While we’re on the road we meet a lot of awesome people. Sometimes we can stay and chat for hours while other encounters only last a few minutes. We can’t fit everyone on here, but here are some amazing people who have gone out of their way to help us.

Our parents, Bill and Jane, Mike and Joy Webb, Keith and Linda Holloway, Marcus and Elena, the Mystery Lady of Chatsworth, TN, Brian Victor, the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville, GA, Marvin Hires, Dewayne, the VFW of Athens, TN, Subway, Sonic, Corey and Kacey McGlothlan, Ann Slaybaugh, grandma, the FRC of Loudon County, TN, Sylvia Jacobs, John Napier, John, Jeanine, and Amanda Bowden, Bub and Heather, Kerry Kraft, Monticello Baptist Church, Gordon Church of God in Christ…

Hey, everyone!

Here at My Epic Road Trip we’ve got nearly everything under control. We’ve got bikes, we’ve got gear, and, because of all that training, we’ve got calves that any mother cow would be proud of. Unfortunately, one thing we don’t have enough of is money.

It would be great if a few people would send us hundreds of dollars, but we’re pretty sure that won’t happen. But I know a way that every reader can do their part in contributing to My Epic Road Trip. If every reader sent one dollar to us just one time, think of how much further that would take us? If we ended up having 150 readers that would give us two to three more weeks on the road. If we had 200 readers then we’d have around a month longer to explore the world by bike. If we had 500 readers… well, you get the point.

This isn’t an obligation, but it’s something we’d really appreciate. Just think of all the things you waste a dollar on. Lottery tickets, gum, cheap DVDs at the gas station that you buy just to make your movie collection look bigger. I know you’ve been dying to buy that classic DVD “Attack of the Rabid Possums,” but don’t you think your dollar would be going to better use if we were using it to visit some of the most beautiful places on this Earth?

Like I said, this isn’t an obligation, but it’s something we will definitely appreciate. You’ll be helping to make our dreams of traveling come true. It’s something we’ve both always wanted to do and we’ve got all the time in the world. Now all we need is money. Please send your contributions to P.O. Box 24, Loudon, TN 37774.

Thank you for helping us see the world!

Hi everyone!

My family and I are back from our vacation visiting family. It was a long, long, long ride home from the hotel. Before the longest stretch of road we visited my grandpa in Simpson, Illinois. We had a good time seeing everyone. Hopefully when we’re coming back home from our journey we’ll be able to go through southern Illinois and visit my family.

The finally preparations for the big day are under way. Caitlin and I are both getting our things together so we can start packing tomorrow. We have to go shopping, too. We’ll be looking mostly at food, but there are a few other items that will come in handy. I’ll also be canceling my phone plan. No, we’re not going to carry a phone. There are several reasons I don’t want one. First, it’ll have to be charged. Second, it’s two more things to carry (charger included). Third, I don’t want me or anyone else to have to pay for it. And, finally, I just don’t want one. I’ve carried a phone in my pocket for nearly the last five years. I’m tired of it. Anyone can reach me anywhere I am. If I forget it at home I’m stressed because I feel like something’s missing. It’ll make my life just that much simpler by not having it. And while we will definitely have some things that would be considered luxury items, a phone isn’t one of them.

But what about safety, you ask? We’re carrying the Spot, which is a GPS unit that has a 911 button on it in case of emergencies. The plan we have is so good that we can have a helicopter flown in to save us if necessary. Sweet, huh? I think it’s creepy as all get out, but it makes everyone feel better knowing we’re safe.

I’m at a loss for things to say now. I’m actually a bit overwhelmed by the fact that we have less than a day and a half to prepare. I know everything will get done in time, but the anticipation is difficult. Today it hit me (yes, just today) that soon I’ll be leaving a place I truly love. I’ll be leaving the people I love. I’ll be waking up every day, crawling out of a tent, and climbing back up on the saddle. And I’ll be doing it for a year. I’m not nervous or scared. I’m just thinking about this adventure that we’re about to go on and I’m realizing that it’s so much bigger than I first thought. I haven’t bit off more than I can chew, but I certainly have a mouthful. At 8 AM on Tuesday morning we’ll start chewing!

I appreciate everyone coming and reading this blog. I’d love to hear from you. I can’t promise I’ll get back to you quickly, but I’ll try to answer any email you send as soon as I can. Contact info is on the left side of this page in the about me section Thanks again for reading!

May your chain be well-oiled and the wind at your back! ¡Adios!

The national average price of gas has just hit $4.10 a gallon, the price of living goes up while wages stay the same, global warming is a reality that is staring us all in the face, and health issues continue to plague Americans because of a lack of activity. Welcome to today’s world!

It seems worse than it has ever been, at least in my lifetime. I graduated from college and got a job that didn’t pay enough for me to move out. I couldn’t pay for gas. I have no health insurance. And global warming is an issue very close to my heart. These and other problems led me to go on my Epic Road Trip. I guess part of it is I’m hoping to find solutions to these problems or, at the very least, a personal way of dealing with a world that isn’t nearly as perfect as I had imagined.

In spite of all the problems this world has I still have so much hope for it. I believe in people and I believe that they will choose to do what’s right as long as they have what they need. I also believe that all of these problems and many others can be solved, but everyone has to be involved. That’s where you come in.

Like the old saying goes, “Think globally, act locally.” Think about the problems as a whole, but do what you can where you are. I feel like I’m doing my part, in some way or another, by doing this trip. Maybe my way of helping is simply by raising awareness of the things I observe and burning my own calories instead of fossil fuels. I can’t do this alone, though. I need your help.

Like I said, first people have to have their own needs met. Let’s focus on your problems before we tackle the world’s. First, you pay way too much for gas (and prices just keep rising). Second, health care costs more than most can afford (and, like gas, there’s no ceiling for these prices). It will take some drive and determination, but there’s a solution to both of these problems that many of you can use. I challenge everyone that reads this (who has no serious health problems) to buy a bicycle and ride it to work two days a week. When I started doing this I was saving over $4 a week and started getting healthier. Now I know that $4 a week is not that much, but after a year (and assuming a two week vacation) you would save… wait for it…… $200 a year. Do you know what $200 can get you? If you don’t live in a hole I’m betting you do. And in addition to the green backs you’ll be living healthier, which means fewer visits to the doctor. If you were to save only $50 a year in health care, suddenly you’ve got a totla of $250 extra. With all that money laying around you could make a sweet little donation to the Epic Road Trip fund. At least, that’s what I’d do with all the money I saved…

The crazy thing is that by helping yourself get healthier (physically and fiscally) you’ll be helping the planet. If you commuted by bike twice a week you would be saving around 1,600 pounds of carbon from going into the atmosphere a year (assuming you drive a car that gets 21 mpg and a 16 mile round trip commute). If your commute is longer than that you’ll be doing even more for the planet.

This challenge is a big step for a lot of you, but it’s definitely manageable. The first month or so that I commuted to work I was on a bike that my dad had bought at Wal-Mart. It wasn’t even a road bike. It cost less than $200, too. You’ll more than make that back with the money you save. And guess what? Now you don’t have to buy that new $250 ab machine to get rid of that spare tire. You’ve got transportation AND a piece of workout equipment.

I hope you all join me on this Epic Road Trip not only by reading my blog, but by riding your way to a healthier you and a healthier place to live.

Together we can make a change.

Hello, All!

Today I’m in Illinois on my farewell tour. We stayed with my grandma and grandpa in their beautiful log cabin on Friday night. Yesterday we went to see my grandpa Mac, my godfather Bruce, our old friend Joe, and my grandma Bev. Today we’re in Alton, Illinois. We’re going to visit my nephew Anthony for a few days. It has been an exhausting tour, but well worth it all.

Since we’ve been on the road and been busy visiting family I haven’t had a free moment to train. I’m hoping that tonight, after we go to the gambling boat, of course, I’ll get a chance to go for a run or ride the stationary bike at the hotel. I’m not really concerned about not getting proper training this last week before the Epic Road Trip. I know that the first several days are going to be tough, but we’ll hit our second wind and pull through it stronger than before. The first few days will be more of a mental than a physical struggle.

Just as a side note, gas prices here in Alton, IL are $4.17. Anybody else want to take up biking yet?

Hello, everyone!

I’m sorry I didn’t write on Sunday. I’ve been having some allergy problems and I guess it just slipped my mind. I’m still having some problems, but I’m not as medicated right now so I’m thinking a little straighter.

Since I’ve been layed out for a few days Caitlin and I haven’t trained much. We were finally able to ride together again today. We took a ride from her sister’s place in Sweetwater all the way to the outskirts of Athens. It reminded me of exaclty why I wanted to bike. The scenery was great and it was so much more authentic than the interstate experience. There were amber waves of grain and baseball diamonds. I was waiting for an apple pie to show up, but it never appeared. But I promise you… there WILL be apple pie on this trip.

Something I haven’t covered yet is where we’re going. The plan right now is to ride down to Savannah, GA which will be one of our first big stops. We’re also going to spend a couple of days at Jekylle Island, GA. St. Augustine and Jacksonville, FL are next. After that we don’t have any big plans. We’ll just be beach hopping in FL going West. Once we get into Texas we’ll probably visit a friend of mine in Austin. After that we’re going to try to visit the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. National Parks are the main event on this trip. So far the list also includes Mesa Verde, Carlsbad Caverns, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Redwood, Lassen Volcanic NP, Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and the Tetons. If there are others along the way that are within reach we’ll go.

Some other places that will probably be visited that aren’t national parks, but are just interesting are Crystal River, FL (swimming with manatees), Seaside, FL (the filming location of the movie “The Truman Show,” which was an inspiration for this trip), Austin, TX (home of the biggest urban bat population and live music capital of the world), San Antonio, TX (the Alamo), New Orleans, LA (good food, among other things), Roswell, NM (site of a UFO landing and overall weird place), Santa Fe, NM (artsy place), Taos, NM (ski town, but we won’t be skiing), the Trinity Site, NM (site of the atomic bomb test), Sedona, AZ (looks gorgeous), Felicity, CA (Official Center of the World and site of a history of the world on marble monuments), and many, many others.

Only two more weeks! Thanks for reading!

Hey everybody,

Sorry to everyone who may have looked for this post earlier, but I’ve had a busy day. I went on two rides today, one of which was with my new partner. Let me start from last week…

Last week I went on a date in the Smoky Mountains. It was a beautiful day. The trail we were hiking had dozens of cascades overflowing with water, the rhododendrons were in bloom, and the bugs were coming from everywhere to feast on us. I knew that if this girl loved the mountains enough to fight the skeeters that I had found a keeper. The date lasted a lot longer than I ever expected and, towards the end, I realized that this girl definitely IS a keeper. Unfortunately, she had plans to go to New York and I was going on the Epic Road Trip. My how plans change…

Don’t worry. I’m still going on the Epic Road Trip, but now I’m brining Caitlin. Her travel plans fell through and she decided she wants to come with me. The other day we bought her bike, the Trek 520. It’s an amazing bike that will definitely be able to keep up with my LHT. In fact, she’s already passing me up. Looks like I’m the one who needs to train more.

That’s it for this post. I’ve got a lot of planning and ordering to do. Until next week, may the tailwinds push you through that last mile and may the dogs trip over their feet before they bite yours.

Hello, friends!

This is the second installment of my Epic Road Trip. I’ve gotten my bike back from the shop with the pannier racks and I’m really excited. I don’t have panniers yet, but it’s a lot of fun to pretend they’re there. The bike’s a little off balance, though, with all that imaginary weight. I should get them by Thursday.

Anyway, I wanted to touch on some more FAQs. First, everyone asks why I’m riding a bike instead of driving. I gave several reasons in the last post, but I forgot something very important. The most important reason, in fact! Riding a bike forces me to take my time and really take notice of what’s going on around me. It gives me the chance to get to the heart of a place (the town, the people, random happenings) instead of just being stuck in the arteries (interstates, super busy highways). Earlier this week (in a single ride) I saw one deer, two turkeys, a guy riding a plow pulled by two clydesdales, and a runaway cow being corraled by four police cars. Had I not been on my bike I would have been on the interstate and missed all of these things.

Another reason I’m riding the bike is it’s more adventurous. I’m not stuck in the car protected from every little thing. I had a run in with a rotweiler on Tuesday. He sprinted towards me the moment his eyes met mine. I knew I couldn’t outrun him so I hit the brakes, jumped off my bike and started barking at him, “I bite harder than you! Go ahead, jump! Bring it!” The owner came out and realized I was going to kill his dog and told me in his calm southern drawl, “He don’t bite.” Of course he doesn’t bite YOU, but the other day he was snapping at my heels! If I had been in a car I could have just hit the gas… or the dog. Either way, problem solved. Where’s the adventure in that?

Mileage is something else everyone is curious about. I have two options as far as I see. Either I can go 40 miles every day or I can go 60 for two days and rest on the third. I’m leaning towards 60 mile days. Mileage is theoretical right now, though. I’ve never had my bike loaded down. When I finally carry some weight I may only be able to go about eight or nine miles before my legs explode.

Several people have asked how I’m going to keep up the blog. I’m not carrying a computer with me so I’ve got to find internet along the way. Hopefully I’ll be able to use public libraries. If I can’t do that then I have no clue. Hotels, maybe? I’m open to suggestions!

As promised, I’m posting the cartoons that a student drew predicting my demise in Mexico. Click here to see the cartoon and read the explanation. Once again, gracias YM por este dibujo. Que no me llamen guerejo!

Hello, Everyone!

This is the official launch of My Epic Road Trip blog. I’m going to write (I’m hoping) at least once a week after I hit the road on July 1st. There will be times when I can’t update that often, but in those cases I’ll try to let everyone know I won’t be writing for a while and an approximate date for the next post.

Anyway, I’ve been planning my trip and getting my ride built. The frame is a Surly Long Haul Trucker and it has a Brooks saddle. Past that I have no clue what’s on the bike. I’ve left the bike building to Kelly at West Bicycles. He’s done great! Thanks, Kelly! Go here to see pictures of my bike.

Everyone has a million questions about my trip. The FAQs so far are “where are you going to sleep,” “are you rich,” “why the heck are you riding a bike when you can drive,” and “are you packin heat?”

Answer to number one, I’m camping out every night I can. In a few minutes I’m going to buy my tent. I’m going with the REI Quarter Dome T2. It’s a two person tent. Hopefully it’s as stout as the reviewers have said it is. If not, then I’m going to have a lot of long wet nights.

Answer #2: no, in fact, I’m going to have less money than I thought I would. Sucks, don’t it? I’m going to have to do odd jobs along the way. If I can’t find work then I’ll have to find other ways of making the trip survive. Warning: shameless plug! You can help keep this trip and my dream of traveling alive by sending a check or money order to Ethan McReynolds, P.O. Box 24 Loudon, TN 37774! It’s loads of fun and super convenient! Plus, you’ll feel really bad about yourself if I have to come home early, dream shattered and wallet empty, because you couldn’t introduce me to Mr. Lincoln… or Franklin, for that matter.

Answer #3: there are several reasons why I don’t want to drive. Gas is the top reason. It’s $3.79 right now (someday we’ll all look back on this and say “and I complained about paying $3.79???”). By the end of summer it should be over four bucks a gallon. I don’t have that kind of money and even if I worked along the way I’d end up working more than traveling. Another reason is because it’s healthier. Another is that riding a bike is less sheltered than a car. On a bike I can feel the wind in my hair, the rain on my skin, the fly that flew into my mouth and splatted on got caught on the back my throat. What could be better than that? The final reason is because it’s better for the environment. If all goes according to plan this trip will last around 10,000 miles. Many of the places I want to visit most are National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Glacier. It seemed kinda silly to go see nature, but help destroy it on the way there.

Answer #4: I don’t know! Not a very good answer, but I really don’t. One of my neighbors just told me he’d give me a gun and a carry license is easy to get, so who knows?

That’s it for now. But comeback next week when I’ll post some of the places I want to visit, more answers to FAQs, and an exciting cartoon drawn by a former student of mine predicting my assault and the theft of my bike in Mexico City! íQué rico!