or 4,200 miles from Seattle till Boston

Nederlands

Introduction.
As my sabbatical leave drew nearer, the question rose naturally how to spend it.
Having fun is one thing (and for a lot of people the only thing worthwhile). But the Calvinist in me demanded my sabbatical needed more than just the quenching of thrills. Traipsing South-East Asia, in this prospect, would be a tad too close to the edge of empty headed tourist trapping. However, nice it could be. The SARS outbreak helped me lot, there. The next thought veered towards spending my time with the Dalai Lama in his monastery in the north of India. But I feared to get bored there.
A brisk stroll from Amsterdam to Santiago de Compostella came to mind, and was dismissed for lack of time. In search of inspiration I went on the internet.

The power of Internet One of my catch phrases when something wonderful shows up in the mass of senseless bits that tend to flock the digital world. Accidentally I came across the website of some Eric from the US. On his website he 'told' about his adventures on his solo coast to coast Odyssey through the States. He did it on his bicycle! Crossing the USA on a bike, what a wonderful idea! From that moment I knew how to spend my sabbatical. But how to arrange such a tremendous undertaking? (below)

Meet my fellow coast to coasters:

USA Coast to Coast 2003 - week to week journal
Week 01 - Washington, Idaho, Montana	Week 02 - Montana	Week 03 - Wyoming	Week 04 - South Dakota	Week 05 - South Dakota, Minnesota	Week 06 - Wisconsin	Week 07 - Michigan, Ontario	Week 08 - New York	Week 09 - New England

Sites dealing with cycling in the USA
Organizations, travel agencies, magazines etc.		Fellow coast to coasters 2003
Cycle America Adventure Cycling Association Middle distance bike club International Biking Fund International Cycling Union USA Cycling Online Bike Crawler Search engine fro bikers Bicycling Magazine Bicycling world's largest cycling magazine Bicycle Online Lance Armstrong online		KarlHeinz Buhlheller Matt Klainer's Journal Carl Beerup's journal
		Others: Eric van der Horst, Dutch cyclist Eric Active America behind (handle) bars Bike USA Biking across the USA Cycling across the USA the Big Ride Dave & Babak's cross country Get Bent

Literature
Roll around heaven all day a piecemeal journey across America by bicycle Stan Purdum ©1997; Comm. Res. Inc.; Canton, Ohio, USA ISBN 0-930921-11-9	Bicycling coast to coast ; a complete route guide Virginia to Oregon; Donna Lynn Ikenberry; © 1996; the Mountaineers; Seattle, Wa., USA; ISBN 0-89886-468-2	the Essential touring cyclist; a complete course for the bicycle traveler; Richard A. Lovett; © 1994; Ragged Mountain Press; Camden, ME, USA; ISBN 0-07-038849-0
Mountain Directory West; for truckers, RV and motorhome drivers; (but the book equally applies to cyclists) Locations and descriptions of over 400 mountain passes and steep grades in eleven Western states; © 2002; R & R Publishing; Baldwin City, Kansas; USA ISBN 0-9646805-9-9	Mountain Directory East; for truckers, RV and motorhome drivers; (but the book equally applies to cyclists) Locations and descriptions of over 300 mountain passes and steep grades in eleven Western states; © 2002; R & R Publishing; Baldwin City, Kansas; USA ISBN 0-9646805-7-2

In memoriam:
Coast to coast 2003's nestor, Jerry Parks, died Sunday April 4th, 2004.
Jerry Parks was a cheerful man full of stories from Texas (hence his nickname Texas Jerry). Neither the steepest hills and mountains on the route, nor foul weather, heat or rain seemed capable of making lose his good nature.
Jerry loved the company of other cyclists, which made him an appreciated companion among the riders.
He sets an example to all of us. He is one of the few people to have completed the coast to coast on more than one occasion.
I think I can speak for the all of us, when I say we will miss him.
Our thoughts go out to him and his family.
Rest in peace, Jerry.
Ride the celestial hills, Jerry, may a tall pint of Guinness be waiting.

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