Friday, August 5, 2011
New and improved Beast of Burden
All packed
And hopefully ready to go.
I decided to double check both tents I purchased. Good thing I did. The less expensive (and much tinier) one was extremely flimsy. I felt like I was going to break those tent extension poles just by pulling the tent up. The fabric was very light and I just knew the first time a zipper got caught in the thing, it'd rip. Knowing each time I'd set it up I'd have just finished a ride; tired, ready for a nap, and not going to want to delicately move those fragile pieces into place.
Plus, it was a bitch to get back into the bag.
The other one, the more expensive Coleman tent, was oddly enough, harder to set up. But the material was much sturdier. The poles twice as thick. The tent itself was much roomier -- room for me to stretch out. (You grab what comfort you can. It's still going to be sleeping on the ground, y'all.)
Tearing it down wasn't bad and had absolutely no trouble putting it back in the bag. In fact, it was so easy, I'm still looking around my living room to make sure I didn't miss putting something back in the bag. I'll have to reverse my post about "wasting" the money on this tent.
The bike's all packed. Debit card and driver's license is secure. (Those of you "in the know" know all about my habit of losing driver's licenses. Sheesh.) It's 1:40 in the morning. Time to try to get some sleep.
I decided to double check both tents I purchased. Good thing I did. The less expensive (and much tinier) one was extremely flimsy. I felt like I was going to break those tent extension poles just by pulling the tent up. The fabric was very light and I just knew the first time a zipper got caught in the thing, it'd rip. Knowing each time I'd set it up I'd have just finished a ride; tired, ready for a nap, and not going to want to delicately move those fragile pieces into place.
Plus, it was a bitch to get back into the bag.
The other one, the more expensive Coleman tent, was oddly enough, harder to set up. But the material was much sturdier. The poles twice as thick. The tent itself was much roomier -- room for me to stretch out. (You grab what comfort you can. It's still going to be sleeping on the ground, y'all.)
Tearing it down wasn't bad and had absolutely no trouble putting it back in the bag. In fact, it was so easy, I'm still looking around my living room to make sure I didn't miss putting something back in the bag. I'll have to reverse my post about "wasting" the money on this tent.
The bike's all packed. Debit card and driver's license is secure. (Those of you "in the know" know all about my habit of losing driver's licenses. Sheesh.) It's 1:40 in the morning. Time to try to get some sleep.
Mo' Money Mo' Money Mo' Money
I think I've wasted some money getting ready for this trip. About $60 so far. I purchased 2 tents and 2 handlebar-mounted iPhone holders.
The 2nd tent I bought tonight. Was in Wal Mart trying to find a tail light for my bike. (The stuff I'm toting on the rack blocks the location of the old light.) I came across a MUCH smaller tent than the one I just bought on Tuesday. I'll return that one ($33) , along with one of the iPhone holders. ($23).
I also bought 2 travel cases. One for all the goddamned recharging cables I have to contend with. (Phone. Headlight. Bluetooth headphones.) Another to keep all of the toiletries in. But there's not room in the saddlebags for both of them. Another $7.
Other than that, the purchases have gone towards the trip. $45 for the bicycle rack. $80 for the saddlebags. $55 for the earphones. (Had to get those because the iPhone holder I'm keeping encloses the phone completely against rain. No way for earphone cable to come out of it.)
$30 for a CO2 inflator and a half dozen cartridges. (I'm over trying to pump up 120PSI with a hand pump on the side of the road in a pouring rain. Time to turbo-charge an inflation.) $9 on a taillight. $50 for the iphone holder.
Plus I bought 5 throwaway shirts at Walmart. $3 each. Wear it -- toss it. No need to carry any more dirty laundry than I have to. Also found something I've been looking for for nearly 3 years: a ball cap with built in LED lights. It makes a WORLD of difference when you're trying to find something in the dark and you need both hands to do it. $10 for it, plus another $4 for replacement batteries.
Right at $300. What I said I didn't want to spend on hotel rooms. (Spending a total of $100 on camping sties.) Take back the sleeping bag to Dick's and the iPhone holder to Best Buy and that nets me almost $60 back. I'm out 2.5 Franklins.
But all of the stuff I bought (with the exception of the shirts) I'm going to keep and use again for another trip. (Those earphones paired with the iPhone sound awesome!) Plenty of time left this season to do another 250 mile trip.
The 2nd tent I bought tonight. Was in Wal Mart trying to find a tail light for my bike. (The stuff I'm toting on the rack blocks the location of the old light.) I came across a MUCH smaller tent than the one I just bought on Tuesday. I'll return that one ($33) , along with one of the iPhone holders. ($23).
I also bought 2 travel cases. One for all the goddamned recharging cables I have to contend with. (Phone. Headlight. Bluetooth headphones.) Another to keep all of the toiletries in. But there's not room in the saddlebags for both of them. Another $7.
Other than that, the purchases have gone towards the trip. $45 for the bicycle rack. $80 for the saddlebags. $55 for the earphones. (Had to get those because the iPhone holder I'm keeping encloses the phone completely against rain. No way for earphone cable to come out of it.)
$30 for a CO2 inflator and a half dozen cartridges. (I'm over trying to pump up 120PSI with a hand pump on the side of the road in a pouring rain. Time to turbo-charge an inflation.) $9 on a taillight. $50 for the iphone holder.
Plus I bought 5 throwaway shirts at Walmart. $3 each. Wear it -- toss it. No need to carry any more dirty laundry than I have to. Also found something I've been looking for for nearly 3 years: a ball cap with built in LED lights. It makes a WORLD of difference when you're trying to find something in the dark and you need both hands to do it. $10 for it, plus another $4 for replacement batteries.
Right at $300. What I said I didn't want to spend on hotel rooms. (Spending a total of $100 on camping sties.) Take back the sleeping bag to Dick's and the iPhone holder to Best Buy and that nets me almost $60 back. I'm out 2.5 Franklins.
But all of the stuff I bought (with the exception of the shirts) I'm going to keep and use again for another trip. (Those earphones paired with the iPhone sound awesome!) Plenty of time left this season to do another 250 mile trip.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Look Ma -- No Net!
I've had a couple of people ask: Are you doing this in a group?
Well, there's going to the voices in my head. They're coming along for a ride.
But other than those guys, naw baby naw. Just me.
Here's a kicker: There's really only two people in all of Columbus that I could call in case I get into a spot of trouble, i.e., major breakdown, accident, I get sick, something like that. Both of them are far out of town themselves this weekend.
It's just me and my woefully ignorant "fix-it" skills. And a cell phone -- without cell phone coverage, mind you. Might as well be carrying a brick.
I've never done anything like this before. Yes, yes, I've certainly ridden further distances. The first leg is less than 60 miles. The second leg is about 75. I've made those distances quite easily.
But what I've never done is carry gear before. I have no idea the impact it will cause on the ride itself. Will there be a different center of balance? Will a truck zipping down the road cause a "sail-area" affect causing God only knows what kind of mayhem? What have I forgotten to pack that's really going to come back to bite me on the ass? (I'm used to having a car nearby. You forget something, you hop in the car and drive to go get it. Not as easy to make a 20 to 30 mile round trip to the closest CVS Pharmacy if all you've got to ride is a bicycle.)
I'm trying to picture myself doing various things, such as, taking a shower (what all would I need to take a shower? -- ack! Gotta bring a towel!) lying down to sleep (I figured out today I have no pillow), even simply walking around once I've reached any of my stopping points -- you don't want to walk in bicycle cleats. Solution? Figure out a way to tote along a pair of tennis shoes. Do I need to worry about the security of my stuff if I wander away from my "set up" camp?
I'm, well, eager isn't the right word, interested might be a better word, to find out what would make the trip better. What I could have done without packing. What I wish I would have packed. What tricks do I wish I'd known about riding with full gear? It's going to be a learning experience.
Well, there's going to the voices in my head. They're coming along for a ride.
But other than those guys, naw baby naw. Just me.
Here's a kicker: There's really only two people in all of Columbus that I could call in case I get into a spot of trouble, i.e., major breakdown, accident, I get sick, something like that. Both of them are far out of town themselves this weekend.
It's just me and my woefully ignorant "fix-it" skills. And a cell phone -- without cell phone coverage, mind you. Might as well be carrying a brick.
I've never done anything like this before. Yes, yes, I've certainly ridden further distances. The first leg is less than 60 miles. The second leg is about 75. I've made those distances quite easily.
But what I've never done is carry gear before. I have no idea the impact it will cause on the ride itself. Will there be a different center of balance? Will a truck zipping down the road cause a "sail-area" affect causing God only knows what kind of mayhem? What have I forgotten to pack that's really going to come back to bite me on the ass? (I'm used to having a car nearby. You forget something, you hop in the car and drive to go get it. Not as easy to make a 20 to 30 mile round trip to the closest CVS Pharmacy if all you've got to ride is a bicycle.)
I'm trying to picture myself doing various things, such as, taking a shower (what all would I need to take a shower? -- ack! Gotta bring a towel!) lying down to sleep (I figured out today I have no pillow), even simply walking around once I've reached any of my stopping points -- you don't want to walk in bicycle cleats. Solution? Figure out a way to tote along a pair of tennis shoes. Do I need to worry about the security of my stuff if I wander away from my "set up" camp?
I'm, well, eager isn't the right word, interested might be a better word, to find out what would make the trip better. What I could have done without packing. What I wish I would have packed. What tricks do I wish I'd known about riding with full gear? It's going to be a learning experience.
No Cell Phone Coverage!
I'm looking over the 3G coverage for AT&T for my expected route. It appears that once I leave a little town called Amity (do they have a shark problem there like that other Amity?) there's absolutely NO cell coverage up through and including Loudonville where I'm staying Friday night.
I'm guessing no phone calls, no Internet connection, no nothing. Yeesh. For a geek, that's hard.
I'm guessing no phone calls, no Internet connection, no nothing. Yeesh. For a geek, that's hard.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Cyclemeter Cycle (Road) Aug 3, 2011 11:36:28 PM
This is the test I ran on Wednesday evening to check out my iPhone app. I'm going to have to burn a lot more calories than that if I plan on having pie!
Let's see. 66 calories in 5 minutes. Hmmm. Let's see. 7 hours of riding * 60 minutes per hour * 60 seconds per minute = 25,200 seconds. Divided by 300 = 84 "66 calorie burns" or 5,544 calories getting from here to Loudonville.
To lose a pound you have to burn 3500 calories. Lose a pound and a half getting there?
Hmmm. I could deal with that.
So, if I rode from here to CALIFORNIA . . . I might be skinny enough to get Heather Locklear to lift that restraining order . . . you know. The one that begins, "Get the fat guy away from me . . . "
Finished Cycle: Aug 3, 2011 11:43:14 PM
Route: New Route
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/fc28/825e/4e37/b4c1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110803-2336.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/nEa3TO
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/fc28/825e/4e37/b4c1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110803-2336.kml
Ride Time: 5:19
Stopped Time: 1:27
Distance: 0.85 miles
Average: 9.57 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 15.17 miles/h
Ascent: 0 feet
Descent: 46 feet
Calories: 66
http://www.cyclemeter.com
Let's see. 66 calories in 5 minutes. Hmmm. Let's see. 7 hours of riding * 60 minutes per hour * 60 seconds per minute = 25,200 seconds. Divided by 300 = 84 "66 calorie burns" or 5,544 calories getting from here to Loudonville.
To lose a pound you have to burn 3500 calories. Lose a pound and a half getting there?
Hmmm. I could deal with that.
So, if I rode from here to CALIFORNIA . . . I might be skinny enough to get Heather Locklear to lift that restraining order . . . you know. The one that begins, "Get the fat guy away from me . . . "
Finished Cycle: Aug 3, 2011 11:43:14 PM
Route: New Route
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/fc28/825e/4e37/b4c1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110803-2336.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/nEa3TO
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/fc28/825e/4e37/b4c1/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110803-2336.kml
Ride Time: 5:19
Stopped Time: 1:27
Distance: 0.85 miles
Average: 9.57 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 15.17 miles/h
Ascent: 0 feet
Descent: 46 feet
Calories: 66
http://www.cyclemeter.com
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