Wyandotte Man Publishes Book of His 4,200 Mile Cross Country Bike Trip

Wyandotte writer Eric Krimmel recently published his second digital book, The Cross Country Adventures of the Blue Highways Cycling Elite. It's a true life story of an epic 4,200 mile bicycle trip across the country, from Anacortes, WA, to Bar Harbor, ME.

Krimmel biked with Mark Poublon, a longtime friend he met when they both attended Gabriel Richard High School in Riverview, and Gary Oshnock.

The three friends, who say they are anything but elite riders, decided to embark on a journey that would take them across the country. The trip took 62 days and the riders covered more than 4,200 miles on their coast to coast journey. They averaged 65 miles per day, with their longest day reaching 118 miles, Krimmel said. The shortest day was 40 miles, likely due to all-day rain and uphill climbs. Their average speed on the trip was 22 mph.

During their encounter, which they divided into four segments, the three met with voracious winds, seemingly perpetual rains, the most difficult climbs they have ever faced, bike malfunctions, and physical ailments.

They began by traveling from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Michigan. Biking up hills on the East Coast really slowed them down, he said, and because it was during August, conditions were really hot.

In addition, it was the group’s first time touring on their bikes, compared to riding without bringing equipment along. They tried to find a balance between not carrying too much or too little. Krimmel started out with a minimal load on his bicycle and added items as he traveled, while his friends packed more in the beginning.

“They mailed stuff home to lighten their load,” he said.

The friends had about 40 pounds of gear each, which made it slower to accelerate after stopping at traffic signals, he said. They learned to compensate for this, and to balance and maneuver their bikes with the gear.

Krimmel rode a hybrid bike that he modified by configuring the handlebars for different riding positions, while the others rode touring bikes.

They met with challenges as they traveled through the Cascade and Rocky mountains, Krimmel said. On some days, they biked uphill all day. On the flip side, however, long downhill runs proved “pretty exhilarating,” he said.

An added challenge was strong winds as they made their way across the Great Plains. Like the mountains, sometimes the winds aided them instead of making the trip slower, Krimmel said.

There were random sections where it rained day after day, while other times the weather and scenery were spectacular, he said. Throughout the trip, they never lost their resolve, the ability to laugh, poke fun at each other, or make the best of a challenging situation.

Even when conditions were miserable, no one complained.

“It was just nice to be on the bike and riding along,” Krimmel said. “It was a lot of fun.

“They’re just great guys to ride with and hang out with.”

He describes the book as a tale of endurance and tenacity, of camaraderie and laughter, and success in the face of hardship. They usually camped outdoors, with occasional stops at a small hotel or bed and breakfast — usually when it rained all day and was really wet outside, he said. When the weather was especially bad, they sometimes hung out in coffee shops or restaurants.

Maps from the Adventure Cycling Association helped them select their routes and find lesser-traveled roads and campsites, Krimmel noted. “It’s a really useful resource.”

In the Wyandotte area, he enjoys riding at Stony Creek Metro Park and the Paint Creek Trail.

His novel about his cross-country bicycle adventure is available as an ebook for Apple's iPad, Amazon's Kindle and Fire, and Barnes and Noble's Nook for $6.99. A free preview of the book is available through the respective websites.

• iBookstore
• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble