STATE COLLEGE — From the coast of Virginia to the rocky shore of Astoria, Oregon, Michael Canich pedaled his way across the country on his trusty bike this summer.
Starting on May 1, Canich rode through 10 states over a 94-day period. He pedaled over mountains, across the prairies and through the desert. He rode through headwinds that slowed him down and crosswinds that threatened to knock him over. He biked in the rain and in the stifling heat.
Some days on his 4,249-mile journey he traveled alone, and some days he rode with others who were out on the same quest as him. He slept at campsites, in the back of churches and at other friendly spots on the way.
Along his journey, he was bitten by a dog, had to take a 10-day break because he contracted COVID-19 and suffered through a blood clot, but he still managed to finish by Aug. 2. Through it all, he met many people who were quick to offer support as he rolled his way from coast to coast.
After he finished, he took a few days’ rest before he got back in the saddle and biked up to Seattle to visit friends — because what is another 233 miles after you already biked across the continental United States? Then, he hopped on a train to head back home to State College on Aug. 9, his 74th birthday.
A retired geologist, Canich had long been a mountain bike enthusiast. He became interested in road touring one day while taking a ride out to Tadpole Road and noticing a hawk sitting on a tree.
“I said, boy, at 10 miles per hour, I saw that. In a car, I would never see that,” Canich said. After that he became addicted to touring the countryside on his bike. He completed his first long bike trip five years ago, riding 615 miles from his home to Washington, D.C., and back. Then he set his sights on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.
The trail was first ridden in honor of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, when 4,000 cyclists set off for the ride. Every year since then, intrepid riders tackle the trail to get a more intimate feeling of the country than when traveling in the car, and to have the adventure of a lifetime. Riders can start from either side of the country.
Detailed maps published by the Adventure Cycling Route Network key riders into cafes, restaurants and overnight accommodations that are available along the way. Blogs and social media accounts keep people posted on trail conditions and the status of riders.
“Every part of the country has its own uniqueness. Whether it is the food that you are getting someplace or the scenery or the people you meet, it is just phenomenal. There are so many good people in this world,” Canich said. “At 10 miles per hour, you get to see things that other people don’t see, and things happen to you. There were probably 500 people out on the trail, going in different directions, east and west, and we all had a different experience.”
Along the trail, Canich met many people who offered him some support, such as a woman who offered him a bottle of water on an especially warm day, a couple who shared a beer with him on the porch during a rainstorm and a kind man who drove him to the hospital when his leg started hurting.
Turns out he was suffering from a blood clot, but luckily the doctors told him it was safe to continue his trip. After a few days he was on the road again.
In Colorado, he had planned to stop and visit his son for a few days, but a positive COVID test turned his three-day layover into a 10-day break. Fortunately, he had mild symptoms and was able to spend the downtime with his son.
Leading up to the trip, Canich trained as much as he could, but the icy winter limited him. Because of this, he said, he struggled with cramps early on. After the second day on the trip, he passed an Amtrak sign. He thought about catching a train home, but he decided to “keep on going.”
After this decisive moment, he met another rider and they stuck together for a few days. The company helped Canich persevere, he said. Over time he learned to incorporate electrolytes into his diet to help with his cramping, and his legs grew stronger each day.
“After that I was kind of over the hump,” Canich said.
Averaging more than 55 miles per day on his trip (not counting rest days), Canich figures he was burning 3,000 calories a day just from riding.
“You can’t eat that many calories. We tried. I ate more junk food than you could shake a stick at, but I still lost a good bit (of weight),” Canich said. “So, it is a great diet.”
Safety was always on his mind during the ride, and he wore bright colors on the road.
A helmet with a mirror allowed him to see behind him like a rearview mirror in the car. Canich generated electricity through pedaling in order to power lights on his bike and to keep his cell phone charged.
He credits the team at Freeze Thaw Cycles in State College for getting him set up with a bike and gear that made his ride as smooth as possible.
Saddlebags balanced on each side of his bike held camping gear, clothing and food.
He estimates his bike weighed 80 to 90 pounds with everything strapped on. Each day, he had to unload, set up camp and do it over again in the morning.
“It is really satisfying to get up in the morning, when you have your tent and everything scattered all over, and you get into these four little bags and that is your life for 90 days,” Canich said.
By the end of the trip, he said he looked like Santa Claus. His proud granddaughters were glad to help cut his hair and trim his beard when he got home. He said he couldn’t have made the trip without the support of his family.
Canich encourages others who are interested in their own TransAmerica adventure to do some research online and visit local stores to get advice.
“If you like adventure, this is the greatest adventure you will ever take,” said Canich. “And if you want to see the United States … you see cowboy on his horse driving the cows in Kansas, and you see meadowlark on the limestone chirping. You see it all.”
This story appears in the Aug. 25-31 edition of The Centre County Gazette.
