Day 10: New Meadows, ID to White Bird, ID

Jacob Usher

Note from the editor (Brian): You may have noticed that we don’t always post the blog the day it’s written. This is partly because we don’t always have service where we camp. We’ll keep doing our best to post them as soon as possible.

A big part of our routine each day is packing and unpacking camp. Particularly packing up in the morning since that’s usually when I am grumpiest. After the second day, I reorganized my bags so that my system was mostly complete. Tent and sleeping stuff in the left pannier, clothes and food stuff in the right pannier, and other items I need more often through the day in my handlebar bag that has become a saddle bag. 

I was having a hard time remembering which pannier was which (you’d think it would be easy right?) so I tried to remember ‘right for random, left for tent.’ If you’re paying close attention you realized that that was wrong. I realized at lunch that same day, but now it is easy to remember. At some point my packing became pretty dialed. I know where stuff belongs and packing takes less effort each morning. 

We woke up at 6:15 this morning, electing to skip breakfast to get down the road faster. Our goal for the day was an 85 mile ride with a mega climb at the end of the day to Grangeville. It was barely 40 degrees, wet, and the bathrooms were closed. It was a good morning to be able to pack quickly.

Usher, packed up and ready for the cold

Yesterday was a tough day so we all started pretty quiet, just hoping to make a lot of progress. We passed through Meadows valley when I realized I wasn’t recording for Strava (horrifying). The sun started to come out and we followed the Little Salmon River into a steep winding valley where it rushed over small water falls.

Michael and Friend ride along the Little Salmon River

My fingers and toes were blocks of ice, but the views and easy down hill riding made up for it. I was excited when the trees started to thin because I knew the roads would be dry soon and I might warm up.

The sun peaks out late in the morning

We decided to push on to Riggins before stopping for breakfast. The Little Salmon River gradually became the Salmon River and the trees turned to grass which turned to brown rock. We were all craving a breakfast at a diner but a man doing road work told us that the diner in Riggins closed down just a few weeks ago. Instead we ate breakfast at a nice park along the river. He did, however, recommend Red’s in White Bird as something like ‘the best breakfast I’ve ever had.’ It was also around this time we decided to cut our day short of Grangeville because of some aches and pains. Conveniently this puts us in White Bird for the night and made the day much easier.

Michael pounds some honey during a quick break

As the day went on, we found ourselves sharing the road with the occasional semi-truck. Some had double trailers and we even saw the elusive triple trailer! One had 90 bails of hay on it. We had a wide, nice shoulder for the majority of the day making the traffic not so bad.

We crossed into PST again (as if the time zones hadn’t confused us enough already) and the Salmon River now became the Lower Salmon River. We pushed against a moderate headwind into camp arriving at 4pm Mountain Time or 3pm Pacific. We are staying at a nice campsite tucked beside the river with a great view of the valley.

An early finish gave the group time to play a game of Euchre at camp

Tomorrow we have a mega breakfast and a mega climb waiting for us.

Day 9: Hells Canyon, ID to New Meadows, ID

Brian Richardson

At the end of our ride yesterday, we dropped into Hells Canyon, a section of the Snake River near the Seven Devils Mountains. Given these sinister names, we were prepared to face grueling roads and harrowing conditions. So we were pleasantly surprised to get some smooth riding along the water, shaded by the canyon wall.

This morning, the 2000 ft climb out of Hells Canyon gave us a taste of what it’s named for. Due to a time-zone-change-related mixup, we got off to a late start. The sun was already fully out, and there was no shade to be found on the climb. Even with the relatively mild temperature, we crested the rim of the canyon tired and sweaty and sunburnt. It’s hard to imagine doing this climb later in the summer—as many Trans-America cyclists do—when temperatures in Hells Canyon regularly reach 110 F.

The crew crawls their way out of Hells Canyon

Snake on road near the Snake River

The descent along Pine Creek into Cambridge, ID did not give us much chance to rest. The gully around Pine Creek created a wind tunnel, and, unlike yesterday, the wind’s direction was not in our favor. To manage the headwind, we rode in a tight line, with the person in front “pulling,” or pedaling extra hard to block the wind for the others.

After a nice lunch in Cambridge, we pressed on for another 50 miles and 2000 ft of climbing to our destination of New Meadows. There are days on this trip where I get lost in the joy of biking and hardly keep track of the miles. Today, however, I found myself counting down the mile markers to New Meadows and stopping often to shake out tired legs. We finished the day around 6pm, windburnt and sunburnt and all around beat.

Friend naps in the New Meadows town park after a long day

In New Meadows, we set up camp at the town park, bought groceries, and took some time to call friends and family. At dinner, sitting around a picnic table and macro-dosing spaghetti and Almond Joys, we commiserated about the tough day.

I’m thankful for these three great friends, and thankful that we’re able to laugh about our suffering and keep our chins up for tomorrow.

Usher and Michael fuel up for another big day tomorrow

Day 8: Baker City, OR to Hells Canyon, ID

Jacob Friend

Everyone in Baker City was so kind to us during our two night stay. Together the compassionate community and copious amounts of ice cream helped raise our morale going into our second week on the road. This morning we woke up with renewed spirits and bodies to continue our journey eastward. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to our host Brian, but soon enough we were off to Richland, Oregon.

The crew says goodbye to The Old School bike hostel in Baker City, OR

Oregon has already delivered so many incredible views and lasting memories to kick off our trip. But today really felt like the cherry on top. The 40 mile ride to Richland couldn’t have been smoother. We had a perfect tailwind, long descents, and amazing views of snow-capped mountains all around. This was easily our group’s fastest 40 miles of the trip so far.

The Trans-America Trail, East of Baker City, OR

During our rest day I came across a flyer in Baker City about a 3-day Americana festival happening in Richland with live music and food vendors. So when we arrived in town we made sure to stop by the festival. When we got to the location we quickly realized the festival ended the night before and instead we had just joined the Sunday morning church service. Before we knew it, we were participating in communion with a completely foreign town.

Surprise communion and 3$ breakfast burritos at the Chautauqua Americana music festival in Richland, OR

With our biking gear on, the four of us stuck out like sore thumbs. Once word got around that we were biking across the country, one of the church leaders informed the congregation and then proceeded to deliver a heartfelt prayer wishing us a safe trip. A truly unexpected moment, but we were overwhelmed with love and support from a group of wonderful people. Thank you Richland ❤️

The final 40 miles of the day were certainly not as easy as the first. I think Oregon was sad to see us leave. We fought a relentless headwind for the rest of the day, but the grape juice and wafer from communion was just the boost we needed to persevere. Soon enough we made it to Hells Canyon and biked along the Snake River into Idaho!

Michael rides through Hells Canyon, on the Oregon side of the Snake River

The crew crosses over the river into Idaho

Making it to our second state is a huge milestone for the group. I couldn’t be more proud of the boys and I’m beyond excited to see what Idaho has in store for us. We ended our beautiful Sunday camping beside the beautiful Snake River.

Wood head campground in Hells Canyon, ID

Day 7: Baker City, OR

Michael Richardson

Today marks exactly one week since the start of our trip and is also the first zero-day since we dipped our tires in the Pacific. It feels really good to give the body a break. We’re spending this weekend at a bike hostel in Baker City, tucked inside an old elementary school converted into an art center. The town itself is situated between the Wallowa Mountains to the east and the Elkhorn Mountains to the west, with the Powder River running through downtown toward the Snake River (where we plan to camp tomorrow). It’s given us the perfect home base to refresh our systems and explore the area on this rainy day.

“The Old School” bike hostel in Baker City, OR (try to find our contributions to the stickers on the lockers)

Last night we prepared a family meal together (tacos of course) and indulged in several pints of ice cream to celebrate our first week on the road. After sleeping in, we walked our bikes to The Trailhead Bike Shop for a quick tune-up before continuing on to our real destination, the laundromat. I found it funny that half the group had never been to a laundromat before today, but that’s precisely what this trip is for—new experiences. While our clothes were spinning, I finally had some time to call home and tell my parents that I’m still alive and having fun. Truthfully, it’s been difficult finding a time to step away between one day of biking and the next, but it does make those moments even more meaningful.

Michael gives the taco dinner two thumbs up

After a quick lunch break back at the hostel, we headed out for some more walking—no excuse for not getting 10,000 steps today. We stopped at the Baker Food Co-op which sells a lot of local produce and bulk foods—everything from mung beans to mushroom popcorn. If I lived in Baker City, this would be my favorite store to shop at and I’d be buying oats by the barrel. Further into town, Brian spotted a couple of Surlys parked outside the grocery store and we introduced ourselves to Rob and Irene. They began in Astoria and are also biking the Trans-Am so maybe we will see them on the road! Even though we’re a bit early to the party, I’m hopeful we will meet more bike-tourists to exchange stories and laughs with.

Rob and his Surly Disc Trucker

For dinner, we made pizza bagels with mozzarella, pesto, tomatoes, sliced tofu, and arugula which seemed to be a crowd-pleaser and certainly my favorite meal thus far. For dessert, however, we walked down the hall to attend Pops & Pies, a concert fundraiser to send Baker High School students to choir competitions and festivals. The singing was spectacular and it was nice to sit and appreciate the performance after hearing them practice yesterday. In between acts, students would parade homemade pies down the aisle and the bidding would commence. My mouth was watering as each one passed by, but after a huckleberry pie sold for $1000, I slumped woefully back into my seat.

Brian, the host of The Old School Hostel, auctions off a homemade huckleberry pie for $1,000

Even without huckleberry pie, it’s been a phenomenal recovery day and I’m excited to get back on the road tomorrow. We’re almost done with Oregon and before you know it, we’ll be through Idaho as well so stay tuned.

Day 6: Prairie City, OR to Baker City, OR

Jacob Usher

We treated ourselves this morning by sleeping in until 7. I think I’m still on EST deep down because I seem to wake up at 5:30 no matter what. 

The day started off cold and damp, but luckily all the rain came and went while we were asleep. Once on the road again, we began our first and longest climb of the day. The arid shrubs and grasses gradually turned into green trees and colder air. We passed an old covered wagon and I couldn’t help but think about how the Oregon Trail makes our trip look easy by comparison.

Covered wagon near Prairie City, OR

After crossing the first pass, we arrived at a cute cafe called Austin House. We chatted with the owners while trying to warm up by the fire. Eventually we came to the conclusion that the second climb was probably the only way to get warm.

Brian, 1 mile above sea level after 5.5 days of biking and a few extra steps uphill

Blue skies started to peak out a little as we went up and over the second climb and the day got a little warmer. We stopped for lunch in a nice grassy patch before completing the final climb of the day.

Michael fuels up during a lunch break on Sumpter Pass

We passed Phillips Lake and followed the Powder River down into a canyon almost all the way to Baker City. I think this was my favorite section of riding so far. We made it to Baker City in no time with a tailwind and plenty of motivation.

Usher rides through Baker City, OR as the sun sets over the Elkhorn Mountains

Day 5: Mitchell, OR to Prairie City, OR

Brian Richardson

One of my favorite parts of a trip like this is being able to watch the land change at the speed of a bicycle. Earlier this week, we were in the foothills of the Cascades, riding through Cedars, Hemlocks, and Douglas Firs, and getting rained on every day. As we climbed up Santiam Pass, the rain turned to snow, the rocks and soil turned igneous, and the trees thinned to a sparse few gnarly sub-alpine firs. Then in the span of minutes, we descended East into a new biome with Ponderosa Pines, Bitterbrush shrubs, and about a twentieth the annual rainfall of the Western Cascades. Between Terrebonne and Prairie City, we alternated between grasslands and desert scrub, sometimes with miles between trees.

Wet roads and thick foliage, two days ago in the Western Cascades

Dry roads today, in the high desert East of the Cascades

Our ride today began with a 1500 foot climb up Keyes Pass and then descended along Mountain Creek, which has carved out a winding canyon through the desert. This section of HW 26 is called the “Journey Through Time Oregon Scenic Byway.” Here the road passes through the John Day fossil beds, where a layer of exposed basalt rock offers up millions-year old fossils of plants and animals.

Usher and Friend finish the descent from Keyes Pass

Where Mountain Creek runs into the John Day River, we took a 2-mile detour to see Sheep Rock and the Fossil Beds National Monument museum.

Friend (left) and Sheep Rock (right)

Two-horned rhino skull and other fossils at the John Day National Monument

A few more miles got us to Dayville, where Doug’s cousin (remember Doug, who we met in Vida on day 2) owns the Mercantile. Doug had said that his cousin would give us some free food here.

The Dayville Mercantile, Dayville, OR

Doug’s cousin Scott was in fact there, and he more than delivered on Doug’s promise. Scott hooked us up with homemade peanut brittle and a “King Slab” of beef jerky (approx. 3 square feet), then drove us up a dirt road in his 4x4 to see a fossilized dinosaur tail. This kind of unexpected and delightful kindness from strangers is another one of my favorite parts of bike travel.

King Slab (left) and Friend (right)

Fossilized dinosaur tail, somewhere outside of Dayville, OR (the exact location is apparently a local secret)

From Dayville, we had another 45 miles, trending uphill, to Prairie city. A steady tailwind, a big lunch and a quick nap in Mt. Vernon got us to town in time for dinner. Tonight we’re camping at a quaint RV park on the edge of town. Tomorrow we have three passes between us and Baker City, where we hope to take our first break day.

Friend takes a post-lunch nap in the Mt Vernon town park

Day 4: Terrebonne, OR to Mitchell, OR

Jacob Friend

Yesterday was quite the adventure. After conquering the Santiam Pass, our crew was pretty confident we could tackle any challenge ahead of us. Waking up this morning my body couldn’t have disagreed more. My legs felt like cinderblocks as I slowly limped around the campsite trying to prepare for another day of climbing. Nevertheless, we got on our bikes around 8am and headed for our first stop at Prineville.

Smith Rock campsite outside Terrebonne, OR

The route to Prineville was very enjoyable, featuring long flat sections, friendly elk, and great music. Since we were headed to Prineville we thought it was necessary to listen to John Prine music. In case you were wondering, my favorite John Prine song is Illegal Smile and Brian’s favorite is Lake Marie. After arriving to town for some groceries and guzzling down some energy gels, we were off to Ochoco Pass.

Friend and Usher start up Ochoco Pass

It was refreshing to have our first day free from rain with a bright sun and puffy white clouds. We made good time as we cruised along beautiful ranches, rolling hills, and quiet roads. Lunch was quickly devoured on the side of the road right before our final ascent to Ochoco Pass. The 50 miles of pedaling we invested into the day quickly paid off as we reached the summit and descended more than 2000’ through the next 7 miles. Flying down the pass was breathtaking. With no car traffic to worry about, I could appreciate the high desert mountains and rocky cliffs surrounding me on the descent.

The crew descends Ochoco Pass into the high desert

Today concluded at Mitchell, Oregon, a quaint and welcoming town which is a popular stop for adventure cyclists. Immediately upon entering town we came across the Spoke’n Hostel. We were planning on camping at a nearby park, but all of that went out of the window as soon as we saw how perfect this biker-friendly spot fit our needs. Here we were able to fix up our bikes, cook in a kitchen, enjoy a warm shower, and share stories with our host and 2 Swiss cyclists. This is the first time I’ve ever stayed in a hostel and I have a feeling it’s going to be a hard one to beat.

Spoke’n Hostel in Mitchell, OR

Oregon has been great to us and we’re looking forward to exploring the rest of the state in the coming days. Please pray for our legs as we continue to obliterate them ❤️

Day 3: McKenzie Bridge, OR to Terrebonne, OR

Michael Richardson

Hello everyone! I’m Michael, the resident bike mechanic and food vacuum along for this big adventure. I’ve been a fan of bikes for as long as I can remember and it’s been such a relief to get back in the saddle after a hiatus during college.

Our day began in a comfy clubhouse at Hoodoo’s RV park where we ate a big breakfast in preparation for an even bigger ride ahead. Our goal was to make it up and over Santiam pass before cruising all the way to Terrebonne- 85 miles in total. This will set us up to reach the next few towns and campgrounds as they become increasingly spread out.

Hoodoo’s RV park in McKenzie Bridge, OR

We spent about 10 miles warming up the legs before reaching our first serious climb of the trip. A couple more downshifts and I could already feel my quads starting to burn and resist my efforts. Little did I know, this mini battle would continue for the next 4.5 hours. While previously an inconvenience, the rain helped break up the monotony of the climb, showing up about every 30 minutes- jacket on, jacket off, jacket on, jacket off…

The crew heads up Santium Pass (jackets on)

We ended up in pairs for most of the morning based on our eating and pedaling habits but planned to regroup at the top before our big descent. After finally cresting the nearly 5000’ mountain, I quickly realized a flaw in our plan. The peak was practically in a cloud, windy, raining, and there was no shelter in which to hide- whoops. I put on every piece of clothing I had available, Brian boiled up some tea, but eventually we just crawled into the bushes and toughed it out until the others arrived. By that point, the rain was picking up and we all just wanted to get to lower elevation and out of the wind.

Michael hunkers down on the top of Santium Pass

Luckily for us, we had 7 miles of uninterrupted downhill just over the horizon. On any other day, I would have gone slow and taken in the view after spending the whole morning working for it, but today I raced down that mountain like my life depended on it. We quickly started to dry off and with the help of a tailwind, made good time into the town of Sisters. Hot pizza brought us back to life and we remembered to stop at the bike shop for spare parts before heading back out.

Michael digs into some Martolli’s pizza in Sisters, OR

Now for my favorite part of the day. We took full advantage of a direct tailwind, sunlight, alpaca farms, and marvelous views as we spun our legs all the way to Terrebonne. This was the first time since the start of the trip where I genuinely felt giddy and I think the others also shared this moment of euphoria. We picked up dinner at the grocery store and pedaled a few more miles to Smith Rock State Park where we’ll be spending the night. This happens to be one of the best climbing spots in the country and it’s my second time passing through without any of my climbing gear! Next time.

Michael rides toward Smith Rock, just outside Terrebonne, OR

Tomorrow we have a slightly less grueling ride toward Mitchell and I’m excited that the routine is starting to solidify!

Day 2: Eugene, OR to McKenzie Bridge, OR

Jacob Usher

Hi guys, I’m Jacob Usher (or just Usher). The first 2 days of (and week leading up to) this trip have been super exciting but also pretty tough. Tomorrow is going to be a pretty big day but I’m looking forwards to it.

We started this morning at 6:30 after a good night of sleep in Eugene thanks to our Warm Showers host. The day started on bike paths taking us through the Oregon University campus. We had breakfast at a nice covered shelter with picnic tables.

Breakfast at Armitage Park

The rain started not too long after that. We briefly got onto I26 in the pouring rain, but luckily had a wide shoulder. We found our way onto smaller roads and got just ahead of the rain, but it started to sprinkle again at every small stop we took.

Michael, Friend, and Usher try to escape the rain clouds along McKenzie River

We got to Vida around noon and stopped at a gas station right in time, as it started to pour again. I got chicken tenders and fries which was a huge moral boost.

Usher enjoys some chicken tenders and a break from the cold rain

After lunch it got sunny and we met Doug, a local Vida resident. Doug told us about his cousin, who owns the only establishment in Dayville, a tiny town three days ride down the road. He told us to stop by his cousin’s restaurant for free food and drinks.

After lunch, the sun came out and the landscape became beautiful as we followed McKenzie River farther into the mountains. We arrived at Blue Sky Market after a few hours of steady, but low grade, climbing. We bought our dinner supplies and waited out another rain storm there before heading to camp. It got sunny once again and we were able to dry out before dinner.

McKenzie River near Rainbow, OR

Our campsite in McKenzie Bridge, OR

Day 1: Florence, OR to Eugene, OR

Brian Richardson

We’re on the road! This morning, we dipped our tires in the Pacific Ocean at North Jetty Beach. This is tradition for a cross-country bike trip, with the goal being to dip our tires in the Atlantic in a few months.

It’s taken a lot of planning and effort to get this trip off the ground, and reaching the beach for the start felt like a fitting final challenge. The North Jetty Beach parking lot was just a few easy miles from our campsite, but between the parking lot and the beach was a quarter-mile slog over sand dunes and boulder fields. Per-foot, this is probably the hardest terrain we’ll encounter all summer.

Brian and Usher haul their bikes through the sand and towards the Pacific Ocean

With the help of Varun, we took a quick picture at the water, trudged back, and hosed all the sand off of our drive trains.

North Jetty Beach, the official start of our route

After all of the logistics needed to transport ourselves and bikes to Florence, it was a relief to finally start riding. From Florence, we followed some beautiful roads East along the Siuslaw River. Unlike the North Carolina geography I’m used to, the terrain near the Oregon coast quickly turns hilly, and the trees tall and lush. Within 10 miles of the ocean, we were on roads that reminded me of the mountains of western NC. By lunch time we were already 1000 feet above sea level.

Throughout the morning the clouds had been threatening rain, and eventually they delivered. We had a few hours of riding in a cold 50 degree drizzle, and were thankful to see the sun creep out before we arrived at our destination of Eugene.

Michael and Usher take a quick break in the sun

We had hoped to make it to a Eugene bike shop for some repairs on Usher’s bike before it closed at 5pm. Thanks to a stellar bike path through the city, we made good time on the last 10 miles and reached the aptly named “Arrived by Bicycle” bike store 1 minute before they closed. Their mechanic was kind enough to stay a few minutes late to help Usher. Another employee added our names and photo to log book they keep of cross-country cyclists who visit the store.

“Arrived by Bicycle” bike shop in Eugene, OR

Tonight, we’re sleeping on the living room floor of a generous Warm Showers host here in Eugene. After a rainy night camping followed by a lot of biking in the rain, it’s great to be able to shower, do some laundry, have a delicious dinner (featuring homemade sauerkraut), and sleep inside.

Day 0: Carrboro, NC to Florence, OR

Jacob Friend

YAYYY!!!! DAY 0!!!! After months of preparation and excitement, today is finally the day we get to set out on our adventure. Before I dive into the details about our long travel day, I want to give a bit more information about why I decided to embark on this journey.

My first exposure to camping trips was at Camp Don Lee. Since about second grade (2011), every summer I went to this overnight sailing camp on the Neuse River where I met lifelong friends and engaged in lots of tomfoolery. Summers spent at camp are a large part of what has sparked my interest to explore the outdoors.

Friend, age 9(?), sailing at Camp Don Lee.

Since sailing was a fun outlet for me, going into college I thought it would be a great idea to try out for the NC State sailing team. That’s where I met Jacob Usher. We instantly became best friends and ended up being roommates from sophomore to senior year of college. Usher and I both studied computer science and we ended up sharing a few classes with Michael where we all became close friends very quickly. Sophomore year (2023) Michael and Usher took me on my very first backpacking trip at Smokey Mountain National Park and we’ve been going on trips together ever since.

Friend, Michael, Usher, and friend backpacking in the Smokies.

When Michael brought up the idea of joining Brian on the Bike Tour as a fun graduation trip, I was a little skeptical. I hadn’t owned a bike since middle school and I’ve never been on a camping trip longer than 3 nights. Fast forward to Day 0 and I still barely know how to take the wheels off my bike, but we’re here and I couldn’t be more stoked.

Enough about me… Day 0!!! We all spent the night in Chapel Hill and got to RDU airport at 4:40am. Since we shipped our bikes and most of our gear in bike boxes last Saturday (Day -7), there wasn’t much we had to carry with us other than one pannier each and our helmets. Our first flight departed at 6am to our layover in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From there, we landed at Portland, Oregon around 11:30am PDT.

Brian doing some last minute route planning in the Minneapolis airport

Michael has a friend that lives in Portland named Varun who was kind enough to pick us up from the airport, drive us to Florence, and camp with us for the first night! I’ve only known Varun for a day and I already love the guy. Huge shoutout to him for helping Day 0 run super smoothly!

We shipped our bikes to Florence Motorsports and that’s where we retrieved them around 4:00pm. Our bike boxes were banged up a little more than we hoped for, but all of the damages we discovered have been fairly minor so far. After assembling our bikes for over an hour, it really started to hit us that we are biking across the country. We’ve all been smiling pretty big today 😄

Once our ducks were in a row, we biked to the nearest grocery store, then to a nearby campsite to end a nearly 22 hour day of traveling. It’s only Day 0 and the level of support we’ve received from our friends and family is unreal. Thank you to everyone who has sent us words of encouragement and helped us get here! Can’t wait to get on the saddle tomorrow!!

Day -9: Carrboro, NC

Brian Richardson

Hi there! If you’re reading this, then I’ve managed to upload our first blog post for Bike Loud! 2025. Once the ride starts (on May 11th), we will update the blog daily with rotating posts from the four riders.

I was first introduced to the concept of bike touring when I was in Boy Scouts — every few summers, our troop would send a group of bikers across the US. In 2013, I got to meet that year’s cyclists along their route, which sparked an interest in me to attempt the trip one day.

Me (age 13) meeting the “Lucky 13” cross-country bikers from Boy Scout Troop 845.

In 2015, having reached the required minimum height, I joined 6 other kids from our troop to ride from Oregon to North Carolina. This was the first iteration of “Bike Loud!” — a bike trip fundraiser for the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, which supports adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their families. In 2019, I set out again with two friends for round two of Bike Loud!, this time from Washington to Maine.

Me (age 15) arriving to Wrightsville Beach, NC after 3,900 miles of biking.

Me (age 19), along with fellow bikers Evan and Wes Malinchock, finishing the Bike Loud! 2019 ride in Bar Harbor, ME.

Six years later, I got the itch to spend another summer on the bike. I’ll be joining my younger brother Michael and two friends Jacob and Jacob (going by last names Friend and Usher), who are all graduating from NC State this weekend. Between final exams, we’ve been making final preparations for the trip.

Me (age 24) packing up my bike for Bike Loud! 2025.

We’ll spend ten weeks biking from Florence, Oregon to Bar Harbor, Maine—averaging around 450 miles per week and camping in town parks and campgrounds along the way. Our route weaves together four different Adventure Cycling Association routes: the Transamerica Trail; Parks, Peaks, and Prairies; the North Lakes Route; and the Northern Tier.

The route for Bike Loud! 2025. Some highlights include the Oregon Cascades, the Rockies of Idaho and Montana, Yellowstone, the Badlands and the Black Hills of South Dakota, the lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Niagara Falls, the Green and White Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, and Acadia National Park.

That’s all for now— we look forward to sharing more posts once the ride starts!