72 Hours and Counting

Ten months ago today my father and I were just starting out on our first week of riding the Trans-America Trail, from Selmer, TN to Talequah, OK. Six days later, after crossing the Oklahoma border, it was time to turn around and head home. All I wanted to do was keep on riding west.

72 hours from now we'll be leaving for Elk City, OK, driving through the night, to spend another week on the trail, this time joined by my uncle Rick. We'll be riding through western Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and hopefully making it to Moab, Utah before again turning back east towards home.

For those of you who don't know (which is probably most), the Trans-America Trail is a masterfully-crafted route from Jellico, TN to the coast of Oregon that is almost entirely off-pavement. It consists of dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest service and power line roads, as well as dried up creek beds, and even abandoned rail grades and farm levies. It's creator, Sam Correro, spent years mapping out the course, specifically trying to avoid as much pavement as possible, and at the same time guiding you through some of the most amazing parts of the country that you would never otherwise see.

Our first trip was a learning experience. What to pack. What not to pack. How to set up the bike. What kind of gear to wear. This time we're better prepared, but it's still going to be quite a challenge. Looking at the maps it's obvious that the terrain is going to become more challenging, and that the days are going to be longer. In a note on the second day's map, Sam says to only spend 20 minutes at lunch – otherwise you might be riding to the hotel in the dark.

So 72 hours left to prep, and then about another 36 hours to get to Elk City, meet up with Rick and visit with family before starting out early on the 19th. I can't wait…