8/9 ~ California Bound

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20TH Anniversary Special)
Post #53:
Twenty years ago, today, Carl Lebman and I rolled across the California State Line.  Since May 31st, we crossed NY, PA, OH, IN, IL, WI, MN, ND. MT, UT, WA, OR, and now entering CALIFORNIA!  We arrive in San Diego on August 31st, and there will be several posts, following that event.  There is a lot to pack in these posts, over the next couple of weeks.  I do hope my few followers have enjoyed them as much as I've enjoyed finally making this bit of history known.  (Each picture has more story.)

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Picture #125

I can't seem to find the pic of me and this Asian lady, also entering California, and wanting to stop for a picture, but I got one of Carl Lebman hugging the State sign.   I would have to look on the map to see if this was Hwy 101 or Hwy 1, but it was North/South, weaving in and off the coast line.  Some of the sights were spectacular; even more so on a bicycle.   (Picture from August 9, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl

Danton Coulson Great pictures, but you certainly worked for them riding across 12 states, and not little New England states at that!

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Picture #126

I can't tell from the photo if this was me or Carl Lebman, but it looks like "skinny jeans", so that might be Carl.   I biked with sweatpants on, a couple of times, but never with jeans.   Mostly, I wore the skimpiest biker shorts I could find, because that was comfortable.  Oh, we had some glorious and heart-draining times on the first 71 days of this extravaganza, and there will be plenty more like them to share, through California.  We needed the good times to lift our hearts from the emotionally difficult days.  Also, I got sick, A LOT, and that, I didn't really talk about much, during these posts.  But, keep in mind, I was diagnosed, then, with full-blown AIDS, and unable to deal with the harsh medications of the time. Mostly, I used bicycling (for aerobics), reasonable health awareness and sanitation standards, vitamins and herbs, and lots of meditation and prayer.  But, when others would run into food that would give them a belly ache, it would make me terribly ill, with fevers.  (Picture from August 9, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl

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Picture #127

I had seen a lot in my life, but nothing quite like the California Coast, except maybe the Oregon Coast, lol.  But, to be honest, I found beauty in every state I bicycled through.   It was truly the greatest experience of my life.   I calculated, by map, to have bicycled about 4,800 miles, during the summer, and deliberately bicycled 200 miles back in Buffalo, to claim 5,000.  To be honest, I can't verify any of that, except through Carl Lebman, and we will both admit that on too many occasions, I wore out, before getting to our next destination; and either needed a tow (very dangerous on a bike), or simply racked the bike the rest of the way to camp.   Yet, we are now seeing, through Google Maps, that the biking routes I took were closer to 5,800 miles. So, considering that I also biked around towns, for publicity, etc. I may well have biked over the 5k mark, even with all those lifts from the Support Vehicle. And let's not forget, that most of my way through NY, PA, MN and half of ND, I pulled a 65-85# trailer behind me.  And there was about 800 miles, in which I had no support vehicle, at all.  So, it was an accomplishment, no matter what, especially considering I was NOT a professional cyclist, and did almost everything half-ass backwards, like riding against the wind.  Who knew?   I  do now!  Maybe next year I might attempt a shorter distance, the right direction.  Who wants to go with me? (Pictures from August 9, 1995)