Recent Posts

1

General Discussion / Re: Touring after Chemotherapy

« Last post by staehpj1 on Today at 07:28:16 am »

I wish you a speedy recovery.  Take it easy and build that fitness at a steady rate.

The good news is that touring can be done without being at a great fitness level.  So it is possible to start fairly early in the process of building fitness if you are willing to take it easy.  I have no experience with chemo though so I don't have any idea how that plays into the equation, but I have toured after periods of no or very little conditioning.  It is hard, but isn't as hard as starting out as someone who has never cycled.

I have met a few riders who were doing long tours after chemo.  They were doing well, but didn't share the details of their recovery.  One older guy ended a Trans America tour mid way due to a cancer diagnosis and came back to finish a year after surgery and chemo.  I forget the details, but he seemed to be doing great when we met him.

2

General Discussion / Re: Touring after Chemotherapy

« Last post by jamawani on April 10, 2021, 10:52:16 pm »

Aggie -

I hear you.
And I do hope to understand you.

I kinda like your comment about the birthday present.
I got tired of all the long faces and serious discussions.
I had a friend from out of state who was trying to call for a few weeks.
When she finally did reach me she said, "Thank God ... I thought you were dead."
We both laughed ourselves silly. Sometimes you just have to do that.

And, yes, I've had side effects from the side effects ...
Not to mention the famous doctor's line, "Well, it could be a lot of things."
Gee, thanks Bubba. (Somehow I think docs wouldn't like the nickname "Bubba".)

My WBCs and RBCs were awful, too.
One time a lab tech chased me down the hall after she saw the numbers.
She said, "Don't you think you should sit down for a while?"
I reassured her that - yes - I knew the numbers were awful.

I wish you all the best now that you have completed chemo.
There's no timetable - some things will be quick, others come slower.
But you will begin to notice changes .... and go, "Wow!"
As for cycling, do what works for you - just for you, nobody else.

Tailwinds.

3

Gear Talk / Re: Off the Bike Shoes

« Last post by froze on April 10, 2021, 10:38:21 pm »

I tried the two shoe thing, and quite honestly I didn't like the extra weight or space the 2nd pair of shoes took, but that's just me.  So I started taking just one pair and it worked out pretty well but the shoes were cheap and didn't last long, so I just bought a pair of Specialized Recon 1.0 and I think their great, I can walk without issues or clanking from the cleat, and clip in with no problems.  They also make a Recon 2.0, that one uses a boa system to tighten the shoes instead of velcro straps, otherwise the shoes are identical, quite personally I thought the velcro straps were more comfortable, I could feel the wire going through the tongue of the shoe and pressing into my feet with the boa thing, but that's just me, so for the $50 price difference I got the 1.0.

I do tend to be a tightwad when spending money for stuff, so some of you are probably laughing at $100 pair of shoes, but I had a moderately expensive road shoe and the darn thing only lasted 5 years, so I bought a cheaper set and they're lasting just as long with even a bit more comfort, so money isn't necessarily the dominating rule to getting a better product.

4

Gear Talk / Re: Klymit vs. Therma-Rest sleeping pads

« Last post by froze on April 10, 2021, 10:29:19 pm »

I had lower back fusion done some years back and due to that I need a thicker than normal lightweight bikepacking pad, so I went with a now discontinued Thermarest Basecamp air mat, a bit heavy but it does provide very good comfort.  However there is a flaw, and this flaw would apply to ALL air mattresses, it doesn't take much to puncture one, on my very first outing it punctured, I did repair it, but that first night wasn't good; what sucked is this happened like I said on the first night, it was a slow leak, so it took 4 hours of lying on it for it deflate, when I tested it at home I only laid on it for 15 minutes, so did the leak come from the factory? if it did I wouldn't been able to prove it.

While I suggest an air mattress for their comfort I now believe that I wouldn't spend a lot of money on one, in fact cheap air mattresses are being made better every year.  One in particular has a 4 1/2 star rating on Amazon with over 22,700 user reviews, that's an outstanding review, weighs 14.5 ounces, it's 2 inches thick for some real comfort, with 20 denier thickness for some degree of puncture resistance and is as thick as a full blow up job will get, and the weird thing is that is cost only $40!!  At that price you could afford to buy 2, 1 for backup!  It's the Sleepingo Sleeping pad: 
https://www.amazon.com/Sleepingo-Camping-Sleeping-Pad-Backpacking/dp/B07FP4Z3RZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Best+Backpacking+Sleeping+Pad&qid=1618104133&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNjBBWjZOMDVIOEEzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDQzOTc0MlI2RUlWU1BCUkhPOSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzkyNzQ4MzRRN05NQzFUVlExRCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Here is a one year update on the Sleepingo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74DcA7SXgM



Of course the most puncture resistant sleeping pad is the Thermalite Z Pak, this thing is simply a foldable foam pad, but people do like it, and it only cost around $40, but it is rather bulky but lightweight, and you can fold it in such a way to set on it, however you feel ground imperfections when lying down on it.

Another option is the Klymit Static V2, less than $70 and has a high durability rating while weighing just a 1/2 an ounce over a pound.

This next and last pad is 4 inches thick! with TWO separate air bladders so even if you spring a leak you're still not laying on the ground, but it uses 40 D thick nylon, and it's only 22 ounces, it also has very high reviews and is under $35.   https://www.amazon.com/Trazon-Camping-Sleeping-Pad-Backpacking/dp/B08CCSB6B3/ref=pd_di_sccai_5?pd_rd_w=QYdOy&pf_rd_p=c9443270-b914-4430-a90b-72e3e7e784e0&pf_rd_r=TB87GE4GP1Q38DBP0MVG&pd_rd_r=b1e2d724-78dd-4daf-b553-c99f76b9e0b4&pd_rd_wg=k6zDI&pd_rd_i=B08CCSB6B3&psc=1

I have some cheaper camping gear I got off of Amazon, and so far I haven't been disappointed, and if I ever do buy something and it turns out to be a dud then I'll send it back and try something different.  But in terms of pads I really think the cheaper ones can do the job just as well, and all the reviews seem to indicate that is true.

5

General Discussion / Re: Best way to split bills while traveling with a fellow cyclist?

« Last post by John Nettles on April 10, 2021, 07:45:39 pm »

Bring one guy who is compulsive about keeping track and is good with numbers. In our group it is the engineer. Afterwards he sends a spreadsheet with all the bills laid out and how much we owe whom. Saves the rest of us  lots of headaches!

Do you loan this guy out? 

6

Routes / Re: St Mary to Baab to Browning

« Last post by driftlessregion on April 10, 2021, 06:38:21 pm »

Thanks, very helpful. We can't wait!

7

General Discussion / Re: Best way to split bills while traveling with a fellow cyclist?

« Last post by driftlessregion on April 10, 2021, 06:37:16 pm »

Bring one guy who is compulsive about keeping track and is good with numbers. In our group it is the engineer. Afterwards he sends a spreadsheet with all the bills laid out and how much we owe whom. Saves the rest of us  lots of headaches!

8

General Discussion / Re: Touring after Chemotherapy

« Last post by driftlessregion on April 10, 2021, 06:34:43 pm »

Good luck to  you. It will be hard but doable. The fact is regardless of chemo we lose half of our conditioning every two weeks off the bike.

9

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Closure on Pacific Coast Section 4, major landslide on map 48 - Jan 2021

« Last post by aggie on April 10, 2021, 03:09:43 pm »

According to Caltrans Hwy 1 will be repaired and opened on April 30th. 

10

General Discussion / Re: Southern Illinois Gravel Ride (video)

« Last post by wildtoad on April 09, 2021, 04:43:37 pm »

Great video...both the production and, of course, the ride itself!  Really enjoyed watching it, thanks for posting the link.