Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is BROQUEST?
BROQUEST is a cross-country bicycle tour starting in Portland, Oregon and ending in Portland, Maine. We anticipate approximately 4500 miles of riding over two months.
Do you have a car following you?
Nope! We will be carrying all of our equipment in panniers (bicycle mounted saddlebags) or on trailers. We will be bringing equipment to repair bicycles, spare parts, clothes, food, water, camping equipment, diversions (playing cards, books, etc) and BLOGGING equipment such as an iPhone, a camera and a camcorder.
How far are you planning on riding each day?
We are planning to ride 80-100 miles a day for five days straight, and then take a rest day that either involved no riding or, at most, "only" thirty miles of riding.
Camping equipment? You won't be staying in hotels?
Hotels are expensive. And smell like sterilized buttcracks. We'll be camping and hopefully meeting RAD PEOPLE that want to let us sleep in their yards/living rooms.
Why are you guys doing this?
Well, I'd say that each of us has our own reasons for embarking on this trip. I (Stuart) have always wanted to see the Northern states, which I never have, and I have also wanted to wake up and have nothing to do except bicycle 100 miles, read a book, maybe drink some beers, and then camp out under the stars. I'd say there are some common factors, though, such as a love of suffering, a love of the concept of AMERICA, and a great desire to get sunburned/eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for five meals a day. Also if you managed to save money and get some sponsors and could bicycle all day every day through gorgeous countryside for a summer instead of going to some silly "between college and grad school" job, wouldn't you?
So is the whole "we love AMERICA" thing ironic?
Hardly! While we typically appropriate and then make absurd common "patriotic" symbolism, we do genuinely love America, despite (or rather, because of) its weaknesses and faults. America as a symbol is extremely loud, pompous, shallow, excessive and reactive. But at the same time Americans are highly individualistic, independent, driven and prone to volunteerism and random acts of altruism.
So who are you guys? Are you a professional bike team?
Hahahaha nope! Just three guys who like bicycles. Our ranks include a guy who just graduated from Fordham, a veteran who is currently finishing up a National Geographic Fellowship, and an ironman triathlete who teaches middle school and high school French. So basically a cross section of all the weird people you have ever met.
This sounds awesome! I want to get involved somehow!
O RLY? If you live near our route and would like to ride with us for a while or meet us in person, that would be AWESOME! Please contact us at stuart.keating@gmail.com. If you live in one of our destination cities and would like some smelly guys abusing your shower, kitchen and couch/floor, again contact us at stuart.keating@gmail.com. If you just like what we're doing you can visit the donate page and throw some dollars at us (and get neat stuff in return!).
