not a lot of sleep I'm now in NY gently resting my legs at my parents house. I made it. It was touch and go at times, but isn't it always? Nothing is ever a sure bet is it? But here I am and in the coming days my story will make its way to the print of these webpages. Hope you enjoy it, but I already am afraid that these words will never come close to the levels of emotion, struggle, and sheer joy that came from the last three weeks and a day. But what the hell it's worth giving a try.

DISCLAIMER: Do no expect a lot of pictures on these posts. I was actually racing this thing, not taking up racing spots to promote one of the most reprehensible bike companies, so I didn't stop to take out the phone to take many pictures. Which is a shame since the best blogging has pictures, but racing matters too! I may or may not "steal" (ALWAYS give credit, even if they don't ask to be credited!) photos, especially from Inspired to Ride, who are making a documentary on the race (they did the Ride the Divide movie) and took a lot of pictures.