The Route
Here it is: the grand plan for our two-year trek! The map below shows our route and a rough itinerary. Below the map is an explanation of how we chose this route and what our plans are for the winters. For a day-by-day chronology of where we’ve spent each night of the trip so far, click here.
[Note: upon the advice of several Alaskans, we have changed our itinerary to place Alaska last (so as to visit it in mid-summer instead of late summer). We will now fly to Alaska from Oklahoma, making it our fiftieth and final state.]
Leg 1: OK» AR» MO» IL» WI» MI» IN» OH» PA» MD» DC» DE» NJ» CT» RI» MA» ME» NH» VT» NY
Winter ’07-’08: Hawaii
Leg 2: FL» GA» SC» NC» VA» WV» KY» TN» AL» MS» LA» TX» NM» KS» IA» MN» ND» SD» WY» MT» ID» WA» OR
Winter ’08-’09: Oregon
Leg 3: OR» CA» NV» UT» AZ» CO» OK» AK» OK
So, how did we choose this route? Well, there were a few seasonal restrictions:
- We wanted to see fall in New England
- We vowed that the summer months would not find us in any state that borders Mexico or the Gulf
- The mountains of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming must be enjoyed in late summer
Additionally, there were specific places in our beautiful country that were not to be missed:
- Northwest Wyoming (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons)
- Southwest South Dakota (Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Badlands)
- The Redwoods of northern California
- The splendor of the Sierras (Yosemite, Sequoia, King’s Canyon)
- South-central New Mexico (Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, and the Guadalupes)
- Red-rock country of southern Utah (Escalante, Bryce, Zion, Coyote Buttes)
- Glacier N. P. and Missoula (headquarters of Adventure Cycling!) in Montana
- The Oregon coast and the mighty Columbia River
- The Natchez-Trace in Mississippi
- Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
- The Blue Ridge of Virginia
- The coast of Maine
- Walden Pond in Massachusetts
Finally, we asked ourselves the questions, “Is there any place in the U.S. where it would be pleasant to tour all winter? Do we really want to live out of a tent all winter long (twice)? Can we mentally endure two straight years of voluntary homelessness and lack of community?”
Our answer to all three? “Probably not.” So, in the interest of our warmth, our sanity, and our fiscal health, we made a decision. We decided to take a break from touring during the winter and to find a place to live and work for four or five months. In this way, we can hopefully:
- Stay warm.
- Stay sane.
- Make our trip financially self-contained by working both winters.
- Get to know two places in greater depth by becoming members (albeit temporarily) of a community.
Naturally, the next question was: “Where?” Sure, we could be heroes and winter over in North Dakota or Alaska. But when we realized that we had to go to Hawaii anyway, and we could essentially choose between a week in Hawaii or four months in Hawaii…no brainer. We traded hero status for a winter in paradise faster than spit freezes in Fargo in February.
Then, the wheels of serendipity began to spin—out of nowhere, an article about fellow OU engineering alumni running a coffee farm on the big island. A few emails later, and we had arranged jobs picking coffee, macadamia nuts, and vanilla beans at HuaHua Farm. Our home will be a pre-WWI coffee “shack” (two-story, eight room!), shared with surfer and fellow coffee-picker, David. Needless to say, we are excited about winter ‘07-’08!
The next leg of our tour (March’08-October ‘08) was scheduled to wind down in late fall in the Pacific Northwest, so this decision was equally easy. Laura and I have long had a not-entirely-explainable fascination with Oregon. Even before meeting or marrying, we both felt drawn there with a sense of inevitability about living there someday. So for winter ‘08-’09, we decided to give the Beaver State a five-month test drive. Currently, our sights are set on Eugene (I’m angling for a job at Burley), so if you know of a place we can live in Eugene for cheap, let us know!
Laura: I work with your Dad and he told me about your adventure. This is soooo exciting! I wish I could do something like this. I have a goal to visit every state at least once in my lifetime…so far I have made it to 39. Hawaii is for sure the most beautiful, Oregon could be a close second. I am intrigued by lighthouses, not just their history and architecture but because most lighthouses are placed on very rugged terrain. This usually means very beautiful scenery. I have visited over 60 of them. Make sure you go to Heceta Head Light when you are in Oregon. The scenery is so worth it!! I am signing up for your email updates. Best of luck!
brenda, i am the father of aaron, and proud father-in-law to laura. i am also very excited about this trip. we, his mother and i, have followed aaron’s aventures for a long time, and we are excited about having a new adventurous member to our family. i also share your facimation with lighthouses. after finishing our house several years ago, i told my wife that i wanted a seashore mural painted in our bathroom. searching highschool and college art programs looking for someone to paint it, i came up with no one to do it even offering to pay them, so i did one myself. it has boats, lighthouse, crashing waves and a sandy beach. so if you are ever in oklahoma, stop by and see our landlocked lighthouse!
Beeses,
I’m glad that the Lord hand-picked you for each other. We don’t know anyone else as crazy and adventurous as ya’ll. We are excited for you both and hope you have a blast on your trip. We will be praying for your safety. Give us a holler when you get around to Texas and we can meet up somewhere (although we won’t be on a bike!) Enjoy God’s magnificent creation; the mountains, hills, plains, oceans and beaches throughout your entire trip and remember to post pictures of the view and of you two!
Love,
The Moshers
Hi Aaron & Laura, I am working hard to overcome my terror of clip-in shoes so I can come with you on part of your ride. Even if I can only hang with you a mile or so on my bike, I will be with you in spirit on your whole trip! Love, Barbara
oooooooooooh, SO jealous! and of course i’d love to come meet you and take you to dinner both in DC and VA, when the times come. if i’m still living in america, that is.
love you guys!
Not sure if you may pass right by my house in CT (Near I-84)or not, but it appears you may pass my cabin in upstate NY! I have a tiny year round cabin in Old Forge NY (Town of Webb). I think you’d LOVE to see the Fulton Chain of Lakes in the Old Forge area. It is GORGEOUS there. Let me know if you are, you can stay at our place. The neighbors all are locals. Route 28 goes right through it. Best of Luck! Just a heads up, Not a lot of camping places in Western CT. There are state parks in Eastern CT with campsites.
I noticed that you are getting off the Natchez Trace midstate in Mississippi. I live in NE Mississippi and have traveled up and down the Trace several times (most of the way) I have also gone from the Trace to Huntsville, Al along the backroads. Very nice ride. Very light traffic for the most part. I could give you more details if you are interested.
Jim Dobbs
Calhoun City, Ms
When you end up in NC I’d love to ride with you!
I just heard about your trip tonight, and we’d love to host you along your way in WA. We live just off I-405, just east of Seattle (across the lake). My husband is a road bike cycling nut too - but has not yet gone as far as you do. And I’m impressed with the tandem - my husband is wanting to get one for us. Good luck on your journey, and let us know if you’d like to stay with us a bit.
You guys look great on the various news stations. I know Rodney is proud of yall. Stay safe. John
I can’t tell if you will be passing through Ann Arbor, Michigan, but if you do we’d love to put you up in a nice soft bed with home cooked meals.
Okay, since you are living a slowed-down life; I have a great suggestion for you. Wednesday around noon I should be flying over Arkansas on my way to land in Dallas at 3 pm. You two find the highest point with a nice view of open sky and lay out (perhaps with binoculars) looking for my flight as it passes overhead. If I am by a window I will look down as we fly over Arkansas..it will be special moment. : )
What a great thing to do! It reminds me of my friends DeeJay and Kerry where they spent their first two years of marriage on a tandem traveling the US and Canada for a place to live. They ended up in Houston, BC. You are welcome to stay with us about 20 miles south of the center point of New York State in Sherburne, NY when you pass by.
Wells Horton
Judging by the map, you’re right on schedule! I spotted the two of you in State College this morning on College Avenue. I also had no idea who you were or how in the world there was another Pino in this area without me knowing it. Turns out your Pino isn’t from this area.
I hope you two are fairing the cooler weather in NY state very well. The colors here in Burlington are turning quite lovely. I have contacted our friends in Albany for you. After inspecting the map and Locating Onedia lake, I envy your journey along the Eerie canal. That is on my to-do list…
All the best,
Annie Follett
Oh, to spend months on a tandem with no jobs, no kids, no commitments… sounds like heaven to us! Thanks to our long-time friends Andy & Annie Follett for sending you to our little piece of New York. It was our pleasure to be your “B & B” while in Albany. Enjoy pedaling thru the Hudson Valley — the foliage should be spectacular! — and good luck in NYC (not on our list of “best places to bike”). We’ll keep watching for you!
Laura and Aaron,
We don’t know each other, but my husband went to school with Dianne Laird and Brad Barrett at OU, and we are both OU alums, now living in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It appears your route may take you through Fargo, rather than Grand Forks, but if you get up this way (70 miles N of Fargo), we’d love to host you. Also, since you are on a journey of “centers”, perhaps you might consider paying a visit to Rugby, North Dakota–it’s the geographic center of the North American continent, and they even have a little monument declaring such.
When you head towards ND this summer, just let us know. A home cooked meal and a warm bed will be yours in Grand Forks if you want it!
Jimmie Kennedy
We have wonderful friends in Albuquerque, NM if you two need a contact or place to stay. They are old friends of ours-he is from Burlington, Vt, she is from Los Alamos, NM. They live in the northeast section of Albuquerque.
Contact us for more information. I see you two are right on schedule. This is an ambitious year for you. Keep on pedaling!
Annie
Laura and Aaron,
We are so glad we had the opportunity to meet and chat with you this morning as you passed through Arden Hills, MN! It is not too often we meet up with other Tandem riders, and especially not in our neighborhood.
We have enjoyed reading your website today and we will be checking back periodically to see how you are progressing.
Best Wishes on the rest of your journey !
Joe and Terry Ricke
Arden Hills, MN