It's Official - I Am Pedaling Across America

Welcome to my blog, and thank you so much for visiting the site.

As you see in the "About Me" section, I do not consider myself a cyclist. Unfortunately, for you, I consider myself to be even less of a blogger. That said, I will try my best to keep you entertained (I hope you are still reading), and hopefully that's enough to keep you coming back. My goal in this first post is to summarize the answers of any who, what, where, when, and why questions that may be out there. So, without further ado, I respectfully submit the following:

The purpose of this blog is to write about my experiences leading up to, and during, my upcoming bicycle ride from San Francisco, CA to Portsmouth, NH. I have decided to participate in this cross country challenge to:

1. Raise $20,000 for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF). There is more information about donating below.

2. Honor "The Farrell Sisters" -- Four of my aunts who recently passed away; Each of them passed before the age of 50, and two lost grueling battles with lung cancer.

3. Accomplish my dream of completing a cross country cycling trip; a dream that has been mine since my father completed the feat 20 years ago (He pedaled from Los Angeles to Boston).

I depart from San Francisco on June 5th, 2010. 3,847 miles and 52 days (45 days of cycling, 7 rest days) later, I will arrive in Portsmouth. Between now and the start of the trip, I intend to periodically give updates about my training, my previously mentioned fundraising endeavor, and other random tidbits that pertain to this challenge.

Once my ride begins, I plan on posting on a daily basis. I will talk about how I am faring both physically and mentally, discuss each day's ride, track how many miles I have traveled (per day and overall), detail some of my sightseeing experiences, complain about how much I miss my beautiful wife, and provide other stories that will hopefully keep you visiting the blog.

I hope that you will consider helping me reach my $20,000 fundraising goal by making a tax-deductible donation. If you are able and willing to donate, please click here, or on the LCRF logo at the top of the page. Also, please write "John Hurley - Bike Trip" in the "How did you hear about us" or "Tribute" section of the page.

Given the recent downturn of the economy, I understand that making a donation is quite a sacrifice. But please know that any amount that you can contribute is both welcomed and greatly appreciated. I sincerely thank you for considering to help me raise money for a truly great foundation.