A story from NewsOK covers a bicycle tour undertaken by Greg Merkel, 19, who rode from Edmond, Oklahoma to Santa Monica, California this fall:
For 19-year-old Greg Merkel, it was time to try something extraordinary.
Merkel, a 2008 Edmond Memorial graduate, said a story in The Oklahoman about an Edmond boy riding his bike across the country inspired him to ride to California.
On Sept. 30, he set out alone for Santa Monica, Calif. On the second day of his trip he met a German man who had been following Route 66 since he left Chicago days before. The two rode together from Clinton to the end of their destination.
Merkel returned home on a train after riding his bike 1,795 miles.
He said he would like to attempt a cross-country journey again. “I think it’s the best way to travel. You’re exercising constantly; you’re seeing different places, and you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight,” he said.
Way to go, Greg! Hopefully your story can inspire others, just as you were inspired.
Bicycle touring: It’s contagious!
