Archive for the 'Biking' Category

Julia Harbaugh (AC A ’08, EC  B ’09) did the American Challenge with Vanessa Bergman and Jesse Goldfarb in 2008 and recently sent us an essay she wrote about her experience.  As Julia says, the AC is “all about the journey”, “living in the moment” and “having the right attitude”.

The author en route to California.

Julia anxiously sat on the plane with her chamois shorts, bike jersey, and CamelBak backpack.  Finally, the plane touched 100 degree pavement in humid Savannah, Georgia.  Julia’s step into the airport was the first step to a new chapter of her life – there was no turning back.

3,007 miles lie ahead; of the 8 states I will travel through, I have only been to one.  I am not a serious biker; I am interested in the challenge.  A few days into the trip, my knee throbs… am I cut out for this?  Being able to say “I biked across the country,” will be really cool, and I will have some great stories to tell.  However, I will soon find out that this trip is not about bragging rights; instead the “American Challenge” is about the journey from Georgia to California.

Union, Mississippi; fire truck escort, swim in the community pool, fulfilling potluck dinner of pulled pork, corn pudding, and sweet tea. Four families prepare for our arrival. They receive mail for us so we can hear from home; they supply us with mattresses to sleep on. They provide an unforgettable experience for 13 teenaged strangers every year. Southern hospitality was one thing Julia wanted to take back with her.

Desert Day is always an epic experience.

Felt, Oklahoma; 13 Pizza Hut boxes, 1 pizza for each of us (yes, the boxes are empty by the end of dinner), Gatorade spills, and we all have glazed eyes. We take turns breaking the headwinds and attempt to play games of GHOST (a bike trip tradition) in order to keep ourselves occupied.  We are in one of the most unforgiving parts of the country – with headwinds of 40 mph, and only two cities within 166 miles, everything looks the same.  Without the help of those who live here, we will not make it through.  Our female leader hitches a 3 hour ride with a firefighter to fix someone’s bike.  This stranger takes his day off to drive and help us on our journey.  Southwestern hospitality was another thing Julia wanted to take back with her.

Mojave Desert, California; 13 people singing and biking behind a white van, Miley Cyrus blasting, 127 degrees, and no towns for 120 miles.  We grunt when times get tough and laugh, if we have the energy, when someone is able to recollect a funny story from his past.  I am surrounded by my new family and support system; their motivation keeps me cycling.  Julia learned how to have fun in circumstances that would seem unbearable to the average person, it was all about having the right attitude.

A classic Overland scene. Celebrating in Santa Monica.

On my journey through the rolling hills of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas, the desolate plains of Oklahoma, the Rockies and Navajo Nation of New Mexico, the desert of Arizona, and the San Gabriel Mountains of California, I learn how to live in the moment.  We take each day as it comes; we aren’t 504/3,007 miles into the bike ride, instead we are 15 miles until lunch.  On my journey I learn to thrive in and adapt to tough situations; our most memorable experiences occur when everything is going wrong.

Julia sat on the plane, her legs were toned, her hands and wrists still had traces of bike grease stains, under a bracelet spelling GAMAONAC.  Before the trip she would have seen those letters as symbolic of the states she conquered.  But now she saw the bracelet as a memory of what she learned and experienced.  A revised Julia stepped off the plane and into Newark Airport. She knew now that it was all about the journey, and she would take that wherever she went.

Learn More

Learn more about the American Challenge on our website.
Sound like your type of trip?  Apply here for this summer.
Want to see pictures of the American Challenge from 2010 and 2009? Check out our photo site.
Want to submit your Overland story for our blog?  Email it to us.

European Challenge leaders & Bates College graduates Emily Hoffer & Brodie O’Brien look back at a summer biking through Europe.

An Overland Challenge trip is just that—inherently challenging.  Though the sum total of these adventures  is always immensely positive, there are days that put even the most resolute group to the test—riding ten hours against relentless headwinds, scorching hot days when the climbing seems like it will never end, changing ten flat tires in a single day. These are obstacles that would lead the strongest individuals to hang up their bikes.  Overland groups, however, create a remarkable energy that allows teams to overcome any obstacle with determination, ingenuity and laughter.

This summer, European Challenge C exemplified the Overland spirit more than any assembly of students we have seen in seven years leading Overland trips.  Difficult directions that led us in circles*, days that were extended to over 100 miles by detours necessitated by the Tour de France, and climbing with fully loaded bikes over mountain passes were the norm.  There were days when we expected to look over our shoulder to find grimaces on the faces of our students, if not outright mutiny.

Each time we took on a new test, however, we witnessed the complete opposite.  Our group was catalyzed by the pressures of a Challenge trip, and where an average group of people would have fallen apart, we saw new friends shouting out encouragement.  We saw team members taking turns breaking the wind and allowing tired companions to draft behind them.  We saw individuals sharing their limited water and food when others were getting low.  And we saw perpetual grins on everyone’s face, every single day, regardless of how difficult the outlook.

Over a few short weeks a group of complete strangers was transformed into a team of best friends that is prepared to surmount any obstacle.  That is the magic of an Overland trip.  And that is why we love to lead.

-Emily Hoffer, Bates College ’06 & Brodie O’Brien, Bates College ’09
European Challenge 2010, section “C”

*Editor’s Note: After years of running the EC, we realized our directions needed some updating after Brodie & Emily returned from Europe.  Logistics co-workers Conor & Kate headed to Europe in August, rode nearly the entire route and updated the directions.  See photos from their trip across Europe on our Facebook page.

Emily Ferrell & Nate Flint, leaders of American Challenge “C” 2010, look back on their last night on the AC this summer with their group of ten 11th & 12th grade students.

The twelve of us sat cross-legged, in a tight-knit circle; snuggling together for warmth and to take comfort in the knowledge that you’re surrounded by friends. We were detached from the world; alone in our little family group. Nothing seemed to matter but being there, in the present, with those incredible people, and savoring every moment. We were with a group of ten teenagers; ten completely distinct, separate individuals who six weeks prior had been complete strangers. And yet, during our last dessert circle on the road, these ten teenagers were our entire world. They were all that seemed to matter to us in life. We had spent every waking-moment of the past six weeks surrounded by them; every moment thinking about them; their safety, their well-being. We had spent countless hours riding beside them, traversed mountain ranges listening to their stories and laughing at their jokes. There had been smiles that we shared, and tears that we comforted, fears that we eased and excitement that we embraced. There was a cloudless sky in the San Bernardino Mountains that night, and the stars shone brightly, illuminating their faces. Sleepy eyes looked back at us, tired from the mileage that day but twinkling with the anticipation of tomorrow’s excitement. The glow of city lights from Los Angeles below us shone in the distance, reminding us of what was to come. The following morning we would cruise down the mountains and ride to the Santa Monica Pier. The salty sweat and bike grease which had accumulated on us over the summer would wash away as we dove into the Pacific Ocean. We would share sheer joy and indescribable pride, as family and friends watched on, knowing that we had just accomplished the biggest challenge of our lives. We would want to share our feelings with our friends and family; but knew we would never be able to fully explain what it means to bike across the country; in our team; our family group.

How do you explain the small joys and challenges we faced ever day? The frustrations of untrue wheels and flat tubes, and the bliss of reaching the summit of a mountain climb? How do you convey the searing heat of the Mojave Desert and the comfort of a warm meal after a long day? All of this didn’t matter at the moment however. We were together, one last time, in our family. Only the 12 of us would ever, truly understand what the past six weeks had meant to each of us, and how all of us had changed and grown individually, as well as how our family had formed. That evening we could only live in the present, and savor every last minute; knowing that we would always have our memories of the American Challenge, and friendships that would last a lifetime.

-Nate Flint, Colorado College ’10 & Emily Ferrell, Pomona College ’07
American Challenge 2010, section “C”

Looking for the perfect holiday present? Check out the Overland Store to purchase a bike jersey!

Order Online: To ensure delivery by Christmas, please place your order by December 14th.

Jerseys are only $70 each, we have men’s and women’s styles and shipping is on us!

A view from the road on our coast-to-coast bike trip - the American Challenge.

In my first post I suggested that parents give their son or daughter the Overland catalog and ask him or her to have a look to see what looks interesting.

In this post, I’ll assume your son or daughter has expressed an interest in a biking trip. First off, talk about what a bike trip is like: you move from place to place, camping most nights and preparing meals outside. You get great exercise, and you see a lot – even our shortest bike trips cover over 200 miles and our longest covers over 3000 miles. Want more info? Read this FAQ page or give us a call… five of our office staff have led bike trips!

Then consider how much time you have. If you’re looking for two weeks away look closely at Cape Cod & the Islands and Vermont; if you have three weeks consider New England Coast and Nova Scotia & Acadia; four weeks: Pacific Coast, Paris to the Sea and European Challenge. Six weeks: The American Challenge.

Think about each trip’s challenge level (each trip is rated on a scale of 1-10, 1 is easiest). For example, Cape Cod & the Islands is rated a 2; Vermont is a 4; New England Coast and Nova Scotia & Acadia are both 5’s; Pacific Coast and Paris to the Sea are both 6’s; European Challenge is a 9 and the American Challenge is a 10.

Finally, keep in mind that no matter where you go on a bike trip with Overland that you’ll be in a small group of kids your own age with two dynamic leaders (who will keep you safe and pointed in the right direction). Bike trips naturally lend themselves to cohesive groups; there’s a real sense of adventure and discovery, the camping is comfortable (lots of hot showers) and the meals are fresh and plentiful.

For an adventurous 7th to 12th grader looking for a summer program that offers the fun and friendship of camp, the adventure and exploration of active travel and the challenge and satisfaction of daily physical demands, a bike trip with Overland is the way to go next summer.

-Tom Costley