After marking the moment by taking pictures near the Seattle Space Needle and sharing what the moment means to us, we will head out across the mountain pines of our first state: Washington. Skykomish on day two is a memorable little mountain town that warms us up for the bigger climb across Stevens Pass the next day that has been known to have snow near the road when we pass this time of year. 

Then, we’ll ride through cherry orchards and lush green rivers at just the right time of year, and soon be enjoying a long ride along the famous Coeur d’Alene bicycle trail into our first build day location in the Silver Valley of Idaho. The week will end with a ride to cross into Montana, our third state visited this week. 

Arrival Airport: (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Departure Airport: (MSO) Missoula Montana Airport

Once segment riders have arrived, we’ll host our weekly team meeting on Sunday night. We will both recap the week’s ride and plan for the week ahead.  

Western Montana promises to be a stretch of riding with one moment of awe after another. Best of all, this week will end with a ride into West Yellowstone. We will take an extra off day on Saturday to create more opportunities to make the drive into Yellowstone National Park, a must-see. 

Arrival: (MSO) Missoula Montana Airport

Departure: (WYS) Yellowstone Airport

Alright, this is the week where we take care of some miles! Thankfully, this is a beautiful part of the country for which you can enjoy every mile. 

Having strengthened ourselves in weeks 1 and 2, we cover some ground as we head from West Yellowstone to once again cross part of Idaho and now go into Logan, Utah, where we will have our second build day of the trip. 

The week’s not yet finished, as we have a couple of big ride days into Wyoming before enjoying a much-deserved day of rest off the bike. 

Arrival: (WYS) Yellowstone Airport

Departure: (RKS) Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport

It’s Rocky Mountains week! But first we’ll start by having a ride down to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, which is currently planned as our only camping night of the trip.

We’ll then continue on through Colorado, which has long been a favorite state of cross country riders and outdoor enthusiasts. Though the thought of crossing over and through the Rockies is intimidating to many riders, by this point in the ride the climbing often feels less difficult than expected — and to some, preferable compared to constant ups and downs or bad headwinds.

Mid-week, on Thursday, we will have a build with our Fuller Center friends in Craig, Colorado, who have hosted our riders many times. 

The week will end at Grand Lake, which is on the doorstep of Rocky Mountain National Park, with one of its Visitor Centers only 1-2 miles  from town.

Arrivals: (RKS) Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport

Departures: Amtrak Station in Granby, Colorado, or personal arrangements from Grand Lake. 

This week starts off with a ride through gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park, with all the climbing that name implies! You’ll reach a height of about 12,183 feet before beginning your descent  and transition into the flatter plains ahead. After Monday, the climbing on this segment is minimal, at least compared to the previous four!

Arrivals: Amtrak Station in Granby, Colorado, or personal arrangements to Grand Lake. 

Departure: (EAR) Kearney Regional Airport

This week explores the Great Plains of the US, traversing from Kearney, Nebraska to Fort Madison, Iowa, which means you will have reached the great Mississippi River! Mid-week you will likely have a century ride, but overall this week will feature rolling hills that keep the journey fun and interesting without massive climbs of the mountains. The team will also mark the 4th of July this week as it travels between the all-American towns of Clarinda to Leon, Iowa. 

Arrival: (EAR) Kearney Regional Airport

Departure: (BRL) Southeast Iowa-Burlington Regional Airport 

We’ll start this week by crossing the powerful Mississippi River, a memorable moment. Though it may feel like a mid-point on the journey, about two-thirds of the miles will already be behind us as we enter the eastern portion of the USA where 80% of the population lives. 

On the other side, we will ride through Illinois with a build in Peoria and continue on to Indianapolis, where we will connect with a Fuller Center with whom we will build the next week. Expect this week to have only smaller rolling hills and to be a great time of bonding as a team, since riding together is far easier over flatter terrain than hillier. 

Arrival: (BRL) Southeast Iowa-Burlington Regional Airport 

Departure: (IND) Indianapolis International Airport

With two build days and only an estimated 250 miles to cover this week, this could be a perfect week for someone looking to join with less miles to get a taste of who we are and the work we do. Our overall average will be only about 63 miles per day, though we do have some more substantial hills after we hit Kentucky.

This week will feature builds in Indianapolis, where the Fuller Center orchestrated the “Miracle on St. Paul Street” as we transformed a neighborhood, and in Frankfort, the small-town capital of Kentucky. This week we’ll also overnight in Louisville, the home of the Kentucky Derby and Louisville Slugger. 

Arrival: (IND) Indianapolis International Airport

Departure: (LEX) Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky

The Appalachian Mountains are coming, but by this time, your are ready for them with weeks of training under your belt.  Not only is this the final stretch of mountains, but also a sign you have almost completed the journey. 

Enjoy riding through Kentucky Blue Grass, where the hillsides are often spotted with horses grazing. Continue on to Blacksburg, Virginia for our final build of the trip, and to Roanoke Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

The roads travelled will often be rural and curvy for this stretch.

Arrival: (LEX) Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky

Departure: (ROA) Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport

The end is near! That feeling of nearing the completion of a long arduous journey will give you an extra bounce in your step, while also helping you treasure the time you have remaining with your team with whom you’ve traveled so far.

This week we will be cycling through one of the favorite stretches in the country for cyclists as we utilize the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Both are known for their climbs, and though we try to keep the mileage reasonable, we will be in an area of remote beauty with few towns. 

The first day into Buena Vista will be a big one, with an estimated 8,050 feet of climbing over 85 miles! Don’t panic, we do have a support vehicle for anyone who needs it and there’s no stigma to using it. And just remember, whatever goes up gets to come down. The rest of the week will continue to have big climbs, but the mileage will be shorter.

On Wednesday and Thursday, you will get to ride through Shenandoah National Park, which will be at least the third national park on the trip. Finally, we’ll visit friends at a long-time host church in Leesburg, Virginia and have the triumphant entry into Washington, DC! Traditionally, we’ve utilized the Washington and Old Dominion Trail for the strong majority of that final ride and officially ended on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building. 

Arrival: (ROA) Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport

Departure: (DCA) Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport