Day before Cycling W3R Expedition

Pete Rice and I
At the Rochambeau Statue in
Newport

Arrived in Newport today at 1245. I took the Fast Ferry from MV, and it was fast! And choppy! I got seasick! Well, I just had to stand outside on rear deck and focus on the
horizon. I started thinking about Rochambeau and his troops in 1781 and their voyage across the Atlantic. Wow.

Pete Rice met me at the ferry as the there is no easy way to cross the bridges into Newport...bikes are not allowed. :( But, I am glad I called Pete who turned out to be my tour guide for about 3 hours! It was nice to have him there to show me more options for the route to Providence. Pete is a local cyclists, who is retired Navy, but in origially from North Dakota.

We had a great time doing recon for the route and I loved learning about the history of New Port, which is a gorgeous town!



Expedition Bicycle

 Pete dropped me off at the Hostel and I met some of my Hostel mates who are from CA, England, and Ireland. I hostel is great and only a couple of blocks from the water!

Tonight I will explore Newport! Tomorrow I get interviewed by the Newport Daily News at 9am and off at 10!

Hope you follow. Also, Having trouble downloading pic onto the Cycling W3R facebook page, so you should friend me directly on facebook to my personal page. I will still update on the other too.

Bye for now!
Peace, Bill


Here is a video form yesterday on Martha's Vineyard! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34tQ2oVaAgc

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Expedition update June 29th, 2011

Arrived  yesterday in Woodshole and put my bike back together!

As in any major expedition there are always "glitches." As you know I am on Martha's Vineyard staying with my good friends Teri and Sean in West Tisbury. I forgot that I do not get cell reception here, so if you need to get ahold of me before tomorrow at 11am, send me email at bill@poindexterrecruiting.com



I took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard



I will be leaving MV at 1115 and getting into Newport about 3pm. I am staying at a hostel called the William Gyles Guesthouse. There was no place to camp in Newport and I wanted to spend a afternoon there before I leave the next morning.  I also wanted to find a place that future cyclists could stay at as a embarking point for the W3R Bike Route. I will pay $35 for a dorm room, plus tax.




I will leave Newport, form the Rochambeau Statue at 10am on July 1st. I am being interviewed by Jim Gillis of the Newport Daily News at 9am at the Statue.

Staying with friends in West Tisbury

And they live on the State Forest
Bike Path...go figure ;)



I plan to arrive at Joy Homestead at 3-4pm.

Peace, Bill

http://www.fox4kc.com/videobeta/0541acb7-aaed-49a5-b452-530abe18fd0a/News/Metro-Man-Following-Patriotic-Bike-Route

Expedition update: last day in Kansas City!

Flying out in the morning! I still have to pack!



Theresa, the owner of Family Bicycles supervising the
careful art of putting a bike on a small box!

 I would like to thank all the sponsors and folks who kindly donated up to this point, and especially to Family Bicycles for all there hard work making sure my bicycle is up to the challenge and boxed for the flight! So thank you to all their great staff and excellent service. I think they are the only KC Bike shop that really gets bike touring!
Thanks to Theresa the owner and Matt whom boxed my bike and gave me a great tune up!




yep there is a bike in there!

My flight to Boston leaves at 8:15am, and my good friend Mark Rainey has volunteered to give me a lift to the airport! I will arrive in Boston  at 12:30ish. Then I take a bus to Woods Hole on Cape Cod. I will put the bike back together on the dock of the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard.

Next, ferry over to Martha's Vineyard, once there I will do a quick 30 mile ride around the island and then head to my friends home in West Tisbury! Then Wed. I will tour the island and hope to get some beach time and time with my good friends, Teri, Sean, Emma, and Max.

On Thursday I will take a ferry and arrive by sea just as Rochambeau did in 1780. I should arrive Quonset Point around 12:45. This I will skillfully make my way to Newport. I will  explore Newport and spend the night...I am not sure where yet, and I depart the on the historic Cycling W3R Expedition at 10am on July 1st, at the Rochambeau statue in Newport. With the advice of, Peter Rice, Mark Dieterich of the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition and some of his friends, and Eric of the East Coast Greenway Alliance I will head north along a very exciting route which will take me into the heart of Providence...I will share the route shortly .

I make my way to Joy Homestead is next, in Cranston, is where Lydia Rapoza will be hosting a small reception for me at their historic site! Starts a 5pm, so if you are in the area I hope to meet you. You will see the gear, bike, tent, and I juggle.:) I will talk about the Cycling W3R Expedition, how it came to be, and where it is headed.




Come to Joy Homestead at 5pm on July 1st!

 Then, on the morning of the 2nd. I will head west into Connecticut...an into history. Did you know the French officers where allowed 300lbs of personal belongings while on their expedition! It was carried by ox and cart!

I look forward to meeting you. Yes, you.

Peace, Bill

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

In the late 1970s when the Whole Earth Catalog decided to call it quits and come out with the final edition, they came up with a interesting ending. On the back cover there is the scene of a country road, somewhere in America, and above it four words: stay hungry, stay foolish.

The Whole Earth Catalog was the paper equivalent internet of the 70s. It focused on the environmental movement of the time sharing information from; sustainable living, to Outward Bound, to gardening tools, to animal and human rights organizations, and to much more.

 I remember lying on my parent’s bed reading it, as one cool idea morphed into another cool idea, just as the internet works today. It opened up my mind to possibilities’ I may not have ever known about.

Last Tuesday, I was having dinner with a friend of mine who I had not seen for 38 years, Duane Benton who is now 80. Duane and his wife Nancy saw an article in the Kansas City Star about the Cycling W3R Expedition and reached out to me. I was telling Duane about some of my entrepreneurial experiences and personal philosophies regarding my own life and my view of the world, and how much of those experiences help to shape who I am and have lead me to the Cycling W3R Expedition.

Towards the end of our dinner, Duane told me about a commencement speech a friend of his had sent him, where Steve Jobs spoke to the graduates of Stanford in 2005. Duane said that Jobs spoke about his own life experiences and how they shaped his life and at the end of the speech, Steve described the back cover of the final Whole Earth Catalog, and finished his speech to those graduates, with, “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.”

Sometimes a few simple words can have great meaning. My friend Duane said the speech is one of “things you should read at least once a year to keep your perspective on life.”

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish can mean different things to people based on their own experiences, and that is fine. To me it means: Stay hungry for new knowledge and experiences, and Stay foolish by keeping a child’s curiosity and don’t let anyone tell you something cannot be done, try it anyway, touch it, feel it, smell it, taste it, experience it (Life) fully, so there will be no regrets later on.

I live life on my own terms and always have. The Cycling W3R Expedition is truly an expedition for the people. To be the first to map out and explore a

Bike Route

on a 230 year old National Historic Trail in the most densely populated part of America, with the grassroots effort of people, from people, who live in the region,  to people who live in the heart of America is awesome. It shows how connected we all are, and how simple things can be in the complicated world we live in. Just like the Whole Earth Catalog, to the internet and Facebook today, connecting people and ideas over vast distances with ease. We all live in the community of the Earth.

As I sit here and write this I am watching the sunrise from my apartment window. Classical music is playing on the radio, the cats are still asleep, birds are playing their own music outside, and every minute bring new reflections of light on the clouds with the rise of the sun.

 I had been thinking over the last few months about an overall theme to help me remember why I am embarking on such an ambitious adventure. Duane’s words, the four words, Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish from the Whole Earth Catalog are now adopted for expedition motto.

So to you all:

 to the people who actively support our expedition whether by kind words, donation, or sharing information and to those who passively watch it, wondering what they should, or should not do as their own doubts play tricks, I say this.

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Peace, Bill




PS Thanks so much to Lydia Rapoza of Joy Homestead for her third donation and to
Karen Heath of Prairie Village, KS
Ken Lauden of Mission Hills, KS
Carrie and Caroline Blubaugh-PV KS
Tricia Beaham-Mission Hills, KS


You folks are awesome!

Route

Expedition update June 22

I had a lovely dinner last night with some friends of my family. Nancy and Duane Benton started Creative Candles in Kansas City in the early 70s and sold it in the late 90s. They saw the article about the expedition in Saturdays paper and Duane called me, and they invited me to a great dinner, at a local French restaurant here is Prairie Village, which I thought very appropriate considering the French connections to the expedition!

I had not seen the Benton's for almost 40 years...just another example of how expedition is reaching out to the past and bringing it into the present.

While on the W3R, I will too, be sharing the past with you.

Thanks to these folks have donated so far in this weeks fundraiser (6/17-6/27)
 Thank you all for your kindness and generosity!

Brian & Edie Larson-Prairie Village, KS
Duane Benton-Westwood, KS
Linda Jones-Lenexa, KS
Claudia Gibson, West Lebanon, NH (2nd donation!)
Mark Titus-Prairie Village, KS
Mick Swanson-Prairie Village, KS
Amie Wolff Logan-Overland Park, KS
Amy Sue Pennington-Shawnee, KS
Hal and Vickie Flynn-Prairie Village, KS

Here is the link to a interview from Fox in KC regarding the expedition!

http://www.fox4kc.com/videobeta/0541acb7-aaed-49a5-b452-530abe18fd0a/News/Metro-Man-Following-Patriotic-Bike-Route

Expedition update June 21st

9 days to go!
Dear friends,
Time is slipping by, I am eager to get started!

Announcements:

1.Thanks to Claudia Gibson for making a 2nd donation! You are awesome!!

2.  There will be an interview tonight on the KC Station, Fox 4 News at 530!

There was a great article on the expedition in the Kansas City Star newspaper on Saturday! Please share with your friends and news agencies.

3. Joy Homestead and their staff is holding a late afternoon/ early evening Cycling W3R Expedition event! Times will be anounced soon. Will be a good time- There will be food, bicycle talk, historical chat, I will be speaking about the expedition and what the future holds in the next few weeks for Cycling and the W3R. The expedition bicycle will be there too! :) PLUS-A lucky two people will have a chance to win a official Cycling W3R bicycling cap-hand made!

4. W3R Cycling caps can  also be purchased at Taddihogg.com for $20 through their web site. $10.00 will go to the expedition. Thank you Thad!

5. Family Bicycles-an excellent Kansas City Missouri bike shop and is the offical Cycling W3R Expedition Bike Shop! Please go see Theresa and her staff if you are looking for a bike for recreation, racing, commuting, or touring like me! They are the only Silver designated-for Bicycle Friendly Business by League of American Bicyclist shop in KCMO. The service they provide is excellent! I am glad to have them as a partner on this venture.

6. Mapping: I will be mapping out preliminarly routes through CT and NY today. The routes are from various mapping programs and recommendations form area cyclists in each state. I will make adjustments when I am on the road or adopt the route for the guide book. Be sure to add your thoughts if you are a area cyclist.

7.  Cycling W3R Expedition route criteria:

The route must:

1. Safe and fun Bike Route for cyclists of all levels-consideration will be made for all types of cyclist.

2. Stay on or as close to the original W3R- National Historic Trail as possible so the cyclist can have a experience in history.

3. Promote tourism by creating a "Bicycle Friendly" route-so people will use the Cycling W3R Bike Route in the future thereby supporting the communities they are rolling through, thus increasing awareness, support, and public use of the W3R-NHT and local communities. This last one will also benefit each community in three ways: promoting healthier lifestyles, cleaner environments, and stronger communites ( all the results of using a bicycle for transportation and travel.)

Ok, that is it for now. Please help out if you can!

Peace, Bill

PS-remember I will be blogging about the expedition here and adding Facebook updates through out the days (as long as I have reception). I will be blogging once a day, but adding facebook updates multiple times throughout the day. Please go to the Cycling W3R Facebook page and be a Fan so you can see the updates. Also you can sign up for email updates on the right side of this site.

Come visit me in Prairie Village before I leave

I am finishing up all the prep work for the Cycling W3R mapping expedition and I will

be at the

Star Bucks in Prairie Village, KS June 20th-24th from 12 noon to 6pm

if you would like to come down and learn more about the expedition. I will have maps on hand so you can see the terrain I will be rolling over!

I hope to see you, if I am not a a table, sit tight, I may have just gone for a short walk around the village to clear my head.

If you would like me to speak to a group regarding the Cycling W3R Expedition please email me and I will see if I can work it into the schedule. :)

Peace, Bill

Donation: Thanks so much to Linda Jones for her donation.

The W3R-what it means to you and me

Yesterday was the 230th
Birthday of the W3R

I learned of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) while having coffee with a good friend of mine Dave Fagerberg a professional 18th century reenactor. He explained to me the significance on the W3R and I was hooked!

A French Army comes to Newport, Rhode Island and then marches, in 1781, over 5000 troops across the state, then CT, and into New York where they met up with the Continental Army and General Washington, and then they marched across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and finally into Virginia and on to Yorktown where they defeated the British in what is know at the Battle of Yorktown.



Dave Fagerberg and myself



Two years later the war for liberty was over.

The W3R represents the freedom and liberty we Americans have today, but frequently take for-granted. If those sacrifices were not made by the soldiers and civilians of the revolution we may well be eating beans for breakfast (a English favorite breakfast food).

My friend Dave is currently marching the same route of the soldiers of 1781, they started yesterday! Here is the Marchers facebook page if you would like to follow them. Godspeed to them!

I am so excited to be a part of the W3R now. The Cycling W3R is the first ever of its kind on this route.

One of the missions of the expedition is to recognize the sacrifices made my the men and women of the American Revolution, and I did not know this, but there were black men fighting along side white men. I love that-equality.

All fighting for their basic human rights; freedom and liberty.

We enjoy our liberty in American, while other people, like in Tunisia and Egypt have to fight for theirs, just as our ancestors did 230 years ago at the Battle of Yorktown.

I love America.





This is the son of our
sponsor, Taddihogg Cycling
Hats. He is pointing to the East to the
W3R and he is wearing a
 W3R Cycling cap!

We are so lucky to have this country and to live here. The W3R is a symbol of America, and I believe with all my heart the people like the Marchers, and the community of people that have come together for the Cycling W3R Expedition represents;

I envision many people, young and old, venturing to the W3R, whether on foot or bicycle, and to explore the past with the present.

God Bless America

Peace, Bill

Thanks to Claudia Gibson for her 2nd donation to the Cycling W3R Expedition!

FYI-this is the new article on the expedition!

Thank you



Mick at the photo shoot

 Quick thanks to
Mick Swanson-Prairie Village, KS
Amie Wolff Logan-Overland Park, KS
Amy Sue Pennington-Shawnee, KS
Mark Titus-Prairie Village, KS
Who were the first to answer my call for help.

Mr. Washington would be proud!

A call for help

Dear friends,                             Friday

We are so close to the start! Just 12 days away.

I need to ask this of you. We are all adults here and sometimes things do not go the way we intend. For the Expedition to come to fruition external funding is needed.

I have been funding this endeavor primarily with my business but today I found out one of my clients lost some business and that means I lose income I needed and counted on. It happens.

I believe passionately in this project, I have been devoting my time and financial resources to the fullest extent possible.

I have created a community of people who want to see the Cycling W3R successful, none more than I. Whether you are interested adventure, history, or transportation on two wheels ... I need your help.

I need to raise funds in the next few days. Please help, and call or email me if you have questions. I would be happy to come speak about the expedition. I am scrambling to generate more business, but time is short it seem unlikely.

Everything happens for a reason, I am sure there is a lesson here. If you are in Kansas City area tomorrow I will be at the Star Bucks in Prairie village from 12- 5pm, 70th and Mission with the Expedition Bicycle, with maps through Google Earth, like the one below. Feel free to come down.

Thanks for your kind attention.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/17/2955426/cyclist-is-a-pioneer-on-historic.html

bill@poindexterrecruiting.com
913 220 1213

Bil

This is my basic route. It is the same route the the French Soldiers
and the Continental Army took in 1781. I will be mapping out
a safe bike route for future users of the trail. I have all the maps broken down to states
it is pretty cool. :)

How I will carry all my gear

On the expedition I will carry all my own gear-clothes, tools, first aid kit, shoes, food, tent, sleeping bag, toiletries, rain gear, etc. All in four panniers (saddle bags). Here is a good short video from our expedition partners, the Adventure Cycling Association, explaining how to use and ride with panniers.

Expedition journal June 14th, 2011

Expedition Journal

This is the baseline Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route that the Cycling W3R Expedition is following. Our primary mission to find a safe Bike Route on the National Historic Trail.
You see Joy Homestead above Newport, that is the first official stop
on the Cycling W3R Expediton on July 1st.

 With 16 days left to go, I am starting to feel the enormity of this expedition....and it's awesome!



General Washington and General Rochambeau

 I talked with a local film maker today, and was explaining all the differenent roles I am playing on the Cycling W3R Expedition; logistics, marketing, public relations, photographer, blogger and social media, sponsorship, fundraising, bike mechanic, cartographer, videographer, oh, and head chef! ;) Plus the guy that rides the 45lbs expedition bicycle with another 40+lbs of gear for

700+ miles through 9 states on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States of America.

Pretty cool, huh?

It is time to update the blogsite too. I hope to get to that in the next couple of days. I will delete some pages and add some. It should be cool.

I woke up this morning at 2am. Alot on my mind, and I could not get back to sleep, so made a pot of black coffee and went for a walk. I like walking in the predawn hours. I could see flashes of lightening off to the south, but the sky above me was clear and the air muggy.

I got to thinking abut the soldiers back in 1781, whose footsteps I will be retracing on our historic expedition. Our schedules will not be too much different. The troops arose every morning at 2am, broke camp, and where marching by 4am. The objective was to be in camp by noon, so there was time to mingle with the locals, rest, eat, and whatever else they needed to do. These men were tough, carring 60-80 lbs rucksacs, 13lbs muskets, wearing wool clothes, with high wool socks and uncomfortable shoes. The French had to wear wigs too. Can you imagine?

My schedule is be up by 6am and out of camp by 7am, and done cycling by 1pm, so I too can nap, mingle with locals, blog, do interviews, and explore our great country.

As I roll on the route, I will share more about French and American Soldiers expedition and experiences while on Cycling W3R. OK, I am tired, and need sleep, still have to ride home, only about 45 min away.

Bill Poindexter, Expedition Leader.

PS Thanks so much to my good friend, Joel Crown who donated $100.00!

Expedition update June 10th

Coming home from a bike camping overnight
exploring a abandoned road

 20 days away! There is alot of new things to cover. 

This is very important stuff, so please read carefully! :)

Starting point rumors:
Some rumors have been floating around that I am starting in Providence. They are false I am starting at the Rochambeau Statue in Newport, RI and then heading to Providence and Joy Homestead.

Contacting me:
Getting ahold of me, wanting me to speak, offer of place to stay(shower or do laundry), want to camp with me, have dinner with me at the camp, host a dinner, or wanting to join in on the expedition for a day please email me at bill@poindexterrecruiting.com. If I do not respond in 24 hours- your email may have going into spam, you are welcome to call 913 220 1213. You can also follow this blogsite and the facebook page.


Route Info:
Here are the base line routes per state from the NPS-I will be modifying as I go along but this will give you a basic idea of the route I am following and if I am headed your way, they are interactive and at full zoom so you have to let out the zoom and the route will show up:

Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
Corridor 1:
New Jersey
Corridor 2:
New Jersey
Pennsylvania-route being planned
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
Washington DC

If you have ideas for a Bike Route I am open, but you will need to have ridden suggested route on a bicycle to be considered. I will be looking at routes 1-2 days ahead via internet of arrival and will be making adjustments before, during and after if needed. FYI-the most complicated route is how to get across the Hudson in NY by bicycle and stay close to the W3R.

New Strategic partnerships:I have some wonderful partners: the W3R-US, The Marchers, Adventure Cycling Association, and the National Park Service. All are key to helping me accomplish the mission.

I am excited to announce the East Coast Greenway Alliance as a new partner! This is their vision that fits nicely into the Mission of Cycling W3R:

"The East Coast Greenway vision is for a long-distance, urban, shared-use trail system linking 25 major cities along the eastern seaboard between Calais, Maine and Key West, Florida. It will serve non-motorized users of all abilities and ages. A 3,000-mile long spine route will be accompanied by 2,000 miles of alternate routes that link in key cities, towns, and areas of natural beauty. This green travel corridor will provide cyclists, walkers, and other muscle-powered modes of transportation with a low-impact way to explore the eastern seaboard."

 I am excited to say Eric Weis the ECGA Trail Program Coordinator will be riding with me in Providence...yay!




  W3R Hats: The first of the hats are here. I will have some with me on the route!

Press Releases: I need help with the media, so if you have contacts or want to send press releases to your local newspapers or TV stations please let me know.

Here is a local blurb from Fox you may use to spark interest.
http://claycounty.fox4kc.com/news/sports-recreation/kc-man-leads-cycling-mapping-expedition-american-revolution-trail/55015

I am training with loaded panniers:
Panniers are basically saddle bags that
will carry all my gear!

Going solo: Lastly, I will be doing the expedition solo. There will be people riding with me along the whole route, but no one for the entire length of the route. This works well for me because it allows me to ride at my pace and not have to accomodate anyone else. This is in line with the grassroots focus of the expedition-many people and organizations coming together to see the success of the Cycling W3R Expedition.

Thanks much to all those people who are reaching out: from the W3R-US folks, to Terry Dorn in Fredricksburg, VA and Earnie Porta, the Mayor of Occoquan, Va to Damon Rodnac of the Marchers. And all the rest of you who sent me a note! Thanks.

Thanks to Galina Chernikova from New Jersey for her kind contribution!


Peace, Bill

Expedition update 6/7/2011

Just 23 days from the start! Wow!

Thanks very much for the three kind contributions from:

Dave Nelson-Prairie Village, Ks
Ralph D Nelson, Jr-from Florida
Katie Schell, Mission Hills

I am getting really excited! I have been riding around Kansas City with a loaded bicycle in the 95f+ heat and riding hills. It's great training, one just keeps it in a gear where you can keep up a conversation so you can last the 5-8 hours a day in the saddle...although, I do not do alot of talking while riding up a steep hill! :)

I will be asking for contributions before and during the expedition. My friend Katie reminded me that I need to keep asking for help. I appreciate that, as it is not easy doing all the planning, logistics, marketing, public relations, social media, and fundraising. I appreciate all the help I have gotten to this point! I told Katie that everyone who has helped, whether, designing the logo, or printing fliers, loaning me gear, or contributing funds, everyone is on the Expedition Team.



All those team members (see list below) will be receiving a text or email from me before the expedition, and a phone call during the expedition, as well as acknowledgement in the following guide book and travel narrative.

Right now it looks like I will be flying into Boston around the 26th, then taking a bus to Wood Hole, MA, then a Ferry to Martha's Vineyard, MA, staying with some friends, then taking a Ferry to Providence on or the day before the first of July.

On July 1 I will be stopping first at Joy Homestead for some light refreshment and seeing our good friend and Cycling W3R Expedition supporter Lydia!

And then on towards CT!




I am still not sure where I will camp the first night, but a new friend, Jennifer suggested she has some friends in Greene, RI who have a farm, so that may be it for the first day?

Thanks to Joe Dibello and Samantha Driscoll of the National Park Service for getting me some great google maps! Those were needed! Although I am mapping out a safe cycling map, I needed a base from which to start.

 Here is my basic route in Rhode Island.

Ok, so that is it for now. I will update again in a couple of days. If you have any ideas or thoughts, email me: bill@poindexterrecruiting.com

Peace,
Bill

A list of donors and supporters to date.

Financial Contributions
Individuals
Katie Schell-Mission Hills, KS
Ralph D Nelson, Jr- Florida
Dave Nelson- Prairie Village, KS
Lydia Rapoza-Coventry, RI
Debbie Simpson-Mission Hills, KS
Dana Niles-Merion Station, PA
Claudia Gibson-West Lebanon, NH
Tiffany Hiller-Prairie Village, KS
Mary Kimble-Blue Springs, MO
Gary Mallen-Leawood, KS
Lisa Trager-Prairie Village, KS
John Goodwin-Misson Hills, KS
Carolyn Suffern-Suffern, NY
Randy Rasa-Springhill, KS
Pete Storm-Vienna, VA
Adam Gatewood-Topeka, KS

Organizations and Businesses
Joy Homestead-W3R historical site, Cranston, RI
Theresa Van Ackeren-Family Bicycles, Kansas City, MO
Elizabeth Bejan-Revolve Inc, Kansas City, MO
BKV Direct Marketing, Overland Park, KS


Support team
Damon Rodnac-route logistics
David Fagerberg-route logistics
Bonnie Boyles and Kevin Ryland-logo
Robert Selig-Expedition Historian
Mark Rainey-Printing
David Rainey-Bicycle paint job
Adventure Cycling Association-Winona Bateman
W3R-US et al.
William Rose-Photographer and Artist

Preparing for the expedition



Gear: bike, two rear panniers, tent, and
front handel bar bag.
Photo by David Rainey

Preparing for the Cycling W3R Expedition

Thirty Days away from the expedition! I have been talking to many people about the trip and many of the questions have been similar, so, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of them with you all.

How long will it take?

"The W3R is 600 odd miles. I am searching for the most safe bike route, so I expect to add on another 100 miles. I will be cycling an average of 40-60 miles a day, depending on terrain and weather. I will be speaking to groups along the way-cyclists and historic groups and plan to take a day off every 3-4 days. I expect to be in Yorktown, Virginia by July 21st."




Rolling with friends this weekend
at the Pedaler's Jamboree
Photo by David Rainey

What will your daily schedule be?
"Up by 6am, do some yoga, break down camp by 7am. Then roll to some place I can get coffee and a roll. I will try to ride 10-20 miles from 7-9, then take a little break, the ride another 20 miles, eat lunch, and roll another 10-20, hopefully being in camp by 2pm. I then plan to explore local towns, speak at various places, and have dinner with locals. Also will spend evening blogging to you all and preparing the route for the next day. That is the basic schedule I will follow. Days off will consist of exploring towns along the W3R, mingling and interviewing the natives,  and catching up on emails."


What kind of support will you have?

"The expedition is self supported, so that means I will be carrying all the gear I need. Since I will be near towns and cities, I will forage for food on a daily basis.. :) I expect to camp outside 90% of the time.




a loaded bike, a gravel road, and a
hill is the best training

 What kind of training are you doing?

"I bike and walk every day for transportation. My cycling varies day to day from 10 miles minimum to over 50 miles per day. I am a strong cyclist, but not riding the heavy loaded bicycle, so I have been carrying panniers from Arkel (saddle bags) loaded with bricks and books and cycling on hilly routes to simulate the routes on the east coast. I have been doing bike overnight trips every weekend where I simulate the expedition, by riding a fully loaded bicycle and camp out overnight."

What is the route like, are you nervous?

"700 miles, though 9 states, and 5 major cities. There is more danger from cars than anything else. I have been cycling in a city for over ten years now so I am comfortable with cycling along traffic. I guess the only thing I am nervous about is once I get past PA I have never been in DE, MD, or VA. I will have people occasionally riding with me, so that should alleviate any fears. I am very excited!!!!


If you have any questions regarding the expedition, email me at bill@poindexterecruiting.com

Peace, Bill