15
Nancy and Ken Wright, in 2006. “I
had already done the northern tier,
so I wanted to do the southern.” Carol
also raised money for several orga-
nizations—including breast cancer
charities. Some people even handed
her money on the road. “I’m a 25-year
breast cancer survivor,” Carol says.
“It’s going to be a generous donation.”how she does it Carol biked
150 miles a week in her hometown
of Chicago to train for the ride and
brought Boiron Arnicare on the trip
for muscle pain. “I was using a lot of
new muscles.” She says the journey
wouldn’t have been possible without
the people who helped along the
way. Carol’s friend Dot, another group
member, waited for her at crucial
turns after Carol’s odometer broke—
making it difficult to follow Nancy’s
printed directions. “Dot was my guid-
ing light,” Carol says. Another time,
Carol and Dot took shelter from the
rain on a couple’s front porch. “They
insisted that we come inside and warm
up at the fireplace,” Carol says.
When Carol and Dot explained that
they were seniors biking across the
country, the couple’s little boy looked
up at them cheerfully and said, “We
don’t see this every day.”how you can do it Make safety
your priority. “Invest in a good bike,”
says Carol. She recommends getting
a fluorescent vest, a comfortable
helmet, an odometer and water-bottle
cages. Find a local bike route with
good signage, and start small. Ride
a mile or two a day. Then three or
four—keep going! “It has to be slow
and fun,” she says. “If it’s not fun,
you’re not going to want to do it.”View pictures from the end of Carol’s cross-country bike trip. guideposts.org/carolz