When is Coast 2 Coast for Heart Health?

Over the past two weeks you found out about the what and why of Coast 2 Coast.

This week is the big question of "WHEN is Coast 2 Coast?"

I'll be setting off from San Ysidro, California in June of 2013 on the 2nd or the 9th.  You may be asking yourself, "Why is God's green earth is Rob taking of in the heat of the Summer?"  The answer is my daughter is starting kindergarten this year and for the first time in our lives have to work around her school schedule.

This is a good time to introduce my crew chiefs.

This is Anna Victoria (we call her by both names).  She is the Crew Chief and resident elephant trainer as you can see.

Here is Zach drinking a large protein shake at Texas Health Burleson Gym.  He is a crew chief in training.  He mainly eats all our food and sleeps.  I wish I had his gig.

Liddy, my wife, is the Chief Financial Officer.   You don't want to cross her, just look at her sweatshirt.

Back to the WHEN:

The trip will take anywhere between 50-60 days depending on weather, injuries, mechanical problems, interviews/lectures, and rest days.  Interviews/lectures and rest days are fairly easy to schedule as we know where we want to sightsee and will know by the time we leave where we will have interviews.  We are definitely at the mercy of Mother Nature and I'm not crazy enough to be riding in a storm.

I'll be carrying extra bike parts to change out if there is any failure.  I'm expecting a dozen flats along the way.  (I say this to psych the bike out.  If I take a dozen tire tubes I'll only have to use one, where if I take one extra I'll need a dozen.  I'm smart like that.  Please don't tell the bike).

As for injuries, we won't have any, but will be taking plenty of medical supplies and meds along with us to take care of them on our own.  We'll keep a physician available by phone just in case we need some extra help.  This will be a great ride, but will not be pain free.  I wish it was, but that would be just fooling myself.  I'll have to push through and get her done.  Resting along the way will be key to keep my joints and muscles in top shape.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.  I'm going for distance, not so much for time.

The ultimate goal would to have national media coverage of Coast 2 Coast in NYC as I pass through.  A opportunity like this would serve as a platform to educate people on a large scale than I can by myself on my bike.  Handing over a check to the American Heart Association in NYC on TV would be a great accomplishment.  I'm shooting for the Today Show, David Letterman, The View or anyone else that will help.

I will have a time constraint due to my work.  I'll be taking two months off of work, and will have to be back at the end that time.  With driving time back to Fort Worth, I'll need to finish in 58 days.  This is doable.

This next week, I'll start blogging twice a week.  One post will start giving health tips, interviews with people (medical types, people with heart problems, families), and photo tours, with the second continuing to talk about the logistics and training of the ride.

Thank you to all who read my posts.  I appreciate your support.