Craig Fish doesn't believe in bucket lists. He prefers the term: "the I will do it list." And the 54-year old Hamilton native recently completed a major feat on that list, riding cross country by himself on a bicycle.
Craig Fish doesn't believe in bucket lists.
When it comes to setting goals, he prefers another term: "the I will do it list."
The 54-year old Hamilton native recently completed a major feat on that list, riding a recumbent bicycle beginning in Seaside, Ore. ending in Seaside Heights, N.J on Halloween.
Fish mapped out the expansive trek shortly after losing his job at Evonik Industries this year. "After 25 years and four months, they let me go," he said.
Instead of getting depressed and angry, Fish got himself a bike, and planned the trip of a lifetime.
"There's a lot of land out there," he said. "They could take a good job away from me and that's fine, but as far as my health goes and my mental strength- only I control that.
This summer, Fish - who now resides in Alabama - prepared for a two month journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.
After researching a Northern biking route provided by a cycling association, he packed nearly 40 pounds of gear, including a tent and clothes and set off.
He didn't have time to train, but was already in good shape and figured his body would adjust during the trip.
On Aug. 20, he symbolically put the back tires of his bike in the ocean at Seaside, Ore. and set out to see the country.
Aided by his GPS and his cell phone, he began his journey, pedaling 4,300 miles across the land- through Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Lewis and Clark trail, working his way through Wyoming and Colorado and sometimes climbing as high as 11,500 feet.
"I burned off 260,000 calories," he estimated.
He wound his way across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania before passing over Washington's Crossing into New Jersey.
"I figured if it was good enough for Washington, it was good enough for me," he said.
The Hamilton West graduate also rolled through his old Yardville, where his father still lives.
What crossed his mind during his travels? "Positive stuff," he said.
"I think about family, friends, the scenery I'm seeing, the people I'm meeting. The life I am about to have here," he said.
Fish was also blessed with 70 days of perfect weather and "no flat tires", he said.
"I had two weeks into the trip ten minutes of a light misty drizzle, just enough to get you wet and then two back to back downpours and that is it. Twenty minutes of wet rain. Other than that, it was sunny the whole time," he said. "The only cold weather I hit was when that cold front came in."
The good conditions provided Fish with a scenic backdrop of America-from mountains, to geysers, to the changing fall leaves in Aspen, Colo.
He also met wonderful people, who invited him for meals in their RV's and conversation about his bike.
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"In Yellowstone more people took pictures of my bike than they did Old Faithful," he laughed. "Everybody was very supportive and very nice. There were some interesting people in far out places where you don't understand how people can live there, but they do. There are a lot of good people out there."
While he marveled at the corn fields, rivers, landscapes and inexpensive hotels he discovered along the way, his favorite sight was at the finish line - his 18-year-old daughter, McKenzie, and his girlfriend, Karen.
"Probably the best sight was seeing my girlfriend and my daughter and family waiting for me, that was the best sight. Not because I was done, but because I had missed them so much," he said.
Most of the trip was chronicled in pictures on Fish's Facebook page, and the former Mercer County resident was surprised how many people took an interest in his travels.
"I had 65 people following me that I hadn't spoken to or seen in many years and the support they gave me was unreal," he said.
"I would have to say a good amount of them have told me this has inspired them to do what they always wanted to do. That was pretty humbling. It makes me feel good that I was able to inspire people."
Fish said that he hopes that more people will try to create their own "I will do it" lists.
"I tell everybody, put one thing down on a list - not a list of ten or twenty things, one thing you can do that you always wanted to do and write it down," he said.
"It has to be realistic with your job and the time off you have or other responsibilities-put one you can fit in and do it. You'll be glad you did."
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