German athlete Jonas Deichmann has arrived in Los Angeles by bicycle, completing the first leg of his US crossing. On Tuesday (local time), the 36-year-old reached the Pacific Ocean after covering approximately 5,500 kilometers and immediately jumped into the water at Santa Monica.
“I am simply happy to have completed this stage,” Deichmann told the German Press Agency. The last few days, especially in extreme weather with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in the Mojave Desert in Nevada and California, have been particularly draining. Deichmann started his journey in New York at the end of June. After leaving the metropolis, he first crossed the Appalachian Mountains on the East Coast and then cycled through the long plains of states such as Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa. “Especially in Nebraska, I cycled straight for over 1,000 kilometers through endless cornfields the size of Germany,” the athlete recounted.
The Rocky Mountains provided a welcome change - the mountain passes and canyons in Utah were Deichmann’s major highlights. He mostly slept in a small tent by the roadside. Once, he was even invited by the organizers of a rodeo festival to sleep in their hall.
The athlete, nicknamed “German Forrest Gump,” who has already crossed several continents by bike, now has the next leg ahead of him after a day of rest. “Then I will put on my running shoes and run back to New York,” Deichmann said. With a speed of over 50 kilometers per day, he plans to arrive back in the Big Apple in early November, towing a running trailer along the way.
What were some of the weather challenges Jonas Deichmann faced during his bicycle journey across the US?
German athlete Jonas Deichmann has completed the first leg of his US crossing by arriving in Los Angeles on his bicycle. After covering approximately 5,500 kilometers, the 36-year-old reached the Pacific Ocean and wasted no time in jumping into the water at Santa Monica.
Deichmann expressed his happiness at completing this stage, particularly after the last few challenging days in extreme weather conditions. The Mojave Desert in Nevada and California, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, took a toll on him. Deichmann began his journey in New York at the end of June, crossing the Appalachian Mountains on the East Coast before cycling through states such as Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa. He described the endless cornfields in Nebraska, which he cycled straight through for over 1,000 kilometers, as a unique experience.
The Rocky Mountains provided a welcome change, and Deichmann found the mountain passes and canyons in Utah to be major highlights. Throughout his journey, he mostly slept in a small tent by the roadside, but he was once invited by the organizers of a rodeo festival to sleep in their hall.
Known as the “German Forrest Gump,” Deichmann has previously crossed several continents by bike. After a day of rest, he will embark on the next leg of his journey, which involves running back to New York. With a daily speed of over 50 kilometers, he plans to arrive in the Big Apple in early November, towing a running trailer along the way.
Great achievement! Looking forward to seeing Jonas Deichmann conquer the rest of the US.