I Wanna Ride

My ambitions keep growing, and I've imagined a trip that I just cannot refuse. Being a child of Philadelphia suburbia, and a well-traveled Pennsylvanian, I wish there were days where I could combine all of the influences of each PA town and city into one. From Stroudsburg to Erie to Scranton to Gettysburg to Lock Haven to West Chester to Washington to Bedford, I just can't choose which one to experience! Luckily enough, there is one feasible way to do this without invoking a car or really expensive Uber ride: a cycle tour around Pennsylvania. And not just a cute point-to-point from Philly to Pixburg, but a full loop that snakes in between almost every city and town I can squeeze in.

Such a loop would be massive: likely over 1200 miles and tens of thousands of feet in elevation gain, possibly lasting over two weeks to complete. I have many friends all over the state, so I would hope that I could meet up with many of them throughout my travels.

Now hear me out: I know it's a ridiculous idea, and I am aware I could die, and I wish I did not have the urge to do this. However, after discussing the idea with a few experienced "bikepackers", I have gained a lot of encouragement. Moreover, I have been considering heavily whether or not such a feat would be impressive enough to warrant solicitation from my friends and family towards a charity. I ultimately decided that I would like to benefit the non-profit organization CHILD USA, which is devoted towards ending child abuse through many of its legislative, legal, and outreach projects. I have a lot of sympathy for children born to situations beyond their control, and I would want nothing more than to erase that reality for as many children as possible. I have found many statistics within this vein, including on abuse and laws surrounding abuse. I appreciate the work that members of CHILD USA do on a daily basis to make this possible. Better yet, their headquarters is located in Philadelphia, perhaps a great symbol for where I should commence and finish my tour. When I get closer to my intended start date, I will make very clear how these funds will help children everywhere, and exactly what needs to be changed. But until then, I am still worrying immensely on the fine details of how to do a cycling tour. I don't have the proper touring bike, nor pennier bags, nor equipment. But I am devoting myself towards making this trip a reality.