Cycle from coast to coast across a country

“Following the TransAm trail, we crossed three beautiful major mountain ranges, explored Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks, embraced the flats of Kansas, danced in Nashville, gazed in awe at the colours of autumn in the Appalachian Mountains – and celebrated my third year in remission. The trail is lined with kindness, a linear community where knowledge is shared, friendships are formed and experiences are gained. Locals host cyclists, giving them a bed for a night and sometimes supplying meals and laundry facilities. They find your journey inspiring, but their kindness is far more inspiring than riding your bike every day. It reaffirms the good in society.”

“The fresh air plays about our faces as we stand there on the bridge, carrying with it the faint scent of the sea. Around four hours ago our coach arrived in Scotland’s capital. Despite having only had snatches of sleep as we rumbled up the A1, we are buzzing. (The ride out of Edinburgh, along a disused railway line then around the expansive Dalmeny Estate, was a delight.) We freewheel away from the bridge. Having escaped the clutches of London, we now have open skies and new adventures for the next two days. Yet by the time we arrive at our next bridge, at Kincardine, we are less chirpy. It’s been an industrial, hilly, and windy 30 miles, and we’re cursing our silly little wheels and the fact that, despite both being experienced tourers, we didn’t factor the prevailing wind into our plan. We should have known that east to west is the wrong way around.”