bamabikeguy
Active Member
In March of 2006 I took an 850 mile round trip to visit a friend on Amelia Island, Florida, preparing for my 2 week round trip to Denver, where a friend was promoting a Bob Dylan 65th birthday concert.
Things I learned on the first trip made the second one pretty much of a breeze, and now I go on monthly jaunts of 500 miles or so.
The tentative challenge is to "Cross America" in 2007". I calculate 15 to 16 days minimum to go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, (Charleston, SC to the LA/San Diego area, where my son lives).
(NOTE- I just discovered HOW to post pix)
I am going to split this in three parts- WEIGHT, ROUTE and MISCELLANEOUS
BIKE PREPARATION- Elsewhere in this forum I've described how to make your rear tires and wheels "flatproof". My rear tire with triple lined protections, mounted on a 12 guage wheel weighs about 9 lbs.
My 12 inch gel saddle with shock absorber seat post, that deep Ward basket carrying my Marlboro travel bag, plus the backpack carrying more clothes and my camera......there isn't much room for "extras".
KEEP IT CHEAP AND EASY- The only "valuable" thing I took along was my digital camera. When I hit a rainy patch in Missouri, I pulled into an open garage at a "House for Sale", DUMPED the heavy thread count bedsheet, those clogger type $10 sandals, the 600 page paperback book I was going to read. They were all in my basket, and the 5-8 pounds made a difference in my steering. Next Dollar General store I got LIME GREEN shower shoes for campsite use.
Note-if you look at pictures of my trips, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO CLEAN THE LENS ON THAT VALUABLE CAMERA.......
http://picasaweb.google.com/home
SHOP AT GOODWILLl/SALVATION ARMY. For 5O cents I got an umbrella in a zip up carrying case. I tossed the umbrella in a closet, used the case to put my "tools", adjustable wrench, 6 way screwdriver, Swiss army kind of allens wrench thing, A FEW FEET OF DUCT TAPE WRAPPED ON THE END OF A PENCIL. AirPump... The "kit" fit in that area between the seat and handlebars, 10 pounds of metal NOT in my basket or on my back.
I got a leather black "purse" for a buck, to carry my printouts of newspaper articles, to leave along the trip "spreading the word". Unneeded weight, but I shipped via UPS a boxfull of stuff to Denver, including a new supply of "advertising" to disperse on the return trip.
For a couple of bucks, I got windbreakers and warmup pants. "Dress in layers", don't bring bulky jackets and sleeping bags. On solo trips, TWO 6' x 6' tarps, a $10 fleece blanket from Dollar General. When in colder climate, put a couple of plastic grocery bags over your socks, then put a second set of socks on. Next day, it starts warming around 11 a.m. you take off the inside socks and bags, you can rotate 4 pairs of basic white socks, that sell for $2.
I have a Dome Tent- have taken it on the Local 400 mile runs. GREAT if traveling in a group-to split the weight. I take out the bag of rods and attached that part to the bike frame with long zip ties. You DON'T HAVE TO SET UP THE TENT, it doubles as a tarp if you want to watch the stars, and can be a "sleeping bag" when the morning FOG rolls in, getting everything wet.
MORNING DEW MAKES BLUE JEANS HEAVY. Hard to dry, and then that extra weight sits rolled up in your basket, not drying and twice as heavy as normal. You can get 5 days journey before hitting a laundrymat rotating t-shirts, long handles, sweat shirts and pants, windbreakers and that fleece blanket. You DON'T want the backpack over 20 pounds, and in Denver my friend bought me a better deluxe 5 zipper backpack for $2.
at another Goodwill. GOODWILLS ARE ALWAYS NEAR LAUNDRYMATS.
Somebody could steal my bag out of the basket, and I could replace the kit and kaboodle for $10. BIKE RIDING IS ABOUT PEACE OF MIND, don't sweat the little stuff......
So my backpack is basically "quick items", the blanket, the sweatshirts, the camera, notebooks, maps, pens and mini-flashlight, things to TAKE INTO THE RESTURANT.
The basket is "camp supplies", the tarps, BUG REPELLENT, tarps/twine/ZIPTIES/flashlight, candles. But even the weight of the bug repellent comes into play, don't take a FULL bottle (2 month supply). Two squirts in the evening, PLUS A FEW SPRAYS AROUND THE TARP PERIMETER, a half bottle will more than do you. I take 7 assorted bungie cords, ZIP TIES are the ducttape of the 21st century.
Speaking of Bungie Cords. To stabelize (sic) the "basket full of camp stuff". I looped a 4 footer from both sides of the basket around the seat post frame, adding a touch of "firmness" to my steering.
GROUP RIDING- The principle is the same as Boy Scouts or Army. Two buddies can split 10 pounds of weight (tent on one bike-rods and pegs on the other).
"PATROLS" of 5 to eight riders could bring along cooking supplies, food and utensils for more elaborate trips.
"TROOPS" of twenty could even arrange to have musical instruments (but you can get a 5 string guitar at Goodwill, donate it back the next day).
THE MAIN THING I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT is air mattresses. I've bought two of those cheapies at Dollar General. I saw one in Oklahoma that looked good for $12, but it weighed too much. When Family Dollar rotated summer to autumn, I JUST MISSED a box full of those cheapie air mattresses for half price. That is the only solution I've figured out, with the bike air pump they are easy to inflate, TWO cheapies that both have slow leaks is better than nothing........ well, it's next to nothing.
FINAL TIP- Before you do a 2 week trip, do a 2 night trip. You will figure out a "wish list", ("TIME/LIFE foldup razor thin radio", binoculars, better dual purpose shoes). I wear Chuck Taylor All Stars, but just ordered some LL Bean Snow Sneakers (p. 39, $59 bucks). I figure they will be good in winter, PLUS good for hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Combined with those Lime Green Shower shoes nobody would steal, rotating those socks, my feet are good to go......
Things I learned on the first trip made the second one pretty much of a breeze, and now I go on monthly jaunts of 500 miles or so.
The tentative challenge is to "Cross America" in 2007". I calculate 15 to 16 days minimum to go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, (Charleston, SC to the LA/San Diego area, where my son lives).
(NOTE- I just discovered HOW to post pix)
I am going to split this in three parts- WEIGHT, ROUTE and MISCELLANEOUS
BIKE PREPARATION- Elsewhere in this forum I've described how to make your rear tires and wheels "flatproof". My rear tire with triple lined protections, mounted on a 12 guage wheel weighs about 9 lbs.
My 12 inch gel saddle with shock absorber seat post, that deep Ward basket carrying my Marlboro travel bag, plus the backpack carrying more clothes and my camera......there isn't much room for "extras".
KEEP IT CHEAP AND EASY- The only "valuable" thing I took along was my digital camera. When I hit a rainy patch in Missouri, I pulled into an open garage at a "House for Sale", DUMPED the heavy thread count bedsheet, those clogger type $10 sandals, the 600 page paperback book I was going to read. They were all in my basket, and the 5-8 pounds made a difference in my steering. Next Dollar General store I got LIME GREEN shower shoes for campsite use.
Note-if you look at pictures of my trips, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO CLEAN THE LENS ON THAT VALUABLE CAMERA.......
http://picasaweb.google.com/home
SHOP AT GOODWILLl/SALVATION ARMY. For 5O cents I got an umbrella in a zip up carrying case. I tossed the umbrella in a closet, used the case to put my "tools", adjustable wrench, 6 way screwdriver, Swiss army kind of allens wrench thing, A FEW FEET OF DUCT TAPE WRAPPED ON THE END OF A PENCIL. AirPump... The "kit" fit in that area between the seat and handlebars, 10 pounds of metal NOT in my basket or on my back.
I got a leather black "purse" for a buck, to carry my printouts of newspaper articles, to leave along the trip "spreading the word". Unneeded weight, but I shipped via UPS a boxfull of stuff to Denver, including a new supply of "advertising" to disperse on the return trip.
For a couple of bucks, I got windbreakers and warmup pants. "Dress in layers", don't bring bulky jackets and sleeping bags. On solo trips, TWO 6' x 6' tarps, a $10 fleece blanket from Dollar General. When in colder climate, put a couple of plastic grocery bags over your socks, then put a second set of socks on. Next day, it starts warming around 11 a.m. you take off the inside socks and bags, you can rotate 4 pairs of basic white socks, that sell for $2.
I have a Dome Tent- have taken it on the Local 400 mile runs. GREAT if traveling in a group-to split the weight. I take out the bag of rods and attached that part to the bike frame with long zip ties. You DON'T HAVE TO SET UP THE TENT, it doubles as a tarp if you want to watch the stars, and can be a "sleeping bag" when the morning FOG rolls in, getting everything wet.
MORNING DEW MAKES BLUE JEANS HEAVY. Hard to dry, and then that extra weight sits rolled up in your basket, not drying and twice as heavy as normal. You can get 5 days journey before hitting a laundrymat rotating t-shirts, long handles, sweat shirts and pants, windbreakers and that fleece blanket. You DON'T want the backpack over 20 pounds, and in Denver my friend bought me a better deluxe 5 zipper backpack for $2.
at another Goodwill. GOODWILLS ARE ALWAYS NEAR LAUNDRYMATS.
Somebody could steal my bag out of the basket, and I could replace the kit and kaboodle for $10. BIKE RIDING IS ABOUT PEACE OF MIND, don't sweat the little stuff......
So my backpack is basically "quick items", the blanket, the sweatshirts, the camera, notebooks, maps, pens and mini-flashlight, things to TAKE INTO THE RESTURANT.
The basket is "camp supplies", the tarps, BUG REPELLENT, tarps/twine/ZIPTIES/flashlight, candles. But even the weight of the bug repellent comes into play, don't take a FULL bottle (2 month supply). Two squirts in the evening, PLUS A FEW SPRAYS AROUND THE TARP PERIMETER, a half bottle will more than do you. I take 7 assorted bungie cords, ZIP TIES are the ducttape of the 21st century.
Speaking of Bungie Cords. To stabelize (sic) the "basket full of camp stuff". I looped a 4 footer from both sides of the basket around the seat post frame, adding a touch of "firmness" to my steering.
GROUP RIDING- The principle is the same as Boy Scouts or Army. Two buddies can split 10 pounds of weight (tent on one bike-rods and pegs on the other).
"PATROLS" of 5 to eight riders could bring along cooking supplies, food and utensils for more elaborate trips.
"TROOPS" of twenty could even arrange to have musical instruments (but you can get a 5 string guitar at Goodwill, donate it back the next day).
THE MAIN THING I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT is air mattresses. I've bought two of those cheapies at Dollar General. I saw one in Oklahoma that looked good for $12, but it weighed too much. When Family Dollar rotated summer to autumn, I JUST MISSED a box full of those cheapie air mattresses for half price. That is the only solution I've figured out, with the bike air pump they are easy to inflate, TWO cheapies that both have slow leaks is better than nothing........ well, it's next to nothing.
FINAL TIP- Before you do a 2 week trip, do a 2 night trip. You will figure out a "wish list", ("TIME/LIFE foldup razor thin radio", binoculars, better dual purpose shoes). I wear Chuck Taylor All Stars, but just ordered some LL Bean Snow Sneakers (p. 39, $59 bucks). I figure they will be good in winter, PLUS good for hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Combined with those Lime Green Shower shoes nobody would steal, rotating those socks, my feet are good to go......
stay warm and dry and b
