I made a poor choice in reconditioning my 20+ year old bike for this ride. For far less money than I spent to recondition and ship my bike to Seattle I could have purchased a bike on line and had it shipped to Seattle. Also, don't use a bike with 27" wheels. You may find yourself having to stop at an antique shop instead of a bike shop if you need rims, tires or tubes.
Make sure you have a very, very comfortable saddle (if such a thing exists). When you're on a bike for 8 to 10 hours a day nothing seems to be on your mind more than your own rear end.
Consider a bike computer with an altimeter if you plan to cycle in the mountains. For long climbs it's good for your mental outlook to see some numbers changing on your computer. When your odometer appears stuck your altimeter will be constantly changing numbers and giving you at least the impression that you're actually getting somewhere.
The Adventure Cycling Association maps are great. They provide lots of accurate info on everything a touring cyclist needs to know. When I left the ACA route about half way across because I was looking for a more direct route home, I gave up the comfort of knowing what was up ahead.
Bring an electronic gadget to give you position information, maps and access to the Internet. Cell coverage isn't great everywhere. But you sure have useful information available when you can get service.
Carrying a full load of camping gear isn't the only way to do a long bike ride. There's nothing wrong with using a lighter road bike with a car chaser (either camping or staying at hotels), or just hoping from hotel to hotel with a light road bike and a credit card.
I suppose I was "stealth" camping, but it didn't seem all that difficult or unethical. I didn't cross any fences or camp in anyone's yard, but I didn't have much problem finding a spot whenever I needed one. I also never left a scrap of anything behind when I left a camping spot.
I was in fairly good shape beforehand, but I didn't do a lot of exotic training before setting off on this ride. I don't think it hurt me. I was mildly concerned that my legs wouldn't hold up after crossing the first pass in Washington state, but the next day things seemed fine. Depending upon how much time you're willing to spend on the bike, an average of 80 miles a day is very reasonable and 100+ mile days aren't all that difficult either.
Whether you're going east or west, don't count on the wind helping you. I only recall 2 days when I had a good following wind and 3 or4 when I was riding into a good breeze. The rest of the time there either wasn't any wind or it was off to one side or the other. Riding into a stiff breeze for a even a day can be very depressing, so be mentally prepared for it.
Bring an iPod. Occasionally the ride gets boring.
Test ride your bike fully loaded well before you start your big ride. Besides getting a good idea of how a fully loaded bike feels, you get a chance to evaluate your racks and loading arrangement and fix any problems before you're out on the road alone.
Stay away from teenage girls photographing dead squirrels in the middle of the road. They're dangerous.
Bring a half a dozen spokes, at least one tube and a spare tire. Also, don't forget to bring the tools necessary to remove your cassette in case you need to replace a spoke on that side.
When you are putting a lot of hours on a bike over days and days, small adjustments on the bike can make a big difference. During the ride I corrected some odd pains in my feet, legs and knees by adjusting the saddle height and fore and aft position, and the cleat position on my shoes. I felt that I was leaning way too far forward on my handlebar, but it was too late to make any changes there.
If something doesn't seem right on the bike, it probably isn't: so check it out. The same goes for odd noises.
I was hoping for at least one, really clear moonlit night to do some night riding, but it never happened. If you are going to ride at night you need to be able to see the exceptionally well. One trip through a monster pothole and you're cooked.
Stop fairly often just to get off the bike and stretch a bit. It's amazing how much better you can feel even after a short break.
Eat lots of donuts and ice cream and drink lots of Dr. Pepper. That stuff's good for you!
Over and Out
Joe
Sent from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment