With a new job looming and university behind him, Sam Crossley decided he wanted to do a cycle ride for charity this summer.

But his trip is no ordinary cycle ride – he is currently pedalling from New York to San Francisco with the aim of raising £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Sam, 23, the eldest of four siblings of Homewood Road, St Albans, started cycling while at Loughborough University where he has just graduated with a Masters degree in mechanical engineering.

Around a year ago, he decided to dedicate the weeks between the end of his degree and the start of his new job by cycling from the East to the West Coast of America, a journey of 3,200 miles.

Sam is cycling alone, with no back up, and as of earlier this week when he reached the Rockies en route to Nevada and Salt Lake City, he had travelled 2,040 miles with plenty of drama along the way.

He has crossed eight states, found himself caught up in some severe storms, been chased by dogs and had to call 911 when he found an elderly lady crashed in a ditch.

Sam has also suffered an ankle sprain injury and has been cycling hill climbs of over 3,000ft.

His mum Kathryn is keeping in touch with him through the WhatsApp messaging service and he had been in contact with her regularly until one of the storms kncked out all communications. She said: “It is normally about 2pm when I hear from him but I didn’t hear anything all day. I was beginning to panic but he was trying to cycle and find somewhere with wi-fi.”

Sam, a former pupil of Beechwood Park and St Albans Schools, will finish his marathon ride at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on August 27 – only around a week before he starts his job. A friend is meeting him on the bridge to welcome him to the finish line.

He has currently raised around £700 for Macmillan from the trip that he has funded himself.

Anyone wishing to help him reach his £1,000 target can support him at https://www.justgiving.com/TwoTyredTravels/