It's Just Riding: Pete from Sea to Key

He hadn't ridden a bike in years. So naturally, he decided to ride one 4,500 miles across the country.What could possibly go wrong?As it turns out, quite a bit.Armed with minimal experience, questionable preparation, and a stubborn refusal to quit, Just Pete set off from Washington State with one goal: make it to Key West, Florida. What followed was a cross-country bicycle ride filled with daunting mountain climbs, brutal heat, relentless headwinds, and more flat tires than he cares to count.This isn't a travel memoir about perfect planning or smooth execution. It's a humorous, heartfelt adventure about figuring things out the hard way, one mile at a time.Pete's journey is a raw and honest look at: - - Bad decisions and small victories.- Learning on the fly when nothing goes according to plan.- Pushing forward when exhaustion says it's time to stop.- The extraordinary kindness of ordinary people.- Discovering that grit matters more than experience.He thought he was riding across America. Looking back, he was really meeting America.It's Just Riding is a tribute to the friends, family, and complete strangers whose unexpected generosity turned a grueling solo bike tour into something much bigger.Told with dry humor, honesty, and a healthy dose of self-doubt, this is a story about endurance, resilience, and the messy business of chasing a big goal without having everything figured out. It's a reminder that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things.Because in the end, it was never just about the bike. It was about a long road, a stubborn refusal to quit, and the quiet decision to keep going.Until you don't have to anymore.