This has certainly been the biggest adventure I have undertaken in my life, until now. When you experience a completely new way of living for 2 months, you really start to see the world in new perspectives. There are a lot of things I learnt and realised through this journey, so I thought I should summarize them here, and thank some people who made this possible.

Amma and Acha

When I first suggested the idea of cycling across the country, I am pretty sure my parents thought I was joking. They tried talking me out of it, but of course, I was prepared for that. I didn't budge. Somewhere along the way, they realised I was serious. 

It's one thing for me to be nervous. But when you have no control of what is going to happen, when someone you care about so much is putting himself headfirst into unknown dangers on the other side of the world, that's a whole different kind of fear.  I can only imagine how hard it must have been for them to go from thinking I was crazy to giving me the green light to embark on such a crazy adventure. They did it though, and after that I have received nothing but support and encouragement. There were so many times when I wasn't sure what to do in a certain situation and they would help me out with a decision. My dad kept detailed records of where I went, how much I rode, and how long. In many ways, they went on the adventure with me.

​So thanks for everything amma and acha :)

The Challenge

3600 miles is not a small distance. Riding across the whole United States is hard for people to wrap their heads around. Heck, even I can't believe I actually did it. So overall, it is a pretty big challenge that I took on.

But thinking back, it wasn't as hard as it appears. The "secret" is the tried and tested method of divide and conquer - If you have a big problem, break it into many small problems and solve the small problems. When you have to go 3600 miles, split it into 60 days of 60 miles each. And then each 60 mile day into 20 mile sections. 20 mile sections are easy enough. Do that enough number of times and you can cross a country.

There were other challenges I had to overcome - like bad weather, falling sick, and damaging my knee. One thing that really helped me get through all of that was the sense that it was ok to stop. It wasn't as if I had a strict tight deadline for this. I allowed myself to take a few days off if I needed to. I allowed myself to ride slower, and get a motel room if I needed it. I wish modern society allowed for more of this in our everyday lives. Of course, that would mean people have to be true to themselves and not abuse the flexibility. And people are certainly not like that. So I guess that's where the problem is.

The People

I started this trip on a quest to "conquer nature", to pit myself against the expanse and extremities of our world. There was one thing I didn't fully consider though - people. Rides like this are simply not possible without the support of people along the way. All through the ride, I got myself into pretty bad situations and it was the local people that got me and put me back on my feet. Whether it was a broken spoke, an oncoming thunderstorm, or just a cool room on a hot night, I received so much help from people everywhere. And they didn't expect anything in return! 
​
At a time when news and media are filled with reports of crime and atrocities, trips like this make you reevaluate what people are really like. Being an indian with a non-white complexion, I was prepared for a few run-ins with people considering I was going through some rural, remote parts of the country. But all I saw was smiling faces and helpful people.