More exciting trip news from the Coast-2-Coast USA team - a bunch of brave and not wholly sane guys from the UK, cycling across the lower continental United States from Oceanside, California to St. Augustine, Florida to raise donations for the Children's Hospital for Wales and the Noah's Ark Appeal. Go, guys, go!

To contribute to their fundraising, see their site HERE

Rich's #5

Today started with me discovering a gash in my front tyre almost through to the tube. Not sure when it occurred but the thought of it blowing on the descent yesterday into Palm Desert is a little scary.

We took in 3 states today, starting in California and then nipping into Nevada for a short while and then ending up in Arizona.

The riding was again quite tough with long relentless climbs through the mountains. They weren't steep but there was no respite. It was difficult to make up much time on the descents as the quality of the roads so far has not been great. In fact if Barak Obama is looking to spend his way out of the credit crunch he could do worse than invest in a road surfacing programme.

The heat also played a part and mentally the long straight roads were difficult to cope with. You'd put your head down for a bit and when you look up the horizon seemed just as far away. I'd swear that the Romans colonised America before the Brits.

At one point Gar and I got our kicks on Route 66. It was just 7 miles, but the impact of the freeways was evident as once (potentially) thriving communities had turned into a ghost town. I felt like Lightning McQueen as I zoomed through - Kapow! Having said that our day ended back on Route 66 in the still busy town of Kingman.

Spirits (for those not men of Kent) were dampened slightly as the news from the Millenium Stadium filtered through and made worse by the realization that Wales had even finished below England in the 6 Nations - a fact I hastily pointed out, but didn't labour because there's not a great deal to shout about in English rugby and also fear of my brakes being tampered with by one of 10 disappointed Welshmen.

Air Conditioning Bike

Gareth really struggled with the heat of the mid day sun, but Stoney kept him going until his stint was done, He thanked him very kindly with a smacker on the lips and Big Merv told them both why go to Rome and have fish and chips.

The heat it seems a problem as the boys meet in the bar, Gareth has a brainwave lets take the aircon off the car, I have a premonition and I think that you will like, so when I start my run day two will stick it on my bike.

The Big Bear started day two off refreshed and fully fed, but 15 miles on desert soil his wheels began to shred, A cry for help to the backup boys just as his wheel went POW resulted Porth screaming on his Mob no problem Ill be with you now

As a team they struggled on to fight for their chosen cause, their bodies bruised and battered and their bottoms full of sores, Nothing couldnt stop them as they had nothing to fear except the state of Mervyns mind as its all down hill up here?

The Mojave and the salty flats provided an awesome sight but Andy kept complaining that he struggled with the light, forgetting his sunglasses I think that you will find is an odds on way in the middle of the day for the big bear to go blind.

The desert view and evening sky was certainly the biz, it brought it home to all involved what a wonderful planet this is, So on they go to the next stage and all of them will feel that our blood and sweat and even tears is for the Noahs Ark Appeal.

Stephen Stone
Wodonga, Australia

BBC NEWS

Click below for link to BBC News

BBC NEWS

Day Two - Andy

I am informed by Phil that we did 83.2 miles on day one. Two big climbs Rainbow Canyon and following a motor bike accident fatality saw us hit an hour of steady climbing taking us up to 4000 feet. Legs are tired and theres another 14 days to go

Why go to Rome and have fish and chips, a reminiscing Merv states after tucking into a large Pizza Hut pizza the night before.

Richard notices a tyre shredded even before breakfast and Henry and I set off 0700 hrs through a deserted 29 Palms towards the Mojave and the heat of the day.

The desert plateau of 29 Palms, surrounded by a range of mountains is cold as the sun rises from the east. Sun blinds us as we have forgotten sunglasses. Navigation is a problem as we are told that we should be heading up dirt tracks. 10 miles cycling is wasted going round in circles. The pounding potholes of the first day has taken its toll on my back wheel and a puncture and a shredded tyre sees me helpless in the middle of no where with Porth telling me on the mobile, no problem be with you now

The 2nd leg we descend for 7 miles down Old Woman Mountain and then hit the salt flats of Amboy. Mile after mile of snowy, salt flats.

3rd leg takes Phil, Henry and myself into the Mojave Desert and 5 mile steady climb of a 1000 feet sees Big Bear struggling and about to bonk when two American cyclists are coming at us in the opposite direction.

Lets pull over I shout up to the other two. They are cycling from Las Vegas to Palm Springs in 8 days. Weve just done it in a day!

Refreshed after a chat I throw some food down and am feeling good again onward.

The next 12 mile stretch is downhill with the Kelso sand dunes to our left reaching a height of over 3000 feet.

Its all downhill up here, Merv throws in.

90 degree heat and with a cross wind brewing, times were getting harder. Tactical decision to go to individual cyclists gets us through t he next few hours. Turning south we are hit by very strong, very dry head winds. Tactical decision to go back to two by two helps as Richard is able to tuck in behind Phil.

So we have 50 miles to go and a 15 mile stint of 4000 foot climb to finish the day.

Mervs Daily Final Thought of The day:- Started well till after breakfast. Hard to take in all the panoramic views. Quite humbling realising what small fish we are on such a wonderful planet. Boys coped well with the conditions still all working well as a team. The end of the day is nigh and at the end of the day it gets dark. A good sense of achievement as the mileage has been upped from day one. Gareth was struggling with the heat maybe the boys should have considered air-conditioned bikes.

North County Times, Oceanside

Yes, Timothy Kilpatrick will have some good stories to tell his five children and future grandchildren someday.Stories about how he decided to hop on a bicycle one day in St. Augustine, Fla., and pointed it west with the intention of riding until he reached the Pacific Ocean. Stories that include riding along highways and back roads, pushing through mountains, intense heat, some cold and rain, strong headwinds and other obstacles. Stories that include a coyote sniffing around his tent as he camped along the side of the road and of meeting a nice couple at a Texas ranch house, where he knocked on the door because he needed to replenish his fluid supplies. Stories that he chronicled in a journal of his 34-day cycling trip across America, a journey he undertook because he wanted a challenge, wanted a chance to see things from a different perspective and wanted those stories to share. Mission accomplished.

Kilpatrick, who recently moved to Oceanside with his wife, Jodie, and family, left St. Augustine on Feb. 8, and touched his front wheel to the water at Mission Beach in San Diego around 8:30 p.m. March 13. Kilpatrick, 29, was "hurting pretty bad" when he arrived in town after his 2,520-mile journey. But being reunited with his family made things considerably less painful. "Of course, I was happy to be here. It was getting old near the end because I was doing it alone," Kilpatrick said. "I was happy to get here, see my family and start my new life." The ride was a huge stretch for Kilpatrick, whose longest previous cycling trip was 100 miles. He said the first 300 to 400 miles were the roughest, as his muscles adjusted to the daily pounding. After that, "Things started to get a little numb," he said. Kilpatrick is done with long-distance rides for now. His next task is to find a job, having had to close his construction business in Alabama because of the economy.

He shouldn't have any trouble convincing prospective employers of his ability to complete assignments. Return trip: In a reversal of sorts, a team of four cyclists from Wales plan to leave the Oceanside Municipal Pier early Friday morning for a two-week ride that will take them to St. Augustine. The four riders, ranging from 27 to 48 years old and in varying degrees of shape, according to team member Andy Edwards, are taking on the ride in a bid to raise money for the children's hospital in Wales. They have already brought in more than 50,000 British pounds, with donations continuing to roll in. We're just a team of mates from family and work," said Edwards. "We've done long-distance training, but nothing like this." The riders, Edwards, Gareth Evans, Richard Belcher and Phil Jenkins, will be trailed by a camper van. A documentary crew will film their journey, called "Coast 2 Coast USA." They'll ride in pairs, alternating every 20 miles. It's kind of a crazy idea, admitted Edwards, adding that it was something the buddies cooked up hanging around together. "Once you say you're going to do something, you've got to go through with it," he said. "We're going to do it. Bring it on."