Although an ElliptiGO may sound like an exotic minor dinosaur from the Jurassic period, it’s actually a strange hybrid of bike and cross trainer, and Abergavenny photographer Tim Woodier is planning on traveling 5,000 miles across America on one.

As challenges go, it’s pretty bizarre, but as Tim points out, “I wasn’t looking for an epic challenge, it just sort of found me.”

Eight years ago Tim left university and had the idea of setting off on the great American road trip and capturing it on camera, but after becoming a dad-of-two, his best laid plans got left by the roadside and, “I forgot about it, focused on making a living and furthering my career, and concentrating on the kids.”

Yet after Tim picked up a foot injury whilst running, he stumbled across an ElliptiGO and felt it was a perfect solution to carrying on with his fitness training.

Tim explained, “I had to justify the purchase to myself, it’s a lot of money, far more than I’d ever have considered spending on a bike.

“I first dreamt up the trip to justify the price of owning the GO. I wasn’t at all serious about it though, just saw it as a possibility.”

That possibility became a reality a short while later when Tim applied to join the fire service.

“I love my job as a professional photographer and it’s going well but I often feel like what I do isn’t important. I saw that the fire service were interviewing and gave it a shot. The process of applying is ridiculously drawn out, about six months in all. I’d liken it to the X Factor auditions.”

Tim didn’t get into the service and explained, “I was crushed. I’d put so much emotional investment in it and after that I literally couldn’t do the work I did before. I needed a change!”

And that change presented itself in a three month odyssey across the United States on one of the most bizarre contraptions to grace our roads this side of the Penny Farthing.

The 35-year-old dad-of-two will set off in June from New York and plans to cross through 25 states and publish his adventures in a book, with a working title of “Go, Go, Go.”

Tim will be staying with other EllpitGoers he met through Facebook on the way, and explained, “I’ll spend a day in each of their worlds partaking in things I may not be accustomed too. Some may ride with me when I g,o others will part company at their gates. All with have their stories told as they become part of mine.”

If Tim completes the trip he will set a world record for the longest distance travelled on an ElliptiGO.

You can share in Tim’s trip by visiting his website www.gogogotim.squarespace.com.