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Bicycling across the country has been a childhood dream for Clarence Bechter, who will be 68 years old July 25. The New Franklin man was finally able to cross that item off his bucket list this spring as he bicycled from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean in 52 days.

Bechter said he has enjoyed bicycling for decades but has more time for it since retiring 10 years ago as a lumber buyer for Graves Lumber in Copley.

He said his cross country bicycle adventure, arranged through Bubba's Pampered Pedalers, began March 1 in San Diego, California, as he dipped the rear wheel of his bicycle in the Pacific Ocean, and ended April 22, in St. Augustine, Florida, when he dipped the front wheel into the Atlantic.

"I dedicated the trip first to the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost - and secondly to my wife, Mary," said Bechter.

Bechter said the 3,000-mile trip took him and 42 others, including eight from Ohio and one each from Canada and Germany, across mountains, deserts, the Mississippi River, the plains, the bayou in Louisiana and more, using some interstates but mostly secondary roads and main streets. He added two members of the group had to drop out due to injury or an emergency.

According to Bechter, Bubba's Pampered Pedalers provided support by organizing places for the group to stay, which included school gyms, National Guard armories, outside in tents and hotels. It also provided a culinary truck that followed the group to supply snacks and created daily tourist site information sheets about the areas they were riding through.

Trip participants had to bring their bikes and supplies, wear yellow safety vests and have front and rear bright red flashing lights on at all times, he added.

"We were also responsible for our bikes and had to be able to change a flat, but a mechanic was available," said Bechter. "I altered the tires on my bike before my trip by installing $ 90 steel-belted tires, which have relatively no flats, but I got two; other riders used stock tires and had about 16 flats. I also brought chains, spokes and other items. "

Bechter said the "mental aspect of pedaling 3,000 miles was daunting," but cyclists took each day one at a time. He added they biked through rain, snow, sleet, and heavy winds; took in tourist spots, nature, and history; and heard from speakers about every two weeks. He also kept in contact with his wife when he was able to get reception.

"I trained well enough, but the weather caught me off guard," said Bechter, who added he rode daily, did spin classes for four months and also completed two 100-mile trips in preparation. "The headwinds were the worst. We were going down a mountain and had to pedal - there was no coasting".

Bechter said organizers stated this was the worst out of 10 years for weather encountered on the trip.

He added the longest distance covered in one day's ride was about 95 miles, which was completed in about seven hours, with the bicycling starting at about 7:40 a.m. and lights out taking place at about 9 p.m. Bechter stated riders each rode at their own pace and lunch sometimes took place on the side of the road. He also said his fastest speed was 36 mph, which happened as he was going downhill.

"Bicycling allows you to slow down and see a lot, and we saw everything, stopped to smell the flowers and talked to locals," said Bechter. "It was the trip of a lifetime. The vastness of the country was unreal, and I learned a lot about people."

Bechter said riders in the group developed special bonds and made new friends, and when they neared St. Augustine, "everyone began to pedal slowly because we did not want it to end."

Bechter said he is writing a journal-type book that will include pictures from this trip.

Future bike trips he is considering include riding along the Keys in Florida or the Way of Saint James, a network of pilgrimages that lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.

Bechter said in addition to finding more time for bicycling after retirement, he took up mountain climbing and has reached the summit of 11 mountains, including Mount Whitney in California, which is the highest mountain in the continental US, last August to help raise funds for an organ for his church, St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. He also works part-time as a home remodeler.