Messages

166

Routes / Re: Great Parks North - best timing

« on: March 07, 2017, 12:53:45 pm »

Indyfabz, thanks for your input.  I just read the bicycling restrictions at the Glacier NP website.  I'll have to re-check it when I'm near the park.

I'm going east-to-west and was planning to camp at the Rising Sun Campground.  I don't think I'll make it from Rising Sun to Sprague Creek Campground by 11 am.   It looks to be a challenging 34 miles, and I don't want to rush it because I know how beautiful that stretch is.   I had planned to end up the day in Columbia Falls, but maybe I'll just hang out at Sprague Creek Campground or Lake McDonald Lodge and pedal the last hour down to West Glacier after the road re-opens at 4 pm.

167

Gear Talk / Re: Keen sandals for 2 month crosscountry trip

« on: March 06, 2017, 06:49:14 pm »

Walk.in2.trees,

Thanks for your input.  I suppose I can bring my Pearl Izumi shoes and Keen sandals and leave my Crocs at home.  I'm sure the sandals are a bit heavier.  Part of my concern was whether the Keen sandals would hold up for 4000 miles.  I guess I'll have to monitor the wear-and-tear and the ride progresses.  And I think I should look into waterproof shoes.

RussSeaton,

Someone I ride with has Shimano sandals and didn't think the sole was stiff enough.  I'll have to check out Lake sandals.  I'm not familiar with them.

John R

168

Routes / Re: Another way to cope with dogs

« on: March 06, 2017, 06:36:49 pm »

I don't think this is helpful to a discussion of aggressive dog along parts of the trans-America routes.   Perhaps someone with a background in statistics can give their input.  Linking bad-dog behavior to "bible belt"  and confederate flag display is inflammatory and not likely helpful to anyone using this forum.  Was I just "trolled"?   If so, please let this thread die. 

169

Gear Talk / Keen sandals for 2 month crosscountry trip

« on: March 06, 2017, 12:26:28 pm »

I found a discussion about sandals from two years ago.  I was going to send a private message to one of the responders, dkoloko, but thought it might be better to get more input.

 I am planning to do a mostly-Northern-Tier ride in June and July this year.  In all my previous multi-day trips, I've been using Pearl Izumi SPD shoes.  They work fine as long as they stay dry.  I've got shoe covers to use if necessary, but I use them more for warmth on winter rides.  The longest I've used my Keen sandals is for 30 miles and not for multi-day trips.  I have Crocs to use at the end of the day in the campground.  I don't want to bring both the sandals and shoes.  I know the obvious answer for me is to try the Keen on long, mulit-day trips.  I just wanted to get others opinions on sandals only for a 2-month trip.

dkoloko, are you still there?

170

General Discussion / Re: Application for keeping a journal

« on: March 02, 2017, 08:35:54 am »

And I just got an e-mail from the folks at RideWithGPS.   It appears they have a new Report feature. At first glance, it looks to be available only on the desktop version, not on the Android phone version.

171

General Discussion / Re: Application for keeping a journal

« on: February 22, 2017, 04:18:32 pm »

I agree with John Nelson.  The journal is more for me for years later.  When I'm on extending hikes, I make a habit of writing things down at the end of the day.  Otherwise I forget too soon.

172

General Discussion / Re: Application for keeping a journal

« on: February 21, 2017, 09:32:10 am »

Staehpj1,

Thanks for your summary.  I think I just need to try each app on my phone to see which one works best for me.  I still have 3 months to play around with them.

Crazy Guy
Google Sites
WordPress
Blogger
Track My Tour

173

General Discussion / Re: Application for keeping a journal

« on: February 20, 2017, 06:25:59 pm »

The journal is more for myself.  When I've been on other "adventures", I've found it very worthwhile when I look at it, a year later, 5 years later, 10 years later...

Most other people, I assume, will just read it once and look at the pictures.

I haven't used Crazy Guy myself, but I like the format and I've learned a lot from what others have posted there.

So far, my list of things to check out are:

Crazy Guy
Google Sites
WordPress
Blogger

174

General Discussion / Application for keeping a journal

« on: February 20, 2017, 03:50:47 pm »

I'm planning a ride from NJ to Anacortes this summer.  I have most of my questions answered, much thanks to this forum!  Now I have more trivial issues.  My question is "What application do you recommend for keeping a journal when on a longish bike ride?".   CrazyGuyOnABike?  I'm only bringing an Android phone. 

I've been section-hiking the AT and just use a NotePad on my phone to keep a journal.  Since I'll be gone for 2 months, I wanted to use something my friends could access.  I've never used FaceBook - it seems to be too much of a "time sucker" - but do others use it for creating a trip journal?

175

Routes / Re: How to get home. Anacortes to NJ

« on: February 14, 2017, 09:32:34 am »

Thanks for the replies.  It gives me several options to check out.

176

Routes / How to get home. Anacortes to NJ

« on: February 13, 2017, 03:25:06 pm »

I hope to be doing a "mostly Northern Tier" ride from NJ to Anacortes this summer.  I should be finishing in the first week in August.  From Anacortes, I was planning to ride south to Deception Pass - it seem like a good place to "end".  My question is, from there, what's a good way to get back to NJ?  Bicycling is not an option!  Do I ride down to Bremerton, take the ferry to Seattle, and fly back from there?  I should I backtrack and pedal up to Bellingham and fly from there?  I plan to ship my bicycle back by BikeFlights.  I'm thinking that cycling around Seattle may be congested.  But going out of Bellingham adds an extra leg to my flight.

177

Routes / Re: Any New Jerseyeans there? Or, "How to get from Sandy Hook to Bear Mountain"

« on: January 24, 2017, 09:43:50 pm »

But for me, going into Manhattan is not in the plan.  Since I live in north-central Jersey, Florham Park, that's where I'll be headed.  The only question I have is how to get there safely.  I'll be polling my local bike club for ideas too.

178

Gear Talk / Re: Tablets/IPad or laptops

« on: January 24, 2017, 09:17:28 am »

This is a similar query...

I use RideWithGPS on my desktop at home for route planning.  I'd kind of like to have the same capability when on my upcoming cross-country trip.   I've tried RideWithGPS route planning on my Android Smarthphone and my wife's iPad mini and it doesn't work.  I'm contemplating getting a small laptop just for this functionality.  Has anyone else found a way to do route planning on an Android phone?  I may just decide to go the public library route rather than carry a laptop. 

When hiking the Appalachian Trail a few years ago (just a section hiker), I found that my smart phone was perfectly acceptable for taking photos, keeping a journal and internet use (where accessible).

179

Routes / Re: Any New Jerseyeans there? Or, "How to get from Sandy Hook to Bear Mountain"

« on: January 23, 2017, 08:39:27 pm »

I'm concerned about all the traffic going through Woodbridge Township, Winfield, Garwood, Springfield.  No easy riding the whole way. 

180

General Discussion / Re: Montana Highway bicycling access threatened in Montana Legislature

« on: January 23, 2017, 12:19:35 pm »

Thanks for the update.