A Journey by the Numbers

In many ways, questions are better answered and more interesting to the common folk when it is presented in colorful pie charts and bar graphs. With that,  below are some cool graphs that show everything from our distance travelled to the number peach rings I personally consumed. Enjoy! (Some can be better viewed by themselves in a separate window. Just click it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Distances and Days
Total Mileage (mi)	4062
Total Mileage ridden (mi)	3834
Total Days	68
Rest days	10
Average/day (excludes rest days)	66
Weights
Bike Weight (lb)	27
Avg Gear Weight (lb)	35
Total Loaded Weight (lb)	62
Beginning Body Weight (lb)	168
Ending Body Weight (lb)	156
Shelter
Outdoor camping	54%
Residence home	40%
Church	3%
Other	3%
Hygiene
Legitimate showers	67.6%
River bath	11.8%
hose shower	7.4%
sink	7.4%
bottle shower	4.4%
none	1.5%
Mishaps
Total fall count	17
Chauncey	59%
Brian	24%
Jacques	18%
Tubes Replaced
Total inner tubes replaced	11
Brian	73%
Jacques	18%
Chauncey	9%
Approximate Expenditures
Initial gear investment	$2,058.00
Food/restaurant/cash withdraws	$1,550.00
Bike associated costs	$165.00
Other expenditures (5/29-8/2)	$435.00
Airplane and bike shipment	$282.00
Total	$4,490.00

Winning America

Congratulations to ourselves for completing the bicycle travel across the contentinental US from coast to coast. 4200 miles of sweat, sunscreen, chamois butter, and Cliff bars have gotten us from Yorktown VA on the Atlantic all the way to Astoria OR on the Pacific. In a short 68 days, we have learned so much about this glorious country in which we live in. Not only that, we have also gained an invaluable personal experience that we can dwell on for the rest of our lives. You may not agree, but America is extremely diverse and rich with culture. It's the stuff you whizzed pass while driving on the Interstate or flied over at 500mph. The sights you see, the people you meet, the stories you exchange, the perspective you gain - it is only possible when you do it at 14 miles an hour. Traversing the continent via pedal power is no cake walk, it takes a lot of perseverance, mental strength, and an uncanny ability to look over that next hill ahead. But at the end of the day, it gives you the best sleep of your life (even on a hard concrete floor) and a new day of adventure to look forward to. That is what makes it all worth it.

Signing off,

Jacques "Boss" Li
(Not really, I still have to post pictures later, ugh)

America: a post by Jacques

America: wrapped up in a pig blanket and served in a warble of words here

It's hard to depict the awesomeness and grandeur that is America through pictures, much less with words, and very much less so when I'm the one writing the words. But each part of the country is unique to it's own social-demo-geographical region. More so than the spectacular geography and awesome scenery are the people we meet. Every warm welcome into a household is an invitation into someone's life. They enrich our young minds with a plethora of fascinating stories, and a display of their interesting hobbies, and a peek into lifestyles other than our own Generation Y upbringing. 

The South still holds onto it's rebel ties through proud displays of the Dixie flag and bumpers stickers. You can't help but notice the poverty stricken areas of eastern KY aka coal country, or I as like to call it - the ghetto of the rural. There, they hate alternative energy not because they are a bunch of backwards bucktoothed rednecks, but because coal mining is their bread and butter.

What the Midwest lacks in the geographical features, it is made up by the hospitality and generosity of the people. Humble backgrounds make for the nicest people. But I must say - big tractors, combines, miles of corn, amber waves of grain -  riding through the bread basket of America really does embody the feeling of being American.

Then comes the Rockies and the wild wild west. The single most beautiful place in the country hands down. Big blue skies, snow capped peaks, winding rivers, towering aspens, the site of a wrangler on a horse moving his cattle down the road, perhaps this is where they get that stuff on that "America is awesome" video they showed me when I got naturalized as a citizen.

 The Northwest knows a good thing when they see it. After being in small town USA for a good bit, it was easy to forget that that there are some places in this country with more than a handful of people. The Northwest is known for their gray overcast ambiance, yuppies jacked up on coffee, and more craft beer breweries than I can drink. Once I hit Portland-Vancouver-Seattle area, I feel myself entering a rather progressive and really white part of the country. Portland really struck a good note on my banjo. I can see why white people like this place.

Sitting on Our Butts... Across the United States

Turns out we can accomplish something without leaving the comfort (eh) of our seats.  Today we had a short ride and finished off our trip in Astoria, Oregon!  You've been good to us United States, thank you for your ugly people and uglier scenery, just kidding it was all great.  Who knows what adventures lie in store for the three they call Brian, Jacques, and Chauncey?  All that can be sure of, is how awesome they all are for finishing this first challenge.  Stay adventurous and happy my friends.

Unofficial Official Theme Song of Our Journey

http://youtu.be/sy1dYFGkPUE

Cyclo-Urination

Relieving yourself whilst cycling is a system of high risk, high reward. On one hand, in result of failure, you risk mutilation, humiliation, messiness, and a charge of public indecency.  If successful like a champ, you gain pride and urinary tractifaction while still making forward progress on your bike ride i.e. worth the risk.  Women need not apply, biking experience required.  Right now I will not go into the details, nor will I post pictures of success, but I will say the secret is to work with a slight downhill.

Vegetables

I don't know whether it was my taste buds maturing or my body craving intense amounts nutrients for energy, but this summer I've been eating my vegetables for the first time in my life.  I even made my own salad at one point, that's pretty crazy in my mind. Just fyi

Final Stretch

So we bring our journey towards an end, ~450 miles left. We should finish within a week. There have been good times and great times, long days and short days, memories to cherish forever. Virginia was our introduction and first love, we blew threw it century after century just to get the trip rolling.  Kentucky proved to be our bane, testing us with miserable boringness. Illinois was a short jaunt but gave us one of our best stories.  Missouri introduced us to the west with it's arches and an excellent night at City Museum.  In Kansas we got familiar with wind and heat. Colorado was overwhelming with beauty and friends to stay with. Wyoming's national forests were worth the trip. Montana was wildly wonderful in itself and was the first point we started realizing the adventure was coming to a close.  Idaho was a quick sprint through beautiful cedar and river country. The rest is a mystery but I imagine it to be pretty cool.

For those of you that have helped us on our way, don't worry we'll write a thank you for each and every one of you... if you're lucky.

DOC POPCORN

Biking across the U.S. is tough. We burn calories like millionaires burn hundys, so we're shoveling food down our throats any time we get a chance to. We generally like delicious food like regular people, but we also like food that's kinda healthy and won't have us dragging @$$ in the saddle.  For this reason we'd like to make a shout out to Doc Popcorn.  The founder of the company and his family were wonderful and awesome hosts, letting us stay with them for a night back in Boulder, CO.  Right before going through the national parks in WY we received a care package full of Doc Popcorn.  We almost ate it all in a single sitting it was so good.  It's pretty wholesome and good for you too.  This was the snack that helped power us over some mountains and into some beautiful natural scenes, so for that we'd like to say Thank You Doc Popcorn!
DocPopcorn's Site

Why Wyoming?

Someone once raised the question: what's the farthest distance you've ever been away from any other human being? Well, I can say with certainty that Wyoming is probably the farthest I've been from any other person. But it sure is gorgeous in every way.

PS new photos! check them izzout