Have you ever dreamed of riding a bicycle across America?

I am Shular Scudamore. My plans for a coast to coast bicycle ride across America started with a "dream" some twenty years ago - wouldn't it be nice to ride a bicycle from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean someday. In a speech delivered in 2008, titled "Dreams to Reality" I talked about three elements that create the foundation of your blueprint to turn your dreams into reality; What you want to be, what you want to do and what you want to have. I used my desire to ride coast to coast as an example of something on my do list. When I was interviewed after the speech, I was asked when I planned to make the ride! I had not attached a date to my ride. It was still a dream and not a goal. Fortunately dreams do not expire. May 2012 I will be starting in May riding the Adventure Cycling Northern Tier Route. I am raising money for His Wheels International. If you would like to contribute, please send me an email (see below). You can follow my training and preparation for this bicycle tour and then my ride across America at my blog: Bike Across USA Blog All funds go directly to His Wheels. The ride will be about 4300 miles. How about one or even two cents per mile. Check out my blog for updates on training and preparation for the ride across America and progress when I start the ride.

June 16, 1994 I started my ride from Champaign, Illinois to Boston, Massachusetts. The ride was a program of the League of American Cyclists called "Pedal for Power." I did it as a fund raiser for Wayside Cross Ministries in Aurora, IL. The ride finished at the Atlantic Ocean on July 1. That is the longest ride I have made. So Far.

Cycling 50 States in One Year

What a challenge, riding a bicycle more than 17,000 miles touching all 50 states. Doug Adams, supported by his wife Deb Lewis, both 1980 West Point grads, started the trip in the Northeast of the United States at Fort Drum, NY on 7 October 2010. Their goal is to finish one year later in Hawaii at the Kona Ironman. Doug is doing it for America's veterans, current servicemen and women, and military families. You can learn more about their 50 state bicycle tour at the Duty, Honor, America Tour website: Duty, Honor, America Tour

TransAmerican Riders Past Sixty

In the summer of 2008, three recreational riders, all in their sixties, rode the TransAmerican route, cycling coast-to-coast. Bob Frassinello, Mack Ford and Dan Stipp completed the trip in three months, riding at their own pace. Starting in Florence, Oregon, the three finished in Yorktown, Virginia. Read about their trip in TransAmerica Past Sixty

TransAmerica Bicycle Ride from the Past

First Recorded Bicycle Trip Across the United States

Thomas Stevens wrote of his cycling journey across America in 1884. His book tells of his start in San Francisco on the morning of April 22, 1884. He writes, "Various attempts have been made from time to time, by ambitious cyclers, to wheel across America from ocean to ocean; but - "Around the World!" "The impracticable scheme of a visionary," was the most charitable verdict one could reasonably have expected." Stevens made his ride on a fifty-inch machine. Yes, he rode coast-to-coast on a high wheeler, sometimes called a penny-farthing, this at a time when few roads were paved.

Biking Across America, 1887

George Nellis, Jr. rode a fifty-two-inch Columbia Expert on his seventy-two day journey from Herkimer, New York to San Francisco. He arranged for newspapers to publish letter reports mailed along the way. Biking across the USA east to west, he arrived in San Francisco on August 4, 1887.

1935 Trans-continental Ride

Charlie Klotz, made a cross-country ride in 1935 at age 20, on Speed King bicycle. Charlie started in his home town of Hollister, California and rode to New York city. He made the ride with a fixed gear! The unique rear wheel allowed him to have a second gear by removing the wheel and flipping it over. Charlie pedaled the 3100 miles in 30 days, riding 100 to 130 miles each daily. His bicycle was fitted with wooden rims. Charlie still has the bicycle. There was a great article about Charlie written by Scott Herhold of the Mercury News (now in their archives). Be sure to see the short video of Charlie riding the same bicycle at age 93. Charlie Klotz 1935 Transcontinental Ride

Bruce Overstreet Bike for Mali

Bruce Overstreet finished his bike across the USA on August 6, 2008, raising now $50,000 for Koutiala Hospital for Women and Children in Mali. The ride totaled over 4100 miles and 56 day. In a radio interview Overstreet said he was burning 10,000 calories a day above his normal needs. You can find information about his route and itinerary at his web site Bike for Mali

You can contact me with ideas about routes and suggestions for the trip.

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