The Route So Far - Google Maps


View X-America by Bicycle in a larger map

Why?

We are doing this ride to raise money for Research Autism. We are aiming to raise £20,000.
We are supporting Research Autism because my cousin Jamie is severely affected by the disease, and I have seen its effects not only on him but on the whole family." He is 13yrs old, but cannot yet talk.
Just take a moment to imagine not being able to talk.
Imagine understanding everything going on around you, but not being able to comment.
Imagine having to be dressed every morning in clothes you don't choose, and then hurting your parents as you try to tell them you wanted the blue shirt today.
Imagine being swamped by having to hear everything that everyone is saying around you, and not being able to listen to just one thing at once. Jamie loves being in a swimming pool, just floating, legs held motionless by the weight of the water, while he keeps his ears underwater to just relax, hearing nothing.
He understands everything - he appears to have a photographic memory - but can’t get his thoughts out.
Frustration leads to despair, and anger, which is just one of the many things that his family has to deal with.
He has extremely specific eating requirements and requires round the clock supervision. Jamie is at the severe end of the autistic spectrum, but given that one in 100 people suffer from the disease (with varying severity), and that everyone has some autistic traits, it is shocking that so little is known about it'.
Click here to support our cause and donate to Research Autism.
Read the "Meet Jamie" post - the only post in February, for more information about Jamie, and a poem - painstakingly slow for Jamie to type, but ultimately incredible.

Photo Video - New York to St Louis

March 27, 2010

Got our Wheels! (Serious this time!)

We visited a few Evans shops today, for me to test out the bikes. First the Dawes Galaxy, which was a great bike, really comfortable ride in racing green colours. Then the Cannondale, also a great bike, lighter than the Dawes, but a slightly harder ride - the frame is aluminium - so it absorbs less of the bumps.

See my thoughts on the bikes in the post below.

We were still planning on buying the bike on Monday in the Evans warehouse in Gatwick, but then in steps Dorbie! The managing director of the Chiswick branch, a very chatty Greek/Dutch guy (we think?!? - correct us if you also know him) who matched the price given to us for the bike by the Marketing Director in Head Office, and threw in £90’s worth of locks for free to go with it. In return, I halved the balance on my credit card.

So, we have our bikes! We took them on a brief 6 mile spin today, and I will ride 80miles (round trip) to have lunch with my Grandmother tomorrow. Monday we will buy all the rest of the kit, and Tuesday, off we go! Almost-fully loaded.

If anybody has any tips on ultra-light tents, we would love to hear them.

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