Some frequently asked questions about my trip.
1. Where will you stay? Answer: I will be camping mostly at camp sites and staying in hotels / motels when available.
2. What will you eat? Answer: I will take 2 days of food with me on the bike, but will be eating anywhere I can find to eat along the way. Most of the route takes me through small towns and some larger ones, and rarely will I be more than 20-30 miles from stores, cafes, etc.
3. Do you feel safe? Answer: Yeah, sort of. I have no major fears. In my training and daily riding, many of the situations I will be dealing with along the way, I encounter here. Cars, road hazards, dogs, rude people, etc.
4. What will you do if your bike breaks? Answer: After riding the same bike for the past two years and several thousand miles, I have a good feel for what might break on an extended trip. I will take certain parts wtih me, i.e brakes, cables, chain links, etc. In addition, I have spent several months working at local bike shops and learning how to fix things I might need to fix. Kenny, at Bob's Bicycle has taught me a great deal.
5. What does Charlotte think about this trip? Answer: She has been very supportive and encouraging, but I know she would rather I stay at home. She understands why I am doing it and will worry about me, I am sure.
6. How will you take all the stuff? Answer: I have bags that hook to the front and rear of the bike called, panniers. They will hold my camping stuff, clothes, tools, food, etc. All together, the baggage weighs approximately 40 pounds.
7. What will you do if you have a flat tire? Answer: I carry 2-3 extra tubes, a patch kit, and tire tools with me all the time. Flats are always going to happen, and you just fix them. Takes less than 10 minutes. The tires I use are expensive touring tires and are relatively puncture proof, but nothing is 100%.
8. Do you wear those spandex shorts? Answer: NO! I see no need in them and they are uncomfortable for me. Maybe if I was Lance Armstrong and was going to ride 50 miles an hour. I do wear padded cycle briefs, under a pair of touring shorts that look like regular shorts. If guys want to wear them and feel comfortable, I think that's great, but I don't. They do have a lot of benefits however as I understand.
9. How long will it take? Answer: I have a 53 day riding itinerary, but I have around two weeks of free days available if I need them. I am not going to plan days off.. I will take them when I need to rest or facing severe weather conditions.
10. How many miles will you have to ride? Answer: The route will take me a little short of 4000 miles. I am using Adventure Cycling maps and will be doing 1500 miles of the Lewis and Clark Trail and then a route called the Northern Tier. I will be passing through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesotsa, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virgina.
Every week brings an interesting experience. This week, I discovered a painless lump on the side of my left knee. Apparently it is a ganglion cyst. a friend of mine ( who should know ) told me not worry about it and when it got bigger he'd ice it and then smash it with a book. OOOUUUCCCHHH!!!!
" Dreams are born in thought, pursued with enthusiasm, and realized through action." mod
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Been there and done that!
Mod's bicycle trip 2010 from Portland, Oregon to Parkersburg, West Virginia
PERSPECTIVE
When I think of the men, women, and children who suffer from disease and hunger throughout the world I realize the smallness of my endeavor. When I think of the men and women who serve in our military defending our freedom and spending months in foreign lands, I realize a 4000 mile bike journey is fairly insignificant. When I think of the elderly who spend the brief time they have left being lonely, and the animals who suffer at the hands of humans I am reminded that my journey is not very important.
Blog Archive
What do you think of mod making this trip?
My top 10 cycling pet peeves.
- 10. Any bicycle sold by Wal Mart. There isn't enough good metal in one to make a pie pan!
- 9. People who throw glass bottles out of car windows.
- 8. Any cyclist who feels the type of riding they do is the only type of cycling. I think it's great to see anyone on a bike.
- 7. Bicycle shops that charge to put air in your tires.
- 6. People throwing things from cars at cyclists. Really stupid!
- 5. People who yell out the window when passing a cyclist. They must not realize that all we hear is a squeal. Kinda funny actually!
- 4. Kids and young adults who ride through yards, weave wrecklessly through traffic and stop signs, and in front of cars, causing people to view cycling in a negative way.
- 3. Cyclists who ride in the road to prove a point. A little common sense goes a long way! I'm not going to argue with a red neck driving a 6000 pound truck with a dog in the back bigger than my bike! The goal is to ride, have fun, and get home alive! I do think we live in an area that needs to be more aware of cycling and hopefully people who ride often and correctly can have an impact on the way we are viewed by automobile drivers.
- 2. People who know they have dogs that chase bicycles and do nothing. Wonder if they would like them to be pepper sprayed. Of course not!! If its your dog or my legs, I'm choosing my legs!
- 1. People who don't turn on headlights when it isn't daylight. Maybe they think they are saving gas, too lazy to turn, push, or pull the switch, or maybe they think they are hiding in the dark.. Dumb and dangerous habit!!
PAVEMENT SURFING
Been there and done that!
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