Not Today!

Its the first day of spring! Out the door with the bike after being cooped up all winter. Hit the streets. Head down, work those pedals. Spring means warm weather, trees getting leaves, lawns turning green. Buds on bushes and trees. Birds returning to the feeder out in the back yard. Moms and dads at the little league field. The sound of little leaguers in the air. Warm spring nights after a long cold winter.

Well, not so fast boys and girls.

Turn the heat back on. Turn around and bring those bikes back in the garage. Put away the baseball gloves, kids. Turn off the loudspeaker at the ball field and turn the fire off under the hot dogs. Take those winter clothes back out and cancel the family picnic.

This view from my front door just a few minutes ago.




Nature has played a mean trick, as only she can, on all of those of us who live in Chicagoland! 6"-8" of snow since this morning, and a little more to come. Sigh...

Maybe next week. Back to the trainer in the gym or in the basement. (For all of you who live in Southern California, the "Basement" is a room underneath, yes, I said underneath, the house where people in the rest of the country live during the long, cold winter). I can only hope that God, in her wisdom, allows the sun to shine and the temperature to rise once again. Soon!

Credit Given Where Credit Is Due

I should take a minute here before I go much longer and give credit to Wayne Boroughs, the owner of The Touring Store.com, http://www.thetouringstore.com.

Being new at this, I had no idea about some of the gear that is needed for a tour of this length. Racks and Panniers (saddlebags or packs) come in all varieties, shapes and sizes. I found The Touring Store by searching the web. Wayne asked me to describe my bike, then asked me to take photos and send them along to him. We had two telephone conversations about what he recommended. His interest gave me great comfort and the product was delivered as promised. I would suggest calling Wayne for any questions you have about this type of gear. You will not be disappointed.

A Stock Bike Changes Character

A year ago, I purchased this Trek Multitrack 7500 which until now, has been used for local day trips around the area, the longest of which was about 55 miles. Today, it is off to the bike shop to undergo a transformation. We will replace the front shock, replace a rear tire, attach a rear rack, replace the pedals and in a couple of weeks, attach a front rack and fenders, front and back. Before I leave, I will also attach a front and rear headlamp and a bicycle computer to keep track of distance covered. It is not my intention to travel at night, but rather these lights are to be available during those times I inevitably find myself caught outside in a thunderstorm with limited visibility, particularly on the part of automobile drivers.

Thanks to the folks up at the bike shop, I begin the transformation from casual to serious biker. This afternoon we will spend several hours taking this bike apart and putting it back together again. They have accepted my request to allow me to ask as many questions as I can think of regarding the mechanics and maintenance of the bike. Over the next couple of weeks, its appearance will change shape and begin to look like those bikes I've seen on adventure cycling and a crazy guy on a bike journals. My son Dave, an avid biker in his own right, strongly suggested I "practice change" a tire and repair a flat tire before I leave. I will do so today.

Just to make sure the bike does not get all the attention, I am now training, inside,as you can see from the snow still on the ground outside, 4 hours, 5 days a week. For a variety of reasons, all of us here in Chicagoland are praying for warm weather. We are tired of winter and I am anxious to get out on the road to train rather than having to spend hours on end on the trainer inside.

All appears to be going well and this afternoon, the bike begins to look like a serious road bike.

A List of What I Will Bring

Time moves along towards my departure date. Right now, here in Barrington, IL, it is snowing out, again/still/more! Training continues on my bike in the basement and will increase slowly to assure that I will at least be ready physically.

Today, nothing more to report than what I will be bringing on this trip. I am certain I have forgotten something and have added more than I need, but from what I read of other's journals, this is about right.

Cycle Clothes
Cycle gloves
Cycle shoes/Sandals
2 Cycle shorts
3 Cycle shirts
Rain jacket and hood

Non Cycle Clothes
1 Pr. Shorts
2 T or Golf shirts
1 Long Pants convertible to shorts
1 Nylon Pullover jacket

Toiletries
Toothbrush/paste
Brush
Shaving gear/cream/after shave
#50 Sunblock
Deodorant
Kleenex
Toilet Paper
Camp towel
Blistik with sun block
Chapstick
Cortizone-10
Insect Repellent
Bar Soap/plastic container
Nail clipper
First Aid Kit
Vitamins

Electronics
Digital Camera w extra batteries and charger
Cell phone w charger
Thumb Drive

Bike and Packs Equipment
Helmet w rear view mirror
3 Water Bottles
Handlebar bag
Fenders, front and rear
Flashing rear light
Front light
Bike Lock
Front and Rear Pannier Carriers (Racks)
2 front and 2 rear Panniers
Compass
Nylon tie-downs
Rags to clean and oil chain and bike
Hand washing towlettes
Tools/Spare parts
Tire pressure gauge
Combination Allens Head Wrench set
8/9 box wrench
Spoke wrench
Extra spokes
Swiss Army Knife
Crescent Wrench
Chain lubrication
Assorted nuts and bolts
Tire pump
Chain tool
Derailleur cable
Brake cable
Tire removal tools
1 spare tube
2 tube patch kits

Camping Equipment
Tent
Tent poles/stakes
Ground cloth
Sleeping bag
Mini Solo Cook Set
Forks, knives and spoons
MSR Superfly Canister Stove + 3 extra cannisters
Clothes line
Interior tent light
As needed, dehydrated foods

As it is my intention to camp 2 nights out of 3 on this trip, my access to things like washing machines, dryers, showers, etc is speculative. Some campgrounds have some or all of those conveniences, otherwise perhaps a sympathetic motel or B & B owner will let me borrow theirs.

It is also my intenrion to update my blog with the day's activities and pictures in local libraries as I move along my journey, thus no computer need come along and take up space and add weight.

All of the above, everything, should not weigh more than 35-40 pounds. I think I am on track to stay within that weight limitation.

That's all for today except for a two hour training ride.

Departure Date, Training and Other Stuff

In the several weeks since I last posted, I've continued to train, research my route and the equipment I'll use and set the departure date.

The plan is to leave from Muscatine, IA on May 15th. As the date approaches, the reality of what I'm going to do becomes much more real! Training now is up to 2 hours a day, 3 days a week and 3 hours a day, 2 days a week! This month, I will increase that to the above except 1 day a week, 4 hours on the bike.

The outcome of all this is that the physical exercise is good for me, the time spent not physically taxing, except on my seat - what a pain in the backside, but I see that tolerance increases as training continues - and most frustrating, sitting in a solitary location inside trying to keep the mind occupied while the body works!

I'm beginning to accumulate equipment and will go into the bike store later this month to get a lesson or two on bicycle maintenance.

This adventure is beginning to get a life of its own and as time draws closer, my excitement grows. Most friends are encouraging with the biggest hesitation being my safety. Mine too, but from what I read, common sense and a good route will prevent the kinds of risk that could result in an accident.

The New Year - The Fun Begins

When last I posted, this idea of a ride from Muscatine, IA, to New Orleans had been very well thought through and discussed with those in my family who had to feel comfortable with my safety and time away from home. Although assured, after lengthy explanation and much map-reading that all were fairly comfortable with my plan, time has proven otherwise.

Most concerned is my wife Carla, not so much because time away, but more for safety's sake. Consequently, I am spending additional time reassuring her that my safety is MY greatest concern as well has hers. I keep trying to explain that I am not going to be beaten on the head by some crazed lunatic and that if I use common sense, (I am going to), and plan thoroughly, (I am), unless some freak of nature or unforeseen accident takes place, I will survive the trip! I think I am making headway but I will continue to address her concerns as they come up.

Reaction to this ride from my friends has been surprisingly positive. It seems to strike a cord in some people that such an adventure is the ultimate in personal freedom, and that at some age, we all would like the opportunity, even for a short time, to be able once again to account only to ourselves for the consequences of our decisions. That certainly is one of the reasons I'm taking the journey. We'll see how all that turns out once I'm out on some country back road with only myself to talk to knowing it's going to be that way for several weeks.

Having said that, a lot of effort has continued to go into the planning and conditioning for the journey.

On the logistical side, I've pretty much scoped out the needs for survival over 29 or so days on the road. I've identified the camping gear I don't have and will need to get, have begun to determine the weight of all that gear, (not to exceed 35 lbs including food, water and clothes), and am beginning to close in on the items I will need in order to upgrade my bike to make it road-safe and ready. I will have more about that in a later blog.

I have pretty much narrowed down my choices for a route which for the most part follows the suggested Great Rivers South Bicycle Route published by the Adventure Cycling Association. There are a couple of options which I am still working through, particularly the route between St. Louis, (itself a detour from the general route) and Cape Girardeau. A route suggested by the Mississippi River Trail Organization would take me south and east of the Mississippi to Cape Girardeau while the Great Rivers South Bicycle Route runs south and west of the river.

I have driven the former in my car previously and found it to be really pretty farm country, quiet and the roadway fairly level. The problem is getting out of St. Louis on less busy roads and until I figure all this out, this part of the journey remains up in the air.

The other interesting routing question, although again the Mississippi River Trail Organization route very explicitly describes the route, is that between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I'm still working on that part of the ride, but am confident that I will have all this organized in my mind and my maps by the time I leave.

The other piece of this which never lets up is the physical conditioning. I am now working about five or six days a week on my bike which is sitting on a training device or on a trainer at the health club, riding two hours, three days a week and one hour the remaining training days.

In another week, I will increase the longer rides to three hours and the shorter rides to two hours and will continue that training schedule through January. So far, the legs are holding up fine and there is no pain in my knees.

The hardest part is not getting bored to death spending that amount of time on the bike. In addition, as I write this blog, I am looking out the window at Lake Michigan, where the water is iced over along the shoreline, which itself has several inches of snow on it. It is 6 degrees out with a wind-chill of minus 7!

It will be April before I take this body outside to train on the trails which run throughout the Chicagoland area. I cannot wait, for riding on those trails is much more interesting that riding a stationary bike in my den or at the club!

In ensuing blog entries, I'll itemize the gear I'm taking, its weight and cost, so that if any of you are thinking of such a trip, you'll be able to benefit from my experience.

More in a day or so...

Planning Ahead - The Training Regimen and Departure Date

These are the days of planning and beginning to get myself in physical shape.

Fortunately, I've plenty of time for both, as I've pretty much settled on leaving sometime during the week of May 19th. That seems to fit within the various obligations Carla and I have for late spring and early summer.

I've taken the liberty of copying the training regimen I have adopted as recommended by Brian Martindale who works as Adventure Cycling's Tours' Director: http://www.adventurecycling.com

Base Training Miles
Start training at least four months before the planned departure date. One month of riding four to six days a week, either inside on a trainer or outside on the bike, is sufficient. You want to spin the bike at a high rate of revolutions per minute (RPM) -- at least 90 RPM -- and use easy gears. A good goal is to have from 300 to 600 miles, roughly 20 to 30 hours on a trainer, under your belt. Also, take time to work into a stretching routine. This will get your muscles, tendons, and ligaments ready for the next stage of training.

Building Strength
The goal for the next month is to build up riding strength in your body, once you have a good base of training. This is the stage where you gradually start mixing in more difficult training. Riding hills and structuring training to include intervals and sprint training are key to this stage. You want to mix this type of training in gradually while maintaining your spin rides between workout rides. Don't overdo it. Mix in easy rides and rest days. The goal is preparation, not overworking your body. Days you work on sprints should be the shortest riding days, and easy riding days should be longer. Remember, strength does not mean crushing huge gears. Higher rates of spinning will get you up the hills faster with less energy used. Hill climbing and strength training should be continued once or twice a week into the next stage of training.

Building Endurance
This stage is meant to build up endurance for longer rides. Start by taking longer rides once or twice a week. By the end of this third month, you should be riding 40 to 50 miles a day, two days a week. Start toning down the strength riding for the sake of spending time in the saddle. Start enjoying the rides. Ride to places locally where you have either never been or haven't seen in a long time. Ride many hills and enjoy the views. Take a meal with you and stop to enjoy it.

Ride with Weight
This is the most important stage of training. About six weeks before your departure date, begin to carry weight on the bike as you ride -- particularly on the long endurance days. Begin slowly, carrying about 20 pounds or so, and work your way up to carrying all of your gear a couple of times a week for two weeks before your trip starts. You need this time to build strength in your ligaments, muscles, and tendons. This will help to avoid injuries and prepare you for an enjoyable trip".


So, you can see that I have my work cut out for me. The good news is that now that I am retired, I can do these stages during the week when Carla is at work and it will not take time away from that which we spend with each other. As I am doing all of this in Chicago, training by necessity during the winter is inside on a trainer and it will not be until early April that I can get outside on the trails which abound throughout Chicagoland.

My next posting will provide information on what one is expected to take on a trip such as this. It seems a lot but I'm sure that it can be adjusted to meet the circumstances of my ride. Until next time.