Remember when you were children, and I called “Charlie Brown” and all of you come running?  You knew that Charlie Brown was a name that stood for the whole family.  We now due to some wonderful marriages our family is even larger.  Therefore, I have decided to write the journal of our bicycling trip across the USA as a letter to Charlie Brown.  I just wanted each of you to know that when I talk to Charlie I am really talking especially to you.

For non- family readers we are in our late 50's and early 60’s and are planning to cross the USA from the West to East, stopping for a few days to visit each of our 4 children. The bike trip will be with a Rans Screamer, (a tandem recumbent) non-supported and we plan on staying in motels.

We have been touring for about 10 years, mostly in the Northwest. Although we have also cycled 3 tours in Western Canada, and three week tours in both Ireland and New Zealand.  Most of our tours have been with bike clubs and supported. To test our travel ability without a sag wagon we cycled, the Oregon Coast and a Loop through the eastern hills in Oregon.  Found we enjoyed going at our own pace and the challenge of being on our own.  This is our first long solo trip.

We are not starting the trip for several months.  However, Jim and I are already spending many hours planning and dreaming of the trip.  In many ways it is already controlling a large part of our lives.  There are all the decisions that need to be made, on where to go, what to take, how to pay bills, while we are gone, etc.  Much of the planning may not be needed; however, it does fill each day with joy and anticipation, and that is not bad.  Every day should contain; someone to share it with, something to look forward to, and something you can enjoy today.  (I guess that is my dream for each and every one of you.)

We plan on starting from the Pacific at Lincoln City, OR, bicycling to my folks in Salem, then north to our son in Portland OR.  We will then follow the Columbia Gorge to Pasco WA where we will stop to attend a wedding.  From there we head through Idaho to Glacier Park, where we start the Adventure Cycle Maps to Fargo ND.  In Fargo we will join Madison relatives to cross Minnesota and head down to Milwaukee WI to visit our daughter.  From there we will head north to Escanaba MI and use the Adventure Cycling maps to visit our son in Cheboygan MI, and then via Monroeville IN to our daughter’s home near Dayton Ohio.  We will then head down to Kentucky to pick up the Adventure Cycling maps to the Atlantic at Yorktown, VA.  We plan on joining Amtrak at Richmond VA to return home.