Last August I shared my mission to virtually bicycle across the US from Ipswich, MA, to the Seattle Aquarium. I am logging all the miles I ride on the recumbent bike at the YMCA & the miles I walk into myvirtualmission.com. Each time I log new miles my virtual icon moves across the map. I am hoping to complete the 2,936 mile ride in 2 years, but it’s been a year and I’m only 30% there… I’ve recently upped the time I spend at the gym, so hopefully my progress will improve!
Currently I’m [apparently] on the S.S. Badger ferry going from Michigan to Wisconsin – LOL!!! The map shows me out in the middle of Lake Michigan, almost to the Wisconsin/Michigan line:
I googled “Ludington – Manitowoc” [the text written along the map line] and it came back to this: The S.S. Badger “offers the largest cross-lake passenger service on the Great Lakes and an authentic steamship experience. The relaxing four-hour, 60-mile cruise takes passengers, autos, RVs, tour buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and commercial trucks across Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin”. It looks like a cruise ship. I’m very impressed it takes semi trucks:
It also seems to run in super rough weather & in the icy winter:
I am very surprised that MyVirtualMission.com includes ferry rides 🙂 I have ridden 925 miles since 7/11/2016:
I feel good about my progress, but not compared to my blog friend Jessica’s husband Douglas. He’s just finishing up a charity bicycle ride across the country to raise money & awareness for traumatic brain injury. During his first 2 weeks of riding he and his partner [also named Douglas] rode 1,526 miles… IN TWO WEEKS!!! Holy crap. But he’s an expert level athlete, competing in ironmans, marathons, & triathlons every year. AND he’s a professional athletic trainer. Here’s how next level [aka crazy] he is: on his “day off” from the charity ride he ran a half marathon! O.M.G.!
But I’m making my own way across, at my own pace, challenging myself along the way.
My best ride so far was 12/7/2016 when I rode 10 miles in 33:15 minutes = 18.04 mph! I am currently averaging about 38 minutes per 10 miles… Here’s how many miles I’ve ridden each month since 7/11/2016:
JUL16 – 90 miles
AUG16 – 140 miles
SEP16 – 110 miles [10% complete]
OCT16 – 20 miles [sick most of the month]
NOV16 – 101 miles
DEC16 – 66 miles
JAN17 – 97 miles [20% complete]
FEB17 – 40 miles
MAR17 – 65 miles
APR17 – 49 miles
MAY17 – 51 miles
JUN17 – 13 miles [sick most of month]
JUL17 – 60 miles [30% complete]
AUG17 – 23 miles [so far]
TOTAL = 925 miles out of 2,936 [31.5% complete]
Thank you for the mention and share. You are on an impressive journey yourself. It takes dedication and courage to not only take on a goal like this but to share out with others. Going to have to check out the rest of your personal challenge now.
Jessica mentioned doing this back in the spring, now I know her inspiration and have to get her going on it.
Thanks, Douglas! I look fwd to reading about the rest of your journey on your blog. You and Douglas Jr are amazing people. And I can’t fathom riding > 100 miles a day. I am ready for a break after 10! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
You and Douglas are inspirational! Time for me to get back to my recumbent bike at the gym. Jo @ Lets Face the Music
Thanks, Jo! It helps to have a goal. Doesn’t seem like such a mindless drudge.
Thanks for sharing Douglas’s link. Ever bit of exposure helps people suffering from something that could happen to any of us at any time. Your progress is impressive too!
Thanks, Jessica!
That’s A LOT of miles. Good for you – keep up the good work!
Thanks, it’s fun to see my progress visually instead of just “going to the gym”