Biking For Wishes and Quest West: Weed, California

Today I departed on my bicycle from Weed, California and began my solo adventure to Asheville, North Carolina! I expect the trip to take just under 3 months and cover over 4,000 miles. I will be posting my photographs as well as stories to this blog at least once a week so check back often. I am very excited to visit many new places and experience so many new things! I do not expect the ride to be easy, many mountain climbs, the heat of the desert, bugs of all sorts, weather, etc... I do expect the ride to be a rewarding challenge to myself and an experience I will never forget. I am so very thankful to have the health and the will power to take this trip and thank you all so much for your support!

I have been living in the wonderful town of Weed since my bicycle trip from Wisconsin to California and life has been so good to me. I encourage anyone and everyone to visit this beautiful and very friendly place, it truly is amazing!

I would also like to give a very big THANK YOU to all of you who have contributed to the Make-A-Wish Foundation through Biking For Wishes!! Please take a minute to explore my links and learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as check out my sponsors. If you would like to help me reach my goal click on the "Donate to Make-A-Wish" link. You may also help me get a meal or a nights rest by clicking on the "Feed Kevin" link. Once again, thank you all so very much!!!

A very special thank you to the following sponsors....

Weed Chamber of Commerce and Stephanie Shaver - for helping with the many events leading up to my bike trip as well as contacting the chambers throughout my journey. Extra special thank you to Stephanie Shaver for helping so very much with the Biking For Wishes project! www.weedchamber.com

Weed Arts Council - for having me as a part of your organization and helping out so much with the events and fund raisin leading up to the trip. www.weedartscouncil.blogspot.com

Burley Trailers - for giving me a brand new Burley Nomad trailer for my ride. www.burley.com

BruBar - for supplying me with BruBar energy bars for my trip and giving a portion of all sales with the "Biking For Wishes" code to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. www.brubar.com

Hop Tech Home Brewing Supplies - for their generous cash donation, shirts, and very tasty beer. www.hoptech.com

The Weed Store - for purchasing my National Park Pass and giving me some shirts and water bottles for the journey. www.weedstore.com

Shepherd's Dream - for giving me a wool felt sleeping pad to keep me comfy in my tent. www.shepherdsdream.com

Planet Bike - for setting me up with some very bright lights to keep the night lit up during the ride. www.planetbike.com

Twisted Arms Studios - for doing the sound for my "State of Jefferson" dvd as well as the upcoming "Biking For Wishes" dvd. www.twistedarmstudios.com

Jefferson Backroads and Michelle Fain - for helping with press contacts throughout my trip as well as sharing my story in your awesome publication. www.jeffersonbackroads.com

Mt. Shasta Brewing Company - for giving me a job, place to live, and letting us use the Weed Alehouse for several events as well as donating towards the cause. www.weedales.com

Berryvale - for giving me an assortment of herbal medicine for the harsh conditions of the road and weather.

Scott Holland - for his very generous cash donation to Make-A-Wish.

Montgomery Meats - for donating excellent food to several of our fund raising events.

Amber Kellar - for the beautiful handmade wire pendant to take with me on my ride.

Cedar Lanes Bowling Alley, Judy Citta, Sara O'Meara, Scott and Anne Hinchcliff, and Donna Johnson - for donations of $100!

Also a very special THANK YOU to everyone else who has donated, attended the many fund raising events, helped with events, and showed me and the Make-A-Wish Foundation support!

Here are some photographs I took recently while training for the ride to Asheville, as well as some photos from my first day of the ride...

Training

I put on a total of 315 miles training in Weed and the surrounding area. It wasn't quite as much as I would have liked to have done but I did enjoy every minute of it. Siskiyou County is one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen! The roads are quiet, scenery is incredible, air and water so fresh, and there is an abundance of outdoor recreation. Pretty hard to place to leave but I know I will be back someday and look forward to it!

Good Advise

Mt. Shasta

Black Butte

Stewart Springs Road

Plenty of snow still in the higher elevations

Thanks for the trailer Burley!

June 1st - Day One

What a great start to the trip! It's a New Moon and I am very excited to begin my adventure! It was a mostly sunny ride with a little bit of rain but very enjoyable. After meeting some of my awesome friends at the Weed Alehouse where I have worked the past year and a half I began my ride at high noon. I met my friends again in the city of Mt. Shasta and had a delicious lunch at The Goat. Thanks for the awesome lunch and beer! I headed up my first pass at 4,470 feet and then cruised down into the quaint mountain town of McCloud. I'd like to thank the McCloud River Lodge for the contribution of an incredible room with a jacuzzi and fireplace, what a great way to end the day! Thanks McCloud River Lodge!! Had a nice dinner at the Lodge Restaurant and am about to go soak in the jacuzzi, life is good!

www.mccloudlodge.com

www.thegoatmountshasta.com