Should I pedal over to Savannah?

By Chris Johnson
Director of communications

Allen Slabaugh, director of the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure, has all the segments of the two different routes for next year’s adventure listed and mapped out on the Bicycle Adventure portion of our website. It’s getting a lot of web traffic.

Those who are definitely joining the ride obviously want to know where they will be going, especially if they choose to do just one tiny little segment — you know, like Charleston, S.C., to Daytona Beach, Fla. Or perhaps they’ll be one of the few to do one or both complete routes (Saco, Maine to Key West, Fla., or Seattle to San Diego).

Then there are those who weren’t seriously thinking about actually joining but are curious about it and deep down really would like to be a part of it even if they don’t think they can fit it into their work or school schedules. This is the envious crowd, kind of the way I am when I look at magazines full of yachts and sailboats.

I also fall into the envious crowd when it comes to the Bicycle Adventure. I’d love to do this. I’ve been to Seattle but not all up and down the Pacific Coast, which should be an amazingly beautiful ride. Also, I’m really an Atlantic Coast kind of guy, having spent many a perfect day on Georgia’s Golden Isles. Riding near the coast from New England to the Keys sounds like a dream. Plus, I think it’s all downhill and I could coast the entire way!

Unfortunately, I’m not sure I could fit such a route into my work schedule and girlfriend schedule. However, I might be able to portray a smaller ride from, say, Charleston to Key West as critical Fuller Center communications work.

Even better, I noticed that the Adventure hits one of my favorite cities, Savannah, on what everyone knows is one of the most important days of the year … June 20, my birthday. And even if I can’t fit in a whole segment, I should have no trouble talking my girlfriend into heading over to Savannah to meet the team. (Actually, I could talk her into heading to Savannah for darn near anything because it’s one of her favorite cities, too.)

That’s what’s fun about looking at the map. Somewhere along these two interesting routes, there is some connection to you. Maybe it’s a place you visited as a child or a place you’ve always wanted to see. (For me, that’s Key West.)

So, please, take a look at the page and see how much fun the Bicycle Adventure has on tap for 2012. And, oh yeah, the trip does a ton of good for families around the world. If you would like to contribute to that cause, you can join the ride or support a rider. Or, you can simply share our page with any bicycle enthusiast, group, club or shop you know. You will not only help our mission, but you’ll also turn someone on to a great Adventure.

Visit the 2012 Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure page here.