Cross Country Archives

The Pursuit

Posted on April 11, 2016 - 7:48 pm by keith_ritter

This summer, David Baldwin and Team Pursuit will embark on a 4,000 mile expedition across the United States to support The Center, a Houston-based not-for-profit agency that promotes the pursuit of choice, growth, and personal independence for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Trek Travel has partnered with Pursuit to offer four ride along opportunities where you can join the fun this summer!

How did you become involved in The Center?
My wife Maire and I have been married for 24 years and live in Houston, Texas. Shortly after getting married, we made the difficult decision not to have children. We both knew this would leave a void in our lives, so we went looking for an organization where we could volunteer, and hopefully be a part of a different type of family. We found The Center, and we have both volunteered there for over 20 years. Over the years we’ve done everything from painting classrooms, to planting gardens, to raising money through cookie sales, to hosting The Center’s Christmas Party for the past 15 years (that’s personal our favorite). And over the years, we’ve grown to consider The Center’s residents and clients to be our unique family. Instead of having 2.3 kids, we actually feel like our family is the 450 clients of The Center.

What was your inspiration to ride across the country?
As recently as the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s, no one expected individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (“IDD”) to live into their 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. But due to the success of programs like The Center, most people with IDD are now living full life expectancies. This has come as a surprise to almost everyone, including the families and friends of our clients as well as the government agencies that help support people with IDD. As life expectancies expanded rapidly, families hadn’t planned for this, and government support hasn’t kept pace either. Most of our clients don’t come from wealthy backgrounds, and aren’t able to earn sufficient wages to pay for their housing, food, medical and other costs of daily living, particularly as they enter their “retirement years”. The result is that many organizations across the country, like The Center, are facing a funding crisis and are at risk of going out of business.

I frequently say that The Center is the best thing that has ever happened to Maire and I. But like parenting, we worry a lot about how “our family” is going to make ends meet. One morning I was particularly worried about The Center’s financial challenges, and I couldn’t sleep. So I got out of bed early and got on my bike for a very early morning ride. As I rode, I could feel the stress and worries begin to dissipate and my normal optimistic outlook began to return. Towards the end of the ride, the idea of riding across the country to raise money for The Center and to raise awareness nationally of the pending financial crisis for people with disABILITIES became clearer. I quickly rode home and woke up my wife to share my inspiration and ask for her support. She was “all-in” and that’s how Pursuit was born.

Why did you choose a bike ride as your method of fundraising?
Maire and I started riding bikes casually for exercise and recreation several years ago. We love how friendly people are to bikers and it’s a great way to make new friends. I’ve never met someone on a bike who wasn’t having a good day! Also, over the past several years, I’ve wanted to take time off from my job to go visit the best organizations across the country that do what The Center does. So on that early morning ride to relieve my stress, it all came together. I could dedicate two months to riding across the country, visiting other organizations like The Center, meeting new friends and helping to raise money and awareness to support our neighbors with disABILITIES. As Maire and I started to share our dream/vision with others, our “peloton” started to grow. Today, there are more than 200 volunteers working to make Pursuit a huge success, and with Trek Travel’s help, we’ve created three opportunities for people who enjoy riding to participate in the Pursuit mission as well.

In regards to your ride across the U.S., what are you most excited about? What are you most nervous about?
When I was little, my parents used to pack me and my older brother, Bob, into our station wagon and go on “driving vacations”. We usually had our sleeping bags laid out in the back two rows and loved watching the countryside pass by as we made our way to our destination, which was usually a National Park, beautiful lake, or river. Now we fly everywhere we go, and I’ve missed the slower journeys at ground level across the country. Over the past couple of months, I’ve read several books and watched a handful of documentaries about biking across the U.S. They each have a few themes in common: First, the majesty, openness and beauty of the North and Western U.S., from Oregon through the Rockies and into the Midwest. I can’t wait to see and smell these open spaces, mountains, rivers, trees, wildlife, etc. from the seat of a bicycle. Once we get into Minnesota, the terrain changes and we get to experience the Midwestern charm and friendliness of all of the small towns in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Starting in Minneapolis – St. Paul, we get to ride into some of America’s great cities: Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and ultimately Washington, D.C. And I get to do it all on a bicycle with old and new friends riding along with me, both in person and with everyone following our journey online.

While the bike journey is clearly the trip of a lifetime, I’m most excited to visit the organizations and people across the country that spend their lives helping our neighbors with disABILITIES. In most of the major cities along our journey, we’ll be visiting some of the best and most unique communities that support people with IDD. I can’t wait to see how their families differ from ours.

This journey isn’t without anxiety though. Trying to raise $11 million in Houston when oil is $35 per barrel is one challenge. And I’ve only done a couple of long rides in my life. Someone recently told me that our Pursuit journey was equivalent to 25 back to back MS 150’s. I’ve done the MS 150 once and almost didn’t make it to work the following Monday! Due to a couple of recent injuries, I’ve not really been able to train as much as I would like. I guess I can “train” as I cross the country! Lastly, I’m scared about leaving my job at a very difficult time for our energy industry. But thank goodness for an incredible group of colleagues who have eagerly agreed to help cover for me while I’m “in Pursuit” of Maire’s and my life mission.

Tell us about your best day on a bicycle.
Shortly after conceiving the idea for Pursuit, I fell off my mountain bike and tore up my knee/leg pretty seriously. For the first couple of weeks following my surgery, I doubted whether I’d ever return to cycling. About three weeks after the surgery, I got on an exercise bike and I turned the crank the full 360 degrees. It was one of the best feelings of my life! As my recovery continued, I asked my doctor and rehab coach if they would allow me to try to ride in a bike ride from Telluride to Gateway, Colorado, a trip I had planned with 25 friends well before my accident. The ride was scheduled for four months following my surgery and seemed highly improbable, maybe even unwise. But I had a goal to train for and it made my recovery speed by. Last September, on a perfect early fall Saturday, I joined my 25 friends in forming an amazing paceline across beautiful Colorado through mountains, farmland, and into the Red Rock Canyons of Western Colorado. The glory of riding with 25 friends for a good cause, on a beautiful day, has me so excited about Pursuit!

Cross Country USA Epilogue

Posted on November 3, 2015 - 12:13 am by keith_ritter

Our 3700-mile seven-week Portland to Portland cycling odyssey ended about two weeks ago…and I’ve been thinking about it ever since as I return to “normal life”. My friends ask, “What was the hardest day, the best day, the worst weather, etc.?” For a trip of this magnitude there were many bests and worsts.

Words by David Kindler, Trek Travel Guest

Among the toughest standout for me was the challenge of climbing Big Horn Pass, hour after hour, at steep grade and high elevation with wind and cold temperatures. The nothing-left-in-the-tank day after Big Horn. The hail pummeling at the top of Lolo Pass. The strength-sapping winds across South Dakota and Iowa, with that morning of I-can’t-see-but-six-inches-in-front-of-my-face stinging rain. The three days of cold rain in New York. And, how could I forget to mention baking in the sun for hours on end as we rode the flat-tire-producing interstate shoulders out West! Or those early smoky rides in Idaho? Or the days when I blew it with poor layering decisions on the day’s clothing! The list goes on, but these are rides that build character!

Then there’s the subject of how your mind and body hold up to the day-after-day grind. Some days great and some days not-so-great. Now that all the miles are done it’s easy to forget the hamstring twinges, the sore left calf that-I-hope-won’t-get-worse, the overcompensation with the right leg shifting the pain to that knee, the inevitable sore-butt days, the burning quads, and so on. Fortunately, some of us had Tara–the miracle worker masseuse (we nicknamed Tiramisu) who tended to our knotted-up muscles, patching us up well enough to keep going! Of course there were mental challenges too. Probably everyone on the trip at some point asked themselves, “What have I gotten myself into?” I certainly did. Possibly somewhere on a highway shoulder scorched by the sun, pushing just a little harder than I should have early in the trip. For the first couple of weeks I lived with the worry that a twinge or muscle pain would escalate and threaten the trip. I was extremely lucky to work through the aches and pains without facing the decision about whether to rest or ride. My roommate Jay’s mantra–just keep pedaling–applied in many situations. Many days became test of wills. Facing and overcoming these challenges has made the achievement that much sweeter!

There were so many outstanding routes it’s hard to single them out. Among the favorite moments that I recall are riding from Hood River along the Columbia River Gorge, the screaming 54.4 mph downhill from the continental divide at MacDonald Pass into Helena, the views from Big Horn, the surreal landscape of Badlands National Park, the windless day after being battling it for four days, then crossing the Mississippi River into Wisconsin, riding miles of gravel wherever that was, riding the rollers in wooded Pennsylvania and the feeling of getting closer to home, and meeting my Monster friends at the summit of Moosilauke then riding the Kancamangus pass together. Kudos to the guides for their research to get us onto fabulous roads, and bike paths, often skirting traffic in and out of the larger cities.

Our group was exceptionally strong – in both determination and physical stamina. On any given day a different mix of smaller groupettos formed, so in short order everyone had cycled together, and got to know one another. I’d often ride with a different group, depending on desired pace, the alluring call of a good coffee shop, weather, flat-tire occurrence, etc. Every morning without exception the group was anxious to get on the road by sunrise. One of the tougher jobs for the guides was reigning in the early birds! We quickly fell into a daily routine: up at 5-something, repack your bags and drag them to the luggage van at 6:00, eat breakfast, finish dressing and bring your day bag to the van, get your bike ready loading course routes into your Garmin (or three Garmins in my case), grabbing blinkies (Flare R taillights), and setting off on the daily ride. Usually the group stayed together for the first 20 or 30 miles up to the first van stop, where we refueled as needed with Clif bars, peanut M&M’s, bananas, etc. We’d take a short break, and hit the road again.

The line of cyclists stretched out as the morning passed. Usually we’d have another van stop and then on to lunch, around the halfway mark for the day. Lunch was typically an assortment of stuff for sandwiches, salads, fruit, and desserts. Despite burning a lot of calories, overeating was entirely possible. Learning what and how much to eat took some trial-and-error. Frequent re-application of sunscreen became ritual for at least the first half of the trip. After lunch the push was on to complete the day’s ride, especially during the hot-weather days. More van stops, lots of Coke and Gatorade as the day wore on. If we were lucky we found a milkshake “recovery drink” near the end of the day’s ride. Finally we rolled in to the next hotel. On to a hot shower, daily washing of the cycling kit, hanging it to dry, plugging in the rechargeables, resting a bit, or getting a massage, and then to dinner. Meals were most often buffet style, which catered best, since we sometimes acted like an uncivilized flock of vultures. After dinner I usually caught up on email, wrote my daily blog entry, and crawled into bed later than I’d hoped, and slept until it was time to do it all over again. And that was the cycle…for 45 days, performing 1.1 million pedal strokes and 1.6 million heartbeats to span the USA. An adventure of a lifetime!

EXPERIENCE THIS CROSS COUNTRY BUCKET LIST ADVENTURE»

Meet Our Team: Ann Christianson

Posted on October 30, 2014 - 5:10 pm by keith_ritter

Meet Ann Christianson, creative expert here at Trek Travel. Advised by her parents to avoid a career in art or computers, Ann became a graphic designer. Armed with a college degree and a handmade bicycle, she started her own business. The rest is history.

What do you do at Trek Travel?

I create marketing materials for Trek Travel, like the annual Trip Planner. I have always been artistic and always drawn to (pun intended) anything creative. My medium of choice is acrylic painting, but I also like to draw, sew, and mess around with crafting like Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

My favorite part about working at Trek Travel is the camaraderie and spirit. Put simply, it’s inspiring. I have also always been a cyclist, and I love the rolling hills of riding country roads. But I don’t limit myself to only one kind of cycling; truly, if it has two wheels and pedals, I love it.

Trek Travel Bucket list trip?

E’tape du Tour and Pyrenees Sea to Sea.

Favorite post-ride beverage?

Post-Ride: Grapefruit juice.
Post-Post-Ride: Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa 2009)
Post-Post-Post-Ride: Irish Whiskey

Tell us your story.

When I was young, my parents (mom, a talented artist and dad, a computer programer) gave me a few pieces of advice, including what do to for a living. They advised me to avoid any career in art because it doesn’t pay AND not to do anything pertaining to computers because I was sure to burn out early. Not taking my parents advice, I decided to do both and I couldn’t be happier. Let me give credit where credit is due: my father also used to say, “Do what you love and the world will come to you, or if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Nothing could be more true for me than those statements.

My interest in cycling began just like many. I was given a red Radio Flyer tricycle, with the fixie front wheel and the panel to stand on in the back. You know the kind where you have to take your feet off the pedals when you go downhill? Then, in 1976, I was given my first two-wheeler which I affectionately named my “Bicentennial Bike.” It was a special bike, handmade by my Grandpa Frank out of old lawn mower, tractor and chainsaw parts. This, I believe, is the exact moment that the beauty of bicycles and cycling entered my soul.

In high school, I bought my first bicycle after one month of working at my first job. I put money down on a Raleigh 10-Speed and it took me four payments of $50 to pay it off. Total cost was $250.

Fast forward to 1999. New to the Madison area and recent college graduate with a design degree, I accepted a job at a non-profit organization designing for their trade monthly magazine. During the day I worked on magazine layouts, and at night I worked on freelance projects. In 2001 I transitioned from a few freelance projects to starting my own design business.

I had made a few cyclist friends who worked at Trek Bicycle, and an opportunity arose to work on a pro-bono project for their annual Breast Cancer Awareness ride. It was a cause that was personal to me and I got a free T-shirt, socks and registration into the ride. I was happy.

At the ride I was introduced to Tania, the president of Trek Travel, who was in need of some marketing and design assistance. For me it was a ‘meant-to-be’ kind of meeting. I couldn’t have created a more perfect opportunity combining two loves: cycling and design. The cherry on top was the company’s service they provided, guided travel by bike! Though my travels were limited to driving or day trips, mainly because of my young family and limited funds, our bikes always came with us.

Based only on our initial meetings, I knew Trek Travel was what I had been looking for. They were passionate about cycling, had such enthusiasm for travel, and you just knew they did what they did because they loved it.

Tell us about your best day on a bike.

I made my way to The Netherlands in the Summer of 2012. It was a three-week long work trip that left my weekends free for exploration and adventure. I had mentioned to local colleagues that I was interested in seeing some early impressionist art, and they suggested the Kroller Muller Museum. Plan in hand and navigation set for the museum, I set out on my day adventure.

I arrived in Otterlo, a very small town set at one of the entrances to the Stichting Het Nationale Park. Located in the center of the park is the Kroller Muller. At the park entrance, you are given the option to drive to the museum or take a bicycle provided by the park. I, of course, chose the bike option and set off with my camera and a map. My anticipation of the destination made me quicken my pace. I went about a mile and a half through a thick wooded area and reached a clearing where I could see for miles. The scenery stopped me in my tracks and I realized this was one of those moments when it is as much about the journey as it is the destination. So, in the profound words of the youth of today, I slowed my roll.

An hour later I arrived at the museum. This part of my perfect day was absolutely not a disappointment. It is a quaint, unassuming setting for a museum. You would not know that it is full of original paintings by some of the most admired impressionist artists, such as Renior, Seurat, Picasso, Mondriaan, and of course, Van Gogh. Unlike other museums with laser security and alarm trip wires set to keep you back, the viewing of this artwork is intimate and impactful. It’s as if you are in someone’s living room and they are showing you their personal collection.

After pausing my tour for a slice of the most amazing lemon cheese cake and cappuccino, I made my way through the sculpture garden and got back on my bike for a few more miles of adventure through the park. I stopped reading the map and just let the paths take me at will. A little over an hour later I arrive back in Otterlo. I was about to go back to my car and head home when I noticed the parking lot was barricaded and a large crowd people were walking towards the town center. I asked the park attendant if I could keep the bike and use it to go into the town. She approved and I went on my way.

As I approached the town square, I noticed all of the spectators were gathered along the street, gazing in the same direction like they were waiting for a parade or a race. Around the corner comes a group of racers in cycling skin suits and bullet helmets. They are not on bicycles, but roller blades!

I made my way to a café hotel with outdoor seating and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening cheering for the racers and drinking wine. I made new friends with some locals seated next to me, who spoke very little English, and were unsuccessfully trying to teach me Dutch.

When the streets opened I returned the bike to the park. On my way back to my living quarters, I thought about the day’s events and it occurred to me that everything that happened seemed to be destined for me. The landscape and the bicycle. The art and the food. The festivities and people. I will forever remember that day as one of my most perfect.

Thank you, Ann! You can view Ann’s work in Trek Travel’s catalog or visit her website!

2012 Cross Country USA kicks off this weekend!

Posted on September 13, 2012 - 2:19 pm by keith_ritter

After months and months of dedicated training 17 brave souls are poised to set out this Saturday on an epic quest to cycle from sea to shining sea. They’ll start at the edge of the Pacific in Santa Barbara, CA and bike the 3000+ miles across the USA all the way to Charleston, South Carolina and the edge of the Atlantic. Riders are coming from all over the US and abroad to meet this challenge including California, Texas, Delaware, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Arizona, Florida and overseas from as far away as Australia, Germany and the UK. Riders range in age from a spry 31 to a rugged 67 for a challenge who’s strength comes from a devoted commitment to training and strong mental fortitude that will be tested across the long road stretching out before them. They’ll set out with a common goal: to go the distance on this ambitious cycling challenge and see if they have what it takes to secure their bragging rights for life by making it all the way to the other side of the continent.

Their seasoned guide team of Big Wave Dave, Marquette, and Rustin have been busy working and preparing Trek Travel’s legendary top shelf rider support and planning all the details so the riders can just focus on each day’s challenge, and every pedal stroke from start to finish. These guides’ commitment to uncompromising support for each and every rider means they’ll be there whenever needed with energy snacks and water in hand or positive words of encouragement at just the right moment to inspire riders to dig deep and keep pushing. No matter how remote the road, riders will always have whatever support they need from their dedicated guide team to get them to the end of their day to enjoy a warm meal and much deserved rest after a rewarding day in the saddle.

Our Cross Country riders will meet their well-seasoned guides tomorrow for a meet and greet picnic, bike fit and casual spin around Santa Barbara, as a light warm up ride for the more intense days ahead. After the day’s ride, guides and guests alike will all meet over dinner to fuel up and chat in anticipation of their exciting journey that kicks off the next day.

Also heading out with our Cross Country USA riders will be another determined group of 12 who’ll clock the distance of the first full leg of the Cross Country trip from Santa Barbara to Taos. Arguably the most challenging leg of the trip, these hearty souls will brave the high desert heat and elements including the epic ride of Day 16–the almost completely uphill climb of 142 miles from Pogosa Springs to Taos. Once in Taos these champions will hang up their riding cleats and bid farewell and good luck to the Cross Country riders who’ll continue on to the distant shores of the Atlantic.
As all riders set out to converge on Santa Barbara for their trips starts, all of us at Trek Travel wish them safe travels and best of luck on your upcoming cycling vacation challenge of a lifetime!

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Category Archives: Cross Country

The Pursuit

Cross Country USA Epilogue