UPDATE - 17th Dec 2008 - I finally completed the Cycle Challenge/Bici Sin Rodilla 2008 at about 2.30pm CT today, by returning to the Woodlands Mall where I started on the 1st March! The last week involved riding in sub-zero temperatures and was quite hard although I did not find the actual cycling as hard as I had expected after 6 weeks of not riding...I am feeling quite relieved and very happy to have finally finished and will be flying home to the UK on Sun 21st. If you are interested to read more about the journey, I plan to start writing a retrospective diary about the trip on the Veninos website and the Veninos Facebook page in January...
UPDATE - 9th Dec 2008 - I am back in Dallas and will start riding again tomorrow the final stretch back to Houston via Austin. Somewhat apprehensive as I have not been able to ride the bike much in the past few weeks. It is also VERY cold hear - about freezing - and it even snowed this evening!! Winds were 15-30 mph today when I rode to do a TV interview - not great biking conditions. However, ONLY 400 miles left to do...
UPDATE - 26th Oct 2008 - I have completed 8460 miles and I have reached Dallas on the bike. I have attended my "official finish party" in Houston today althought I have abotu 400 miles to go!! I am now going to interrupt the bike trip to revisit the East Coast (by car!) and will do the final Dalllas-Austin-Houston leg of the bike challenge in early December.
UPDATE - 4th Oct 2008 - currently in LAS VEGAS. I have passed the 7000 mile mark and am aiming to finish in Houston on 26th Oct. However that means riding at least 75 miles a day for the next 20 days so not certain I can make it in that time frame....Temperature has just started to cool (by which I mean under 100 degrees) but last 10 days or so were 100+ each day in the desert. One day involved
cycling 111 miles and for 110 miles of that there was nothing but desert; not even a rest area with shade!
The end is almost in sight!!
UPDATE - 6th Sept 2008 - currently in MONTEREY, CA. I have finally crossed the US and reached the Pacific Coast. I have also passed the 6000 mile mark, leaving about 2500 to go...Think I have now repaired about 28 punctures...
UPDATE - 18th August 2008 - currently in NEVADA. I have now completed about 5300 miles but am several weeks behind schedule. I have had two major setbacks in recent weeks. Following a fall in Colorado, I ended up having a brain scan! Fortunately that was OK but I had injured my shoulder and wrist and needed to take time off to recover. I then had a delay in Salt lake City when it transpired that somebody had accessed my credit card details - I had to stay put so that a new card could reach me...however, customer services were totally incompetent and eventually had to leave there without it...Riding in the last month or so has involved some long and difficult days, often with no services en route so have had to carry plenty of fluids on the bike with me. Temperature has been in the 90s and over 100 most of the time. Did 107 miles the other day but one of the most difficult days was to Daniel's Summit in Utah and involved about 30m uphill...
About 26 punctures in total!
UPDATE - 8th July 2008 - currently in DENVER. Am just over half-way although about 10 days behind schedule as was stuck in Iowa due to the floods. Iowa in general was a wild weather experience with a tornado, floods, heat, insects and a parting gesture of a storm with winds of up to 100 mph... Managed 112 miles in one day in Colorado!! About 15 punctures in total.
UPDATE - 6th June 2008 - currently in CHICAGO. Approx 3450 miles completed (including 92 miles in one day to reach Chicago!!). Think I have now repaired about 12 punctures...
UPDATE - 14th May 2008 - reached NEW YORK and now finally heading west . Approx 2600 miles completed, 7 punctures repaired and my pedal fell off last week. Long haul before I will see the sea again in California...deserts and mountains in between... >
UPDATE - 1st April 2008 -
I HAVE REACHED MIAMI. Approx 1350 miles completed and 4 punctures repaired...
Para espanol, ve abajo...
IF YOU ARE A TAX PAYER IN THE USA, PLEASE GO TO www.firstgiving.com/cycleusa2008
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.
Have to say upfront that this will not be a display of sporting prowess. Stamina is my only hope...This venture will definitely involve some walking and pushing the bike up hills and mountains...Not really been on a bike for 12 years and when I finally got the dusty old specimen out of the shed, it was rusty and had 2 flat tyres. Sitting on it made me discover new bits of my anatomy...
Having worked with street and shanty town children in Venezuela though, I know that these children need our support and our understanding to help them improve their lives...so I hope that by raising awareness, as well as funds, this pedal-mania will ultimately help VENINOS to help these children.
I will set off from Houston, Texas on the 1st March 2008. The plan is to cycle approx 9000 miles via Miami, Washington DC, NY, Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin and back to Houston. I hope to get back to Houston on 18th Oct 2008 (but no promises yet!).
You can view my online diary and photos at www.veninos.org/cyclechallengeUSA2008. You can also learn about the projects that VENINOS is currently supporting.
Please dig deep and sponsor me online.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Veninos will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor me now!
Many thanks for your support.
Si pagas impuestos en los US, por favor dirígete a la siguiente dirección: www.firstgiving.com/cycleusa2008
Muchas gracias por visitar mi página!
Debo decir de antemano que este reto no es sinónimo de mi destreza atlética... Mi voluntad y determinación son mi única esperanza... Esta aventura definitivamente incluirá caminar un poco y hasta empujar mi bicicleta en las subidas de algunas montañas... Tenía 12 años sin montarme en una bicicleta y cuando finalmente saqué mi vieja y polvorienta bicicleta del garaje, tenía los dos cauchos dañados.
He trabajado varios años con niños de la calle y barrios pobres de Venezuela, y sé que ellos necesitan nuestro apoyo y entendimiento para mejorar sus vidas... Espero poder difundir este mensaje y recibir muchas contribuciones durante esta aventura en la que me embarco, para que a través de VENIÑOS, todos podamos ayudar a esos niños que tanto lo necesitan!
Saldré de Houston, Texas el 1ero de Marzo del 2008. El plan incluye recorrer en bicicleta aproximadamente 9000 millas (casi 14500 kilómetros) pasando por Miami, Washington DC, NY, Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin y de regreso a Houston. Espero estar de regreso en Houston el 18 de Octubre del 2008 (aunque no puedo prometerlo todavía!).
Puedes ver mi diario digital y fotos en:
www.veninos.org/cyclechallengeUSA2008.
También puedes aprender sobre los proyectos que VENIÑOS esta financiando en este momento.
Donar a través de esta página es fácil, rápido y muy seguro. Además, si pagas impuestos en el UK, 28% adicionales se añaden a tu contribución.
Así que no esperes más y ayúdame a ayudar a aquellos que tanto lo necesitan.
Muchísimas gracias por tu valiosa contribución,
