Messages

1

General Discussion / 82 year completes a x country: video

« on: June 27, 2009, 08:46:48 pm »

82 year old Kenneth Payton recently completed his tour across the US, Southern Tier. A St. Augustine newsman shot this footage near the finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJVv0KK-kRM

Blog here:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3TzvH&doc_id=4767&v=FI

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General Discussion / Re: Bike Related Skin Rashes -- Please Help!

« on: June 22, 2009, 08:48:02 am »

Bummer about the complicated rash you got going. Strange it's not clearing quicker what with the high powered meds you're taking/applying. Trust your dermatologist, and be glad you had the financial resources for all the consults. Many don't. Not much else you can do.

Try not to stress too much about the delay. Nothing wrong at all with a two stage cross country. It's still a cross country ride no matter how many stages. Plus, anticipation of completing your ride at a later date just extends the fun. I did mine in three stages over 2 years and had a blast with each one.

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General Discussion / Re: Touring

« on: June 21, 2009, 09:20:07 am »

1. Nice bike
2. Personal preference. Advantages and disadvantages to both.
3. Not insanity at all. Cool short days, cold nights, rain. Certainly more challenging than spring and fall, but doable.
4. Layers, as your temp extremes will be 20s to 80s.
5. A tent with good ventilation, as condensation in winter can be a major issue. I'd go with a 2 person model as you'll be spending a lot of time in the tent, what with the short days and rain potential.

Other than the potential for miserable weather, I find having to pack clothing for the temp extremes, and the short days, to be major irritants with winter touring. I do it anyway.

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General Discussion / Re: Fund-Raising for an Educational Cross-Country Trip?

« on: June 18, 2009, 03:36:51 pm »

Here's another one.

http://familyonbikes.org/

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General Discussion / Re: When should I start my trip to cali

« on: June 10, 2009, 03:10:43 pm »

When wondering about likely weather conditions, I like to check it out at http://weather.msn.com/forecasts.aspx.
Type in a city near a area you're concerned about. Then scroll down the page a little find the chart displaying average lows, highs, and maximums as well as monthly precipitation.

6

General Discussion / Re: First tour

« on: June 06, 2009, 09:57:29 pm »

To clip in or not, that is the question.

Strickly a personal matter. If you're use to riding clipped in, go for it. If not, no reason to on a tour. Clipping in offers advantages to competitive cyclist, but probably not to the average tourer. Cleated shoes are not suitable for much off bike activity, necessitating a second pair for walking about. Good running shoes work well on and off the touring bike.

As for tires, as long as you're gonna be staying on hard surfaces, a kevlar lined 28 mm or bigger will work fine for a short tour. Longer tours with 40 pounds of gear, 32 mm and up. Schwable and Continental make reliable puncture resistent tires for touring. I'm rolling on Continental Touring Plus, 32 mm. 1500 flat free miles so far.

7

General Discussion / Re: Transam summer weather

« on: June 04, 2009, 06:26:33 am »

Probably about 40 degrees.

You can get info on this at MSN weather. Type in the name of towns near the highest elevations you expect to encounter. Scroll down the page a bit to find a chart showing high, low, and average temp by month for the area.

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General Discussion / Re: transam advice needed

« on: June 03, 2009, 02:49:52 pm »

The odds are better for tail winds west to east in the Spring.  Just better, not guaranteed. I think maybe winds out of the east tend to be lighter than from the west. My way to deal with impossible winds is to ride early in the morning until the winds get too bad, then quit. I've had to do that several times. I always try to be in some town or park by then. It can be very discouraging if you let it get to you. I do the same when it gets too hot. Ride in the morning, rest up, ride a bit further late in the day.

Have never seen an evaluation of grades one way or the other. Someone ought to post that, tho it probably averages out. 

It'll all work out.

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General Discussion / Re: Hybrid Bikes

« on: May 30, 2009, 04:49:59 pm »

It'll hold up just fine as long as you get a quality bike. Avoid hybrids with shocks. Heavy and not needed. Hybrid geometry is very relaxed for comfort and the gearing is low enough for all the hills you'll be climbing. Add bar ends for optional hand positioning.

Ride enough in advance to make sure the saddle works for you. This is often a "sore" point. You may need to try several to get one that you can sit on for hours each day.

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General Discussion / Re: new to this

« on: May 30, 2009, 04:41:54 pm »

Map: Google maps work great for trip planning. Buy paper maps as you go for details. www.bikely.com for elevation profiles.

Everything else: www.crazyguyonabike.com and www.bikeforums.net

As with most things, bike touring has a learning curve. Once you research the basics and get your gear together, do a weekend tour to test you, the bike, and the gear. Refine it from there.

Good luck and have fun.

11

General Discussion / Re: Menus for bicycle trip

« on: May 26, 2009, 04:53:55 am »

On the other hand, they'll be very hungry most of the time, and will eat what is served.  As a school teacher of 29 years, I've seen the damage done to a whole generation of kids by the families/society trying to custom please and coddle the hell out of kids.  I grew up one of six, and we ate what was served.  Then in Army basic training, you certainbly didn't complain about the food!  So I say make up healthy meals and, if you serve it, they will eat.  If not, there's lessons for them in the logical consequences thereof!

Well said!

12

General Discussion / Re: Shorts recommendation?

« on: May 25, 2009, 09:00:16 pm »

Padded shorts are pretty important for touring. I just completed a 1200 miler with one pair that I washed every 2-3 days and put on wet. They dry fast in the summer. I checked with Nasbar and they have several models for $20. As the boys are short on cash, I'd suggest one pair, wash and wear. KISS principle.

Sounds like you and the fellows are in for lots of fun. Good luck.

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General Discussion / Re: Camping Cost!?

« on: May 24, 2009, 07:17:21 pm »

$20 plus for full service camping in state and national parks in the US is about right. Most have "primative" sites for tent camping only for $5-$10. In most towns, camping in city parks is prohibited.

I find it more convenient and easier to just wild camp most of the time. Cost nothing and when done properly, is very safe. 

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General Discussion / Re: biking across america with diabetes

« on: March 30, 2009, 07:45:40 pm »

Thanks for the motivation.  Is that your website?

Gosh no. Neil Gunton owes that site. It's dedicated to touring cyclists and their journals.

And I do not have diabetes. Just mild COPD. I have no proof that the oxygen actually did any good. Would have had to go down and ride back up without it. I guess it had to tho. Passed on that experiment.

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General Discussion / Re: biking across america with diabetes

« on: March 30, 2009, 04:31:18 pm »

Go for it. Get busy living. You'll have the time of your life.

Gradually up your daily conditioning mileage 'til you can comfortably ride about 50 miles in a full day. Of course monitor your blood sugar during the rides. You'll learn to read you body's signals and quickly get a handle on all that.

The exercise induced euphoria of cross country cycling is well documented in journals. It's a brain thing. The physical benefits are multitude. I just bet blood sugar control is one of them. Weight control certainly is.

Journal your ride on here or on www.crazyguyonabike.com. I'd like to know how you do with this.

As a personal aside, I climbed 7 mile long, 11,000 foot Wolf Creek Pass in Co. puffing on oxygen. Might have been a first. Most infirmities can be overcome with a bit of ingenuity and effort.