Back from the Bicycle Tour
I'm now in Transition back to Life In Wisconsin after a nearly six week effort on the attempted Cross-Country Bike Tour. I arrived back home on Thursday, June 16.
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| Rain or Shine? |
I had started from Boston Common on May 1st and decided on June 12th to end the ride at Casper, Wyoming. I had gone 2250 miles on my loaded touring bicycle and had the prospect of over 1300 miles to go. Up to this point I had covered nearly 2/3rds of the trip in about 45 days. I figured that if I continued I would probably have at least 25 days to go before I would be able to get back home to Wisconsin (after shipping home bike and gear and arranging for car rental or air flight).
I anticipated that if I had continued, I would face 3+ weeks of hard traveling against strong headwinds in Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon. The prospect of that was not inviting. Although I felt reasonable strong at Casper, I doubted that I would be in great shape by the end of the trip. So I stopped. I didn't feel any sense of 'failure' nor angst as a result of this decision. It was a rational choice that I reached after a fairly cool weighing of the circumstances. It was a good time to stop.
The bike tour was an interesting project and a long stretch of effort for me to look back and reflect on.
Ultimately, the trip was about building a personal benchmark, rather than the specific end-goal of the Pacific Ocean. Starting back in 2021, my motivations as to why I was undertaking the project were a bit confused. Why do the project? It was a Challenge and that always draws me. I started with the idea of a trans-continental concept because it was very clear and tangible. Two Oceans as beginning and end-points presented a simple, tangible image. I added to the trip some historical items/themes such as Herodias Gardner (my ancestor from the 1650's) as well as my Irish ancestors; these in order to make the ride a bit more interesting. But the main challenge was the mathematics of the distance and the underlying physical realities and problems to be faced and solved on a day-to-day basis.
But on reflection, I think that my underlying motivation was to set an Updated Benchmark and experience what a longer ride would be like as a day-to-day experience. Also, this benchmarking would help me determine what were my current physical capacities. Both questions have been answered.
Conclusion: I'm still capable of long distance rides. I can do 1000+ mile distances at this point as long as I pace myself (3+ weeks). I can sleep on the ground in a tent on an air mattress without any negative effects. But I also know that I don't have as much capacity for handling the higher levels of stress (constant wind!) over multiple days. My recovery times are gradually diminishing. No doubt. I'm not as strong as I was at age 55! After a long day in the saddle I sleep longer and harder and I fade faster than in the past. Good information to know.
The Horse is still strong, but he's no longer a youngster! A little less bounce....
Also, I've concluded that long linear solo rides are, for me, pretty boring. Not a source of "Self-Discovery". Just long, repetitive grinds. On this ride I did not have much opportunity for interaction with other people. And the task-at-hand of covering miles and keeping my average mileage up precluded taking side excursions. The vastness of the distance to be covered (the 'goal') overshadowed my normal sense of whimsy. Not much energy or time to indulge my natural curiosity. I began to periodically ask myself, "What's the Point?" It was hard to come up with a cogent or convincing answer.
Looking forward, I will probably revert back to bicycle touring projects with more interesting themes.
[In the autumn I may also go back to Casper with my truck/camper and explore some of route not ridden by bike. I think I would like to look at some of the old wagon train trails.]
A Pair and a Spare
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| 2007 Silverado (2001 Camper), 2004 Toyota Sienna Van, 2004 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota) |
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| 1976 Honda CB360, 2005 Honda Rebel 250, Nishiki Frame w/ Bafang eBike Conversion |
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| 2012 Surly Long Haul Trucker, 1990s Trek 520 Tourer, and a 2010 Airnimal Folding Bike |
After getting back from the bike tour, I was fussing around with vehicles. Taking cars and trucks off battery chargers, taking care of some delayed maintenance items, etc. I'd sold my old Vibe to the grandson but then he found another car and so sold the Vibe back to me and I had to get it re-registered with the State of Wisconsin. Minor Repairs. Fuss.
Also, while recuperating from the bike trip, I was letting my legs rest and so was using Motorcycles and my ebike for the next 10 days. Riding over the beautiful Wisconsin landscape. (I'm now back on my regular pedal bikes.)
As I was fiddling with all the vehicles. I thought about how I like "Optionality" and to have a continuum of choices and alternatives. I looked at my vehicles and thought about how I like to have "A Pair and a Spare" within each category. One as to use, one for a backup, and one to be able to lend. This has been sort of taken to an extreme. Over the last couple decades, this principal has made some sense within my family. I often have lend out vehicles to family members when they have a car in the shop for repair.
The motorcycles are really just cargo bikes. I don't like to go at speed on motorcycles but rather, I tootle at slow speeds on the plentiful paved sideroads. I use them to run errands, especially for getting groceries. I can jump on the Rebel and go 28 miles roundtrip to/from New Richmond's Walmart and back and get that done on less than an hour and expend very little on gas. From the above photos you can see that I have "Milk Crates" on the back of of the motorcycles and the ebike. Little Pickup Trucks.
While I can go on the motorcycle up to 60 mph if I have to, I prefer a maximum speed of around 42 mph which works fine on those lightly trafficked township roads. I think about taking tumbles. Deer and other creatures are out on the road and a motorcycle at speed is really just a prescription for death or injury. But at more moderate speeds, it can make some sense. Plus they're another fun way to see the neighborhood.
Now that I'm back home I've reverted to riding my green Trek 520 touring bike (with thinner700cm x 28cm tires) which I use for day rides; this, rather than the blue, dedicated touring blue bike (Surly Long Haul Trucker with wider 26 x 1.5" tires). I also have an interesting yellow British Airnimal folding bike (thin tire, 24" wheels) which I don't use much but has a lot of potential for overseas rides. It can be shipped as luggage in it's own case. A significant cost savings, especially for overseas trips such as in Western Europe.
The blue Long Haul Trucker is set up for fully loaded bicycle touring and can carry 65-70 pounds of gear without any problems. It's a comfortable pack animal that can be ridden. The green Trek is set up with the relatively skinny tires and can move fast enough for daily rides of 30-50 miles. But I don't put heavy loads on it. It's my day rider for fun and fitness.
My focus is not on buying new equipment. But over the years I accumulate items based on different functions and capabilities. The red bike (Nishiki) is very old (35 years?) and was my hardtail mountain bike until I recently (2021) added a Bafang electric motor/battery/controller package and now have a very powerful ebike. The Nishiki has lost some of it's mountain biking capability but I was never that interested into technical mountain-biking activity. It's nice to be able to take the ebike out for mild off-road or rough trail riding and probe into areas where neither a bicycle or road-oriented motorcycle makes sense. Think of the ebike as a blend of of scooter and dirt bike.
The Trek is close to 30 years old and has an older style drive train with just 7 cogs on the back wheel axle. But it is a fun ride for me. The Long Haul Trucker is the only bike I bought brand new. And now it's at least 12 years old. So, everything I ride and drive is "Seasoned". Like the rider/driver, they all have plenty of years and miles on them. But if equipment is kept clean, lubricated and maintained, it's amazing how it just keeps going.....
The main takeaway of this ramble is that I like having options at a fairly economical cost. I never have sought status in terms of the latest/greatest equipment. Rather I ask myself, what can it do? How is it different from something else in the same category? A wider range of experience and capability is what I am seeking.
