Less than 40 days to go and the training continues

The days are disappearing before I travel to the USA for the big charity ride, but the miles of training are starting to mount up and at the weekend a big landmark was achieved. On Sunday (20th April) I cycled over 50 miles with my cycling club (Somer Valley Cycling Club) and in the process I achieved my first lap of the globe. The circumference of the planet around the equator is 24,901 miles and my total mileage since I took up cycling in early 2019 crossed this distance. I am now setting out for my second lap!

This sounds like a major accomplishment but when I compare this to some of the members of the cycling club and a number of my American friends, this is nothing! Dan Sheridan from Marion in Ohio achieved 100,000 miles when we did the USA cross-country in 2019. He has since clocked up another 25,000 plus another 2,000 already this year.

I love this picture!

If there is one thing I have learned from taking up cycling:

It is never too late to do something for the first time!

Don’t compare yourself with others, otherwise you will never feel fulfilled. Many people thought I was completely bonkers to try to cycle across America when I was not an experienced cyclist and I had to go and buy a bike to do it! To be fair to my local cycle shop (Bike-it), they did not try to sell me a truly expensive bike but one that did the job! The sense of achievement as I completed the ride in Washington DC was immense and made my kids proud of their father.

This was me on my way crossing the Rockies at the Eagle Pass in 2019

Summing up my message for this blog;

Do not hold back but set out on your own adventure! Don’t wait for it to arrive in your lap, make it happen! Life is for living and do not let the troubles of this world rob you of your sense of fulfilment. The adventure is out there for you.

Me in Ireland last year with loads of my American friends

I will be flying to the USA in a month’s time, continuing my cycling adventure, seeing scenery I have never seen before, making new friends as well as seeing existing friends again. It’s gonna be fun!!

So go out and have some fun too!!