Messages

46

General Discussion / Re: Cycling in thunderstorms

« on: July 30, 2009, 10:37:45 pm »

A great test is to pitch your tent in the backyard and hit it with a spray nozzle. Have someone you trust spry it with you in it. The idea isn't to try to get you soaked, it's to find out where the weaknesses in your setup are, if any of the seams leak, and to get experience with the guying requirements. 

bogiean
[/quote]

I understand that. I have a couple of tents which have always done the job for me. I was just curious in which tent Litespeed survived, completely dry, in the middle of what he called a shallow stream.

Jim

47

General Discussion / Re: Cycling in thunderstorms

« on: July 27, 2009, 09:51:21 pm »

In which tent was that?

Jim

48

General Discussion / Re: Shorts recommendation?

« on: May 26, 2009, 11:04:44 pm »

"I know it will be tempting to just wear T shirts instead of jerseys, but cotton has issues when wet."

Target (and probably Hell-Mart) has synthetic T shirts. They wick like cool-max, they're cheap (much cheaper than any jersey I've ever seen), they come in bright colors, and they avoid the spandexy look, if that's a consideration. I have some that I use for touring.

Jim

49

Routes / Re: Northern Tier next summer

« on: April 27, 2009, 09:39:22 pm »

Go to crazyguyonabike.com and search the journals for "Luddington" and "ferry". You'll find several accounts of folks taking the ferry.

Jim

50

General Discussion / Re: Is it worth installing a kick stand?

« on: February 19, 2009, 06:26:24 pm »

I recently purchased a Surly Long Haul Trucker and I'm outfitting it for a Trans America ride this summer. Is it worth getting a kick stand, just wondering if this simple option is justifiable to consider for a long tour?

I like the Greenfield rear triangle kickstand, recommended by some. However, on the LHT, the spoke holder on the chain stay interferes with the Greenfield mounting system to the point that I was unable to mount one successfully on my LHT (I like kickstands -- VERY handy). I eventually gave up and installed a kickstand that mounts just behind the bottom bracket.

Jim

51

General Discussion / Re: ‘Camping’: Is it really necessary?

« on: February 07, 2009, 11:22:29 pm »

See Mike Noonan's journal at CGOAB (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3Tzut&doc_id=2522&v=si). San Francisco to Boston, motel every night.

52

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Do you/would you use a basic or a mapping GPSR?

« on: June 15, 2008, 09:43:04 pm »

1. Yes

2. Mapping

3. When breakdown / technological advances warrant it

4. Mapping

53

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Do I have to select each wypt to make a route?

« on: April 19, 2008, 12:49:32 am »

"ACA seems to have made the routes straight line rather than "auto" which seems to mean following roads that curve.

"Is there any way to convert them?"

Kathy,

All you have to do is select the route (and you may be able to select them all at once) and tell your software to recalculate the route. It will do that according to whatever preferences you have set -- e.g. shortest, quickest, etc. It will know which waypoints to use. However, your software probably doesn't show, or follow, bike trails. Instead, where the ACA waypoints are on bike trails, your software will construct a convoluted road route that hits all the waypoints, but makes no sense. A good example is the very first route out of Anacortes on the Northern Tier. If you check the comments of the waypoints that seem to be problematic, you'll see that they refer to bike trails. I have no solution for that.

-Jim

54

Routes / Amtrak to Oakland for Pacific Coast Route?

« on: July 15, 2008, 03:49:25 am »

You could take Amtrack to Martinez, then ride across the Carquinez bridge (dedicated bike path) to Vallejo, and catch the ferry to SF. That will land you at the ferry buildling, at the foot of Market Street. If you decide you want to do it this way and need more detailed directions, I can provide.

55

Routes / Yellowstone to Badlands

« on: December 17, 2008, 12:17:13 am »

"Unless I find a better forum, I will probably keep my current blog I started a while back for this ride...   http://bikedenbec.blogspot.com/"

I might suggest Crazyguyonabike.com as a better forum. You'll reach a whole lot of touring bicyclists there who would never hear of you otherwise.

56

General Discussion / What Touring bike would you suggest?

« on: December 31, 2008, 08:36:04 pm »

Geeg, what's that you used to cover/protect the rear derailleur?

Jim

57

General Discussion / LITTLE DOG ON TOUR ??

« on: August 05, 2008, 10:41:28 pm »

Go to Crazyguyonabike.com, and look for journals by Jenia Ciomek or Hank Raines.