About

Michael Altfield

Riding through East Colorado with Kirk

In the summer of 2010, my friend Quinn and myself departed from the Atlantic Ocean (at Savannah, GA) with our eyes fixed at the Pacific Ocean–3,800 miles away. We had a tent, some food, our savings, various tools/backpacking gear, and–of course–our brand-new touring bicycles. The plan? To ride our bicycles 3,800 miles through 13 states–through the the high-plains, the Nevada/Utah desert, and over the Appilachian, Rockey, and Sierra Mountain Ranges.

The trip was Quinn’s idea; I had very little experience with camping, and I had even less experience with bicycles. Unfortunately, 9 days into our tour, Quinn injured his knee and could not continue–leaving me solo just south of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. I had only traveled a few hundred miles, and now faced a dauntingly lonesome road with several thousand miles ahead of me. Still, I pedaled on. 69 incredible days later, I arrived to the San Francisco Bay.

In the summer of 2011, I raised $4,900 for Multiple Sclerosis, riding my bicycle 4,300 miles again from the Atlantic Ocean (this time at Bar Harbor, ME) to the Pacific Ocean at Seattle, WA.

My first tour was an awakening experience, and my second tour was equally enlightening. I’m now an avid cyclist, heavily supporting bicycles as realistic, alternative transportation to internal combustion automobiles. I’ve seen the most beautiful mountains the United States has to offer, I’ve met the kindest strangers from the smallest towns, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. Bicycle touring is the trip of a lifetime that everyone can experience.

This blog remains as an archived, historical resource for myself and for others interested in learning about bicycle touring. I hope you find the information on this website useful. Happy cycling!

-Michael