Tips for Biking Across America Part 2

11. Dogs
There may be wild dogs that will chase you, particularly out toward states like Missouri or Kansas. There are three things you need to do if they do take chase and you can't outrun them. First is to start screaming at the top of your lungs. Usually this does the trick and they scamper off. If not, the second thing to do is to grab your water bottle from the cage below and start spraying them. Your last resort is to get off your bike and hold it in between the dog and yourself while screaming and spraying it all at the same time.

12. Clip on's
These will greatly increase your efficiency and also work out your abs (for all you out there who want a six pack). I should have used these but I didn't because I had knee problems and clip on's limit your foot to one position. Looking back though, I would have liked to have one of these.

14. Layers for cold weather
You might be biking during the summer and thinking to yourself, I'll never need a sweater or a jacket but that's not the case. In states like Colorado or Nevada, sometimes it got down to around 40 degrees at night, or at least that's what it felt like.  It's also pretty chilly in the morning, which is why I had under armor, a pair of sweats, a jacket and a windbreaker. There were times where I had all these items of clothing on at the same time. As a side note, I would recommend getting tight clothing because you don't want loose and baggy apparel to get caught up with the air resistance.

12. Sleep early, get up early
You'll find that if you start early, you'll be able to beat the midday heat. It's weird, but on days that I started early, I found myself biking so much faster. There were days where I would average 20 mph for a good hour or two. The main reason I'd start early though was because I had to beat the headwinds that started anytime between 10 to 11. If you heed my first piece of advice and bike West to East, you won't have to worry about this problem.

16. Wear sunscreen

One of my bigger mistakes is not having worn enough sunscreen. At the end of the trip, I had sun damage and my skin broke out like crazy. Get at least spf 45 and apply freely at least three times a day. Just a fun fact, some of the hair on your body may actually start turning blonde if you're out for long enough. For me, it was about a month into the trip.

13. Jack 3D
This thing gives you so much energy, it's ridiculous. Careful though because you don't want to overdose on this. I usually only had one scoop per day and I rationed it to whenever I started to get tired. It's like a mini energy drink on steroids.

15. Helmet
Don't ever take this off when you're biking. I wore a helmet every single moment of my bike trip across America but when I came back to my hometown, I stopped wearing it. Dumbest mistake because then I got hit by a car and got a concussion.

18. Limit night riding
It might not be as hot, there might not be as many headwinds, but it's dangerous. Some drivers get obnoxiously close and vision is incredibly limited, especially if you are out on the plains. On flatlands, one of the worst things that can happen is being able to see the lights of the town ahead and not feeling like the lights aren't getting any closer.

17. Adventure Cycling Maps
These maps are great because they show you the scenic routes and suggest places to stay at night. However, I would not follow these maps blindly; some routes make you cycle through terrible rolling hills or climb an extra mountain or two. So right when you cross a new state border, buy a state map so you can see if there are any routes that are shorter. Ask locals which path might be more or less hilly. Trust me, you'll get to hate hills after a while. They really suck.

19. Planning
One of the most frequently asked questions that I get besides "Where'd you stay?" is "How did you plan the trip?" I actually planned it day by day and I really think this was the best way to go. Not only was it more spontaneous and you never really knew where you would end up the next day, but because you really can't plan your entire trip out. Things change, and you might have to call a day short because of an injury or because of terrible weather. By planning day to day, you leave room for error.

20. Keep an open mind

You'll find that people are generally very good natured. When I biked across America as a teenager, I had a different outlook on the world and on people in general. Being in high school, I thought people were provincial, competitive, backstabbing, but I was wrong. I met so many fantastic people that helped me along the way and it really changed my paradigm of the world. There were great families that offered their homes to us, other fellow cyclists who helped me with my first flat tire, and an entire community to cheer me on.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or a message on the youtube video posted below.