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Trail Map Courtesy of PCTA
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RhythmRIDE for Zimbabwe, my journey along the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route from Canada to Mexico, is now finished!
On October 30th, 2004, after 1859 miles of cycling, I reached the Mexican border, where it all began over six months ago when I set out walking along the Pacific Crest Trail.
The table below summarizes RhythmRIDE for Zimbabwe:| Loren's Starting Point | Peace Arch Park, Canadian border, Blaine, WA (September 9) |
| Loren's Finishing Point | The Mexican border, near Tijuana (October 30) 1859 total miles |
| Total Riding Days | 40 |
| Average Distance/Day | 46.5 Miles |
| Average Speed | 14.8 mph |
| Funds Raised to Date (as of February 2005) |
Over $23,000! Donations are
still coming in! Click Here if you'd like to raise this figure. |
This next table summarizes RhythmWalk for Zimbabwe, the Pacific Crest Trail hiking journeys of myself and my hiking partner, FJ Avellana:
| Loren's Stopping Point • | Barker Pass, Lake Tahoe, California (on July 31) |
| FJ's Current Location • | The Canadian border! (completed PCT on September 25) GO FJ! |
| Miles Hiked to Date | 615 (FJ's Miles Hiked: over 2,650) |
| Miles from Finish | 2,040 (FJ's Miles to Go: 0) |
(I skipped 437 desert miles from Big Bear Lake to Kennedy Meadows while my stress fracture healed back in May and June. This section is represented by the black line on the above map.)
I officially decided to abandon my PCT thru-hike plans in August. My body had continued to fail me. Most recently the RIGHT foot had been slowing me down with tendonitis on the outside of my arch around the fifth metatarsal. At least the x-rays were negative, and it wasn't another stress fracture. My broken left heel was just starting to feel better, although still clearly not 100%. I had over eight weeks total time off the trail, but still experienced pain each day after only 10-12 miles of hiking. Hiking the 20+ mile days that I needed to be doing were not even a possibility. It felt like I was simply not meant to hike the trail this year.
But the journey continued as RhythmWalk became RhythmRIDE for Zimbabwe. I successfully switched gears from walking dirt trails to cycling paved roads, and my body responded well. Now I've riden south along the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route from the Canadian border back down to Mexico where it all began. The show will go on as I plan my 2005 trip to Zimbabwe and continue work on slideshows and a documentary film...
Meanwhile, FJ reached the Canadian border on September 25th! Congratulations to him on completing his PCT thru-hike and carrying on the spirit of RhythmWalk for Zimbabwe. GO FJ!!! Be sure to check out his updated journal entries and photos. NOTE: His complete journal including entries after August 14th can be found at: www.trailjournals.com/sidewinder
