Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Mostly road tour with a Fargo or Divide?

« on: January 29, 2014, 02:08:15 am »

My wife and I are both riding Salsa Fargos for the type of touring you speak of. Lots of pavement, some gravel paths, and some rocky roads and occasional doubletrack trails. We both love them. I built them both up with MTB components and ditched the drop bars for a more upright posture and set them up with 700x38 Marathon Plus tires. The bikes are a bit heavy, but oh-so-smooth, and exceptionally stable on high-speed descents. We did a shakedown tour this past fall in preparation for our upcoming RTW trip and they performed flawlessly.

Photo of the bikes in action along the Oregon coast: http://flic.kr/p/hgf1Zc

2

Classifieds / Re: WTB: Pacific Coast Map Section 2 or Complete Set

« on: September 09, 2013, 06:08:59 pm »

Heavy rain on our first day of Astoria (and absurdly fierce winds cresting one of the capes -- had to push the bikes, and barely was able to do so) but then just glorious. Afternoon fog rolled in typically along the coast and temps would drop, but it's supposed to get very hot this week. Hiker/Biker sites were plentiful at the state parks even on Labor Day Weekend.

3

Classifieds / Re: WTB: Pacific Coast Map Section 2 or Complete Set

« on: September 09, 2013, 05:18:49 pm »

Have a good trip. FWIW, we just spent 11 days looping the northwest corner of Oregon and though we brought the section 2 map, we hardly ever even looked at it as we made our way from Astoria to Newport.

4

Classifieds / Re: WTB: Pacific Coast Map Section 2 or Complete Set

« on: September 09, 2013, 02:24:44 pm »

I'm selling my entire Pacific Coast set for $45 if interested.

5

Classifieds / FS: Pacific Coast Route Maps

« on: September 09, 2013, 02:23:53 pm »

I'm selling the Pacific Coast route's maps (all 5 sections). We recently brought the section 2 map on a tour and only glanced at it once or twice. It has some minor blemishes from being in a handlebar bag for 2 weeks, but it's not torn or stained and the other four maps are like-new and still have the paper addenda included. These maps are from the 2010 printing.

The entire map set retails for $68.75 on the ACA site. I'm selling them for $45 including shipping to the continental US.

Please message me if interested.

6

Classifieds / SOLD: Arkel Big Bar Handlebar Bags - w/raincover

« on: January 14, 2013, 01:11:32 pm »

Both bags are sold. Thanks for looking.

We're selling our lightly-used Arkel handlebar bags with raincovers (normally sold separately) and map case. They are in excellent condition, no tears or scrapes. Only the slightest evidence that they've been used. All mounting hardware included.



These are Arkel's larger handlebar bag. They were purchased from Adventure Cycling for $170 each. We are selling two of them, both black. Only one left!

Full details: http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/index.cfm/product/323_46/arkel-large-handlebar-bags.cfm

We are selling them for $110 each or two for $210 including shipping. That's practically a chance to buy one and almost get a second for free!

Please reply to this thread or message me through these forums if interested. Thanks!

Edited: Altered price to meet buyer halfway with shipping costs.

7

Classifieds / Re: FS: Trangia 27-8 UL/HA -- Just $65

« on: September 27, 2012, 10:55:06 am »

Almost 200 views but no takers? Sounds like time for a price reduction. How does $65 sound? It's in excellent condition and in need of a home on a long trip.

8

General Discussion / Re: Can someone recommend an inexpensive hotel/motel/hostel in Las Vegas ?

« on: August 21, 2012, 03:26:22 pm »

Would have to second Circus Circus for the cheapest room in Vegas. Stayed once on Super Bowl weekend for $36/night.

Granted, it was in some detached two-story building out back that looked straight out of one of the seedier episodes of CSI. But it was a bed and shower real cheap.

9

Classifieds / SOLD: Trangia 27-8 UL/HA -- Just $65

« on: August 21, 2012, 03:20:19 pm »

We have a Trangia 27-8 UL/HA stove & cookware set that is in excellent condition and works great. We took it with us on a 3-day tour this past May and realized it was just a touch too small for the meals we like to make on the road and have just recently replaced it with the larger 25-8 UL/HA. The 27-8 is ideal for one person or two with perhaps a smaller appetite than ours. 

http://trangia.se/english/5615.27_series_ul_ha.html

The 27-8 UL/HA is part of their "ultralight hard-anodized" line of cookware and stoves and includes:

Hardanodized. Stove with ultralight aluminium windshield, 2 saucepans, 1.0 litre, 1 frypan,
18 cm in ultralight hardanodized aluminium, and aluminium kettle, 0.6 litre. Weight 860g



This set retails for $95-$120 USD online.

We're offering ours for $75$65 including shipping within the lower 48. Please send me a private message me through the Adventure Cycling Forums if interested. Payment via Paypal only. Thank you.

10

General Discussion / Re: Banff to San Francisco

« on: October 20, 2011, 08:00:18 pm »

I'm a bit closer in age and speed so maybe I can help.

These are just my rules of thumb as a relatively fit tourer who tours with his wife, but has a background in triathlon and endurance mountain bike racing.

1) Regarding Speed: It's probably safe to anticipate an average of 11-14 mph. Seriously. It sounds slow, and I usually average 18-20mph on road rides, but that weight makes a big difference.
2) Concerning Planning: My safe estimate is to plan for 55miles/day and every 7th day off. Give or take based on weather, gradient, and your morale.
3) Regarding April: My wife and I are planning a Northern Tier-ish kick off to a lengthy multi-year tour and we have been planning an April 1st start in Seattle. We know this is borderline "Insane" but plan to make allowances by detouring around the North Cascades (Hwy 20 is typically closed until mid May) and by budgeting plenty of days off the bike in a motel. Starting in Banff in April is not recommended. Not for a first time trip.

That said, you'd be surprised how warm you could actually be with proper tights, outer rain gear, long sleeve jersey, warm socks and shoe covers, headband, and winter cycling gloves. Crazier things have been done and it's not that what you're proposing isn't possible, but rather that it could be very less than enjoyable. Just some food for thought.

11

Routes / Re: Northern Tier across the North Cascades: Open but still a lot of snow!

« on: June 22, 2011, 12:31:53 pm »

Nice pics! We're hoping to start a norther tier journey in April of a coming year, but will likely need to take US2 over Steven's Pass (and even that will be highly unlikely if we have another La Nina year up here).

By the way, the photos of what Hwy 20 looked like a month ago are amazing.

WSDOT posted these -- snowdrifts 50 feet tall!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157623371473447/

Have a great trip and enjoy the downhill (hope you made a stop at The Duck in Winthrop!)

12

Gear Talk / Re: Salsa Fargo or Novara Safari for first timer planning South 2 North America trip

« on: June 09, 2011, 02:46:17 pm »

Just built up Fargos for my wife and I for extended world trip. I liked the Novara Safari, but it's really heavy and I wanted to spec the bike my own. As far as I know you can'get a Safari frame separately.

Thumbs up!

13

General Discussion / Re: High Visibility - Always Good or Not?

« on: June 08, 2011, 05:42:27 pm »

My trips so far have been with a bright yellow Burly Nomad cargo trailer and though I typically ride out in front of my wife due to pacing differences, I always fall in behind her if we're on a road with increased traffic. I also fly the orange Burly flag that comes with it.

Which brings up another point. Since bicycling in the US has somehow, for some unintelliglbe reason, been warped into a Red vs Blue point of contention, I fully intend to fly a small 6" USA flag on the cargo trailer's flagpole during our upcoming trip this summer. I'm not a wrap-myself-in-the-flag kind of guy, but I can't help but feel showing a little patriotism might actually be an important safety measure these days while cycling.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think it's enough to be seen while on a bike. You have to be seen as one of them.

14

General Discussion / Re: Cross Country Trip: Money, What To Do?

« on: March 31, 2011, 04:23:11 pm »

Another option for hiding money, more specifically for overseas long term travel where you may not find ATM access for a while...

Put some cash in a ziploc bag, find black duct-tape (or color that matches the interior of your bag) and tape the ziploc flush against the rear wall of your pannier. Virtually undetectable. Sure, if someone steals the pannier, then you're screwed, but it's a nice out of sight and out of mind way to stash some extra cash.

Other than that, I always wear mtb style baggy shorts with a couple zippered pockets. The day's money for incidentals goes in one pocket in the morning, debit/credit card, a couple checks, and half my cash is in the handlebar bag. The rest of the cash in the pannier hiding spot.

15

Routes / Re: seattle to portland

« on: March 31, 2011, 04:17:09 pm »

STP course was definitely low on traffic, but also low on scenery and low on flavor. I really believe the best parts of the STP course are the first 15 miles inside Seattle, near the lake.

That is until you hit the bridge into Oregon. Then there's tons of traffic, negative scenery, and lots of roadside flavor you might want to do without.

My bet would be to angle a bit further east towards Rainier and St. helens, or head further west towards the coast.