13 years old And Riding the Coast!
 

I'm going on my longest ride I've ever been in my life . Im going from Canada British Columbia to as far into California as we can and I'm only 13. I'm going to be riding a 2005 Diamondback Topanga EX. its kind of a tradition we do it every 2 years and every time we go farther than the last. Does anyone have any good suggestions on equipment to buy??? I love touring its practically life. And Id like to hear some of your guys's rides.


-Mark
:)

Hey Mark--
If you like touring, you might want to check out this website: http://crazyguyonabike.com
It has TONS of stories from the US and around the world.

I think you would like this guy's story--he went cross-country last summer and has a cool writing style: http://TerradactylQuadroflop.crazyguyonabike.com

A lot of people post equipment lists with their stories, so you might want to look through the stories. My list for this summer is at http://circumtrektion.crazyguyonabike.com , but it's not quite done yet. There are some Pacific Coast rides there, too, if you look for them. Good luck on your ride this summer!

Just want to congratulate you in advance.
You are doing something that so many people hooked on video games lose out on.
You don't have to have the lastest and the fanciest and the most expensive stuff out there. If so, you'll be shopping until you are 85 and will never ride a mile. Since you will be touring for many more years - I'd suggest that you get things that have multiple uses and are pretty sturdy (even if they weigh a little more). I've got a list of stuff on my last page of last summer's journal.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ..._id=1168&v=2l6
Again - congrats! - J

You go for it, I'm probly like you ridden my bike all my life, it makes me happy to know that a young man like you takes on adventures like this, you remind me of the mad capped things I've done and survived only to make a better person of me. The main thing is to have a laugh, and to come back with some inncredible stories to tell,so you can dine out on them for the next two years before you go on the next big tour. As your so young maybe you should find a reason for doing these tours maybe for a charity, raise loads of money, but a good side affect is you can then go round buinesses and ask them to sponsor you bits that you need for your tour. This is what i'm doing for my expedition, it's quite a bit of work but well worth it, not do you do somthing for society but you raise the profile of young people in society as well. If you want to know more I'm more than happy to tell you what I'm doing and why I've chosen to do it. Check my website www.challengea2z.com

Go for it young man!!!!
Im 58 and im planning my first big tour. Coincidentally, the same route as you, and Im daunted at the prospect of trying it at my age even tho' ive been riding for 30 years. I wish I was 13 and thinking about it!!!! It wouldnt be so daunting. Maybe ill see you there.

good on you mate ...

i did my first tour when i had just turned 16 ... and i forgot my tent poles so had to carry on to second nights destination, so ended up doing 85 miles that day on a heavy ten speed, no bike shorts in those days either!

hey good on ya man. at least i know im not the only crazy cat from our generation haha. good luck.

steve

Great idea. Since this is a tradition, how many times have you done this? How many people are going with you?

Thats awesome you get to do that!! and I thought how far I was going was long. good luck on your trip

-Mark :D

Hi since Mark hasn't answered it I'll give it a go. I'm Marks dad. Our first tour was in 2002 riding just the oregon coast. Mark as 9 year got to right a day with us. Our team consisted of Older son Jake, his friend Dan. It was an awesome time.

Two years later we talked dans dad to give it a go and this time set our sites on Canada to Calif. It was an amazing trip. And Mark got to right 100 miles of the trip. But this year is Marks year. Mark has had to be in the shadow of big brother and so this will be just his and my trip. And we feel that it is something that a thirteen year old can do.

My youngest daughter started in Astoria in a driving rain as her FIRST ride of more than a couple of miles on a bicycle. She rode 45 miles the first day in a pouring rain. Each day the distance increased up to about 90 miles or so.

She was riding a Bridgestone XO-1 which was too big for her but that never slowed her up a bit. She beat all of the 14 and 15 year old boys in though most of them didn't have very good bikes. Her XO-2 probably weighed about what your Topanga does.

She later became the 12th rated in her age group in the nation road racing. She got a Silver Medal in the Junior Olympics time trial.

That day she started from Astoria she was 12 years old.

Have a really fun tour.

Thats really kewl she was only a year younger than me!


-Mark

Thanx Dad I couldn't find this after I posted it



-Mark

mark, That rocks - you are bringing a smile to my face as I think of all the trips I have made. I get and even bigger smile when I think of my future with my own son (now 1 1/2 years old and getting towed around by me). As for tours - I have done the ride you are about to do as well as many others: Ireland, malysia, the canadian rockies, maine-vermont-newhampshire, the blue ridge parkway (10 times), etc. Don't ever stop touring - see the world my friend. T

THATS awesome i'd like to hear about the ones to Ireland and the others to !!!

-Mark

Good going Mark and Pop.
I really wish my parents had supported my interest in cycling when I was young.

One note -make sure the bike is set up to not stress the knee.
My 'career' in skateboarding was stopped as I developed Osgood Shlatters disease. (spelling?).
Hairline cracks in my kneecaps from stressing the growth plate.
Happens to young skiers as well.
Not sure if it could affect a young cyclist with prolonged stresses to the knees though.
-Less stress as you are not in standing position.

Hope you have an awesome trip with your family.
I do have a post with the provincial parks in B.C that allow 'offroad' cycling if you'ld like the link.

other trips
 

Mark, although all of the trips I have mentioned were fantastic - I have always thought the ireland trip was probably one of the best tours I have ever taken. I have never met such hospitable, friendly people. I also love green - and you certainly get it there. Other benefits - riding on narrow roads where cars are actually in no hurry to get around you (very polite), small towns that consist of buildings which are all over a hundred years old, getting caught in a flock of sheep or cows that are being sheaparded down the road, incredible beer (you might have to skip this one), castles sitting in the middle of nowhere, ....... If you don't have time to do the whole thing, you definitely want to do the west coast. There are times when you will be looking across the water at land masses you were on two day previous. You should also look into the canadian rockies trip - go from banf to jasper - easy riding for the most part - great youth hostels along the way - and the scenery is some of the best in the world. Enjoy.