Why We're Riding...

We're 22 days and less than $1,000 from taking off from Astoria, Oregon toward Long Branch, New Jersey. We'll cycle over 3,400 miles, sleeping on gym floors and camping in some remote areas of the U.S. We were never avid cyclists before, so why are we doing this?

Lasallian Volunteers, past and present, inspire us to keep training, and will continue to serve as our motivation during the ride this summer. This is why:

Does this sound like something you can get behind? Click here and JOIN US! You can support our efforts by coming along on the ride, or by becoming a virtual supporter. Every dollar counts... and we are so close!

Well-Worn PA Pathways

Surveying Valley Forge National Historic Park

On our way home from a wedding last weekend, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to check out Valley Forge and the Schuylkill River Trail. Time constraints limited our distance, but we were able to take in the sights for small sections of both trails. We found that the SRT was much more cyclist-friendly with no pedestrians, a wider trail, primarily flat ride and a straight shot into Philly (great for long-distance training!). Valley Forge is a great place to visit, but its rolling hills, narrow windy path and relatively short distance loops meant that we spent more time ringing bells and calling "on your left" to the pedestrians and junior cyclists out to enjoy a sunny afternoon.

In front of The Memorial Arch at Valley Forge

Upgrade Complete!

We've slacked off a bit on our posting, but we've still been venturing out on new and exciting rides. Our most recent rides have picked up the pace as we've converted to a clipless pedal system. We were hesitant to make the change (and the big purchase!), but great finds at our local REI's Attic Sale and loaner pedals from a friend made the upgrade possible. Since swapping our cage pedals for SPDs, we've seen big improvements: We've increased our average pace, and found both uphill and downhill grades to be much easier and more productive. An added bonus: by keeping the leg in a relatively fixed position, the knee issues we experienced on our Annapolis (mis)adventure have largely disappeared. We now understand why so many avid cyclists swear by clipless systems!

 Switching out our pedals proved to be pretty straightforward.

Just remember to pay attention to the direction of the screw threads: each pedal is designed to prevent the forward motion of the crankshaft from spinning it loose.

We opted for "mountain" style cycling shoes to make it easier and safer to walk around with minimal damage to our cleats or the ground/floor. After all, we plan on hopping off our bikes to check out the countryside this summer!















To test out our new pedals and shoes for the first time, we opted for a scenic ride to St. George Island in St. Mary's County.

It was a perfect test run, as it's a pretty flat route. We enjoyed the beautiful waterfront ride with family, and stopped for a few photos.

A highlight of the route was visiting Piney Point Lighthouse. Our SPD shoes made it possible to hop off our bikes and take a look around...

We'd love to hear from any fellow cyclists who use clipless pedals. Did you encounter any challenges when making the switch? We appreciate any tips/pointers as we get used to the new system!