The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Local cyclist hits 34th state in ride for charity

Phil Nagle, a 23-year-old recent University of Cincinnati graduate and Tipp City resident, rode his bike across the continental US in less than 60 days.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey Phil Nagle, a 23-year-old recent University of Cincinnati graduate and Tipp City resident, rode his bike across the continental US in less than 60 days.

ENLARGE PHOTO

8,000 miles and 48 states in 48 days — on a bike!

University of Cincinnati student Phil Nagle plans an 8,000-mile bike ride touching all 48 states — in 48 days. His original plan was to begin his journey from Tipp City, his home town, on July 6, but he hasn't raised enough money yet.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Man, 68, drowns at Caesar Creek Lake
5/26/12
Water rescues prompt warning from health officials
5/25/12
Beach Waterpark sued for failure to deliver
5/25/12
Raleigh Trammell’s defense opens in felony trial
5/25/12
UD to move satellite campus to Dublin
5/25/12
> More headlines

By Ken McCall, Staff Writer Updated 2:57 PM Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tipp City cyclist Phil Nagle had bagged 33 states and was looking forward to hitting California — his 34th — sometime Tuesday evening, Aug. 25.

He’ll start heading east Wednesday.

Nagle, who graduated from the University of Cincinnati in June, is attempting to bike through all the lower 48 states in 48 days for charity. He took off from his home town on July 20, has made a circuits through the east, south and west of the country.

He figures he’s about three days behind schedule, but hopes to catch up once he makes it up to Washington and turns east.

“I’m hoping for some high winds,” Nagle said Tuesday during a break from riding in the high Nevada desert. “Once we get the wind on my back, I’m hoping I’ll be able to do 200-plus (miles a day) a lot more easily.”

Nagle said he’s feeling good, has ridden up to 200 miles in a day, and is looking forward to start heading east “I’m really excited about that,” he said.

It’s not exactly all downhill from here, but the hardest terrain is behind him.

“I’ve been over 10,000 feet three times,” Nagle said. “Utah and New Mexico were the big ones. So the worst is behind me now.”

The last few days in Utah and Nevada have been the highest and the lowest points of the trip — emotionally.

The best part was coming out of the mountains in the Dixie National Forest in southern Utah, he said.

“I had a descent that was over 12 miles long, and I dropped about 4,000 feet,” Nagle said. “That was pretty amazing. We were carving through some canyons on a 6 to 8 percent grade. I was traveling about 40 mph the whole way down.

“The scenery was so amazing. But I was going so fast that it was hard to actually look.”

The lowest point — and the coldest — was Sunday when he crossed over into Nevada.

“We started heading west and there were 30 mph gusts and direct headwinds, and it would just not let up,” he said. “I only got about 95 miles in that day. It was just terrible.”

Phil’s father, Ralph Nagle, said he’s closely monitoring his son, and he’s doing amazingly well.

“I’m really impressed with him,” Ralph Nagle said. “He looks good. I’m always asking him how he’s doing, and he’s always thumbs up.”

The team makes sure he’s eating and drinking enough, Ralph Nagle said. He may have lost some weight, but not too much.

“He looks like a super athlete,” he said. “His legs are just like a big muscle, you know?”

Ralph Nagle, who took a leave from work, said it’s been a long road, but a good one.

“We’ve taken all the back roads in America, and we got to see all the things you don’t get to see when you’re out on the interstate,” he said. “It’s been great. We’ve met some wonderful people all around the United States. I haven’t run into one bad person yet.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2393 or kmccall@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article