actually reads slightly less than it should because I hadn't set the
wheel diameter correctly.
Sunday, 17 August 2008
The proof...
actually reads slightly less than it should because I hadn't set the
wheel diameter correctly.
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Day 49- Ashland to Yorktown
The end! Finito! Done! Woohoo. The flat terrain today appealed to my
lazy side but the traffic was a bit crazy. Not that there was too much
of it but American drivers refuse to slow down, especially on the
weekend when everyone is rushing to get somewhere relaxing... And even
on roads as narrow as today, where I have nowhere to go as there is no
shoulder, they always want to squeeze past no matter how fat their car
is or how big the one coming the other way is. Idiots. My last 20
miles was then ruined by the "Colonial Parkway", which connects the
three historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Its
surface looks to be as old as the three towns, so rough that my wrists
and elbows soon started hurting from all that rumbling! I made it to
Yorktown all shaken up and with a really sore bum (hadn't mentioned it
in a while but these sores don't go away, they just become part of
everyday life). The tour's official finish was at the victory memorial
in Yorktown. But now I had to get back to Williamsburg, 13 miles away
on the parkway, because none of the motels I called in Yorktown had a
room. Luckily, I found a couple who were just packing up their bikes
in a big SUV who gave me a lift back.
So, here are the statistics:
4,250 miles in 49 days including 3 rest days. So on my riding days I
averaged 92.4 miles per day.
I rode through 10 states on the Transamerica trail (Oregon, Idaho,
Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky,
Virginia) and briefly rode into Washington on my first day.
I rode over 4 mountain ranges: the Cascades, Rockies, Ozarks and
Appalachians.
I don't want to know: how many chocolate bars, burgers, eggs and other
crap I ate; how many gallons of Gatorade/powerade/vitamin water and
milk I drank; the number of close calls with cars and trucks or how
much roadkill I've seen!
Overall, an amazing experience. The way I did everything worked out
perfectly for me, although many people would tour differently. The
people in all states were great, very friendly and helpful all around.
And I love my bike! I think it'll serve me well as a commuter, off-
roader or winter training bike for years to come.
I was planning to ride down to Virginia Beach tomorrow to spend a few
days relaxing at the beach. I figured though that I wouldn't want to
ride 50 miles south just to come back north again a few days later.
Plus, knowing myself, I'll spend at least two days in bed watching
TV... So the beach would be useless. Instead, I'm taking the train to
Richmond (laziness and avoiding weekend traffic!), where I'll spend a
few days relaxing and sightseeing before I head up to Washington DC.
lazy side but the traffic was a bit crazy. Not that there was too much
of it but American drivers refuse to slow down, especially on the
weekend when everyone is rushing to get somewhere relaxing... And even
on roads as narrow as today, where I have nowhere to go as there is no
shoulder, they always want to squeeze past no matter how fat their car
is or how big the one coming the other way is. Idiots. My last 20
miles was then ruined by the "Colonial Parkway", which connects the
three historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Its
surface looks to be as old as the three towns, so rough that my wrists
and elbows soon started hurting from all that rumbling! I made it to
Yorktown all shaken up and with a really sore bum (hadn't mentioned it
in a while but these sores don't go away, they just become part of
everyday life). The tour's official finish was at the victory memorial
in Yorktown. But now I had to get back to Williamsburg, 13 miles away
on the parkway, because none of the motels I called in Yorktown had a
room. Luckily, I found a couple who were just packing up their bikes
in a big SUV who gave me a lift back.
So, here are the statistics:
4,250 miles in 49 days including 3 rest days. So on my riding days I
averaged 92.4 miles per day.
I rode through 10 states on the Transamerica trail (Oregon, Idaho,
Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky,
Virginia) and briefly rode into Washington on my first day.
I rode over 4 mountain ranges: the Cascades, Rockies, Ozarks and
Appalachians.
I don't want to know: how many chocolate bars, burgers, eggs and other
crap I ate; how many gallons of Gatorade/powerade/vitamin water and
milk I drank; the number of close calls with cars and trucks or how
much roadkill I've seen!
Overall, an amazing experience. The way I did everything worked out
perfectly for me, although many people would tour differently. The
people in all states were great, very friendly and helpful all around.
And I love my bike! I think it'll serve me well as a commuter, off-
roader or winter training bike for years to come.
I was planning to ride down to Virginia Beach tomorrow to spend a few
days relaxing at the beach. I figured though that I wouldn't want to
ride 50 miles south just to come back north again a few days later.
Plus, knowing myself, I'll spend at least two days in bed watching
TV... So the beach would be useless. Instead, I'm taking the train to
Richmond (laziness and avoiding weekend traffic!), where I'll spend a
few days relaxing and sightseeing before I head up to Washington DC.
Day 48- Charlottesville to Ashland
It's sad that a) the motel last night didn't offer free wifi or
breakfast, b) my breakfast at Starbucks was probably the best and most
nourishing I've had in a few weeks. Speaking of food, I caught up with
the Dutch guys I met last night after a few miles (I'm not the only
getting slightly late starts!) and I noticed again just how skinny, or
actually malnourished, these two look. It seems plain stupid to me to
let yourself lose that much weight while on tour. It's hard enough to
do this much riding everyday, I think you really have to feed your
body enough to help it recover- which really isn't that hard in the
US, it's the country of cheap and abundant food after all! Although
actually I'm getting kind of sick of American food and how much I need
to eat... Might go on a fruit detox week after the tour! Well, I got
to Ashland without any problems. It's still not completely flat, but
there's not too much climbing so I had quite a relaxed ride. Still on
schedule to make it to Yorktown tomorrow!
breakfast, b) my breakfast at Starbucks was probably the best and most
nourishing I've had in a few weeks. Speaking of food, I caught up with
the Dutch guys I met last night after a few miles (I'm not the only
getting slightly late starts!) and I noticed again just how skinny, or
actually malnourished, these two look. It seems plain stupid to me to
let yourself lose that much weight while on tour. It's hard enough to
do this much riding everyday, I think you really have to feed your
body enough to help it recover- which really isn't that hard in the
US, it's the country of cheap and abundant food after all! Although
actually I'm getting kind of sick of American food and how much I need
to eat... Might go on a fruit detox week after the tour! Well, I got
to Ashland without any problems. It's still not completely flat, but
there's not too much climbing so I had quite a relaxed ride. Still on
schedule to make it to Yorktown tomorrow!
Day 47- Lexington to Charlottesville
The first 20 miles to a little place called Vesuvius already had a
fair amount of steady climbing in it... That was just the warmup
though! The climb from Vesuvius to the top of the Blue Ridge (one of
the two parts of the Appalachian mountains, either the young or old)
was only 3 miles long but very steep. My legs were burning so much,
and I reached a new low speed record- I usually climb at 5-6 mph
(heavy gearing! most touring bikes allow you to climb at down to
2.5mph) but I got down to 3.8mph today. So to go that slow with my
gearing means I was essentially doing very heavy single leg presses,
ouch! Once I got to the top, I rode 25miles along the Blue Ridge
Parkway, a beautiful quiet road with some stunning views of the
mountains and the valley below. I passed two cyclists who I met again
later at the motel- they recognised me after reading Luke's blog, and
told me they were afraid that Luke would catch them up again because
of me! After coming down from the ridge, I ran into another cyclist
and we rode to Charlottesville together. Charlottesville is a really
pretty university town- it actually reminds me of the Harvard area!
Now I've got about 190miles to go to Yorktown, luckily with minimal
amounts of climbing... Oh nearly forgot something again- I'm pretty
certain I finally saw a black bear today! It was walking across the
road about 70m ahead of me, it looked like a cub so I stayed back
because its mum was probably nearby, and you don't want to get in the
way of mummy bear!
fair amount of steady climbing in it... That was just the warmup
though! The climb from Vesuvius to the top of the Blue Ridge (one of
the two parts of the Appalachian mountains, either the young or old)
was only 3 miles long but very steep. My legs were burning so much,
and I reached a new low speed record- I usually climb at 5-6 mph
(heavy gearing! most touring bikes allow you to climb at down to
2.5mph) but I got down to 3.8mph today. So to go that slow with my
gearing means I was essentially doing very heavy single leg presses,
ouch! Once I got to the top, I rode 25miles along the Blue Ridge
Parkway, a beautiful quiet road with some stunning views of the
mountains and the valley below. I passed two cyclists who I met again
later at the motel- they recognised me after reading Luke's blog, and
told me they were afraid that Luke would catch them up again because
of me! After coming down from the ridge, I ran into another cyclist
and we rode to Charlottesville together. Charlottesville is a really
pretty university town- it actually reminds me of the Harvard area!
Now I've got about 190miles to go to Yorktown, luckily with minimal
amounts of climbing... Oh nearly forgot something again- I'm pretty
certain I finally saw a black bear today! It was walking across the
road about 70m ahead of me, it looked like a cub so I stayed back
because its mum was probably nearby, and you don't want to get in the
way of mummy bear!
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Day 46- Christiansburg to Lexington
Had a late start because I stayed up until after midnight watching the
Olympics- Phelps winning another 2 golds and the US women battling the
(scarily tiny!) Chinese team for the gymnastics gold. It's nice to
relax and watch others at work! The day went by slowly as nothing
whatsoever exciting happened. Or maybe I was just a little too tired
to notice. Once I got Lexington, I found a motel and headed over to
Walmart to stock up on sweets- seriously, the looks you get here for
pulling up with a bike are hilarious. I went to get some dinner, and
managed to get back to the motel just as the thunderstorms once again
started up. That means it'll be even cooler tomorrow, brrr!
Olympics- Phelps winning another 2 golds and the US women battling the
(scarily tiny!) Chinese team for the gymnastics gold. It's nice to
relax and watch others at work! The day went by slowly as nothing
whatsoever exciting happened. Or maybe I was just a little too tired
to notice. Once I got Lexington, I found a motel and headed over to
Walmart to stock up on sweets- seriously, the looks you get here for
pulling up with a bike are hilarious. I went to get some dinner, and
managed to get back to the motel just as the thunderstorms once again
started up. That means it'll be even cooler tomorrow, brrr!
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Day 45- Damascus to Christiansburg
Christiansburg = end of section 11. Boy did I tear this section up,
380 miles over 3.5 days of riding! Oh yeah, and through the
Appalachian mountains... Child's play. Well not quite, my thighs did
hurt a bit but again, I still got up every climb just fine. On the
last section, number 12, there are only a few smaller climbs and then
one big ass crazy steep climb left. I'll tackle the big one on
Thursday, it's apparently 4 miles of up to 22% steep climbing... Might
take a while to get up there! I have to mention that the lady at last
night's B&B was just the sweetest thing: she did my laundry for $3,
and it smelt heavenly before I sweated all over it again. She made me
a huge delicious breakfast, and made sure I packed a banana as a
snack. It's people like her that make this trip so much more enjoyable!
380 miles over 3.5 days of riding! Oh yeah, and through the
Appalachian mountains... Child's play. Well not quite, my thighs did
hurt a bit but again, I still got up every climb just fine. On the
last section, number 12, there are only a few smaller climbs and then
one big ass crazy steep climb left. I'll tackle the big one on
Thursday, it's apparently 4 miles of up to 22% steep climbing... Might
take a while to get up there! I have to mention that the lady at last
night's B&B was just the sweetest thing: she did my laundry for $3,
and it smelt heavenly before I sweated all over it again. She made me
a huge delicious breakfast, and made sure I packed a banana as a
snack. It's people like her that make this trip so much more enjoyable!
Monday, 11 August 2008
Day 44- Breaks to Damascus
I took my time over breakfast, because the view from the restaurant
over the canyon was stunning. The fog lifted slowly, and it stayed
cool all day- actually almost too cold, so that I would only sweat on
the hard climbs! Virginia is beautiful, and although some of the
climbs are very steep, I enjoy the riding here a lot. I feel really
strong so I don't mind doing several steep climbs every day. Coming
down the hills is actually really hard work too, as the descents are
steep and have lots of sharp corners so I need to use the brakes
almost constantly! Once I got to Damascus, I went for a quick check up
at a bike store. The brakes needed adjusting after the heavy use
they've been getting! Everything else is in great shape so I'm all set
for the last few days... About 485 miles to Yorktown!
over the canyon was stunning. The fog lifted slowly, and it stayed
cool all day- actually almost too cold, so that I would only sweat on
the hard climbs! Virginia is beautiful, and although some of the
climbs are very steep, I enjoy the riding here a lot. I feel really
strong so I don't mind doing several steep climbs every day. Coming
down the hills is actually really hard work too, as the descents are
steep and have lots of sharp corners so I need to use the brakes
almost constantly! Once I got to Damascus, I went for a quick check up
at a bike store. The brakes needed adjusting after the heavy use
they've been getting! Everything else is in great shape so I'm all set
for the last few days... About 485 miles to Yorktown!
Day 43- Booneville to Breaks State Park
Mission "get out of Kentucky ASAP" was a success. Although honestly,
Kentucky was much more enjoyable than I had expected after hearing so
many horror stories about dogs and people living in trailers. It's a
pretty state, and while it may have many dogs, none of them were
anywhere near as scary as the ones that chased me in Missouri! It
seems people are quite responsible when it comes to keeping aggressive
dogs on a leash/locked up. I slept really well last night, and after a
filling breakfast, felt ready for this long day. There was a lot of
fog this morning but it cleared up quickly. Now, after a 138 mile day,
I am spending the night in Breaks Park, Virginia. It looks to have a
massive canyon in the middle, but it's all overgrown so I couldn't see
too much detail when I got here at dusk. I'll have a shorter day
tomorrow, but there's going to be more climbing up steep hills as I am
now right in the middle of the Appalachian mountains.
Kentucky was much more enjoyable than I had expected after hearing so
many horror stories about dogs and people living in trailers. It's a
pretty state, and while it may have many dogs, none of them were
anywhere near as scary as the ones that chased me in Missouri! It
seems people are quite responsible when it comes to keeping aggressive
dogs on a leash/locked up. I slept really well last night, and after a
filling breakfast, felt ready for this long day. There was a lot of
fog this morning but it cleared up quickly. Now, after a 138 mile day,
I am spending the night in Breaks Park, Virginia. It looks to have a
massive canyon in the middle, but it's all overgrown so I couldn't see
too much detail when I got here at dusk. I'll have a shorter day
tomorrow, but there's going to be more climbing up steep hills as I am
now right in the middle of the Appalachian mountains.
Day 42- Danville to Boonville
I'm going solo for the last week because I want to try to finish in 7
weeks, so I have to average 100miles a day. The boys didn't want to
that because they would feel rushed and they want to take a bit more
time to look around. So I left Danville by myself, rejoined the route
and headed to Berea, where section 10 ended. I went on towards
Booneville on section 11, ready to defend myself against the dogs in
eastern Kentucky. I didn't have too many problems, I had to stop for a
few dogs and I used the Dazer a few times but nothing I couldn't deal
with. Tomorrow, I'll try to get out of Kentucky, so I have a long day
ahead of me- about 135 miles. It should be ok though, there's less
climbing than I had on my last crazy long day. Time to get to bed
though!
weeks, so I have to average 100miles a day. The boys didn't want to
that because they would feel rushed and they want to take a bit more
time to look around. So I left Danville by myself, rejoined the route
and headed to Berea, where section 10 ended. I went on towards
Booneville on section 11, ready to defend myself against the dogs in
eastern Kentucky. I didn't have too many problems, I had to stop for a
few dogs and I used the Dazer a few times but nothing I couldn't deal
with. Tomorrow, I'll try to get out of Kentucky, so I have a long day
ahead of me- about 135 miles. It should be ok though, there's less
climbing than I had on my last crazy long day. Time to get to bed
though!
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Day 41- Sonora to Danville
A bit of cheating going on today as we chose to follow a shortcut
described on someone's blog. It saved us about 20miles so definitely
worth it! We passed Lincoln's birthplace memorial, where they put a
huge stone building around the tiny log cabin he was born in. That's
what I call dedication to preserving history! Nothing noteworthy
happened on the ride but we were having problems getting rooms
somewhere in Danville. We finally got 3 rooms at possibly the most
expensive motel in town, and I had to ask exactly what was going on
around here that would bring in enough people to fill up every motel.
I was told that this weekend, the 127 yard sale is on. A few seconds
silence, blank face, before I asked whether everyone living along
highway 127 was having a yard sale. I was told that yes, everyone who
lives along 127 is doing it. That would be along 600 miles of highway,
and throughout 4 states. Guess that's entertainment in America...
described on someone's blog. It saved us about 20miles so definitely
worth it! We passed Lincoln's birthplace memorial, where they put a
huge stone building around the tiny log cabin he was born in. That's
what I call dedication to preserving history! Nothing noteworthy
happened on the ride but we were having problems getting rooms
somewhere in Danville. We finally got 3 rooms at possibly the most
expensive motel in town, and I had to ask exactly what was going on
around here that would bring in enough people to fill up every motel.
I was told that this weekend, the 127 yard sale is on. A few seconds
silence, blank face, before I asked whether everyone living along
highway 127 was having a yard sale. I was told that yes, everyone who
lives along 127 is doing it. That would be along 600 miles of highway,
and throughout 4 states. Guess that's entertainment in America...
Thursday, 7 August 2008
Day 40- Utica to Sonora
We drove in the truck to Utica to rejoin the route- yes we are too
lazy to ride an extra 9 miles, but after so many thousands of miles
we're looking for the shortest way possible to the east coast. So far,
I have absolutely no complaints about Kentucky. With the temperatures
slightly cooler after the storms moved through, I really enjoyed the
beautiful countryside. A few dogs chased us, but we noticed that all
the aggressive ones are being kept behind fences, in cages or at least
on a short leash by their (responsible!) owners around here. We have
now made our last time zone crossing, so we're on eastern time. The
last 30 miles we rode today took us along a good quiet country road.
Only problem- they haven't quite got round to putting up all the usual
signs, so we're zooming down a hill that's at least 15% grade, when we
realise there's a sharp right curve just ahead of us. Thanks a lot,
Kentucky Department of Transport!
lazy to ride an extra 9 miles, but after so many thousands of miles
we're looking for the shortest way possible to the east coast. So far,
I have absolutely no complaints about Kentucky. With the temperatures
slightly cooler after the storms moved through, I really enjoyed the
beautiful countryside. A few dogs chased us, but we noticed that all
the aggressive ones are being kept behind fences, in cages or at least
on a short leash by their (responsible!) owners around here. We have
now made our last time zone crossing, so we're on eastern time. The
last 30 miles we rode today took us along a good quiet country road.
Only problem- they haven't quite got round to putting up all the usual
signs, so we're zooming down a hill that's at least 15% grade, when we
realise there's a sharp right curve just ahead of us. Thanks a lot,
Kentucky Department of Transport!
Day 39- Elizabethtown to Owensboro
We're off route here in Owensboro because they are just so few motels
on this section of the Transam. We'll have the same problem tomorrow,
so we're planning to ride about 100 miles along the trail and then
ride in the truck to a motel a few miles off route. This morning, we
rode to a little place called Cave In Rock, where we had to take the
ferry to Kentucky. We had breakfast first though, and looked at said
cave in the rock. Once in Kentucky, we still had a lot of miles ahead
of us. This part of Kentucky is actually quite pretty (more rolling
hills) and relatively affluent, so we had almost no dogs chasing us.
On the last 30 miles, big thunder clouds started chasing us east, and
soon enough it started drizzling. Just before we got to Owensboro, it
started raining heavily so by the time we got to the motel, we were
fully drenched. Quite a welcome refreshment! We're now into the last
1,000 miles, and we only have one more state left after Kentucky-
Virginia.
on this section of the Transam. We'll have the same problem tomorrow,
so we're planning to ride about 100 miles along the trail and then
ride in the truck to a motel a few miles off route. This morning, we
rode to a little place called Cave In Rock, where we had to take the
ferry to Kentucky. We had breakfast first though, and looked at said
cave in the rock. Once in Kentucky, we still had a lot of miles ahead
of us. This part of Kentucky is actually quite pretty (more rolling
hills) and relatively affluent, so we had almost no dogs chasing us.
On the last 30 miles, big thunder clouds started chasing us east, and
soon enough it started drizzling. Just before we got to Owensboro, it
started raining heavily so by the time we got to the motel, we were
fully drenched. Quite a welcome refreshment! We're now into the last
1,000 miles, and we only have one more state left after Kentucky-
Virginia.
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Day 38- Murphysboro to Elizabethtown
Our last full day in Illinois, which makes me sad because I like
riding here. The weather has been great, the hills entertaining and
not too challenging, but we'll take the ferry across the Ohio river
tomorrow morning... To face something like 700miles through Kentucky!
We were told to stop by this little cafe for free dessert on the way
today, and they served a great omelette and gave us free milkshakes.
Maybe a few too many calories to have before 11am! The ride to
Elizabethtown was nice but I left the boys behind at the last petrol
station stop because they were faffing around too much. We met at the
hotel after a refreshing shower and went for dinner at a restaurant on
a barge, moored on the Ohio river. Well, I can say I've eaten catfish
fresh from the river, but it was all deep fried and served on plastic.
Classy.
riding here. The weather has been great, the hills entertaining and
not too challenging, but we'll take the ferry across the Ohio river
tomorrow morning... To face something like 700miles through Kentucky!
We were told to stop by this little cafe for free dessert on the way
today, and they served a great omelette and gave us free milkshakes.
Maybe a few too many calories to have before 11am! The ride to
Elizabethtown was nice but I left the boys behind at the last petrol
station stop because they were faffing around too much. We met at the
hotel after a refreshing shower and went for dinner at a restaurant on
a barge, moored on the Ohio river. Well, I can say I've eaten catfish
fresh from the river, but it was all deep fried and served on plastic.
Classy.
Monday, 4 August 2008
Day 37- Farmington to Murphysboro
Luke got stung by a bee or something near his lip yesterday, but the
swelling had gone down by the evening. Overnight however, it started
swelling up again so this morning, we persuaded him to see a doctor
while we were still in a bigger town. He got a steroid shot and rode
in the truck for the first half of the day. Mike and I rode through
eastern Missouri before meeting up with John and Luke near the
Illinois border. There were less hills, the landscape was gorgeous and
there were less dogs- it seems higher income areas don't just have
nicer houses, but nicer dogs too! So coming into Illinois, we crossed
the Mississippi, and took pictures at the state line and the Popeye
statue in Chester, the home of its creator. We chose to head along the
Mississippi levee alternate route, not the main route, and enjoyed a
flat, quiet ride. Sadly, we'll leave Illinois behind in a couple of
days when we head into Kentucky- the only state I really dread riding
through!
swelling had gone down by the evening. Overnight however, it started
swelling up again so this morning, we persuaded him to see a doctor
while we were still in a bigger town. He got a steroid shot and rode
in the truck for the first half of the day. Mike and I rode through
eastern Missouri before meeting up with John and Luke near the
Illinois border. There were less hills, the landscape was gorgeous and
there were less dogs- it seems higher income areas don't just have
nicer houses, but nicer dogs too! So coming into Illinois, we crossed
the Mississippi, and took pictures at the state line and the Popeye
statue in Chester, the home of its creator. We chose to head along the
Mississippi levee alternate route, not the main route, and enjoyed a
flat, quiet ride. Sadly, we'll leave Illinois behind in a couple of
days when we head into Kentucky- the only state I really dread riding
through!
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Day 36- Ellington to Farmington
Worst. Day. Yet. The weather was great, overcast and cool. We didn't
have too many steep climbs in our way, and arrived in Farmington very
early in the afternoon. But the big problem: dogs. Seriously, I'm so
glad the guys are here for physical and mental support, if I was by
myself I'd be close to breaking point or giving up!! So the first
encounter we had was with two dogs that didn't seem too aggressive,
and backed off when we stopped. A few miles on, we were riding down a
hill, Mike was a few hundred metres ahead and the dogs didn't get to
him. But they were ready for attack when I passed by, the whole six-
pack came chasing after me. They came out of nowhere and I was going
fast so all I could do was to keep going and shout at them to f**k
off. That was really all I could take for one day, but we had another
attack. Mike was riding close by, and we saw the two dogs coming out
of a property, so we slowed down and shouted at them. Didn't work
though, they kept chasing and the smaller one bit my pannier!! I still
can't believe it did, so far I've been telling myself that they only
chase because that's what dogs do. Seems biting is also a thing they
like to do. Anyways, after that we stopped and I used my Dazer, they
ran away after that. We'll try to ride close together from now on, and
unless we're going really fast, it seems stopping is the best way to
deal with them. Fingers crossed!
have too many steep climbs in our way, and arrived in Farmington very
early in the afternoon. But the big problem: dogs. Seriously, I'm so
glad the guys are here for physical and mental support, if I was by
myself I'd be close to breaking point or giving up!! So the first
encounter we had was with two dogs that didn't seem too aggressive,
and backed off when we stopped. A few miles on, we were riding down a
hill, Mike was a few hundred metres ahead and the dogs didn't get to
him. But they were ready for attack when I passed by, the whole six-
pack came chasing after me. They came out of nowhere and I was going
fast so all I could do was to keep going and shout at them to f**k
off. That was really all I could take for one day, but we had another
attack. Mike was riding close by, and we saw the two dogs coming out
of a property, so we slowed down and shouted at them. Didn't work
though, they kept chasing and the smaller one bit my pannier!! I still
can't believe it did, so far I've been telling myself that they only
chase because that's what dogs do. Seems biting is also a thing they
like to do. Anyways, after that we stopped and I used my Dazer, they
ran away after that. We'll try to ride close together from now on, and
unless we're going really fast, it seems stopping is the best way to
deal with them. Fingers crossed!
Day 35- Houston to Ellington
What I hate most about Missouri are the useless or even reckless
drivers. I forgot to mention that one nearly skidded into us while we
were stopped by the side of the road yesterday! We were a few feet
away from the edge of the road, but most drivers still went wide
around us or slowed down- not sure why they are almost too careful at
times. Anyways, two cars came around the bend and the one in front
slowed down a lot when they saw us. The car behind it must have missed
that and had to slam on the brakes real hard to avoid running up the
back of that car. He started skidding though, nearly lost control of
the car and came really close to me. I saw this all happen in slow
motion and I was trying to clip out my right pedal so I could move
further over, but didn't manage so I could only lean over to avoid
being knocked out by the mirror. Scary!!! Today, most drivers were
careful and considerate enough, which is particularly important when
there are so many hills blocking the view for anyone trying to
overtake us. I only had a couple of problems with trailers driving
past way too close, but nothing happened. We got to some pretty steep
climbs today, and my lowest gear is too big so I had to almost sprint
up some of them to avoid stopping or falling over. My legs were really
burning, my heartrate got above 180 for the first time on this tour
and hit that mark on every major climb... We have a few more of these
hard climbs coming up tomorrow so we're not planning on going very
far. (69 miles today, about 62 tomorrow) Also, the weather channel
reported 100% humidity for Houston this morning, and even though it
wasn't as hot today, I swear my kit was so wet with sweat that it felt
like I'd been swimming in it! It sure puts every sun screen's "ultra
sweatproof" claim to the test! Oh and we ran into more dogs, most of
them small so I don't worry too much. But two big ones came running
towards me, I stopped which calms them down but as soon as I set off
again, they chased me again. Including a three-legged one!
drivers. I forgot to mention that one nearly skidded into us while we
were stopped by the side of the road yesterday! We were a few feet
away from the edge of the road, but most drivers still went wide
around us or slowed down- not sure why they are almost too careful at
times. Anyways, two cars came around the bend and the one in front
slowed down a lot when they saw us. The car behind it must have missed
that and had to slam on the brakes real hard to avoid running up the
back of that car. He started skidding though, nearly lost control of
the car and came really close to me. I saw this all happen in slow
motion and I was trying to clip out my right pedal so I could move
further over, but didn't manage so I could only lean over to avoid
being knocked out by the mirror. Scary!!! Today, most drivers were
careful and considerate enough, which is particularly important when
there are so many hills blocking the view for anyone trying to
overtake us. I only had a couple of problems with trailers driving
past way too close, but nothing happened. We got to some pretty steep
climbs today, and my lowest gear is too big so I had to almost sprint
up some of them to avoid stopping or falling over. My legs were really
burning, my heartrate got above 180 for the first time on this tour
and hit that mark on every major climb... We have a few more of these
hard climbs coming up tomorrow so we're not planning on going very
far. (69 miles today, about 62 tomorrow) Also, the weather channel
reported 100% humidity for Houston this morning, and even though it
wasn't as hot today, I swear my kit was so wet with sweat that it felt
like I'd been swimming in it! It sure puts every sun screen's "ultra
sweatproof" claim to the test! Oh and we ran into more dogs, most of
them small so I don't worry too much. But two big ones came running
towards me, I stopped which calms them down but as soon as I set off
again, they chased me again. Including a three-legged one!
Friday, 1 August 2008
Day 34- Marshfield to Houston
Yes, we are lost, we are in Houston, Texas. Kidding. We are in
Houston, Texas county, Missouri. No prizes for guessing where these
people came from! We didn't ride very far today, as we figured we
should maybe not attempt 100 mile days up and down these hills. And in
this combination of heat and humidity! I felt pretty dehydrated, plus
I didn't sleep too well last night. That won't be the case tonight!
Well, we've only been in Missouri for two days and we're about halfway
through the state. We've stocked up on lots of energy drinks to help
us through the mountains and into Illinois...
Houston, Texas county, Missouri. No prizes for guessing where these
people came from! We didn't ride very far today, as we figured we
should maybe not attempt 100 mile days up and down these hills. And in
this combination of heat and humidity! I felt pretty dehydrated, plus
I didn't sleep too well last night. That won't be the case tonight!
Well, we've only been in Missouri for two days and we're about halfway
through the state. We've stocked up on lots of energy drinks to help
us through the mountains and into Illinois...
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Day 33- Pittsburg to Marshfield
We're out of Kansas! And into Missouri with its hills. The other way
we noticed we left Kansas behind was the fact that roads stopped being
straight... We knew we had a long day ahead, so we loved the clouds
and the cooler temperature! Though the humidity is so high that even
on a cool day, you end up being soaked and feeling clammy. Around 2 in
the afternoon, the sun came out and it was hot as usual. I'm not
finding it too bad though unless I'm stopped in the sun... so much
sweat dripping down my face! The hills we climbed today were a warmup
to the Ozarks, which we'll get to properly the day after tomorrow. I
wasn't finding it too hard, even after 117miles, which I find very
pleasing... You know, great shape, thighs of steel and all that ;) I
was definitely not slower than the guys up the hills, and I'm the only
one who's not a big wuss and still carries their panniers! I'll get
into big trouble once they read this...
we noticed we left Kansas behind was the fact that roads stopped being
straight... We knew we had a long day ahead, so we loved the clouds
and the cooler temperature! Though the humidity is so high that even
on a cool day, you end up being soaked and feeling clammy. Around 2 in
the afternoon, the sun came out and it was hot as usual. I'm not
finding it too bad though unless I'm stopped in the sun... so much
sweat dripping down my face! The hills we climbed today were a warmup
to the Ozarks, which we'll get to properly the day after tomorrow. I
wasn't finding it too hard, even after 117miles, which I find very
pleasing... You know, great shape, thighs of steel and all that ;) I
was definitely not slower than the guys up the hills, and I'm the only
one who's not a big wuss and still carries their panniers! I'll get
into big trouble once they read this...
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Day 32- Another rest day!?
So the plan was to go for breakfast and head to the bike shop when it
opened at 10am- and to be on our way around noon. The guy was at the
shop when we cycled past so we went in. He said he'd be busy until
noon putting together some other bikes. We had breakfast and went back
over to the store to put new tyres on my and Luke's bikes. We were
having a special day and blew three tubes in the process of fitting 4
tyres!! And then it took until 1.30 for the guy to get started on our
bikes... Amazingly, my chain is not worn out at all even though I
have not looked after it one bit! No cleaning, no lube, well once in
the bike shop back in Lander but other than that, no TLC. Everything
else was also in good shape, and Luke's bike didn't need much work
either. But then (it's 3pm by now...) we finally got to Mike's bike,
and his chain and cassette needed replacing. We figured there was no
way we were going to go anywhere today, so we headed to Starbucks and
re-scheduled the next few days. We're still ahead of schedule, and
with another long day ahead tomorrow, it should stay that way.
Tomorrow we'll finally get out of Kansas, though that means we'll soon
be on the rollercoaster ride across the Ozarks. I'm not sure how hard
it'll be, as none of the climbs are very high or long, but some are
very steep and there are lots of them- no idea how many hundreds!
opened at 10am- and to be on our way around noon. The guy was at the
shop when we cycled past so we went in. He said he'd be busy until
noon putting together some other bikes. We had breakfast and went back
over to the store to put new tyres on my and Luke's bikes. We were
having a special day and blew three tubes in the process of fitting 4
tyres!! And then it took until 1.30 for the guy to get started on our
bikes... Amazingly, my chain is not worn out at all even though I
have not looked after it one bit! No cleaning, no lube, well once in
the bike shop back in Lander but other than that, no TLC. Everything
else was also in good shape, and Luke's bike didn't need much work
either. But then (it's 3pm by now...) we finally got to Mike's bike,
and his chain and cassette needed replacing. We figured there was no
way we were going to go anywhere today, so we headed to Starbucks and
re-scheduled the next few days. We're still ahead of schedule, and
with another long day ahead tomorrow, it should stay that way.
Tomorrow we'll finally get out of Kansas, though that means we'll soon
be on the rollercoaster ride across the Ozarks. I'm not sure how hard
it'll be, as none of the climbs are very high or long, but some are
very steep and there are lots of them- no idea how many hundreds!
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Day 31- Eureka to Pittsburg
Yes, Pittsburg without an h because we're in Kansas ;) I rode with
Luke all day, and we faffed quite a lot so it turned into a very long
day. We stopped a lot for food and drink, and that was so important
for me today because I felt quite low on energy. He also got a
puncture which he fixed quite quickly, but while we were stopped in
the sun (and on a humid day), the sweat was dripping down my face even
worse than while we were riding. Anyways, at a stop a few miles later
we met cyclist Mike and his dad, the support driver (who started the
tour but soon gave up). Apparently, they'd seen me a few days ago in
Ness City so we must have been switching back and forth over the last
few days! We headed on together, and decided to head past our original
destination. The bike shop is here in Pittsburg, so this way we can
have a relaxed start to the day, enjoy breakfast and then get the
bikes checked and fixed. After a 128mile day, I'm looking forward to a
bit of a late start! Mike is also on a similar schedule, so we'll all
ride together as much as possible. I think it'll really make these
last 3 weeks more enjoyable, and I'll have someone to help me deal
with the dogs, and strange people in eastern Kentucky. And a support
vehicle is always handy, though I'm planning to carry my panniers all
the way. By the way, we were chased by quite a few dogs today, and two
of them did appear fairly aggressive. The first, a Rottweiler, became
my first test subject for my new dog deterrent gadget, a Dazer. It
sends out an ultrasonic signal, which is meant to pull the dog out of
its aggressive state, and it seemed to work here. Sadly, the second
dog, a German shepherd, came running so fast out of nowhere that I
didn't see him coming, so no chance to pull out the Dazer!
Luke all day, and we faffed quite a lot so it turned into a very long
day. We stopped a lot for food and drink, and that was so important
for me today because I felt quite low on energy. He also got a
puncture which he fixed quite quickly, but while we were stopped in
the sun (and on a humid day), the sweat was dripping down my face even
worse than while we were riding. Anyways, at a stop a few miles later
we met cyclist Mike and his dad, the support driver (who started the
tour but soon gave up). Apparently, they'd seen me a few days ago in
Ness City so we must have been switching back and forth over the last
few days! We headed on together, and decided to head past our original
destination. The bike shop is here in Pittsburg, so this way we can
have a relaxed start to the day, enjoy breakfast and then get the
bikes checked and fixed. After a 128mile day, I'm looking forward to a
bit of a late start! Mike is also on a similar schedule, so we'll all
ride together as much as possible. I think it'll really make these
last 3 weeks more enjoyable, and I'll have someone to help me deal
with the dogs, and strange people in eastern Kentucky. And a support
vehicle is always handy, though I'm planning to carry my panniers all
the way. By the way, we were chased by quite a few dogs today, and two
of them did appear fairly aggressive. The first, a Rottweiler, became
my first test subject for my new dog deterrent gadget, a Dazer. It
sends out an ultrasonic signal, which is meant to pull the dog out of
its aggressive state, and it seemed to work here. Sadly, the second
dog, a German shepherd, came running so fast out of nowhere that I
didn't see him coming, so no chance to pull out the Dazer!
Day 30- Newton to Eureka
I started a little later than usual, and soon bumped into two women
who got up early and were heading to Newton for breakfast. They told
me about a group ahead of me, so I had someone to chase- I always like
a challenge! But a few miles later, the wind picked up and I was
struggling with a massive headwind. I caught up with one group member
at the first petrol station. We rode together for the next 20 miles,
where we caught up with the rest of his group chilling at a cafe. We
chatted for a while, and it turned out that one of the guys was
someone I had heard about from every other person heading west. He was
somewhat famous for having his dog with him, though the dog was too
lazy to run along by this point and enjoys being pulled along in the
trailer. In a way, I had been chasing him since Yellowstone! Well the
group didn't want to head on, so I rode the last 20miles to Eureka
alone. At the motel, I met Luke, who's been here for a couple of days
struggling with knee problems. We'll try to ride together tomorrow,
and depending on how that goes, we may ride together for a while/all
the way to the east coast, since we're both hoping to finish around
the same date. I would really enjoy the company for a few days!
who got up early and were heading to Newton for breakfast. They told
me about a group ahead of me, so I had someone to chase- I always like
a challenge! But a few miles later, the wind picked up and I was
struggling with a massive headwind. I caught up with one group member
at the first petrol station. We rode together for the next 20 miles,
where we caught up with the rest of his group chilling at a cafe. We
chatted for a while, and it turned out that one of the guys was
someone I had heard about from every other person heading west. He was
somewhat famous for having his dog with him, though the dog was too
lazy to run along by this point and enjoys being pulled along in the
trailer. In a way, I had been chasing him since Yellowstone! Well the
group didn't want to head on, so I rode the last 20miles to Eureka
alone. At the motel, I met Luke, who's been here for a couple of days
struggling with knee problems. We'll try to ride together tomorrow,
and depending on how that goes, we may ride together for a while/all
the way to the east coast, since we're both hoping to finish around
the same date. I would really enjoy the company for a few days!
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Day 29- Larned to Newton
I was warned that as I head further east, humidity would increase, and
I've been getting a first taste of it today. But despite that and
temperatures around 100F, I still didn't find it too bad. Granted, I
got through about 2gallons of diet ice tea, and my lunch was ice
cream ;) The only problem I'm facing at the moment is my rear tyre,
which is really worn out. I checked it a couple of days ago and it
looked fine, but the heat must have got to it badly because it now
shows lots of cracks all over. I tried to buy a spare tyre at the last
few bike stores I rode past but no one had anything in the right size.
And this section of the Transam has one bike store, which was on my
route today but closed on a Sunday. I actually tried on a tyre I got
at Walmart, it was not going to fit though! And you can imagine the
looks I got from everyone whilst changing the tyres outside the
entrance! So now I'm hoping that the tyre lasts another 2 days and 200
miles, until I get to the next bike store!
I've been getting a first taste of it today. But despite that and
temperatures around 100F, I still didn't find it too bad. Granted, I
got through about 2gallons of diet ice tea, and my lunch was ice
cream ;) The only problem I'm facing at the moment is my rear tyre,
which is really worn out. I checked it a couple of days ago and it
looked fine, but the heat must have got to it badly because it now
shows lots of cracks all over. I tried to buy a spare tyre at the last
few bike stores I rode past but no one had anything in the right size.
And this section of the Transam has one bike store, which was on my
route today but closed on a Sunday. I actually tried on a tyre I got
at Walmart, it was not going to fit though! And you can imagine the
looks I got from everyone whilst changing the tyres outside the
entrance! So now I'm hoping that the tyre lasts another 2 days and 200
miles, until I get to the next bike store!
Day 28- Unscheduled rest day in Larned
My rest day was meant to be in Newton tomorrow, but when I got up this
morning, heavy thunderstorms had already moved into the area. And
since the weather channel predicted more throughout today, but a hot
clear day tomorrow, I decided to stay put today. There doesn't seem to
be much to do or see around here, but I've got cable TV in the motel
so all is good!
morning, heavy thunderstorms had already moved into the area. And
since the weather channel predicted more throughout today, but a hot
clear day tomorrow, I decided to stay put today. There doesn't seem to
be much to do or see around here, but I've got cable TV in the motel
so all is good!
Day 27- Ness City to Larned
Luckily, I hadn't planned on going far today, because the weather
turned around and storm clouds darkened the sky. I had to wait out a
couple of light thunder storms, but the trail soon turned south and
away from the bad weather. I got to Larned quite early and spent the
rest of the day chilling. I forgot that the different antihistamine
always makes me drowsy, so I won't be doing more than necessary for
the rest of the day!
turned around and storm clouds darkened the sky. I had to wait out a
couple of light thunder storms, but the trail soon turned south and
away from the bad weather. I got to Larned quite early and spent the
rest of the day chilling. I forgot that the different antihistamine
always makes me drowsy, so I won't be doing more than necessary for
the rest of the day!
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Day 26- Tribune to Ness City
What an exciting day... After 80 miles, the road had one 45 degree
right bend, before bending back to head straight east again two miles
later. Not joking! Actually, I'm not complaining, with a slight cross/
tail wind, the mostly flat terrain and good road quality, these were
the easiest 100 miles yet. I'll fly across Kansas in no time at all,
before hitting Missouri with its many hills. Apparently, it's just a
lot of ups and downs without any overall elevation gains, or as Keith
called them: PUDs, pointless ups and downs. I met a couple of young
guys this morning, one of whom must be mad: at some point, he'll come
off the Transamerica to head south on a different trail, which will
take him through the desert to San Francisco. In August!!! He said
he'll be doing a lot of night and sunrise riding, though I'm not sure
how you'd be able to sleep during the day. I still don't feel too
exhausted from the riding, though I am sleeping a lot. In fact, this
morning I stayed in bed for 1.5hrs longer than I should have, not
realising that I'd enter central time zone just outside Tribune. So
effectively I was on the road after 9am, and that's just a bit too
late around here. The sores and wounds are also slowly healing, though
I have to use plasters everyday to stop the wounds from sticking to
the Lycra. It's painful and probably doesn't exactly speed up the
healing process! The various wheat and grass pollen around here were
also giving me a rash all over my arms and legs, but I realised that
I'd bought the wrong antihistamine last time, d'oh! At least I finally
got some proper food tonight, an all you can eat buffet for less than
$10, love it!
right bend, before bending back to head straight east again two miles
later. Not joking! Actually, I'm not complaining, with a slight cross/
tail wind, the mostly flat terrain and good road quality, these were
the easiest 100 miles yet. I'll fly across Kansas in no time at all,
before hitting Missouri with its many hills. Apparently, it's just a
lot of ups and downs without any overall elevation gains, or as Keith
called them: PUDs, pointless ups and downs. I met a couple of young
guys this morning, one of whom must be mad: at some point, he'll come
off the Transamerica to head south on a different trail, which will
take him through the desert to San Francisco. In August!!! He said
he'll be doing a lot of night and sunrise riding, though I'm not sure
how you'd be able to sleep during the day. I still don't feel too
exhausted from the riding, though I am sleeping a lot. In fact, this
morning I stayed in bed for 1.5hrs longer than I should have, not
realising that I'd enter central time zone just outside Tribune. So
effectively I was on the road after 9am, and that's just a bit too
late around here. The sores and wounds are also slowly healing, though
I have to use plasters everyday to stop the wounds from sticking to
the Lycra. It's painful and probably doesn't exactly speed up the
healing process! The various wheat and grass pollen around here were
also giving me a rash all over my arms and legs, but I realised that
I'd bought the wrong antihistamine last time, d'oh! At least I finally
got some proper food tonight, an all you can eat buffet for less than
$10, love it!
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Day 25- Ordway to Tribune
Forgot to mention that I met another lone rider, Allen, in the hotel
yesterday, and we met again at dinner and chatted for a while. We then
rode together for the first 60 miles this morning. The riding was
beautifully easy, so we passed the time quickly. At some point on that
stretch, we also passed the halfway mark! Woo! We met a Dutch couple
coming the other way, who were also pleased to be near that all
important mark. We finally got to that much longed for petrol station
for lots of cold drinks. I stocked up on water (4 litres!) in
anticipation of another service free 60 mile stretch... Turns out that
a petrol station opened halfway along that stretch about a month ago,
which was a good job as the dry heat was really getting to me! Plus
the wind picked up a lot in the afternoon, luckily it was rarely head
on, but it did try to push me over to my left far too much! When it
actually died down occasionally, I felt like I was going to fall over
to my right... Anyways, I finally made it to Tribune. I have to say
that truck drivers have been extremely courteous so far, but a mere
100ft from the motel, one tried to turn right into me! Nearly forgot
to mention that I am now in Kansas, which made a great first
impression when the grocery store shut at 6pm, and the only food I
could get was a pretty lousy burger. So I got some ice cream from the
petrol station, and shared it with another cyclist, Keith, staying in
the motel. It was nice to have someone to chat to again... Two in one
day, that's a record!
yesterday, and we met again at dinner and chatted for a while. We then
rode together for the first 60 miles this morning. The riding was
beautifully easy, so we passed the time quickly. At some point on that
stretch, we also passed the halfway mark! Woo! We met a Dutch couple
coming the other way, who were also pleased to be near that all
important mark. We finally got to that much longed for petrol station
for lots of cold drinks. I stocked up on water (4 litres!) in
anticipation of another service free 60 mile stretch... Turns out that
a petrol station opened halfway along that stretch about a month ago,
which was a good job as the dry heat was really getting to me! Plus
the wind picked up a lot in the afternoon, luckily it was rarely head
on, but it did try to push me over to my left far too much! When it
actually died down occasionally, I felt like I was going to fall over
to my right... Anyways, I finally made it to Tribune. I have to say
that truck drivers have been extremely courteous so far, but a mere
100ft from the motel, one tried to turn right into me! Nearly forgot
to mention that I am now in Kansas, which made a great first
impression when the grocery store shut at 6pm, and the only food I
could get was a pretty lousy burger. So I got some ice cream from the
petrol station, and shared it with another cyclist, Keith, staying in
the motel. It was nice to have someone to chat to again... Two in one
day, that's a record!
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Day 24- Florence to Ordway
Again, nothing much happened... It is so hot though, I can barely
drink enough while riding! I'll have to start getting up and riding
earlier, so I can stay out of the sun during the midday heat. Another
problem is that tomorrow, there'll be one service station on a 120
mile trip! At least it's flat around here, so all the extra weight of
the water I'm carrying doesn't pose too much of a problem.
drink enough while riding! I'll have to start getting up and riding
earlier, so I can stay out of the sun during the midday heat. Another
problem is that tomorrow, there'll be one service station on a 120
mile trip! At least it's flat around here, so all the extra weight of
the water I'm carrying doesn't pose too much of a problem.
Monday, 21 July 2008
Day 23- Fairplay to Florence
Not much to report really! I was surprised to see hummingbirds outside
the motel this morning- how do they survive Colorado's winter?? The
ride was pretty relaxed as I got to lose about 5,000ft of elevation :)
But "down here" it is really hot, the thermometer in the sun reads
110F... On the bright side, 2,000miles down! And another rest day
coming up on Sunday.
the motel this morning- how do they survive Colorado's winter?? The
ride was pretty relaxed as I got to lose about 5,000ft of elevation :)
But "down here" it is really hot, the thermometer in the sun reads
110F... On the bright side, 2,000miles down! And another rest day
coming up on Sunday.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Day 22- Kremmling to Fairplay
Colorado is so beautiful, and it really showed off its best side
today. Climbing the first 2,700ft or so happened very gradually over
55miles. I rode through some bigger towns, where I finally saw a
Starbucks again, and also had phone signal for the first time in
nearly 3 weeks! Yay civilisation! The towns are connected by bike
paths, which wind around a reservoir and through a forest. And with it
being Sunday, lots of people were out to play. Amusingly, many seemed
to have the money for sweet bikes but no one to help them choose a
good fit. I stopped for lunch (as you might have guessed, at
Starbucks) before tackling the final climb to Hoosier Pass, the
highest point on the tour! I tried this new shake they have, which is
perfect for athletes with 21g of protein, though exactly why any
normal person would want this, I'm not sure- Atkins is out, right?
Well, the climb wasn't very steep or anything but my heartrate was
noticeably higher than on other climbs. I think the air was getting a
little too thin! Now I am in Fairplay, a small town with a fantastic
Italian restaurant- time to get some proper food in me!
today. Climbing the first 2,700ft or so happened very gradually over
55miles. I rode through some bigger towns, where I finally saw a
Starbucks again, and also had phone signal for the first time in
nearly 3 weeks! Yay civilisation! The towns are connected by bike
paths, which wind around a reservoir and through a forest. And with it
being Sunday, lots of people were out to play. Amusingly, many seemed
to have the money for sweet bikes but no one to help them choose a
good fit. I stopped for lunch (as you might have guessed, at
Starbucks) before tackling the final climb to Hoosier Pass, the
highest point on the tour! I tried this new shake they have, which is
perfect for athletes with 21g of protein, though exactly why any
normal person would want this, I'm not sure- Atkins is out, right?
Well, the climb wasn't very steep or anything but my heartrate was
noticeably higher than on other climbs. I think the air was getting a
little too thin! Now I am in Fairplay, a small town with a fantastic
Italian restaurant- time to get some proper food in me!
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Day 21- Walden to Kremmling
Gosh, it's been three weeks already! Well I'm still feeling quite
upbeat, though earlier today my tummy wasn't all that happy. But I
think I just hadn't eaten enough last night, and staying hydrated is
becoming hard work! I stopped for a large lunch, and I certainly met
my match: the biggest burrito I've ever seen! Being on tour means that
not finishing food is not an option though. Today and tomorrow aren't
big on mileage, but there'll be a lot of climbing tomorrow. Over
4,200ft to get to the highest point on the trail, and cross the
continental divide yet again (for the 9th time? I've lost count!).
I've also caught a glimpse of some entertaining wildlife: for one,
there are lots of chipmunks or prairie dogs or whatever they are, but
these actually eat their own kind's roadkill! Gross. And then there
some flying insects, which by judging by their size could be
grasshoppers, but when in flight they are seriously the noisiest
animals around!
upbeat, though earlier today my tummy wasn't all that happy. But I
think I just hadn't eaten enough last night, and staying hydrated is
becoming hard work! I stopped for a large lunch, and I certainly met
my match: the biggest burrito I've ever seen! Being on tour means that
not finishing food is not an option though. Today and tomorrow aren't
big on mileage, but there'll be a lot of climbing tomorrow. Over
4,200ft to get to the highest point on the trail, and cross the
continental divide yet again (for the 9th time? I've lost count!).
I've also caught a glimpse of some entertaining wildlife: for one,
there are lots of chipmunks or prairie dogs or whatever they are, but
these actually eat their own kind's roadkill! Gross. And then there
some flying insects, which by judging by their size could be
grasshoppers, but when in flight they are seriously the noisiest
animals around!
Friday, 18 July 2008
Day 20- Saratoga to Walden
Shorter day, and I finally made it out of Wyoming! I would have taken
a picture of the "Welcome to Colorado" sign, but as soon as I stopped
I was attacked by a swarm of insects. So insect repellant now joins
the list of essential items... Other than that it was a quiet day, and
I finally dared to listen to my iPod again. Once I got to Walden, I
had the most amazing lunch: sliced roast beef, piled high, with mash
potatoes, covered in gravy. Cyclists' heaven!
a picture of the "Welcome to Colorado" sign, but as soon as I stopped
I was attacked by a swarm of insects. So insect repellant now joins
the list of essential items... Other than that it was a quiet day, and
I finally dared to listen to my iPod again. Once I got to Walden, I
had the most amazing lunch: sliced roast beef, piled high, with mash
potatoes, covered in gravy. Cyclists' heaven!
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Day 19- Jeffrey City to Saratoga
Well something happened today... I got my first puncture! It doesn't
really qualify as exciting, more a nuisance really, but it's
something. And it was bound to happen sooner or later, and I would
consider 1,600 miles later. I fixed it without any problems, though I
wouldn't say I did a quick job. Either way I'm not hoping for much
more practice in this department. After that nothing else happened. I
struggled with a very strong headwind on the last 20miles, which was
so frustrating- it's like fighting this invisible force that just
makes your work that much harder. Oh and by the way, in case anyone
was wondering, I'm still just as obsessive about cleanliness so I have
not yet worn any of my kit two days in a row without washing it!
really qualify as exciting, more a nuisance really, but it's
something. And it was bound to happen sooner or later, and I would
consider 1,600 miles later. I fixed it without any problems, though I
wouldn't say I did a quick job. Either way I'm not hoping for much
more practice in this department. After that nothing else happened. I
struggled with a very strong headwind on the last 20miles, which was
so frustrating- it's like fighting this invisible force that just
makes your work that much harder. Oh and by the way, in case anyone
was wondering, I'm still just as obsessive about cleanliness so I have
not yet worn any of my kit two days in a row without washing it!
Day 18-Lander to Jeffrey City
That's it, Wyoming joins my special new list: dreadful places never to
visit again. I mean, Montana was empty but at least it offered
something to look at. Wyoming, nada, niente! Well apart from the two
national parks, but they can't cover more than 3% of the state.
Luckily, I'll be in Colorado soon. Today was a short ride of less than
60 miles, seriously the route planning around here was so difficult
because there are so few towns! I could have pushed through to Rawlins
but that would have been another 120+ miles day. So here I am, in the
ghost town that is Jeffrey City. It was a uranium mining city back in
the day, and its population peaked at 5,000. 4,950 of those people
were clever enough to move away when the boom was over! Today was the
first time I really dreaded seeing the inside of the motel, from how
awful it looked on the outside. Apart from the 70s décor and the just-
for-decoration TV, it's ok though! Good job another cyclist gave me a
book she had read back in Jackson, I'll need it tonight...
visit again. I mean, Montana was empty but at least it offered
something to look at. Wyoming, nada, niente! Well apart from the two
national parks, but they can't cover more than 3% of the state.
Luckily, I'll be in Colorado soon. Today was a short ride of less than
60 miles, seriously the route planning around here was so difficult
because there are so few towns! I could have pushed through to Rawlins
but that would have been another 120+ miles day. So here I am, in the
ghost town that is Jeffrey City. It was a uranium mining city back in
the day, and its population peaked at 5,000. 4,950 of those people
were clever enough to move away when the boom was over! Today was the
first time I really dreaded seeing the inside of the motel, from how
awful it looked on the outside. Apart from the 70s décor and the just-
for-decoration TV, it's ok though! Good job another cyclist gave me a
book she had read back in Jackson, I'll need it tonight...
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Day 17- Actual bike wear and tear
So I went to get my bike from the shop, expecting that all they had to do was to adjust the cables a bit and grease the chain... but as we looked at the bike, the guy noticed that the rear wheel needed straightening out, not surprising considering the awful road quality over the last couple of days. Then he noticed that the rear tyre was actually really worn, the thread had completely gone and the sidewalls showed lots of cracks and splits. Usually, you'd expect the front tyre to wear more but I guess with the panniers on the back, the rear tyre wears out more quickly. The front tyre actually looks fine, I'm hoping to get another 1,500 miles out of it so I'd get both tyres changed then. By then I will probably also need to get a new chain, and maybe brake pads... but all in all, that is still very little wear so far!
Day 17- Togwotee Pass to Lander
Wyoming really hasn't offered anything interesting today. Well, I saw
one rather tall dust devil- a small tornado type thing. Most of the
ride was downhill, but a constant strong headwind spoilt even that bit
of fun. Now I'm in Lander, which is refreshingly big (nearly 7000
people, wow!). With 1,500 miles down, I brought the bike in for a
check-up, though I think the only thing that needs adjusting are the
gears. About 3,000 miles to go!
one rather tall dust devil- a small tornado type thing. Most of the
ride was downhill, but a constant strong headwind spoilt even that bit
of fun. Now I'm in Lander, which is refreshingly big (nearly 7000
people, wow!). With 1,500 miles down, I brought the bike in for a
check-up, though I think the only thing that needs adjusting are the
gears. About 3,000 miles to go!
Day 16- West Yellowstone to Togwotee Pass
Prepared for a long day, I set off extra early, and soon found myself
in state #4, Wyoming. Entering Yellowstone at 7am meant there was very
little traffic, and I kept looking out for some wild animals roaming
on the meadows. Lots of deer and bison were out, but again no bear was
to be seen anywhere. Hpwever, I nearly ran into a coyote standing at
the side of the road. He really wasn't fazed by me at all, and stayed
exactly where he was. So I slowed down and went around him at a safe
distance, it's a wild animal after all! He ran away though when he
heard a car approaching. Anyways, in Yellowstone I had to ride over 3
passes, each time crossing the Continental Divide- according to
Wikipedia this is the line between the rivers that flow into the
Pacific and those that flow into the Atlantic. After Yellowstone, I
rode through Grand Teton park. The view across the lake at another
mountain range was again stunning! After Teton park, I just had one
last pass to tackle... Which just happened to be the second highest
point on this tour! But I made it up, and luckily, when you're going
coast to coast, what goes up must come down! Having rolled downhill to
the motel, I went straight to their restaurant. After 12hrs without
proper food, 133 miles and close to 6000 calories burnt I was
definitely in need of a decent meal! Expecting the usual burger grub,
I was surprised to find a gourmet restaurant in the wilderness! I
certainly enjoyed that treat... I can also report that the new saddle
was a good buy, now I just need to find a way to speed up the healing
of my old sores, some of which are open wounds by now, ouch! Another
joy of today was the insect infestation up Togwotee pass. They don't
seem to like sunscreen much, so left my arms and legs alone. But the
little buggers (mosquitoes), and the bigger ones (horse flies, eww!)
can sting through Lycra. So my right shoulder and my bum got the worst
of it, thanks.
in state #4, Wyoming. Entering Yellowstone at 7am meant there was very
little traffic, and I kept looking out for some wild animals roaming
on the meadows. Lots of deer and bison were out, but again no bear was
to be seen anywhere. Hpwever, I nearly ran into a coyote standing at
the side of the road. He really wasn't fazed by me at all, and stayed
exactly where he was. So I slowed down and went around him at a safe
distance, it's a wild animal after all! He ran away though when he
heard a car approaching. Anyways, in Yellowstone I had to ride over 3
passes, each time crossing the Continental Divide- according to
Wikipedia this is the line between the rivers that flow into the
Pacific and those that flow into the Atlantic. After Yellowstone, I
rode through Grand Teton park. The view across the lake at another
mountain range was again stunning! After Teton park, I just had one
last pass to tackle... Which just happened to be the second highest
point on this tour! But I made it up, and luckily, when you're going
coast to coast, what goes up must come down! Having rolled downhill to
the motel, I went straight to their restaurant. After 12hrs without
proper food, 133 miles and close to 6000 calories burnt I was
definitely in need of a decent meal! Expecting the usual burger grub,
I was surprised to find a gourmet restaurant in the wilderness! I
certainly enjoyed that treat... I can also report that the new saddle
was a good buy, now I just need to find a way to speed up the healing
of my old sores, some of which are open wounds by now, ouch! Another
joy of today was the insect infestation up Togwotee pass. They don't
seem to like sunscreen much, so left my arms and legs alone. But the
little buggers (mosquitoes), and the bigger ones (horse flies, eww!)
can sting through Lycra. So my right shoulder and my bum got the worst
of it, thanks.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Day 15- Rest day in Yellowstone
I did a bus tour of the Lower Loop ie the lower half of the park.
Sadly, we didn't get to see any bears or wolves, but we saw several
eagles, lots of elk and bison and a fair few "geothermal features".
Read geysers, fumaroles, hot springs and pools. All pretty cool but I
almost gave in to my lazy side, which was trying to persuade me to
stay in bed and watch the Disney channel all day!
Sadly, we didn't get to see any bears or wolves, but we saw several
eagles, lots of elk and bison and a fair few "geothermal features".
Read geysers, fumaroles, hot springs and pools. All pretty cool but I
almost gave in to my lazy side, which was trying to persuade me to
stay in bed and watch the Disney channel all day!
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Day 14- Virginia City to West Yellowstone
Feeling stuffed after the delicious breakfast, I had to go straight up
the climb out of the valley. Having dragged my full tummy all the way
to the top, I decided to try putting on a second pair of Lycra shorts
to reduce the pain on my backside. For a few minutes, it felt so much
better, but my euphoria wasn't meant to last long... The descent into
the next valley was however beautiful, and I couldn't stop but hum
Queen's Don't Stop Me Now on the way down! I also met a group of 6 or
8 climbing up the mountain, which I later found out was Adventure
Cycling's guided tour who had left the east coast in May. I didn't
ride too many miles so by lunchtime, I was about 30miles from
Yellowstone. When I stopped to buy drinks, I met another couple on the
Transam, and we had the usual chat about dog problems and tales on the
trail... Once I got to West Yellowstone, I headed straight to the bike
shop to get my front wheel straightened out, and to look for a new
saddle. It seems that my saddle is actually too soft, which seems
paradoxical but it means that the bony bits can push right through to
the metal railing. So after some thinking over food, and once again
feeling exactly how painful sitting down was, I decided to buy the
quality ladies Selle saddle, even though it's ridiculously expensive
at nearly $100... But with its harder gel cushioning it should provide
more "soft tissue support"! Now I'm looking forward to a bus tour of
the park tomorrow, and giving my body a bit of rest. Especially
because the next day, I will have to ride 130miles since I need to get
out of Yellowstone and adjacent Teton park to get to a reasonably
priced motel.
the climb out of the valley. Having dragged my full tummy all the way
to the top, I decided to try putting on a second pair of Lycra shorts
to reduce the pain on my backside. For a few minutes, it felt so much
better, but my euphoria wasn't meant to last long... The descent into
the next valley was however beautiful, and I couldn't stop but hum
Queen's Don't Stop Me Now on the way down! I also met a group of 6 or
8 climbing up the mountain, which I later found out was Adventure
Cycling's guided tour who had left the east coast in May. I didn't
ride too many miles so by lunchtime, I was about 30miles from
Yellowstone. When I stopped to buy drinks, I met another couple on the
Transam, and we had the usual chat about dog problems and tales on the
trail... Once I got to West Yellowstone, I headed straight to the bike
shop to get my front wheel straightened out, and to look for a new
saddle. It seems that my saddle is actually too soft, which seems
paradoxical but it means that the bony bits can push right through to
the metal railing. So after some thinking over food, and once again
feeling exactly how painful sitting down was, I decided to buy the
quality ladies Selle saddle, even though it's ridiculously expensive
at nearly $100... But with its harder gel cushioning it should provide
more "soft tissue support"! Now I'm looking forward to a bus tour of
the park tomorrow, and giving my body a bit of rest. Especially
because the next day, I will have to ride 130miles since I need to get
out of Yellowstone and adjacent Teton park to get to a reasonably
priced motel.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Wicked bike!
discomfort! He's doing the Transam east to west, with bits about 1,500
miles added on at each coast, sounds like an awesome trip.
Day 13- Jackson to Virginia City
Another gorgeous day in Montana, although it started off freezing cold
this morning! I wore all my kit to keep warm for the first 50miles,
then the sun finally started doing its job. Sadly, I can't say the
saddle sores are getting better, actually they're getting worse!
(Almost) Literally a pain in the arse! But I'll be darned if this is
going to stop me, and my first rest day is coming up on Sunday- in
Yellowstone!
this morning! I wore all my kit to keep warm for the first 50miles,
then the sun finally started doing its job. Sadly, I can't say the
saddle sores are getting better, actually they're getting worse!
(Almost) Literally a pain in the arse! But I'll be darned if this is
going to stop me, and my first rest day is coming up on Sunday- in
Yellowstone!
This part of Montana was populated mainly during the gold rush.
Virginia City, and neighbouring Nevada City (a ghost town) are
original western settlements, and look like they're right out of an
old Western! I quite like looking around, though it wouldn't keep me
excited for long. The B&B I'm staying in is a little gem! It's a stone
house built in the 1880s, with lots of original features. It actually
has a very European feel to it, and is so cosy. I can't wait for
breakfast! (well that is always true)
Sent from my iPhone
Day 12- Darby to Jackson
The climb wasn't bad at all, the roads were decent and very quiet, and
coming over the second pass, I headed into the most beautiful part of
Montana! Now I understand why they call it the big sky. There were
fields around for miles, framed on all sides by beautiful mountain
ranges, some of them still snowcapped. A truly breathtaking view! I
had met two cyclists at the bottom of the climb, and we met again on
the descent. We rode to a little place called Wisdom for lunch. The
bar/restaurant looked authentically wild west, built in wood and with
deer heads on all the walls. They served a delicious lunch, and
together we headed on to Jackson. I had booked an economy cabin, which
is a real log cabin with just a bed in it; there are shared bathrooms
outside. The other two cyclists are camping in an open space between
the cabins. We also enjoyed a soak in their hot springs fed swimming
pool, what a treat!
coming over the second pass, I headed into the most beautiful part of
Montana! Now I understand why they call it the big sky. There were
fields around for miles, framed on all sides by beautiful mountain
ranges, some of them still snowcapped. A truly breathtaking view! I
had met two cyclists at the bottom of the climb, and we met again on
the descent. We rode to a little place called Wisdom for lunch. The
bar/restaurant looked authentically wild west, built in wood and with
deer heads on all the walls. They served a delicious lunch, and
together we headed on to Jackson. I had booked an economy cabin, which
is a real log cabin with just a bed in it; there are shared bathrooms
outside. The other two cyclists are camping in an open space between
the cabins. We also enjoyed a soak in their hot springs fed swimming
pool, what a treat!
Sent from my iPhone
Day 11- Lolo Hot Springs to Darby
If I had decided against going into Missoula, I could have done about
25miles less but I needed to go to a supermarket and to chat to the
ACA people about the route. So my first stop was the local Walmart,
where I stocked up on snacks, shampoo and conditioner (so important,
and yes, so vain! but without conditioner I keep tearing half my hair
out) and chatted to the pharmacist about safe dosages of ibuprofen.
Turns out you can take huge amounts of the stuff for long periods,
somewhat surprising to me- at least that'll keep the knees and other
assorted ailments under control. Also, upon recommendation by the
English girls, I will now attempt to soothe the saddle sores with
nappy rash cream, after Vaseline proved useless and cortisone too
aggressive. Sorry for the slight overshare there, but it's the painful
reality of touring!
25miles less but I needed to go to a supermarket and to chat to the
ACA people about the route. So my first stop was the local Walmart,
where I stocked up on snacks, shampoo and conditioner (so important,
and yes, so vain! but without conditioner I keep tearing half my hair
out) and chatted to the pharmacist about safe dosages of ibuprofen.
Turns out you can take huge amounts of the stuff for long periods,
somewhat surprising to me- at least that'll keep the knees and other
assorted ailments under control. Also, upon recommendation by the
English girls, I will now attempt to soothe the saddle sores with
nappy rash cream, after Vaseline proved useless and cortisone too
aggressive. Sorry for the slight overshare there, but it's the painful
reality of touring!
Next stop was the Adventure Cycling Association headquarters. I
chatted to two guys, one of whom has done the Transam and said he
always managed to deal with the dogs, and never used his dog spray.
The other guy showed me a good set of state maps that I could use to
make up my own route. But these are bulky, expensive and have no local
information like bike shops and motels. So, I have decided to stick it
out, and face those pesky dogs. Urgh.
In the afternoon, I rode the remainder of the way to Darby. There's
lots of roadwork on highway 93, which didn't make for comfortable
riding, and it'll continue like this for a few more miles out of
Darby. Also coming up tomorrow is another climb of about 3200ft. I
hope that if I start early, I'll make it up by lunch time.
A little aside on how I keep myself entertained, seeing as I really
can't listen to my iPod. These last few days, the Transam sections
have coincided with sections of the Lewis and Clarke trail. These two
guys led the first expedition from the settlements in the east all the
way to the Pacific coast. (or that's how far my history knowledge
goes) Anyways, I made up a 6 degrees (approximately) of separation
thing, Radio 1 style, between the two: Lewis and Clarke sounds like
Lois and Clark, the main characters in Superman. In the 90s Superman
TV show, Teri Hatcher played Lois. She now plays Susan Mayer on
Desperate Housewives. Her co-star Felicity Huffman, who plays Lynette
Scavo, was the main character in a recent movie called Transamerica.
Aha! Well I was chuffed I thought that up anyways... Ok I might be
going slightly crazy out here in the wild wild west!
PS I passed the 1,000mile mark today, very encouraging!
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Day 10- Lowell to Lolo Hot Springs
Another day on that awful road, and a whole lot of riding uphill...
25miles in, I met a group of 3 girl students from England, and their
guy friend who goes to high school in the US. They're touring fully
loaded, and I have the utmost respect for them- I wouldn't be able to
get much more stuff up these mountains than what I have now! We rode
together to Powell, which was the first town since Lowell- 65miles of
forest, and the road winding back and forth along the river.
Thrilling. Anyways, it was really nice to bump into them, but I am
glad I'm not doing the whole camping thing. I would have to carry more
stuff, wouldn't get as many miles in each day and I'm certain I
wouldn't recover as quickly. It's just a tradeoff between how quickly
you want to get this done, and how much you're willing to spend!
25miles in, I met a group of 3 girl students from England, and their
guy friend who goes to high school in the US. They're touring fully
loaded, and I have the utmost respect for them- I wouldn't be able to
get much more stuff up these mountains than what I have now! We rode
together to Powell, which was the first town since Lowell- 65miles of
forest, and the road winding back and forth along the river.
Thrilling. Anyways, it was really nice to bump into them, but I am
glad I'm not doing the whole camping thing. I would have to carry more
stuff, wouldn't get as many miles in each day and I'm certain I
wouldn't recover as quickly. It's just a tradeoff between how quickly
you want to get this done, and how much you're willing to spend!
Anyways, after lunch I only had 20miles to go to the motel. The route
took me over Lolo Pass, luckily the climbing wasn't too bad. At the
top, I crossed into Montana and also back to Mountain Time, maybe for
good now!
I have to say I'm really disappointed with this motel. They charge a
fair amount more than all the others, but my room doesn't have
anything other than a bed and bathroom: no TV, phone, wireless
Internet, not even the sachets of shampoo I have come to depend on!
I should also say that while I am enjoying riding through the state
parks and forests all day, I have had about enough of all this
wilderness. The towns are ridiculously small (upwards of 500 is
unheard of), and proper food and supermarkets are rare. I think it'll
stay this way for a while yet...
PS I bought dog spray from a bike shop the other day, but I will
probably talk to the peeps at the Adventure Cycling Association (who
make the maps) about alternative routes when I ride through Missoula
tomorrow.
Sent from my iPhone
Day 9- Riggins to Lowell
I decided to get up early so I could get up the big climb before the
midday heat. 2miles out of Riggins, I crossed Salmon River, which
happens to be the boundary between Mountain and Pacific Time, so I was
now back on Pacific Time for two days. It's all very confusing to the
uninitiated!!
midday heat. 2miles out of Riggins, I crossed Salmon River, which
happens to be the boundary between Mountain and Pacific Time, so I was
now back on Pacific Time for two days. It's all very confusing to the
uninitiated!!
Early morning, I met three other riders and we rode together for a
couple of hours, until we got to the bottom of the climb. They stopped
for breakfast and I headed on. The climb wasn't too bad and I got to
lunch early. I had another 50miles to go to Lowell, and the route took
me along the worst road yet. The road was winding and narrow, and lots
of trucks speed along not expecting to meet any cyclists. And as there
was no shoulder most of the way, I had to listen very carefully for
approaching trucks so I could jump off to the side in time. Quite
stressful all in all! As I'm going along the same road tomorrow, I'm
definitely putting on my rear lights, and I'll be ready to get out of
the way quickly!
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, 6 July 2008
Day 8- Cambridge to Riggins
Quite a short relaxed day, good job really after that trek yesterday.
Now I'm just chilling out and watching TV. And refuelling for another
big climb tomorrow!
Now I'm just chilling out and watching TV. And refuelling for another
big climb tomorrow!
Sent from my iPhone
Day 7- Baker City to Cambridge (Idaho)
110miles on, I have survived Hell's Canyon :) It wasn't actually as
bad as it may sound, but the climb out of the canyon was hard because
I had already done 80 or so miles by then... By crossing into Idaho,
I'm now on Mountain Time, 7hrs behind the UK.
bad as it may sound, but the climb out of the canyon was hard because
I had already done 80 or so miles by then... By crossing into Idaho,
I'm now on Mountain Time, 7hrs behind the UK.
I also ran into lots of cyclists today. Early morning, I met one group
who had done a week long ride around the nearby mountains and were now
on their way home. One of their group helped me fix my front brake- I
don't have the tools to tighten the cable but tried with the motel
tools, and made things even worse! When I had lunch in a lovely little
cafe in a town called Halfway- which appropriately was about halfway
for me- I met two cyclists who had started the Transam on the East
Coast in April. They were riding on a tandem, and his mum drove along
in her RV as the support vehicle. They counted the number of dogs that
tried to attack them, mainly in Missouri and Kentucky, and it stood at
72!!! Argh... I'm scared, and will buy bear spray at the next sports
store (apparently way more effective than pepper spray, and works on
humans too) . I'm also not entirely sure I actually want to go
through those states, will have a look on Google maps for ways around-
most likely something a little further north than the Transam!
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, 4 July 2008
Day 6- Mount Vernon to Baker City
I'm really starting to lose track of where I've been, at least I know
where I'm going each morning!
where I'm going each morning!
Today was rather quiet, probably because it's Independence Day and
most people were staying put unless they had some parade to go to. It
was also a slightly shorter day of about 90miles. I just had to go
over 3 passes before riding out the last 30 to Baker. I thought once
I'd left the passes behind, I'd leave wilderness behind but actually,
I still don't have any phone signal and the motel wi-fi doesn't work,
third night in a row! But just now I have found wireless on the city's
main street, which actually works, how nice of them! Anyways, the only
excitement today involved another thunderstorm. As always seems to be
the case, I noticed the dark cloud about 10miles from my destination.
At this point, there was no lightning yet so I pushed on towards Baker
City. Literally the minute I passed the sign welcoming me to the city,
the cloud had got overhead and lightning started. So I did my usual
jumping off the bike and crouching low routine. Only this time, I had
to wait out the lightning, and then heavy rain-all less than 2miles
from the motel! When I finally got to my room, ready for a hot shower,
they had put the air conditioning on so high that the room temperature
was about 12C! It's also central A/C so I can only block the cold air
vent and hope the room warms up soon... Well, tomorrow is going to be
a long day, 115miles including Hell's Canyon, yippee! Off to bed.
Sent from my iPhone
Day 5- Prineville to Mount Vernon
A whole day on route 26, and it's getting hot hot HOT! It's also the
most isolated area I've been riding through so far. No phone reception
anywhere, but at least each tiny town has a grocery store.
most isolated area I've been riding through so far. No phone reception
anywhere, but at least each tiny town has a grocery store.
And by the way, I'm still in Oregon and will be for a few more days. I
have also just noticed today (yes, again, I'm real slow) that the guys
in the bike shop in Corvallis did some weird wiring on my bike: they
asked if they could switch it so the right lever controls your rear
brake and gears, and I think that's the way it is on my racing bike so
I said ok. Then I figured today that while the right lever does indeed
control the rear gears, it actually controls the front brake... Huh!?
So route 26 took me over Ochoco pass, which wasn't as bad as I
expected in terms of climbing. Around the pass is Ochoco forest, a
green oasis after the desert like landscape yesterday and the rest of
today. I stopped for a brief lunch break in the valley before the
second pass. From there, it was only another 6miles and 1300ft
elevation so nothing too bad. However, I set off for the second pass
just before 1pm when it was about as hot as it can get. It was
probably over 100F, ie 35C and up. It took me nearly an hour to cover
the 6miles, including 3 water stops! After that, it went downhill for
30miles, through the John Day fossil beds (no fossils anywhere to be
seen) and Picture Gorge. All very dull!
So after 110 very hot miles and about 10litres of water, I got to the
absolute hinterland town of Mount Vernon. They say they have wireless,
but it's not working so you won't get this for a while- here's hoping
I'll find a Starbucks soon! Oh yeah, I have also found a new favourite
drink, vitamin water. Delicious artificial stuff packed with a few
good things. Between that and all the gatorade, my mouth will be
rainbow coloured soon!
Sent from my iPhone
Day 4- McKenzie Bridge to Prineville
I had an excellent start to the day: I left the motel and promptly set
off the wrong way down the highway. Luckily, the motel owner saw this
happen, and knowing it would have taken me a long while to figure out,
he came chasing after me in his car to point me the right way. Woops!
off the wrong way down the highway. Luckily, the motel owner saw this
happen, and knowing it would have taken me a long while to figure out,
he came chasing after me in his car to point me the right way. Woops!
So there's a mountain range called the Cascades in Oregon, and I think
I went over it today. The first 40miles of the day took me over 4
hours! I was so happy when I got to the top of the Santiam pass, as I
knew most of the remaining miles went downhill. I stopped for lunch
at a resort by the side of this gorgeous little lake. The pasta of the
day was chicken BBQ- sounds strange but was so tasty! Thankfully, the
lunch was of American proportions, and I am learning about the joys of
free soda refills... Content and full, and with the knee finally
giving up its complaints, I went on towards Prineville. The landscape
around the highway really changed at this point, instead of lush green
forests the landscape looked more like a desert with a few bushes
scattered around.
As I had cycled to within 10miles of Prineville, I noticed a rather
ominous looking cloud heading my way. I hadn't heard any thunder yet,
so I kept going, hoping I would make it to the motel in time. Around
5miles later though, lightning struck just a few hundred metres behind
me. I jumped off the bike, laid it flat on the ground and went to
crouch low on the side of the road. As loads of cars were passing, I
tried my luck at hitching a ride at the same time. A guy stopped, and
his car was- unsurprisingly- big enough to fit the bike. He dropped me
off in Prineville, and minutes after I reached the motel, thunder and
lightning struck the town, with massive winds, rain and even hail to
go with it! I'm glad I was inside by then...
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Day 3- Corvallis to McKenzie Bridge
And what a day it's been, seriously!
The riding was nice, perfect weather and roads but various
entertaining and scary things happened...
Before lunch, I experienced my first dog "attack". This farm dog came
running towards and then after me, so I did exactly what I'd been told
to do- slow down, keep your eyes on the dog, calmly shout at him to
stay away and get your water bottle ready to squirt if it gets too
close. It worked really well on this dog, and I hope that it will on
other dogs too.
When I went into Eugene, I finally ran into another Transam tourer,
but we didn't cycle together because he was slower and didn't want to
cover as much distance.
Another first: taking the wrong turn, which added another 10 miles to
my day. Grrreat.
Then the worst of all: I was going along a beautiful state road, which
runs on the side of the McKenzie river. On one stretch, it was just me
and a car coming the opposite way. As soon as it had passed me, it
veered to the side of the road, and in what I can only guess was an
attempt to get back on the road, he oversteers and veers off my side
of the road, falling about 15m down to the bank of the river below!!!!
I stopped and turned around, and some cars which had just seen him fly
off the road had also stopped. We called 911, and two guys climbed
down to the car while one stayed on the phone to the emergency
services. The driver soon regained consciousness, wearing his seatbelt
probably saved his life! Worst of all though, when the guys asked him
if he'd been drinking, he admitted he had had a few beers! Bleeping
idiot!! This road seems rather dangerous, there was at least one other
(from what I heard fatal) accident on the same road at the same
time... And last weekend two youngsters got killed in a drink driving
accident. So maybe it's not the road but the stupid people...
Anyways, I made it to the motel safely. My left knee is now swollen
and painful, I hope it's not going to give up on me! Only about 4,000
more miles...
Sent from my iPhone
Day 2- Pacific City to Corvallis
My ride didn't continue along the coast for much longer, but having
turned east, it finally got warmer and the sun came out. It was
generally a pleasant day, though I spent a lot of time riding on the
side of a busy highway. As is appropriate on day 2, the pain starts
setting in. Not the muscular type, just the joints that usually act
up- knees, ankles, wrists. At least I'm carrying plenty of ibuprofen...
turned east, it finally got warmer and the sun came out. It was
generally a pleasant day, though I spent a lot of time riding on the
side of a busy highway. As is appropriate on day 2, the pain starts
setting in. Not the muscular type, just the joints that usually act
up- knees, ankles, wrists. At least I'm carrying plenty of ibuprofen...
I got to Corvallis quite early, and went straight to a bike shop to
see if I could get integrated brake levers and shifters. The bike shop
I went to had the right parts, and offered to install even though it
was an hour before closing time. I'm glad they got it done so quickly,
it's made the riding much more comfortable! I got a pretty sweet deal
as well, thanks to their impeccable maths skills: the parts cost $277,
and they said they wouldn't charge me for labour and give me a 10%
buddy discount... And somehow that came to $236!? I'm not complaining!
My hosts Rebecca and Josh found me at the bike shop and showed me to
their house. After a quick shower, we went for a delicious burger and
a long chat (thanks to the food taking an hour to be ready). Another
great couchsurfing experience!
Sent from my iPhone
Day 1- Astoria to Pacific City
In Astoria, I stayed with couchsurfer Andrew. We had a great BBQ with
his friend Chelsey on the patio, chatting about anything and
everything... The next morning, I got up early to ride across the
bridge from Astoria into Washington (state) just so I can say I've
been there at least once! When I got back, Andrew had gotten up to
have breakfast with me (impressive at 7am on a Sunday) and see me off
on my first day.
his friend Chelsey on the patio, chatting about anything and
everything... The next morning, I got up early to ride across the
bridge from Astoria into Washington (state) just so I can say I've
been there at least once! When I got back, Andrew had gotten up to
have breakfast with me (impressive at 7am on a Sunday) and see me off
on my first day.
The first day was cold, cloudy and looong. And my mood wasn't lifted
by the result of the Euro 2008 final!! Anyways, I soon found myself on
the first climbs, and with all the added weight on the bike I was so
grateful for the third chainring. The lowest gear is certainly getting
a lot of use!
Not surprisingly, the roads were filled with big big cars, trucks and
lots of RVs (mobile homes). Some of the RVs are bigger than school
buses, and people tow their cars, pickups, quad bikes or even
motorboats behind them, it's pretty crazy. Luckily, there is usually a
wide shoulder on the side of the road.
I got to Pacific City at 7.30, and was greeted by a group of middle
aged touring cyclists. They asked where I'd cycled from that day, and
laughed because they had taken 3 days to cover the same distance! The
motel was amazing, certainly much nicer than I'd expected, so let's
hope they keep up the quality!
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
The bike, fully loaded
with the shifters being at the bottom of the handle bar that I got
integrated brake levers and shifters in Corvallis. Much better now!
Funnily, on the rear dropout it says "fatties fit fine". Now I thought
that was aimed at the general American population so even obese people
would feel they could buy this bike. (which I think is not true for
any bike- the fully loaded weight limit is usually 120 or 150kg,
preventing at least a third of Americans from riding bikes) actually,
fatties are just fat tyres so they're telling you that you can put up
to 35mm tyres on for proper cyclocross stuff. Silly me!
Saturday, 28 June 2008
let's get ready to rumble!
So I survived a full day of traveling to get to Portland, and along the way I avoided the worst of the jetlag. A good thing considering the time difference is 8hrs! Portland is completely different to anything I would have expected. It's surrounded by hills (or mountains, depending on your definition) and is beautifully green. I have never seen a city with so many trees scattered around everywhere! On Friday the air was so clear, I could see Mount St Helen (the big volcano) and some other snow covered mountains in the distance.
I picked up my bike and bought all the bits I needed, so I am now fully equipped and prepared for bits falling apart. Again, the guys at Revolver Bikes were super helpful, so I am hoping that absolutely nothing could possibly go wrong with this bike. (Right ;)) I decided not to buy any form of sat nav gadget/toy, as the bike GPS computers are so expensive but don't even offer a reasonable screen or mapping function (and don't work with a Mac unless you splash out on the most recent model for a mere $649!), while the cars sat navs are cool but only run 3-4hrs on batteries. Useful.
After that, I did a bit of sightseeing around the city, and watched Kung Fu Panda at the cinema- highly recommended!! I also saw Wall-E today, another brilliant animated movie out at the moment. The two are seriously the funniest movies I have seen recently! Of course, my first day in the US included a trip to the Ben&Jerry's store, and various other bits of fast food. But that's probably enough for now.
I'm taking the bus up to Astoria in an hour, where I'll stay with a fellow couchsurfer for the night before setting off down the Oregon coast tomorrow. The first day is going to take me to Pacific City, roughly 105 miles from Astoria. And since summer has literally hit today, I'll try to set off quite early- maybe 630am or so. That way I can also stop for an early lunch and hopefully catch the Euro final somewhere! My handlebar bag will be stuffed with fig rolls, Haribo and bagels for the way, and I am taking a pack of Gatorade powder so I can mix my own energy drink. With the temperature close to hitting 100F, I think the biggest challenge will be to stay hydrated throughout the ride!
Gotta go, will hopefully inform you of my progress over the first few days soon! (With the aid of my Starbucks Reward card, which gets me two hrs of free wireless in any Starbucks each day. Yay!)
I picked up my bike and bought all the bits I needed, so I am now fully equipped and prepared for bits falling apart. Again, the guys at Revolver Bikes were super helpful, so I am hoping that absolutely nothing could possibly go wrong with this bike. (Right ;)) I decided not to buy any form of sat nav gadget/toy, as the bike GPS computers are so expensive but don't even offer a reasonable screen or mapping function (and don't work with a Mac unless you splash out on the most recent model for a mere $649!), while the cars sat navs are cool but only run 3-4hrs on batteries. Useful.
After that, I did a bit of sightseeing around the city, and watched Kung Fu Panda at the cinema- highly recommended!! I also saw Wall-E today, another brilliant animated movie out at the moment. The two are seriously the funniest movies I have seen recently! Of course, my first day in the US included a trip to the Ben&Jerry's store, and various other bits of fast food. But that's probably enough for now.
I'm taking the bus up to Astoria in an hour, where I'll stay with a fellow couchsurfer for the night before setting off down the Oregon coast tomorrow. The first day is going to take me to Pacific City, roughly 105 miles from Astoria. And since summer has literally hit today, I'll try to set off quite early- maybe 630am or so. That way I can also stop for an early lunch and hopefully catch the Euro final somewhere! My handlebar bag will be stuffed with fig rolls, Haribo and bagels for the way, and I am taking a pack of Gatorade powder so I can mix my own energy drink. With the temperature close to hitting 100F, I think the biggest challenge will be to stay hydrated throughout the ride!
Gotta go, will hopefully inform you of my progress over the first few days soon! (With the aid of my Starbucks Reward card, which gets me two hrs of free wireless in any Starbucks each day. Yay!)
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Additional info
I'm still in the UK but I can report that I have successfully completed my charity bike ride from Cambridge to Oxford and back, over two days. That ride was about 85 miles per day, which seemed fine apart from the strong headwind on the first day.
I'll be leaving for Portland this coming Thursday (26th), where I have bought a touring bike. For those of you interested in bikes, I have opted for a Surly Crosscheck, the sizing is a bit of an issue but I hope I chose the right frame size! I'm getting it from Revolver Bikes (www.revolverbikes.com), the guys there have been extremely helpful and I can only recommend their shop if you ever wish to buy a bike in Portland! They have added a third chain ring on request, and changed the tires for 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus... I am hoping to minimise the number of punctures over the 4,250 miles!
I'm taking a bus from Portland to Astoria, OR, where the Transam officially starts, on Saturday. If all goes well, I should be on my way on Sunday! My flight back to the UK is leaving Philly on August 28th, so I have only given myself about 8 weeks for the actual tour. That means I will aim to ride on average about 90 or 100 miles a day, which allows me to take one rest day per week. Of course that's all still subject to change, I'll just have to see how it goes once I am on my way!
Welcome!
to cycle across the US this summer. I will be going along the
Transamerica route, see www.adventurecycling.org for more information.
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