August 18th, 2025
Okay, I guess I am committed. I received my maps for the second half of my Bike Ride Across America from Adventure Cycling. My plan is to start from my ending point in Crosslake, MN, the cabin, where I finished the first half of the Western section from Everett, Washington to Crosslake, MN two years ago. This fall, I will ride another 2,100 miles from Crosslake to Bar Harbor, Maine, to dip my front tire in the Atlantic Ocean. I am approximately half way across America on my Northern route bike ride. I hope to start pedaling right after Labor Day weekend. Again, like two years ago when I started this adventure, I may be dealing with the unprecedented smoke from Canadian forest fires. Minnesota has been hit hard this summer with unhealthy air quality due to the smoke filled skies.
My three adult kids and significant other “D” are lukewarm at best, on the idea of me finishing my ride. My father in law, just passed away a couple weeks ago at the age of 96. He has inspired me to finish my ride. He rode his bike to a neighborhood gathering one week before he entered hospital with an Aorta dissection. He lived life to the fullest and traveled the world until he passed. The way I want to leave this world.
I am dedicating my ride to our family’s 501 C-3 charity; https:/basketsfromjojo.com
This is a charity my family started 8 years ago to honor the giving, caring, loving, spirit of my wife, Nancy, who died from Ovarian Cancer in 2017. With your support, we have been honored to prepare and deliver over 1,200 care baskets to chemo patients at Minneapolis hospitals and we hope to deliver another 350 care baskets this fall. Your donations do wonders when my mind starts wondering and my body starts to tire to keep me motivated and keep pedaling! If you have the financial means and want to bring a smile to a cancer patient’s life consider donating to https://www.basketsfromjojo.com
A lot has transpired since I finished my first half of the ride. I rode my bike non-supported solo for 30 days with one rest day and finished 2,100 miles of the Western section on September 22, 2023. Since then, my significant other, Denise ‘D’ and I have been fortunate to take many trips to the cabin in northern Minnesota and D’s Florida place along with adventures climbing and submitting Kilimanjaro in Africa, 19,341ft., in February, 2024.
We biked with friends on a VBT bike tour in May through the wine country of Alsace, France.
Then a month later, June 25th, 2024!!
I had “The Widowmaker Heart Attack!!”
What the heck! Not on my radar! Day started with a dermatology appointment then went to Lifetime Fitness for my usual weight lifting workout. Lifted for over an hour felt good and strong then headed down to locker room to take a shower. Started feeling light headed, shallow breathing, feint, then left arm going a little numb, shit! Think I am having a heart attack. Sat down in front of locker, head between my legs, starting to feel better, call D no answer, Megan my daughter, no answer, Derek my son, describe my symptoms tell him I am going to drive 5 minutes home to my house and Derek says “Dad, this sounds like a 911 call” “ I am calling and will have ambulance meet you at your house, I will be at your house in 10 minutes.” I made it home, lied on couch and within 2 minutes fire department arrived and paramedics right after. Sirens blaring in ambulance to hospital 20 minutes away, team of 12 doctors and nurses waiting for my arrival and rushed me in to implant a stent in my left anterior descending artery. The main artery that supplies over 50% of oxygen and blood to the heart. One lucky guy! Had to shock me once with defibrillator and chest compressions to keep me alive! WOW! So lucky I was where I was at and God and my Guardian Angels said it was not my time! So blessed!!
So here I am today, preparing to finish what I started. My childhood dream of riding my Bike Across America. I hope you can follow my blog; Minnesotamikebikeride.com and join me on my adventure. Should be a blast! God Bless, MN Mike
Minnesota Mike's Ride Across America 