FILL THIS HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY BIKE TOUR Revised September 13, 2010
0CTOBER & NOVEMBER 2010
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If you are receiving this, it is because we continue to believe that you should be interested in supporting us or even joining us for part or all of a cross country bike tour in the fall of 2010! So, read on!
WHO AND WHY?
The core group consists of two intrepid adventurers, Carl Tippit and Peter Conway. WHY? We share a “bucket list” dream of cycling across the country. Beyond that, we plan to use the ride to raise money and awareness for a non-profit founded by Liz Tippit called FILL THIS HOUSE. (http://www.fillthishouse.org/ )So, even if you can’t ride with us, we encourage you to support us by making a donation to Fill This House once we complete the ride. Each rider is paying all of his/her expenses so 100% of all donations will go to Fill This House.
IS THERE ROOM FOR ME?
Yes! We will be joined along the route by other adventurers who will join us for one or more week long legs (stages) of the trip. See below to see who has signed up, and for what stage. The good news is that there is still room for you!
WHEN IS THE RIDE?
We will start Monday October 4, 2010 and plan to finish 49 days later on November 21, 2010.
HOW LONG IS THE ROUTE?
Approximately 3150 miles, barring wrong turns.
I AM INTERESTED, BUT I CAN’T SPEND 49 DAYS.
We are breaking up the ride into 7 week long stages. As our rest day is Sunday, we will be able to meet people at airports along the route on Saturday evening/Sunday morning, so that they can ride with us from Monday- Saturday.
WHAT IS THE ROUTE?
We will ride west to east, from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine FL. We will travel through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. We are using a route designed for cyclists by the Adventure Cycling Association. They have named it The Southern Tier. To see the route, go to their website: http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/southerntier.cfm?pg=overview
WHAT IS THE ROUTE LIKE?
To quote Adventure Cycling:
The Southern Tier Bicycle Route is our shortest cross-country route and offers a wide variety of terrain, vegetation, climate, and people all the way across the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The route is rich in human culture and history -- ranging from the Spanish and Mexican influences in California, to the ancient indigenous pueblo cultures in Arizona and New Mexico, to the imprint of the Spanish conquistadors in Texas, to the bayous and French influences of Louisiana, to the Old South of Mississippi and Alabama, to a four-hundred-year-old city in Florida.
WHAT WILL BE THE DAILY AVERAGE MILES TRAVELLED?
75 miles. However, due to varying elevation changes (e.g. mountains) and some long stretches between services (e.g. desert) days will vary between 50 and 100 miles.
WILL THERE BE ANY REST DAYS/LAYOVERS?
Yes. Taking cues from the Good Book, we will bike for six days and rest on every seventh.
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WILL THERE BE?
We will be supported by “Vanna” a small RV and trailer which will carry all of our gear, spare parts and us when needed. During the day, Vanna will be our SAG wagon, on call in case of emergency or fatigue, and meeting us at pre-ordained food/water/ rest stops. Part of the trip expenses will cover the expenses of Vanna and the various drivers who will be traveling with us.
WHERE WILL WE STAY?
We will stay in clean but cost efficient motels along the route. We are budgeting double occupancy, but you can always ‘upgrade’ to a single.
WHERE CAN I JOIN OR LEAVE THE TRIP?
Stage Dates From To Meet Us Leave Us Driver Guests Miles Av. Miles
Pre 9/27- 10/1 Cleveland, OH San Diego, CA San Diego Bill Burgess Holly Burgess 2420 485
1 10/03-10/10 San Diego, CA Tempe, AZ San Diego Phoenix Bill Burgess Ron Neill? /Holly Burgess 412 68.67
2 10/10-10/17 Tempe, AZ El Paso, TX Phoenix El Paso Bill Burgess Bill Conway (jr)? 540 90
3 10/17-10/24 El Paso TX Del Rio TX El Paso Del Rio Dan Fishwick Michael Novak 455 75.83
4 10/24-10/31 Del Rio, TX Navasota, TX Del Rio Houston Dan Fishwick Charles Breer, Michael Novak, Sam Lombardo 466 71.83
5 10/31-11/07 Navasota, TX Baton Rouge, LA Houston Baton Rouge Curt Johnson Scott Emerson 410 68.33
6 11/07-11/14 Baton Rouge, LA DeFuniak Spr., FL Baton Rouge Pensacola Curt Johnson W.Ginn/ L.Tippit/C.Hitchcock 431 71.83
7 11/14-11/21 DeFuniak Spr., FL St Augustine, FL Pensacola St. Augustine Gina Cronin Bill Conway/Jeff Fallon/Warren Morris? 410 68.33
RIDE TOTALS 3089 73.98
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN JOIN CARL AND PETER EACH STAGE?
Two. Vanna has room for five, including the driver. Stages 4 and 6 are full.
HOW MUCH WILL THE TRIP COST PER WEEK?
Approximately $1200, including $300 estimate for airfare. Here is the estimate:
TRANS AM COST ESTIMATES PER PERSON PER WEEK
DAILY WEEKLY Notes Notes
Your Part of Group Expenses
VANNA 8.5 59.5 1000 miles@.50 per mile IRS business deduction RV rental = $1400/wk
TRAILER 2.15 15.05 Quoted daily rate & tax & insurance U-Haul = 28/day
DRIVER 30 210
SNACKS 7.5 52.5
Misc grp expenses 5 35 E.G tolls, fees, parking, repairs
Sub Total 55 375
INDIVIDUAL Cost Estimates Actual will vary. Depends on where we stay and dine
DINNERS 30 210
LODGING (ea. DBL occupancy) 40 280
AIRFARE/TRAVEL (guessing here) 300
Shipping bicycle 100
Sub Total 70 890
Est Grand Total 125 1265
Check for $375 per week due to Peter Conway by September 1st
INTERESTED IN JOINING US?
If interested, give Carl or Peter a call. We have room on most stages.
