Erik Schlimmer is East Coast Mountain Bike Rider Establishes Longest Mountain Bike Route In America (...continued)

EtE: What's it like to get to a point and say, "well, only a thousand miles to go!"
It's a bummer. I remember reaching the halfway point near Park City, Utah. I felt so good; really proud of myself for riding 1,300 miles. But then I was like, "Hey, tough guy. You're only half way there!" Near the end it was funny, using the word "only" before "500 miles to go."

EtE: Did you take any days off along the way?
I usually don't take days off but on this trip I did. Two due to a horrific stomach bug, one to wait for a post office to open, one to get my bike fixed, and one to do a day of volunteer trail work on the Arizona Trail.

EtE: What was the best thing to eat along the way?
During a 100-degree afternoon in Apache Junction, AZ I ate a half-gallon of chocolate chip ice cream in one sitting.

EtE: How many paved road miles are included in the total?
890 paved miles (33%) and 1,760 mile of dirt (66%). It is- and I hate to use this word- impossible to ride border-to-border without tackling long stretches of pavement. As one person summed up, "Schlimmer, that says more about the amount of pavement in the United States more than it does about the route you took."

EtE: Best advice for someone attempting a trip like this?
Go light. I come from a lightweight long-distance hiking background and knew the benefits of brining less before I got on my bike. Long-distance cyclists commonly bring much more gear than they need. With a light load you can climb and descend safely and quickly, cover more miles per day and feel well at the conclusion of most days. The old hiking adage of "Less is more" is equally true on two wheels.

EtE: How long did it take you to recover?
About two weeks. All I did was eat. I was packing away half gallons of ice cream in two-day intervals. I had to gain weight back but there was no need to "recover." At the end of this ride I was in the best shape of my life, both physically and mentally.

EtE: What's the next big adventure for you?
The next trip will definitely be by foot because I like to change things up and also because I need non-bike material to reach a wider audience with my presentations. A thru hike of the 700-mile International Appalachian Trail may be next.

EtE: Do you think you'll ever do this same trip again?
No. Though the route offers so many things- alpine terrain, evergreen forests, deserts, rivers, small towns, big cities, enormous mountains- I won't ride it again because my general rule is to explore, explore, not repeat.

EtE: Where's your favorite East Coast place to ride?
I enjoy riding in Pisgah National Forest, NC. There are many loop rides that incorporate smooth climbs on dirt roads followed by multi-mile-long descents on challenging, fast singletrack. When I used to race in the early 1990's my favorite courses were in the Northeast; the land of roots, rocks and mud. Fast, technical riding is my favorite condition.

EtE: When you're not trying to slowly kill yourself over the course of 2,720 miles, what else do you like to do?
I love to read, notably non-fiction adventure accounts as well as autobiographies. Favorites include Kabloona, Annapurna, Undaunted Courage and The Adventures of Captain Bonneville. Reading the histories of the greatest people encourage me to have intense drive, empathy towards others and a professional personality.

EtE: Any shout-outs or thanks?
A big thank you to Janine DeFilippo, my girlfriend, who mailed me homemade cookies along with prepackaged supplies. Thank you Jamis Bikes, Old Man Mountain Racks, Clif Bar, Bear Vault and Gossamer Gear. Thank you to everyone I met along the way- the riders, hikers, ranchers, housewives and hunters- who encouraged me to keep going. And thank you all who have given me your selfless congratulations.

Erik is currently accepting hosts throughout the U.S. and Canada for presentations of this trip and others, with a solid tour forming in the Northeast for April. If anyone is interested in being a host, or seeing the presentation, please contact him thru the speaking page of Thruhikersguide.com.

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