Quotations Weblog

I spent almost an hour last week plotting treks using the Google Pedometer. I found out that my mom lives far closer to me than I thought (11.6 miles). In my mind, a ride to my mom’s house on my bike suddenly seems so much closer than it did before. I had never even conceived of riding my bike all the way out there, but now it seems doable. It might take me an hour and a half, but if I wanted to, I could do it.

I feel a sudden freedom that I never felt like I had before. I even plotted the trek to where I used to work all the way up in Woods Cross and it was only 12 miles. I could have ridden my bike to work even then, but I was too scared to even try it. If I had been armed with the knowledge that it was only 12 miles, I think I would have tried it. Of course, it doesn’t take into account that huge hill where Beck Street intersects with I-215, but I think I would have been tough enough to try it if I had known it was only 12 miles.

The world seems open to me and the idea of trekking across the United States on my bicycle doesn’t seem so wacky anymore. I remember reading about a man who had done it and thinking, “That would be cool, but I couldn’t possibly do it.” Now I feel like I could get myself across the country, provided that I’m given enough time and armed with the route mapped out on Google.

• eHow – How to Bike Across the United States