Indian-origin trio completes unsupported transcontinental U.S. bike ride

Three Indian-origin cyclists finished a 3,168-mile, 52-day ride from Santa Monica, California, to Washington, D.C., without a support vehicle. The effort set a first for Anuradha Palnitkar and added another endurance milestone for the group across 14 states and more than 100,000 feet of climbing.

Why it matters: - The ride appears to set a new benchmark for unsupported transcontinental cycling by an Indian-origin woman in the United States. - The expedition also highlights a rare long-distance, self-supported crossing of the U.S. on unpowered bicycles. - The group’s finish adds to a growing catalog of endurance and adventure records tied to cross-country cycling.

What happened: - Jai Rawat, 57, Anuradha Palnitkar, 54, and Samir Palnitkar, 58, completed a 3,168-mile, 5,100-kilometer Cycle across America expedition in 52 days. - The ride began at 6 a.m. Pacific time on Aug. 1, 2026, at Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles and ended at noon Eastern time on Sept. 21, 2026, at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. - The cyclists used unpowered bicycles and traveled without a support vehicle. - The trio averaged 65 miles, or 104 kilometers, per day. - The route crossed 14 states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, before ending in the District of Columbia. - The riders followed Historic Route 66 from Santa Monica and passed through Grand Canyon country, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Amarillo, Tulsa and St. Louis before heading east toward Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Washington.

The details: - The expedition covered more than 100,000 feet of climbing. - The cyclists rode through extreme heat warning zones for several weeks. - Temperatures reached 119 degrees Fahrenheit, or 49 degrees Celsius. - The route included shoulders of interstates and highways with heavy truck traffic moving at 75+ mph, or 120+ km/h. - The riders also faced highways without shoulders and thunderstorms in New Mexico. - Cold weather on the East Coast added another layer of difficulty. - The trio repaired their bikes during the ride. - The cyclists dealt with dogs chasing them and recovered from bike accidents before finishing. - The route took them across mountain passes, deserts, valleys, forests, corn fields, plains, rolling hills, parks, historic towns, dedicated bicycling trails, frontage roads, highways and interstates. - The riders crossed the Continental Divide in New Mexico at 7,881 feet and the Eastern Continental Divide in Pennsylvania at 2,392 feet. - The group rode the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage near Pittsburgh and the W&OD Trail in Virginia. - The ride also passed through the Ozarks in Missouri, the plains of Texas and Oklahoma, and the corn fields of Illinois and Indiana.

Between the lines: - The route choice put the cyclists on a historic corridor that mirrors the rise of small-town America in the 20th century. - The ride underscores how cross-country cycling depends on endurance, navigation and self-repair as much as physical fitness. - Anuradha Palnitkar’s finish stands out because unsupported transcontinental rides by women remain comparatively rare. - Jai Rawat and Samir Palnitkar’s backgrounds at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, add a familiar alumni connection to the story. - The group’s repeated treks across Nepal, India, Patagonia, Ecuador, France, Italy, Switzerland and Africa suggest a long-running appetite for endurance travel.

What’s next: - The trio is expected to share more photos and videos from the expedition through the photo gallery referenced in the release. - The finish may further position the cyclists for future long-distance endurance efforts and public recognition within adventure cycling circles.

The bottom line: - A self-supported 3,168-mile crossing of the U.S. is rare on its own; doing it in 52 days, without a support vehicle, turns the ride into a standout endurance feat.