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General Discussion / Re: Van supported vs Self contained
« on: May 09, 2022, 02:47:11 pm »
Thanks for the input.
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General Discussion / Van supported vs Self contained
« on: May 03, 2022, 05:35:27 pm »
I have been on a Van supported tour (Southern tier) and am signed up for a self contained (Pacific Coast). I am soliciting comments from those who have been on both types of tour about the differences between the two. Yeah, the obvious hauling your gear but what are some non obvious things? Do the same types of people go on both tours? Is the pacing wildly different? Do the campgrounds tend to be the same? Is the food different? Etc.
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Gear Talk / Re: PedalCell
« on: April 30, 2022, 08:27:02 pm »
I own a pedal cell and a couple of shimano hub dynamos.
One of the hub dynamo's is on my commuter bike and I use it frequently. I like it because i ride and the headlight goes on. It has not given me trouble except when i forget to detach it when removing the wheel.
I have used dynamo's touring with a sinewave usb converter. That also works OK.
I have taken my pedalcell on one tour around the top of Lake Michigan on my touring bike. The pedalcell charged well, perhaps better than the hub, and it was nice to be able to swing it off the wheel when i didn't want to use it. It is a bit clunky and big. There is a slight noise which might annoy some but did not bother me. My trip was rainy and it was here that i had some problems with the pedalcell, the rain and grit that accumulated on the rim of my bike caused the pedalcell to lose its grip and stop turning occasionallyI don't know how much it affected charging but it was a bit disconcerting.
In the end i took the pedalcell off my touring bike and am currently not using it. My last tour was a group tour and I didn't use any dynamo just charged at night in camp.
If I were going on a solo or small unguided tour I would probably put the pedalcell back on the bike. For commuting I will stick with the hub dynamo's. On a guided group tour i will go without a charger.
One of the hub dynamo's is on my commuter bike and I use it frequently. I like it because i ride and the headlight goes on. It has not given me trouble except when i forget to detach it when removing the wheel.
I have used dynamo's touring with a sinewave usb converter. That also works OK.
I have taken my pedalcell on one tour around the top of Lake Michigan on my touring bike. The pedalcell charged well, perhaps better than the hub, and it was nice to be able to swing it off the wheel when i didn't want to use it. It is a bit clunky and big. There is a slight noise which might annoy some but did not bother me. My trip was rainy and it was here that i had some problems with the pedalcell, the rain and grit that accumulated on the rim of my bike caused the pedalcell to lose its grip and stop turning occasionallyI don't know how much it affected charging but it was a bit disconcerting.
In the end i took the pedalcell off my touring bike and am currently not using it. My last tour was a group tour and I didn't use any dynamo just charged at night in camp.
If I were going on a solo or small unguided tour I would probably put the pedalcell back on the bike. For commuting I will stick with the hub dynamo's. On a guided group tour i will go without a charger.
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Classifieds / Selle anatomica X saddle to trade
« on: August 23, 2021, 01:44:44 pm »
I have a Selle anatomica X series saddle that is basically unused. After purchase I found I am too heavy for it. I would like to trade for a Brooks B17 or a Selle Anatomica H series saddle
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General Discussion / Re: advice for tablet or laptop for planning (rerouting) while on tour
« on: June 08, 2021, 07:49:39 pm »
I have used a refurbished Dell Venue which is a lot cheaper than a Surface and has given me good service.
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General Discussion / Re: Camping or not? Is the weight worth it?
« on: May 13, 2021, 03:10:14 pm »
One advantage of camping is the people you meet. Not so much in the trailer/RV dominated spaces but hiker/biker sites and walk in campsites tend to collect an interesting group of people many of whom share outdoor interests and like to socialize. It's also a good place to share information and perhaps form temporary travel groups.
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GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: ACA Southern tier Tour and GPX maps
« on: May 06, 2021, 04:27:59 pm »
No answer from ACA
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GPS & Digital Data Discussion / ACA Southern tier Tour and GPX maps
« on: May 03, 2021, 11:17:54 am »
So, I am signed up for an ACA Southern Tier tour and am excited about the prospect. I would like to get the gpx files so that I can plot, plan and drool. I am aware that I would get information at the beginning of the tour but I am impatient. My question is how closely do the ACA tours follow their maps? Sure stuff happens, but are the ACA maps "the plan" or sort of general guidelines?
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General Discussion / Re: Cooking on a van supported tour
« on: February 26, 2021, 08:42:21 pm »
BB and Wildtoad thanks for the info. The need for a vegetarian base will have me thinking.
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General Discussion / Cooking on a van supported tour
« on: February 25, 2021, 06:58:41 pm »
I'm signed up for an ACA van supported tour which i look forward to with great anticipation. I understand that we will be rotating cooking duties which is fine but I am a bit anxious about cooking for 15 people after a day of cycling. I understand that people will probably be hungry and not to picky, basically willing to eat a boiled door knob, but it would be nice to be able to produce something other than endless pots of spaghetti. Those of you with group shared cooking experience what were the good easy meals that you remember?
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Routes / Re: ACA Discontinuing some Paper Maps
« on: January 18, 2021, 11:41:09 am »
I too would miss paper maps quite a bit and I am disappointed to see that one of the trips I am considering, underground railway, is on the discontinue list. However I can see the logic of the decision. Printing and maintaining paper maps must be incredibly time consuming. Not the physical printing itself but the design, layout, error checking, and other cartographic tasks are not trivial. The digital resources are probably far less resource intensive. I don't know how well the digital maps play with google maps but my plan is to try to try to import into google mymaps and print from there.
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General Discussion / Re: GAP trail ride
« on: January 18, 2021, 11:20:29 am »
How ill you get back from DC to Pittsburg? If by train, then I believe the train station would be accommodating.
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Routes / Re: First time, but year long trip. Nervous.
« on: September 01, 2020, 09:00:22 am »
I think that if you explore the west coast you will find that you are mistaken in thinking of the west as barren. In addition Oregon and Washington to some extent have wonderful hiker biker sites if they are open (Covid). If you are determined to stay east I have been on the C&O, GAP and Erie Canal trails and they have had cheap/free camping areas. Not the great wilderness experience however.
You may have trouble with internet. I usually depend on libraries for WiFi and found a lot of them closed this summer.
You may have trouble with internet. I usually depend on libraries for WiFi and found a lot of them closed this summer.
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Gear Talk / Re: Brooks Flyer Seat Bag Recommendation
« on: August 24, 2020, 07:17:53 pm »
Carradice longflap type
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