Jay Weedall rides the length of the US

Jay Weedall is a Manchester (England) native who lives in Boston, USA. An avid traveler and explorer of the world by bicycle, Jay just cycled the length of the United States, solo and self supported, in a little over 16 days raising almost $55,000 (and counting) for cancer research.

Read on to find out why he created this solo project and why he chose Restrap as his kit of choice for the journey.

Why this ride was so important

In July 2022, just two days into a two-week cycling tour of Norway, our mate Jason felt something was wrong, and called time on his trip before it had really begun.

Returning home he saw his doctor for what he thought would be an easy check-up and over-the-counter solution. Three days later, he was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 colorectal cancer at the age of just 35.

Before his diagnosis, we would spend a few weeks a year traversing epic destinations by bike together: cycling the deltas of Vietnam, plains of Cambodia, islands of Thailand, deserts of Morocco, fjords of Iceland, forests of Norway, passes of California, and many a rolling road of New England and Eastern United States. Living with Young Onset Colorectal Cancer (YO-CRC) meant he would never get to experience these adventures again. Although we couldn’t continue to explore the world together in the way we wanted, I found other ways to keep his bike joy and story alive.

In the years since his diagnosis, I’ve participated in cancer-specific charity cycling events and created solo cycling projects raising over $75,000, to support research, care, and treatment for those living with cancer, specifically YO-CRC.

All I ever wanted was for him to know that people loved him and cared about his story – to never feel alone in that burden. And each year, as he continued to endure complex and evolving treatments, the fundraising projects got a bit bigger.

So in July of this year, I cycled the length of the country solo and self-supported, from the southernmost point of the continental U.S. in Key West, Florida to the Canadian border at the easternmost town of Lubec, Maine. Averaging 150 miles a day across 14 states in 16 days, I raised over $55,000 for YO-CRC and told everyone about my mate Jason along the way.

My setup

Riding in the summer months meant I wouldn’t need to carry much extra kit, but my ambitious daily mileage meant aerodynamics were a priority while keeping my minimalist setup dry and protected from the elements for 8-10 hours a day.

I opted to modify my gravel bike into an all road endurance rig, adding 32mm slick tires and aero extensions to my Canyon Grail CF SLX. This made the hours in the saddle more comfortable, kept the miles fast, and increased the carrying capacity and stability of the bike as I added bags. 

I chose the aero race options from Restrap because I value the key blend of performance and craftsmanship. I used the 2L Race Top Tube Bag for easy access to my food, camera and phone; the 4.2L Race Frame Bag for electronics, tools, and a small lock; the 7L Race Saddle Bag for off bike clothes, spare bibs and socks; and initially, the 7L Race Aero Bar Bag. By day 6, I realized I was carrying more bags than I needed to use, and sent the front aero bag home in the mail. It is so lightweight and compact that the shipping cost was less than $4. Bargain!

East coast summers are an extreme daily contrast of oppressive heat and humidity followed by torrential downpours and thunderstorms. Though I got drenched most days, all of my stored kit stayed 100% dry and secure (which is essential when you have 1 pair of underwear to last you two weeks and your electronics are all that stands between you and being stranded on the side of the road with a dead shifter).

The good, the bad, and the logging routes

Riding out of Florida was flat but hot. The key was starting each day by 4am to beat the heat and afternoon storms. The riding was lovely along the coast and a welcome tailwind from Miami to Vero Beach made that 160 mile day a memorable one.

As I crept closer to Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, the cycling infrastructure gave way to major roadways used almost exclusively by 18-wheel trucks carrying logs and freight containers. Despite the often oppressive heat, I only stopped once per day to restock food and water along that stretch in order to keep the mileage high and get beyond the industrial traffic, covering the 3 states in less than 3 days. Days like that are as tough mentally as they are physically.

Reaching New England, I felt the desperation and drive to get home to see my partner and dog. I’d spent 12 days on the road and cycled 1,800 miles by the time I rolled through my adopted hometown of Boston.

The dense traffic and threat of heat stroke in the south were distant memories as this moment arrived, and it renewed my energy for the next leg of the trip. As part of the project, I completed my 3rd Pan Mass Challenge (PMC), the annual bike-a-thon that covers 180 miles across Massachusetts, from Worcester to the tip of Cape Cod. As much as anyone can win a charity bike ride, I was able to come first across the line on both days, ahead of 5000 other riders to the non-podium.

This part of the journey meant I was able to connect with new people and riders who had been following my journey so far via social media, record national TV news interviews about the project, and I hope, inspire others to keep taking on new challenges and exploring the world by bike.

The day after the PMC, I began my final leg of the journey, passing through rural fishing towns and rolling farm roads along my coastal route, covering the final 550 miles from Boston, MA to Lubec, ME in 2.5 days.

For most of the 133 hours of total riding time it took to complete this journey, I opted to go without music or podcasts in my headphones. Instead, I thought a lot about my friend Jason. I had a couple of bad patches on the bike where my legs were waning and my mindset would drift to just wanting to be done with the day and in these moments I thought about him and how strong he was.

No matter what cancer did to him and his life, he just kept going with no fuss or complaining. He was the strongest person I’ve ever known and he inspired me to figure it out in these moments of discomfort.

What's next?

Our friend Jason passed away this year after battling YO-CRC for 3 years. He was just 38. As this cycling project hopefully highlights, he was a great guy. I don’t know what my next cycling project looks like, but I know I’ll take him with me on the adventure and continue to share his story along the way. I’m sure I’m not the only cyclist (or reader of this blog) who enjoys cycling for a myriad of reasons - the challenge, the exploration, the suffering even. For me, riding these extreme/intensive challenges are a new opportunity to share and give more back to the community - cyclists, and people living with, and living through, cancer.

I’d love to find more opportunities to take this skill and continue to build something greater from it.

Thanks again to Restrap for the great kit and for making one of the key logistical components to planning it so easy.

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If you'd like to donate, Jay's fundraising is still open.