Twelve Thousand Miles, Two Thumbs, and a Journal by Phone

On a blustery November 2nd morning I watched my son, Collin and his best friend, Russ Michaud pedal away on the first day of a 12,000 mile bike trek. Even though they had been planning this adventure for a long time, the day of launch seemed to come from nowhere. 12,000 miles? Across the country? Actually, they are riding the perimeter states as they head south to Florida then across the southern states to California. According to their plans the route will have them in Seattle around April. From there, they will head East through the northern plains states and up to Maine. If all goes according to plan, they will park their bikes back home here in Williamsport, PA at the end of 7 months.

These two have been lifelong friends. Collin is the extrovert and Russ is the shy one who chooses his moments to speak, very carefully. Together they've gone hiking, climbing, marched in the band, competed in Drum Corps, and wound up taking a gold medal in their division for SkillsUSA. They share a brain and oftentimes can have a conversation with just glances. And now, they are pedalling across the country together.

With each day comes a new set of adventures, new faces to meet, new landscapes to enjoy...or maybe not. There's weather conditions, animals, and distracted drivers to worry about. Watching them head off down the road, all those things that you think about as a parent suddenly rush at you but at the same time there is this fantastic sense of joy and admiration for these two as they launch a new adventure.

Collin posts daily recaps of each previous day's ride and it's a great bit of fun to read and watch his development as a journalist. He studies people quite well and his writing voice matures with each post. I also keep in mind that he's doing all of this on his phone and with just two thumbs. He's got all his fingers, it's just that the keypad on a phone is not large enough...in any case, it's a fun read.

Twelve Thousand Miles. Seven Months. Yes, he's an adult and yet he's still my son. I will live vicariously through his stories and look forward to every post. But mark my word, I'll be thrilled when I see those two best friends, back in the yard, tearing down their bikes, and planning their next big adventure. As of this post they are now headed west through the Florida Panhandle. 10,500 Miles to go.

You can follow their travels here on: BandofBikes.com and on FB at Collin Shableski