Welcome my name is Andy, from Telford, Shropshire and on the 9 May 2012 I set off from York Town in Virginia, USA to cycle across the country using the Trans America Trail hopefully ending up in Astoria, Oregon in early August 2012.

This is a trip I have always wanted to attempt and now after recently retiring from the Royal Air Force after 36 years service, and with the support of my family and friends I have the time and hopefully the energy to complete the 4250 mile journey in just less than 3 months.

I wish to utilise the trip to raise funds for two worthwhile service charities, here in the UK the ever popular 'Help for Heroes' charity and after working closely with US servicemen on many overseas detachments during my RAF career, the 'Hope For The Warriors' charity in the USA.

I am funding the trip myself with all monies raised going solely to the two charities.  I'm following the TransAmerica Trail which is a route that was established for Adventure Cycling's celebration of the U.S. bicentennial in 1976.

The route will go from east to West and starts with a back wheel dipping on the 9 May 2012 in the Atlantic at York Town, and will follow a trail through Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho Oregon, finishing with a front wheel dipping in the Pacific at Seaside, Astoria. I will take a slight detour across Missouri and use the Katy Trail to miss some of the infamous Ozarks and depending how well I am riding I have a couple of choices of route when I get to Idaho, either stay on the Trans Am, take the Clark and Lewis trail to Astoria or take a northern route to Seattle from where I fly back to the UK on the 4 Aug 2012.

You can follow my daily challenges at Trans Am Andy and if you wish, contact me with your support along the way. I will attempt to include photos and video as I go but obviously will have to rely on existing Wi-Fi links along my route.

Best wishes,
Andy

Andy Whittle

You can sponsor me on my Just Giving page
Follow Trans Am Andy