Ken Sharples, former Cox Intermediate School principal in Conroe ISD, embarked on a biking trip across the U.S. on April 17. Although he did not make it out of Texas, the biking enthusiast rode a total of about 610 miles before coming back home. “I kind of knew that my chances were not real good,” Sharples said. “I’m 61 years old, and I wanted to have one last try to see how far I could go. That was cathartic—I knew that I left it all out there, and I’m good with it.” Sharples has been an avid long-distance biker since he was in high school. He said he has always enjoyed the freedom and independence that comes with riding a bike. Between his junior and senior year of high school, Sharples and one of his friends rode from their hometown in New Jersey to the suburbs of Chicago. “It was life-defining in a lot of ways,” Sharples said. “It just lit the match of what I like to do.” Some other major trips Sharples has taken on his bike include riding from The Woodlands to Colorado in 2007, from The Woodlands to Washington D.C. in 2009 and from The Woodlands to Albuquerque in 2013. “All of my trips started from my driveway,” Sharples said. Sharples’ trip in April took him west toward College Station, to Lockhart, through San Antonio and south to Uvalde and Del Rio, ending in Sanderson. During this trip, he camped each night. “I’m always struck by—when you get off the beaten path—how friendly and helpful people are,” Sharples said. Sharples ended his biking excursion April 27. “Knowing that I was getting older and knowing that the chances were not that good, it didn’t matter, I just wanted to enjoy it,” Sharples said. “It’s hard to explain.” To read more about Sharples' latest trip, visit www.kesharples38.edublogs.org