So… “Why did the bicycle cross the country?” Clearly, the answer can’t simply be “to get to the other side.” If that were the case, we’d just fly. Instead, we are much more interested in getting inside of America and off of its major highways and flight paths.

Why Bicycles?

Based on our experiences during a pilot bicycle trip taken through Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois in 2004, the slow pace and humble nature of bicycle touring has proven to be a great way to connect with people whom we would have otherwise missed in our travels.  During that trip we found that people seemed to feel safe talking to us and were excited about helping us and participating in our adventure. We guessed this might have something to do with the fact that we were carrying our world on our bikes.

Bicycles overloaded with camping gear are, after all, a perfect conversation starter and we’re hoping that jokes will only help to further warm folks up. 

This trip is as much about seeking out great jokes as it is about creating opportunities to meet great people. While we are planning on writing a joke book/travelogue after the trip (click here for more info), our greatest motivation has always been the adventure, especially the adventure of connecting with others.

Sure, we’d love to become famous for doing something as silly as this. But only if fame and fortune come as a result of having a really good time.

So as we meander from farmhouse to mountaintop, please keep an eye out for us (to see our route click here). In return for a place to pitch our tent (and maybe a warm shower?), we’ll leave you with some good stories and hopefully a couple of jokes to tell your friends.