As chronicled by longtime family friend and Milford Patch blogger, Tina Leal, the determined Terry Sobel set out for Milford on his bike several weeks ago.
The numbers give one pause: 3,800 miles, 9 flats and 52 days. Riding a minimum of 50 miles per day, Sobel typically logged closer to 70 miles, and one day the tally hit 100 miles. Resting at night in RV parks and budget motels, Sobel admitted he occasionally rested for the night under a tarp, in his sleeping bag, which he had packed on the back of his bicycle.
Traversing the country mostly solo, Sobel's son Jeffrey joined his father in Wichita from his own home on Portland Oregon. Sobel, who lives in California, was glad to have the company, especially during the infamous flat-tire minefield known to bicyclists as Albuquerque!
A memorable segment of the ride was going north in Colorado, where the daytime temperatures hit 105°. He would bike at night, with the prairie at his right ad the Rocky Mountains to the left, the road illuminated by stars and ambient light. Also, interestingly, in certain states Sobel rode on the shoulder of the interstate, which is legal in some states when circumstances don't provide an alternate route.
Patch caught up with Sobel earlier this week in Grand Central Station. Having just concluded his trek the previous day, he met his wife Donna and family friend Jeremy Abbott of Brooklyn for a day or urban exploration. Apparently the wanderlust didn't end after 52 days.
