Letterkenny man Roger Holmes is cycling across America in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. This is the latest dispatch from his blog
Everything is going well and I’m on course to arrive in New York City in mid August. I will be announcing plans for the final leg from Letterkenny to Dublin shortly. I just dont have the time to plan it right now.
Following my fall in The Rockies, my hip is still sore, but thankfully it is not now holding me back. Ive noticed numbness in my hands and arms so I have been making adjustments to the saddle and handlebars to try and change my riding position.
Thankfully I finally seem to have figured out a good food and hydration routine. Peanut butter is my new snack of choice. Its light but gives great energy. Its so important to get some protein on board in the evenings to try to help the thigh muscles recover.
Blogging and Social Media etc take up a lot of time, but its necessary to raise funds. If you go quiet the donations dry up. Ive had to cut back considerably however. Sometimes my updates and photos are a couple of days late, but it just cant be helped.
The mornings are tough going. My body just wants to rest but once Im showered and have eaten its fine. It took me a long time to find a good pace to start each day with. It really is an endurance test in so many ways.
When I finish a days cycling, all I want to do is sleep, but there is so much that has to be done. Finding a place to stay, getting food, washing out my cycling clothes and getting electronics charged up takes a lot of time. Most nights when I go through that routine I just fall asleep and cant believe how quickly the morning comes. Then the whole thing starts all over again.
Missouri was amazing. I rode The Katy Trail all the way across the state, and even met the Governor and his wife along the way!
Im through another stateline now and currently in Illinois. Im hoping to be in Indiana soon. Kentucky and Ohio should be straightforward, but rolling Pennsylvania is going to be a real sting in the tail. Its a huge state with lots of climbs.
For now though, Peggy and I are going well and clocking up the miles. I focus every day on the present moment. If the mind wanders the enormity of the challenge can become very daunting. People ask me all the time about the elections and stuff that has been in the media this summer. I just play dumb. Im just an Irishman on a bike trying to raise money for a cancer charity.
Id like to thank everyone who has donated, and ask others to consider supporting this great charity.
www.gofundme.com/TransAtlanticCycle
Im really looking forward to some good tea, my own bed and seeing everyone back home in Drumardagh.
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