Okay, so if you ride a bicycle from Florida to California is it long distance or touring?

Raven Stands Alone

Okay, so if you ride a bicycle from Florida to California is it long distance or touring?

Raven Stands Alone


Did you pack a toothbrush?

Yes. ??

Yes. ??

Touring.

Ahhh.... Thank you. Wasn't clear on that aspect.

Raven

So, I guess I have done both. I have ridden across the United States twenty-six times in thirty-nine years. The most recent, sad to say, was back in 1994. That was 18 pounds of Paramount, 160 pounds of gear and 175 pounds of me and I had a toothbrush in the gear that time.

Raven

If any one of your days during those trips was over ... say about 100 kms ... then that day was a long distance ride during your tour.

And 160 lbs of gear??? If you are thinking of doing another one of these tours this coming summer, you might want to drop by the touring forum and have a chat over there about lightening up a bit. The most I carry on a tour is about 40 lbs of gear. Less weight makes it so much easier to climb the hills.

160 pounds of gear and 175 pounds of me and I had a toothbrush in the gear that time.

Raven

Typo?


BTW, this has been discussed on LD before.

Guys and gals, that may be a little heavy to you but my first ride was done on an old Schwinn Varsity I think it was, that might have been the second or so but, it had steel baskets front and rear and on the handlebars. I loaded it up with cooking gear, camping gear including a two person tent, fishing gear, black-powder .44 revolver and reloading gear and a twelve gauge shotgun for hunting up in Wyoming and deep cold sleeping bag. Always plan ahead I say and take lots of socks in plastic bags. I rode that over the Rockies to California from Massachusetts and back that fall camping every night both ways.

More recently I was on my Paramount with Blackburn mountain rack on the rear and Lowboy racks in the front. Jandd Mountaineering bags front and rear, Blackburn mini pump, frame bag, tool bag, three bottle cages, two twenty ounce bottles of water on frame, airhorn in third cage, and the rest of the survival stuff.

Although the components themselves have become lighter over the years, the number of items to make yourself comfortable in any environment (Texas in November in 1993 was 16 Farenheit during the day with blowing dry snow) has grown considerably for a fully self-contained, no SAG support, solo transcontinental bicycle ride. I would not think of making one of these runs without my portable espresso maker.

In 1992 I did it from Jacksonville, Florida to Long Beach, California in 21 days with a young woman who was 24 years younger than me. We took two weeks off and fed. We made the trip back to Florida in 23 days. And we were both carrying a load although individually less than I do with a solo. (Oh yeah, we did spend about a third of our nights in motels on the plastic card on those trips.)

My next run is going to be this coming spring from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach for Bike Week. I've come to know a lot of bikers over the years and they always offer to "hook me up" with sleeping space and food. They are impressed with 90 miles for one day. They have no idea.

At 59 getting ready to turn 60 I'm doing 30-50 miles daily just fartin' around town. I do it on the fixie or the Raleigh Grand Touring rig with the racks and bags permanently on it. The Paramount fixie weighs in at 25 pounds and the Raleigh Marathon with bags and etc comes in at 45 pounds.

Pictures of both bikes are on myspace.com/ravenstandsalone under "My New Love" with my kitty Skitter.

Oh yeah, it can be done, check the mileage from Jacksonville, Florida to Long Beach, California.

You might want to share some of those stories over in the touring forum. :) You'd have quite the discussion going about what to bring and what not to bring on a tour!

BTW - Have you considered doing a PacTour?

If any one of your days during those trips was over ... say about 100 kms ... then that day was a long distance ride during your tour.

No, I usually do over 100 miles per day on a trip like that. I have also taken three and four months to do the trip. The original question was just sort of rhetorical to start a conversation. I'm new here and you may be able to tell, I have never done much association with other bicyclists as such.

Until recently I never rode a bicycle for "fun." It was to get from point a to point b. I had a lot of fun doing that but I did not ride for fun. The fixie is the first bicycling experience that I have had that I am doing just for "fun!"

Over the years I had seen velodrome racing at various times and never connected with the concept until I recovered a stolen fixie from a thief. I rode it for three days till Bert came and got it back and I was totally freaked out. I get up in the morning and go for a ride for an hour or so. Stop for breakfast then take my roomate to her appointments, Doctor, shopping and etc. (She is severely handicapped and I am a professional caregiver by occupation.) Then I go riding until midnight or so.

Raven

"If this is the internet, where's all the beer?" Me 2001

You might want to share some of those stories over in the touring forum. :) You'd have quite the discussion going about what to bring and what not to bring on a tour!

BTW - Have you considered doing a PacTour?

What is a PacTour?

Raven

What is a PacTour?

Raven

http://www.pactour.com/

Ah, I see. Not for me. Too organized and dedicated to a package. I need to be able to stop in Arizona for a week and build bikes for my friend Todd in his shop. I need to be able to spend a couple of days fishing and swimming in the Brazos off of US 90 in Texas. Texas in the summer is 888 miles of hell and asking why I do this.

Organized anything is not exactly my style other than plenty of socks.

Raven