Journey across United States by bicycle begins

Brian Dunn

(Editor’s note: Former Rushville resident Brian Dunn is cycling 4,000 miles across the United States to raise interest about the orphaned and needy kids at Compassion International. He worked with these youngsters while serving in the Peace Corps in Uganda.)

I decided to ride a bicycle across the country for two reasons. I thought it’d be a great way to raise interest about the orphaned and needy kids at Compassion International whom I worked with in the Peace Corps in Uganda. And secondly I just thought it’d be cool to do. I’ve never been west of Kansas City and if there was ever a time to do it, (no commitments, no relationships, my things are in storage – not to mention gas prices are hovering close to $4 a gallon) now’s the time. The journey will cover more than 4,000 miles and will conclude in Astoria, Ore. It’s a series of roads that are “bicycle friendly” and many of the roads (thus far) are off the beaten path and wind through the countryside. I’m keeping a daily log of my travels at http://bikeforcompassion.blogspot.com.

On Monday, June 9 I boarded a Greyhound bus with my bike in a box headed for Williamsburg, Va. – a 22-hour trip. Upon arriving, I assembled my bike and peddled 10 miles to Yorktown, Va. on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to begin the trip. I spent the night in a tent in the back yard of a very friendly resident who also paid for my dinner at the local pub. The next morning, June 11, I ceremoniously dipped my wheel into the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the James River and began my quest.

From Yorktown to Williamsburg to Jamestown: The first day was full of early American history at every stop. From there the road wound past some large, gorgeous plantations. You just get such a sense of nostalgia in this area of the country.

History then yields to hills and quickly. Early on in the hills is possibly the most famous person along the Transamerica Trail, June Curry also known as “The Cookie Lady.” She has been helping cyclists for more than 30 years since the first cyclists traveled the Trail in 1976. Since that time she has provided snacks, drinks, cookies and a place to stay for thousands of cyclists. By her log books, more than 14,000 cyclists have stopped by in that time. The walls of the Bike House are covered, practically wallpapered with post cards from the thousands of bikers who have sent back their messages of thanks. Not only that, they have written notes on shirts, hats, water bottles, helmets, cycling gloves, anything they had, and placed them in the Bike House, which is a separate building from June’s own home. She’s 87 now and has many stories to tell of her hospitality. She has certainly inspired people along in their journey and that generosity certainly doesn’t go unnoticed.

Continuing on through the back country of Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the longest, narrowest National Parks in the country. The roads are lined with pine and oak trees and the wildlife is abundant. It’s also one of the most visited parks in the country. My nostrils filled with the smell of the woods as I rode on the roller coaster-like hills.

On to Lexingon, Va., another historic town: Stonewall Jackson’s home is here and it’s also the burial place of General Robert E. Lee (and his horse, Trigger). The Virginia countryside reminds me a lot of Indiana’s countryside with old barns and silos throughout the fields of corn.

Though my journey is just beginning, I’m becoming quickly aware of the friendliness and courtesy of the people I encounter. My bike generates a great deal of interest as I often find a small crowd gathered around it after I’ve had my lunch, but people are also genuinely interested in my trip. They offer to buy me lunch quite frequently and they have had no reservations about letting me put up a tent in their yard when rain is approaching. There’s a lot of America ahead of me and more of this adventure yet to come.

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