WHAT?
An interesting cycle ride from Boring, Oregon, USA, to Dull, Scotland, UK.
WHEN?
9th August to mid-October 2023.
WHERE?
Boring is just east of Portland, Oregon in the Pacific North-West region of the USA. Dull is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, just east of Loch Tay and close to the small town of Aberfeldy. It is paired with Boring, Oregon.
In 2013, Boring and Dull formed the League of Extraordinary Communities, together with Bland, New South Wales, Australia. They are also known as the “Trinity of Tedium”.
WHY?
In 2022, I undertook a unique 7,300 mile cycling challenge to visit all 204 Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger maps in numerical order. It took me to every part of Britain. Read more about the OS Maps trip
In map 51, on 29 Jul 2022, I arrived in a small village called Dull, with a big sign saying that is was paired with Boring, Oregon, USA. I took a picture.
Precisely one year on from that moment, on 29 Jul 2023, following an invitation from an old friend, I will be completing a 600-mile trek across Washington state, from the Oregon border to the Canadian border, along the Pacific Crest Trail. This trek begins very close to Boring, Oregon. Coincidence…?
Then I found out that the Oregon State Legislature passed a law which was signed by the Oregon State Governor in 2013 stating this is “A Pair for the Ages” and establishing 9 Aug as Boring & Dull Day throughout the state of Oregon.
The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners adopted a Proclamation that contains the words “Whereas, cyclists who enjoy nothing better than enjoying scenic rides on quiet country roads would be well served to travel across continents to visit these two communities”.
Fate was speaking. This was too good an opportunity to miss. The adventure had found me – and the Boring & Dull Day celebrations would mark its start!
My quest was now set: to cycle from Boring to Dull by the most interesting route…
HOW?
The cycling trip across the USA from Boring to Boston, Massachusetts, will be approximately 3,200 miles. I will cross at least 12 US states (plus Ontario, Canada) on my way from Boring to Boston between 9 August and about 20 September.
It should take six weeks in a roughly straight line west to east via parts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
I expect to be cycling about 85 miles a day, six days a week. I may even call in at Grim, Michigan on the way. It feels like the right thing to do.
If all that goes well, I thought it would be interesting to add in an extra 700 miles across the top of Iceland to dip briefly into the Arctic Circle (I was in the Antarctic in January 2023 – it sems right to visit both in the same year!) and then take a ferry to reach Scotland via the Faroes.
All being well I should be back in the UK – and Dull – by mid-October. That is the plan!
