Jack’s route retraced the path of George Wyman, the first man to cross the United States on a motorized bike back in 1903. But while Wyman bounced along railroad ties for nearly half of his journey, Jack enjoyed a smoother ride, thanks in no small part to the technology beneath him.
Riding with Purpose
“I’ve always wanted to do a solo transcontinental ride,” Jack said about his goal. “At 67 years old, I figured I might as well do it now.” For Jack, this ride wasn’t just another tick on his bucket list; it was a personal challenge and a way to immerse himself in the heart of America.
This trip marked a significant departure from Jack’s previous group adventures. He’d crossed the country four times pushing a skateboard, once by electric skateboard and three times on various routes in an electric Volkswagen bus. But this ride was about solitude, self-reliance, and rediscovering what it means to journey with intention. “One thing I wouldn’t be doing was riding on train tracks like George did,” he joked. “He spent about fifty percent of his ride bouncing along railroad ties. I’ll take the open road, thanks.”
Jack knew he needed equipment he could trust for this endeavor, and so began his research into electric bikes (e-bikes). His goal was to find something that could literally go the distance, thus limiting time spent charging the bike and reducing the weight of having to haul around tons of extra batteries/accessories. His research led to Vintage Electric Bikes, founded by Andrew Davidge in 2013.
A Bike of The Future and Past
Jack Smith's 72 Volt Scrambler 2.0“I was aware of different e-bike brands, but when I started looking around, the first thing I saw about Vintage that attracted me was it looked, to me, like a 1920’s motorcycle. So it kind of fit the style that George Wyman rode back during his trip across the country.” Jack said why Vintage Electric Bikes stood out.
Not only did the bike embody the spirit of Jack’s goal to follow in the path of George Wyman, but the range of the battery on each charge stood out among other e-bike brands. Jack was able to average 75-90 miles on a single charge with his Vintage Electric Bike, while other brands in his research touted a 60 mile range. Jack said, “I looked at a lot of e-bikes and a lot of them topped out at like a 60 mile range and I've ridden and driven enough electric vehicles, to know that when somebody says what their range is, it usually is a little bit less than that.” So for Vintage to get 75-90 miles in actual application was just what Jack needed!
Jack reached out to Andrew about his idea and Andrew was immediately on board to provide a bike for Jack to use. “We hit it off, Jack had the right vibes and the experience to show he had what it would take,” Andrew said, “it was a cool opportunity for us to show the quality of our product and how they’re built to last.” And last it did!
Andrew wanted to ensure Jack was as prepared for his adventure as he could be, and so when Jack came to get his bike, Andrew recommended Tannus Armour as a confident flat prevention. Andrew was introduced to Armour a couple years back by a customer that wanted them installed on his bike, after installing them Andrew took the bike for a test ride and decided to look more into them. Andrew said, “The way the bike rides with the Tannus inserts…it really isolates the road on our bikes and it just makes the whole riding experience a lot better. it's not only flat prevention, but it just gives you a really nice comfortable isolated ride.”
TANNUS
Powered by Tannus Armour
One thing Jack didn’t have to worry about? Flat tires. “I'd see people all the time, mainly on road bikes, but on other bikes as well, you know, changing tires on the side of the road. I didn't want to do that, you know, especially because I was going to be pulling a trailer.” Jack explained.
Thanks to Tannus Armour in his tires, Jack rode with absolute confidence. Through highways littered with debris, dirt roads, and even a plowed farm field, he didn’t experience a single flat in his bike tires. Not one.
“It’s incredible how much peace of mind those inserts gave me,” Jack said. “I could focus on travel instead of logistics." Tannus let me ride freely and enjoy every mile.”
Jack mentioned there were multiple times that he would see a sharp object, be it a rock, glass, or metal, and wouldn't have time to swerve out of the way. “I wouldn’t have time to move out of the way, and would feel the hit on the tire. I’d keep riding, praying that it wouldn’t flatten. It never did, and I had some rough hits!”
Funny enough, the only flat Jack got was on the trailer that carried his supplemental battery during the first leg of his trip, which did not have Tannus products in it. Luckily for Jack, a good samaritan in rural Nevada provided the help and relief he needed to get back to pedaling across the country.
Over 3,000 miles, Jack encountered the kind of experiences that can only be found on the backroads of the U.S. “Out west, the landscape is vast and empty. The wind sings to you, and you feel a deep connection to the land,” Jack said. “And then you hit the Midwest, where the roads narrow and the population grows. That’s where you really start seeing the humanity of America.”
From strangers offering cold water in the desert to friendly faces patching a trailer tire by the roadside, Jack found himself surrounded by small acts of kindness. These moments brought to life what he calls the “Real America”—the side of the country you miss when flying over at 30,000 feet or speeding along the interstate.
But the ride wasn’t without its challenges. “When you’re pedaling through 100-degree heat in Nevada or navigating steep hills in Pennsylvania, doubt creeps in,” he admitted. “That’s when you have to break it down. Just make it to the next tree, the next town. One step at a time.”
Jack said the scariest part of his trek was during his time going across Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming when he had to ride on I-80. He said, “It was terrifying having these semis go past at 80 mph, luckily one good thing about interstates is that they have very wide shoulders, so I can stay way to the right.” When Jack finally left I-80 for good it was just outside of Larimie. Jack said, “the exit I took to get off I-80 for the last time was called “Happy Jack Road”, and Jack was happy to get off that damn thing and once off the interstate it was one of the most beautiful parts of my trip.”
In Nebraska, Jack had temporarily met his match when it came to the weather. High heat and intense flooding along Jack’s intended path brought a temporary pause to his adventure with full intention of finishing it once the weather calmed down.
For the second half, Jack wanted support. And so a good friend, Burt Beavers, rented a support van and together they pushed on through the east.
“It was nice having Burt with the van, it allowed me to travel without the trailer,” Jack said. The trailer was great for bringing the supplemental battery, but it was also heavy. So when Jack and Burt started the final half of the trip, Jack had a custom rack made to carry the extra battery on the bike frame. Anytime it would start to get low, Jack would hand the extra battery off to Burt, who would then drive ahead and charge it. It was a routine that kept Jack pushing through til the end!
Jack’s journey was more than just a solo ride; it was a dialogue with the past. He set out to follow in the path of George Wyman, who started at Lotta’s Fountain in San Francisco back in 1903 and ended in New York in 51 days later. While riding, Jack would often reflect on George’s trip and said, “when George did this thing, there were hardly any roads. I mean, he was riding on, if there was a road, it was a dirt road for the most part! And so here's this guy on his motorcycle, and if it rained, he had to push his bike through the mud, sometimes going across the desert, he's going through sand, he was on the railroad tracks. So this guy was incredibly tough and he was a great mechanic too.”
There were times where the railroad tracks weren't in sight, they were probably 5-10 miles away, and off in the distance I’d hear the railroad crossing bells.
Often in the early morning, as Jack set out on his bike, he’d hear the distant sound of railroad crossing bells.
“Sometimes I’d stop and just listen,” Jack said. “I’d think about George Wyman, how he must have felt hearing those same sounds. It was like he was there with me, telling me I’m on track.
By the time Jack reached the rolling plains of Nebraska, those bells had begun to fade. But the connection remained. “It’s humbling to follow in the footsteps of someone so determined and resilient,” he reflected. “George’s spirit kept me going on the toughest days.”
Jack completed his adventure in 42 days on the road, (not counting the temporary pause due to extreme weather conditions.)
For Jack, adventure is a lifelong pursuit. His next big challenge? Touring the United States in a 1978 Volkswagen bus converted to electric. And after that, he’s eyeing the Pines to Palms Highway, a route that runs from Canada to New Orleans. “These adventures keep me young,” Jack said with a grin. “I’ll keep chasing the next one as long as I can.”
Jack’s story is more than an account of miles traveled. It’s a challenge to us all to embrace life fully. “Don’t wait,” he says. “Go. You don’t have to figure it all out. Just start. The road will teach you the rest.”
Just as George Wyman inspired Jack, so can the rest of us find inspiration to go after our dreams with a determined resolve to see where they lead. Whether it’s a cross-country bike ride or a dream you’ve been putting off, take Jack’s advice. Gear up, push off, and trust that the journey will be worth it. And if you have felt inspired by this story as we have, please consider donating to the George Wyman foundation, a project that aims to link the past with the present in hopes of inspiring more to live a life of passion and purpose.
Jack mentioned there were multiple times that he would see a sharp object, be it a rock, glass, or metal, and wouldn't have time to swerve out of the way. “I wouldn’t have time to move out of the way, and would feel the hit on the tire. I’d keep riding, praying that it wouldn’t flatten. It never did, and I had some rough hits!”
Funny enough, the only flat Jack got was on the trailer that carried his supplemental battery during the first leg of his trip, which did not have Tannus products in it. Luckily for Jack, a good samaritan in rural Nevada provided the help and relief he needed to get back to pedaling across the country.
The Real America
From strangers offering cold water in the desert to friendly faces patching a trailer tire by the roadside, Jack found himself surrounded by small acts of kindness. These moments brought to life what he calls the “Real America”—the side of the country you miss when flying over at 30,000 feet or speeding along the interstate.
But the ride wasn’t without its challenges. “When you’re pedaling through 100-degree heat in Nevada or navigating steep hills in Pennsylvania, doubt creeps in,” he admitted. “That’s when you have to break it down. Just make it to the next tree, the next town. One step at a time.”
Jack said the scariest part of his trek was during his time going across Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming when he had to ride on I-80. He said, “It was terrifying having these semis go past at 80 mph, luckily one good thing about interstates is that they have very wide shoulders, so I can stay way to the right.” When Jack finally left I-80 for good it was just outside of Larimie. Jack said, “the exit I took to get off I-80 for the last time was called “Happy Jack Road”, and Jack was happy to get off that damn thing and once off the interstate it was one of the most beautiful parts of my trip.”
In Nebraska, Jack had temporarily met his match when it came to the weather. High heat and intense flooding along Jack’s intended path brought a temporary pause to his adventure with full intention of finishing it once the weather calmed down.
For the second half, Jack wanted support. And so a good friend, Burt Beavers, rented a support van and together they pushed on through the east.
“It was nice having Burt with the van, it allowed me to travel without the trailer,” Jack said. The trailer was great for bringing the supplemental battery, but it was also heavy. So when Jack and Burt started the final half of the trip, Jack had a custom rack made to carry the extra battery on the bike frame. Anytime it would start to get low, Jack would hand the extra battery off to Burt, who would then drive ahead and charge it. It was a routine that kept Jack pushing through til the end!
Riding with Ghosts
There were times where the railroad tracks weren't in sight, they were probably 5-10 miles away, and off in the distance I’d hear the railroad crossing bells.
Often in the early morning, as Jack set out on his bike, he’d hear the distant sound of railroad crossing bells.
“Sometimes I’d stop and just listen,” Jack said. “I’d think about George Wyman, how he must have felt hearing those same sounds. It was like he was there with me, telling me I’m on track.
By the time Jack reached the rolling plains of Nebraska, those bells had begun to fade. But the connection remained. “It’s humbling to follow in the footsteps of someone so determined and resilient,” he reflected. “George’s spirit kept me going on the toughest days.”
Jack completed his adventure in 42 days on the road, (not counting the temporary pause due to extreme weather conditions.)
What’s Next?
For Jack, adventure is a lifelong pursuit. His next big challenge? Touring the United States in a 1978 Volkswagen bus converted to electric. And after that, he’s eyeing the Pines to Palms Highway, a route that runs from Canada to New Orleans. “These adventures keep me young,” Jack said with a grin. “I’ll keep chasing the next one as long as I can.”
Don’t Wait. Go.
Jack’s story is more than an account of miles traveled. It’s a challenge to us all to embrace life fully. “Don’t wait,” he says. “Go. You don’t have to figure it all out. Just start. The road will teach you the rest.”
Just as George Wyman inspired Jack, so can the rest of us find inspiration to go after our dreams with a determined resolve to see where they lead. Whether it’s a cross-country bike ride or a dream you’ve been putting off, take Jack’s advice. Gear up, push off, and trust that the journey will be worth it. And if you have felt inspired by this story as we have, please consider donating to the George Wyman foundation, a project that aims to link the past with the present in hopes of inspiring more to live a life of passion and purpose.
