By William Powell

meadville tribune

Forty days. More than 3,100 miles. Two bicycles. More than 30 flat tires. Two friends.

For Saegertown resident Jason Manross, that was the formula for one epic journey.

Manross and Luke Hogle, his former roommate and wrestling teammate at Cornell University, rode their bicycles across the country this summer, starting June 10 on the Pacific coast in Florence, Ore., and ending up at Conneaut Lake on July 22.

Along the way, they saw old friends, made new ones and had the adventure of a lifetime.

“(Hogle) had known some people who had done it, and he just thought it would be a good way to see the country,” Manross said. “I am always excited to try new things.”

Manross, who is entering his second year of medical school at Drexel University, said this is his last free summer before med school becomes a year-round commitment. He wanted to get out and see the country while he still had the chance.

“It’s amazing what you can see on the bike compared to what you see when you drive by things,” Manross said. “Overall, the trip was really enjoyable, but a little hard on the butt.”

Manross and Hogle were on their bikes for between eight and 10 hours each day. Since they slept under the stars on most nights, their sleeping patterns followed the sun.

“We usually got about around 7 a.m. and went to bed around dark,” Manross said. “You really follow the sun’s schedule. That’s when you have light and can do stuff.”

They rode on scenic byways, the Lewis and Clark Trail, interstate highways and state roads, following a map they found online.

The trip gave them a chance to visit many of their wrestling teammates from Cornell, who live around the country.

Manross and Hogle went whitewater kayaking in Oregon, rock climbing in Montana and boating in Iowa. They also made a stop at Mount Rushmore.

They encountered a variety of wildlife, including antelope, deer, snakes, turtles, a bear, a badger and a coyote.