Ride a bicycle across the country! Why would anyone want to do a thing like that? You have two months off work and you're gonna do what? Are you crazy...?

That's pretty much the reaction I got from about half the people I talked to. Another fourth or so thought it would be an amazing adventure, one to remember for a lifetime. The rest were somewhere in the middle...yes, a fantastic journey, but...that's still crazy?!!!

My name is Phil Marquez. I'm forty one years old and I work in the automation department at Intel Corporation's Rio Rancho site near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The rest of the time, when I'm not riding my bicycle, I spend at home with my wife Susan and my five year old daughter Marisa. I also have a step-daughter, Brittanae and a step-son, Michael, whose two daughters call me (uh-hmmm!) Grandpa. Still not used to that!

I'm not an expert cyclist and I've never raced bicycles. I'm not even a hardcore enthusiast. I'm just someone who likes to ride and has covered a few miles on the bike over the years. I've wanted to cross the country on a bicycle since I was about eighteen years old. I finally have an opportunity this summer to do just that and on June 16, 2001 will take off from Astoria, Oregon on a fifty day ride Across America to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

So why do something like this? Well, if you ride, you know you see far more from a bike than you ever do from a car. Also, how better to find out if you can than to try! Sure, I could have planned to spend my sabbatical on the couch or the beach or anywhere else for that matter. Matt, a friend and co-worker, recently returned from climbing Mt. McKinley (Denali) while on his sabbatical. Extreme weather and other factors beyond his control prevented the final ascent to the summit. No matter! It was his effort and training and sheer guts that impressed me and now provide inspiration as I prepare for this challenge. I'm reminded of a quote that my father relayed to me a long time ago...

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, if he wins, knows the thrills of high achievement, and, if he fails, at least fails daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."