Overview
American Challenge
for 9th-12th graders
When you get to the Pacific, you will jump off your bike, race across the sand and dive into the water. You’ll scream, yell, shout and hug. Onlookers will not understand, and even if you tried to explain what that moment means to you, they probably still wouldn’t get it. That’s the way a lot of the American Challenge is.
The American Challenge doesn’t require previous experience or exceptional ability; instead, it requires commitment, sacrifice and determination. The American Challenge isn’t a race. There is no sag wagon or support team; rather, we ride bikes fully loaded with all of our clothing and gear. The American Challenge won’t change you into a “hard core” biker, but it will change the way you see yourself and the world around you. Bike with us in a small, spirited group (no more than 12 students or fewer than 2 leaders) across America and discover for yourself the meaning of the American Challenge, a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a single summer.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bicycle from the Atlantic to the Pacific
- Ride over 3,000 miles across the U.S.
- Discover small-town America
- Cross the Rockies
- Explore the Southwest desert
- Visit the Grand Canyon
- Swim in the Pacific
GRADE
For students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2008. We plan on 2 groups with 9th, 10th & 11th graders and 2 groups with 10th, 11th & 12th graders. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
CHALLENGE LEVEL
10 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
START & END LOCATIONS
Starts in Savannah, Georgia
Ends in Los Angeles, California
2008 DATES & FEES
6 Weeks
Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, August 3
$5095 (airfare not included)
APPLY TODAY
Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.
“Reaching the Santa Monica Pier was the greatest moment of my life.” Evan Sullivan, Fredericksburg, Virginia
ITINERARY
The Atlantic to the Mississippi
We start our six-week journey just east of Savannah, Georgia on Tybee Island. On the first day of our ride, we’ll watch the sun rise over the Atlantic, dip our front wheels in a gentle breaker, then look west and begin our 3,000+ mile trek to the Pacific. This first section of the trip takes us straight into the heart of the South, as we make our way to one of America’s greatest rivers, the Mississippi. The terrain is generally forgiving, as we skirt south of the Appalachians, but our daily mileage is long with most days in the 75 to 85 mile range. The mileage is made more difficult by the demands of making the transition to group living—getting up early, waiting for others, sharing tents and meals, and making new friends.
The Ozarks & The Great Plains
As we work our way to the Rockies, we'll climb a bit in the Ozarks and then head out for some long days on the bikes that will take us across the Great Plains where towns are few. By the time we reach the Great Plains the group is in fine shape and trip routines are down pat.
The Rockies, The Grand Canyon & The Desert
Crossing the Rockies is a major goal of every American Challenge group. Left behind are the green, rolling hills of the East and South, and the wide open, but barren plains. The Rockies offer challenge and beauty—high passes and snow-capped mountains, thigh-burning climbs and rollicking descents. We’ll spill out of the Rockies and into vast painted deserts on our way to the Grand Canyon. We’ll pause briefly at the Canyon, spending a night on the South Rim, before we make our way across the Arizona and California deserts. There is one day in the desert when we'll have vehicle support (one group will have support from Needles to Ludlow, California, the other group will cross the desert from Parker, Arizona to Twentynine Palms, California and will have vehicle support on that day).
The Last Days & Santa Monica
Our final stretch of riding will take us up into California’s San Bernardino mountains. On our last night before riding to the Santa Monica pier, we’ll camp high above the lights of Los Angeles and look back on six incredible weeks of adventure, camaraderie and challenge. The next morning, we’ll work our way down and out of the mountains, through L.A. and all the way to the Pacific (where lots of parents and siblings will be waiting!). When we reach the coast, we’ll sprint across the sand, front wheels in hand and dive into the crashing waves. Surrounded by trip mates with whom you have shared every day, every mile and every moment of these past six weeks, you’ll scream, yell, shout and hug. Only then will you really, truly know what the American Challenge means to you.
DAILY ROUTINE, BUFFER DAYS AND MEALS, SNACKS & COLD DRINKS
Daily Routine
We'll get up before sunrise every morning and be on the bikes by shortly after first light. We'll bike for a couple of hours before stopping for a morning snack. We'll bike until 10 or 11 before we stop again for another snack and then continue until 1 or 2 before we stop for lunch. The afternoon riding is broken up by a snack stop or two. Depending on the day's mileage and delays en route, the goal is to pull into our overnight accommodations (typically a campground or church) between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. There will be shorter days and longer days—if the day gets too long we'll change our plans and stop for the night before reaching our planned destination (and we'll make up the mileage in the coming days).
Buffer Days
During each section of the trip, there are buffer days built into the itinerary to allow for delays en route. Most groups will find that they spend these buffer days partially or completely off of the bikes for rest, relaxation and exploration on foot.
Meals, Snacks & Cold Drinks
Breakfasts are generally made up of cereal, fruit, juice, and milk. A typical morning snack is bananas and granola bars. Lunch is usually sandwiches (turkey, cheese, ham, cold cuts, peanut butter), plus lots of chips and cookies and fresh fruit. Based on the availability of stores along our route one afternoon stop a day will include cold drinks (for example, cold water, juice or Gatorade purchased by Overland from a convenience store) and a salty snack (chips, pretzels or crackers). Popular dinners include pasta, stir-fry, tacos and burritos.
Overland's goal is to always provide more food than is needed so that everyone-- no matter how big their appetitie-- gets enough. Each group will plan and prepare their meals everyday. Over the course of the first week or so groups develop a comfortable routine around meals and their favorite meals become established.
Please note that every meal, snack and cold drink on the American Challenge is provided by Overland and is shared by the group. This asks a lot of everyone in the group: even though it would be easy to allow students to buy their own meals and snacks if they wanted, doing so would break down the cohesiveness of the group. Getting 14 people across the country on bikes requires tremendous teamwork-- sharing meals, snacks and drinks is an important building block of that teamwork.
“The American Challenge is the single most worthwhile thing I have ever set out to do.” Kate Powell, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Supervision & Safety
Overland’s two leaders, a man and a woman, provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision of the highest standard. Our students feel safe and secure in our talented and conscientious leaders’ hands.
On an
We set high expectations for each student’s behavior—we expect respect and consideration for others, a positive attitude, and an eagerness to help make the trip a success in every way possible.
In every decision we make, safety comes first. We plan our trips carefully choosing the best available roads. We ride with care, with a leader at the front and a leader at the rear. We only ride during the day; we always wear helmets, and we attach an orange safety flag to every bike. Since our first trips in 1985 our safety record has been superlative.
For nearly 25 years our caring and competent leaders, our 24/7 supervision, our high expectations, and our commonsense approach to safety have made Overland the number one choice for summer bicycle trips.
Overland Leaders
In a world where strong leadership skills make the difference between the average and the exceptional, Overland recruits and trains only the best to be our leaders. Not only do these remarkable people capably lead our groups, they also offer our students the kind of role modeling for which Overland has long been recognized. Bright, charismatic and accomplished, our leaders ensure the safety and well-being of every Overland student, and then they provide much, much more, inspiring our students to reach for their potential in every way.
You won’t find a more dynamic and talented group of people than Overland’s leaders. Most Overland leaders have played varsity sports and many have captained their teams; they have served as student government officers, volunteered as peer counselors and directed campus organizations. They are high achievers who come to Overland with a lifetime of leadership experience—but just as importantly, they are warm, wonderful people who are eager to work with Overland’s students.
Overland’s leaders prepare carefully for the summer. We know of no other program that requires certification in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving—every Overland leader has all of these plus our own 10-day training program that focuses on safety, supervision and leadership. All of our efforts prepare Overland’s caring and committed leaders to create safe, supportive and valuable programs where each of our students can flourish.
Meet some of our spectacular returning leaders.
How We Put Our Groups Together
We have a number of important criteria for every Overland group:
Size: Every
Gender:
Friends: We allow two pairs of friends in a group (we never allow three or more friends to travel together). With a maximum of two pairs of friends there will always be space available for at least eight students to come on their own without a friend. Furthermore, if we enroll two pairs of friends in a group and both pairs are of one gender, we generally try to: (1) enroll three or four more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.
STUDENTS: IS THIS THE RIGHT TRIP FOR YOU?
Only you can answer this question. We suggest you start the decision making process by reading everything on our website about the trip. Then email us with any questions you have. Then talk to students who have done the trip (we can give you references).
To start your thinking about the American Challenge, consider the following:
1. There are many kinds of challenge on the American Challenge:
- Mileage: 80+ miles a day for six weeks with many days over 90 miles and a handful over 100 miles.
- Weather: high temperatures (hot and humid east of the Mississippi; hot and windy across the Great Plains; hot and dry across the desert) and the good possibility of some rainy stretches.
- Not-Feeling-Great: over the course of six weeks there's a good chance that you'll catch a cold or that you'll have a minor stomach upset—nothing serious but still a challenge when you're far from home and working hard.
- Scrapes, Bumps & Bruises: before you jump joyously into the Pacific at Santa Monica you'll have scraped a knee or elbow, or bruised a thigh, or had some such minor injury (there has never been a major injury on American Challenge).
- Homesickness: even if you've never had it before, there will likely be times when you long for the comforts and ease of home.
- Camping & Sleeping In Churches And Community Centers: you'll get very comfortable sleeping out and sleeping on floors but you'll still miss the familiarity of your own bed, the ease and efficiency of screens and windows to keep bugs out, rain off and air-conditioned air in.
- Group Living: group meals, group snacks, group cooking, group cleaning, group chores, etc., etc., etc. The demands of group living will be some of the most important challenges you'll face.
2. Are you ready to commit yourself to the training that is required for this trip? Click here Pre-Trip Training to see what is required. Think about whether or not you can commit yourself to completing the pre-trip riding—we've made it possible for even the busiest student to complete the training, but having the time and actually doing the riding are two different things.
3. Are you ready to commit yourself wholeheartedly to a demanding group experience? The American Challenge is all about the group succeeding, about the group getting the miles done, about the group enjoying the highs together (reaching the Rockies!)... and sticking together through the lows (heat... or humidity... or rain... or tough headwinds). Are you the kind of person who can put his or her own needs and wants after those of a group?
PARENTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND
Every summer we get a handful of phone calls from parents who ask questions that reveal to us that they really don't understand what the American Challenge is all about.
These questions often put the American Challenge in the context of a bike tour for adults that stays in luxury accommodations (we camp out in state parks and sleep on a lot of church and community center floors) and where fine dining is the norm (we shop for our food every day and make meals for 14 people using two small camp stoves). The parents who ask these questions simply haven't paid attention (and they are relatively easy to get back on track).
The more difficult questions to respond to are the ones from parents who wonder why their son or daughter can't do what he or she wants. "Why can't my daughter just buy her own snacks (or lunch... or dinner... or dessert)." "Why can't my son ride ahead of the group... he's so much faster than the others?" What these parents have failed to grasp is that the American Challenge is a chance for their son or daughter to see beyond his/her own needs and wants, to see the needs of the group before his/her own. In this way, the American Challenge is a chance to become a caring friend... a terrific group member... an exceptional leader.
The American Challenge is a chance for your son or daughter to be challenged in ways that school and sports might never have. Riding a bike is not technically difficult—but riding a fully-loaded bike for 80+ miles a day for six weeks with 13 other people is just about the hardest sustained challenge we can imagine. For your son or daughter to succeed on and enjoy the American Challenge you have to be on board and committed to the goals of the trip so that you can help your son or daughter understand what it is they are to be a part of.
The American Challenge ends in Santa Monica... the kids ride right down Santa Monica Boulevard... parents and siblings are waiting at the pier... the riders come streaming by, shouting for joy and racing for the beach where the entire group—front wheels in hand—dives into the water together. It's one of those moments in a parent's life that is wonderfully moving.
TRIP DETAILS
Getting To & From the Trip
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from the trip start/end locations. Overland’s program leaders will be on hand at the arrival and departure airports to provide supervision and assistance. The American Challenge starts at the airport in Savannah, Georgia and ends at the Los Angeles International Airport.
Equipment
A complete equipment list available on this website (see under Packing Lists). Note that the main pieces of equipment are: a touring bicycle (in 2009 we will require a Trek 520 or Cannondale Touring 2-- for 2008 these are the recommended bicycles), helmet, panniers (saddlebags), a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad.
Additional Costs
Transportation to and from program start and end locations, spending money (less than $50 a week is needed) and personal gear are not included in the program fee. Overland provides group gear including tents and stoves; students provide all personal equipment (e.g., bicycles, panniers, sleeping bags).
“My group clicked immediately, my leaders were awesome, and the biking was incredible.” Katie Lawrence, Summit, New Jersey
LEADER COMMENTS
The comments below from two American Challenge leaders give you a feel for what this trip is like.
“The American Challenge is no mere summer trip. It is a true journey, one that is equal parts demanding, wondrous, grueling, and exhilarating, and one that finds the best in everyone every day. Cycling is the perfect pace at which to see such a wide and varied swath of this nation, as it allows you to truly feel and experience the areas you ride through. Then arriving on the Santa Monica Pier with 13 others whom you've depended on and who have depended on you for the past six weeks is a highlight-of-your-life type moment that almost defies description. Enjoy the ride!”
Ben Jervey, American Challenge 2004 Leader
"It is not about being able to say, "I rode across the country last summer," or even about jumping into the ocean at the end of it all, shoes unclipped from pedals for the last time. The real joy of this trip accrues in small, well-earned moments of clarity, whether they come in the sweat of a Georgia sun, the grunt of an Oklahoma climb, or the sweet cruise down the San Gabriel Mountains. At some point in New Mexico, the 2,000 miles that you have ridden, and the 1,000 that remain matter not because you can tell people, "this is what we have done," or "this is where we are going". Just over a week or so later as you fall into the ocean in Santa Monica, everyone else gets to see the grand feat that the group has achieved, but the miles that get you there are the things that give you the real life-long memories."
Matt Turnbull, American Challenge 2007 Leader
“Somehow, I was able to bike across the country, and I know the only things that made this possible were my awesome leaders and group. They made my Overland experience more than excellent. I had the time of my life!”Tyler Spencer, Staunton, Virginia
