The Path Less Pedaled

The state of the country and its shrinking economy has left many people staring at their existential dilemma head on. As doors have closed on the pre-conceived definition of the American dream a lot of people have made lemonade from lemons oftentimes approaching their passions for the first time or simply reigniting old ones. For bicycle advocates Russ Roca and Laura Crawford, this came in the form of hopping on their bikes, taking the path less pedaled and inspiring others to do the same.

What was the inspiration to leave everything behind and climb aboard a bike to see the US?

Like a lot of people, we’ve always had the dream to travel and see the US first-hand. Laura and I were bike commuting pretty regularly and right around the same time we discovered bike touring. We gave it a try and did our first tour out to wine country around Solvang. We were instantly hooked. We did bike tours (sometimes only an overnighter or a weekend tour) every chance we got. It was a cheap, fun and healthy way to have an adventure. When the opportunity presented itself to do a long open-ended bike tour we jumped at it. We sold everything we owned, hit the road and have never regretted it.

What were some of the challenges you faced on your first tour?

When you first start touring, there are some physical challenges. You slowly build up base miles and basic endurance. After awhile, however, the challenges are mental. You always wonder if you can get up over the hill or the mountain pass or cross the desert. You realize that you are physically capable of most challenges, but its a matter of coaxing your brain and managing fear.

How does the experience of riding a bike compare to other modes of transportation, especially on a long tour like your first?

Bike touring is fast enough that you feel like you’ve moved through the landscape, but slow enough for real interaction. If we were in a car, we wouldn’t have met all the wonderful people that we’ve met while on the bicycle. When you’re on a loaded bike, people are curious and they’ll ask you questions and invite you into your homes. In comparison, simply driving a car across the country is a very lonely and solitary experience. Also on a bicycle, you really get a chance to know the country. You feel every hill or breeze, you smell the trees and flowers, you’re very connected to the landscape you are moving through.

Your story and website are very encouraging for the dedicated bicycle tourist and those new to that world. What key pieces of advice would you give to someone just starting out?

The best advice we can give is to just hit the road. Most people are daunted by what is the best tent or best bike and it keeps them from going! Start with a short overnight bike tour or a weekend bike tour to figure out your limits, your comfort zone and play with your gear. Once you do one, the feeling of being self-contained is addictive and it may lead to your own cross country bike adventure!

Can you tell us more about your current tour?

We are both advocates at heart. We wanted to cross the country again, but to do it just for our own pleasure seemed selfish. Our next trip is about highlighting bike and transportation advocates across the country and profiling bicycle friendly businesses. We are using Brompton folding bikes and public transit (Amtrak and regional buses) to criss-cross the country. As we travel, we’ll be giving presentations about bicycle travel and the simple ways communities can become more bike friendly. Another new feature is video. We’ve got a small video camera rig to do the interviews, but to also document our adventures. We’re also encouraging our Facebook fans to really point us where to go.

 
For more information on The Path Less Pedaled visit their website and Facebook page.