Jim & Mary Kay are in our 60's and have been traveling via bicycle for the past 12 years. We have bicycled extensively in the Northwestern part of the USA. We have also cycled in New Zealand, Ireland, and several trips in Canada. We have participated in supported professional tours, supported local bicycle club tours, tours we have put together for others. Our longest trip was a sole unsupported Cross-country West to East tour in 2000, where we traveled from coast to coast visiting with our 4 children along the way.

This year our trip North to South we will be traveling via Amtrak to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota where we will start our ride going through Itasca State Park and the headwaters of the Mississippi Rive, we will then travel south to New Orleans. Where we will then spend a week, as real tourists before we travel home via Amtrak.

Several friends/relatives are joining us for portions of the trip.

Becky signed on later than the other participants and has decided to try the entire route. It's been 10 years since she participating in a ride without support and carrying gear in panniers. She has lots of experience with supported rides including a cross-country trip this spring. In 1988, a trip with the Tri-City Bicycle Club down the Oregon coast started her love of touring when her husband said we should do one of these every year. Now, who is counting?

Ann will cycle with us to until La Crescent, MN and then she will return home to prepare to compete in national women Tennis completion. Her husband, Gary will ride with us to Hannibal Missouri, where he will visit with relatives and then return home. We will always remember our 3-week non-supported bicycle with them through Nova Scotia in September 2001.

Barb and Scott, our daughter and son-in-law will join us for several days of cycling from Cambridge, Wisconsin to La Crescent, Minnesota, where they will also catch the train back to Milwaukee. What would we do without Amtrak?

We will also have a couple of rest days in Corinth, Mississippi to visit old friends. George and Jane will join us near Vicksburg. They will rent a car as he just completed back surgery and is still recuperating. Originally they planned on cycling the entire route, which shows you never know what life will bring. We will finish the great adventure with a week with Jane & George in New Orleans before getting on Amtrak to travel home.