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My TransAm trip so far.

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My TransAm trip so far.

Old 06-26-12, 07:40 PM
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My TransAm trip so far.

Well I'm on my 9th day of my first trans american tour. I'm at the Vol. fire dept in Mineral VA right now. I started in Fayettville NC and went east to Jacksonville NC, the North to Yorktown VA, where I started the ACA route west. I've run into 105 degree weather, torando's, and pouring rain. I've had one actual flat tires from a puncture on my mondails, and a flat from when the bike store in Mechanicsville changed my broken spoke and pinched my valve stem. Got my first taste of some steep grades outside of Ashland VA. And I've meet alot of really nice people. So in short it hasn't been easy but its been well worth it. Glad I trained for this as well! I should get to afton tomorrow, then the blue ridge parkway! I'm having the time of my life!



I have every confidence I will make it to Oregon! Can't wait to see the Pacific!
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Old 06-26-12, 08:32 PM
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Sounds like you are having a blast. Please keep us posted
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Old 06-27-12, 05:37 AM
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I will!
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Old 06-27-12, 06:07 AM
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Hopefully your 'allotment' of flats is filled and done with, Joe. Have a good trip and please keep us updated.

Brad
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Old 06-27-12, 06:43 AM
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Originally Posted by bradtx
Hopefully your 'allotment' of flats is filled and done with, Joe. Have a good trip and please keep us updated.

Brad
Yeah I hope.No more broken spokes or flats would be awesome!
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Old 06-27-12, 06:44 AM
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I leave from the Vol. Fire Department here in Mineral VA in about a hour. Time to climb!
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Old 06-27-12, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Joe Padilla
I leave from the Vol. Fire Department here in Mineral VA in about a hour. Time to climb!
Going to be doing that for the next couple-three days

Aaron
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Old 06-27-12, 07:55 AM
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Originally Posted by wahoonc
Going to be doing that for the next couple-three days

Aaron
yeah I figured! ;-)
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Old 06-27-12, 10:59 AM
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He's arleady cyber begging in another thread.
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Old 06-27-12, 04:51 PM
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Just figured of ask ill make it regardless. Rode 70 miles of hills from mineral va to Whitehall. Tons of climbing still averaged 11 mph!
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Old 06-27-12, 04:57 PM
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Are you going to do some in person begging then?
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Old 06-27-12, 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Are you going to do some in person begging then?
im very flattered your so concerned!
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Old 06-27-12, 10:38 PM
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Concerned enough to give me 20!
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Old 06-28-12, 05:30 AM
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I wouldn't give you twenty cents to fund your vacation. You want to pay for part of my Cycle Oregon trip in September? The registration fee and bus tickets to the start was over $1000. Then there is airfare. Hotel before and after the tour. Bike shipping. Etc.

Cyclists who beg in towns and/or want things for free to save money give other cyclists a bad name. How do I know? Because I have discussed the matter with locals. We don't need any more negative sentiment to deal with when we are out on the road.
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Old 06-28-12, 07:03 AM
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Be on the blue ridge parkway today! Oh and sorry that all the cyclists out there aren't as well off as you. Shame on us. It doesn't matter though your just some random anon on the internet. You would think cycling would make you a happier person but it seems not! Romney 2012! I've never asked the locals for crap. People usually offer me a place to stay, or set up my tent. They like to hear my story generally. In 11 days I've had 4 random folks offer me dinner and a place to stay. I guess hanging out on the internet all day makes some of us quite cynical, and a bit pompous!

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Old 06-28-12, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Joe Padilla
Be on the blue ridge parkway today! Oh and sorry that all the cyclists out there aren't as well off as you. Shame on us. It doesn't matter though your just some random anon on the internet. You would think cycling would make you a happier person but it seems not! Romney 2012! I've never asked the locals for crap. People usually offer me a place to stay, or set up my tent. They like to hear my story generally. In 11 days I've had 4 random folks offer me dinner and a place to stay. I guess hanging out on the internet all day makes some of us quite cynical, and a bit pompous!
*Yawn* You sound like the angry one. And I have no idea what the whole Romney comment is about. Perhaps an attempt to tie the basis of my opinions to a political party or presidential candidate choice? If so, it's a failed attempt.

And there is a HUGE difference between accepting hospitality and asking for handouts, which you have done in another thread. I have taken three multi-month tours (the longest being nearly 4 months) and have had plenty of nice people offer things out of the goodness of their hearts. If you are willing to cyber beg it's not out of the realm of possibility that you would beg "in person."

I found it interesting that you found the funds for a new camera but began cyber begging not two weeks into the trip. I also find it interesting that you are asking for food money yet revealing that you have already gotten more than 1/3 of your dinners and one third of your overnight accomodations for free. Makes me wonder whether you really need the money.
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Old 06-28-12, 08:32 AM
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And, BTW, when I was taking those long trips I was unemployed during the entire time and for months after my travels ended. Nearly two years in all. You see, for years I sacrificed many material comforts and saved money leading up to that time so I would have enough to fund my own adventures. And I am doing that right now with the hope that I can retire (or at least semi-retire) early so I can take longer trips again instead of short ones.
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Old 06-29-12, 10:11 AM
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You're both acting like children.
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Old 06-29-12, 05:08 PM
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Omg 32 miles on the blue ridge parkway today, the hardest tiding I've ever done. Still averaged 8 mph though! Great scenery! I'm camping out in love va right now!
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Old 06-29-12, 06:29 PM
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If you sell off 80% of your gear, you'd be left with food, the ultralight essentials, and a light enough bike that you'd get 0 flat tires and average 15mph.
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Old 06-30-12, 05:49 AM
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FWIW, I found the general area you are riding through to be the hardest part of the TA. I was going the opposite direction though.
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Old 06-30-12, 06:30 AM
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1) Yes you should lighten your load. If your packing list is online, I could look at it for you and point out things to get rid of. The first things to start with are electronics and all the supporting stuff (chargers, cords), then heavy clothes, redundant clothes, then things you brought "just in case" that you haven't used yet, and things you "might need" later. Every little bit counts, so don't keep something just because it's light.

2) There is a fine line between "kindness of strangers" and "mooching" - and it's really easy to hint to people that you are talking to that you need help. A little of this might be OK if you really need help, but (as others have pounded you over on that other thread) - it's not cool to ask others to fund/support/feed your vacation.

3) It's "through" not "threw" - "I threw a ball yesterday" "I am riding through a tunnel"
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Old 06-30-12, 11:50 AM
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Bah, with all the comments on overpacking, I was expecting to go to his blog and see him hauling a u-haul with his bike! Ultralight is nice for some, but I know I prefer to have several days of clothing, a tent I can spend a rainy day in without going bonkers, a very warm sleeping bag, spare blanket, laptop, kindle, a few book I can't get on the kindle, heavy duty raingear, a pair of hiking boots, and room to stock up on food before areas without much service.

8mph was on the high end of my daily average on a good day and I walked up a lot of hills, but I enjoyed myself.
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Old 06-30-12, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Tansy
Bah, with all the comments on overpacking, I was expecting to go to his blog and see him hauling a u-haul with his bike! Ultralight is nice for some, but I know I prefer to have several days of clothing, a tent I can spend a rainy day in without going bonkers, a very warm sleeping bag, spare blanket, laptop, kindle, a few book I can't get on the kindle, heavy duty raingear, a pair of hiking boots, and room to stock up on food before areas without much service.
This could be especially true if Joe is going to be staying in a place for a bit in order to earn some money.
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Old 06-30-12, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Tansy
Bah, with all the comments on overpacking, I was expecting to go to his blog and see him hauling a u-haul with his bike! Ultralight is nice for some, but I know I prefer to have several days of clothing, a tent I can spend a rainy day in without going bonkers, a very warm sleeping bag, spare blanket, laptop, kindle, a few book I can't get on the kindle, heavy duty raingear, a pair of hiking boots, and room to stock up on food before areas without much service.

8mph was on the high end of my daily average on a good day and I walked up a lot of hills, but I enjoyed myself.
I wouldn't want to carry all that myself, but yeah what Joe is carrying is not out of the ordinary. I like to go pretty minimal, some folks like to take a ton of stuff. I'd have to say that compared to most of the folks I have met on tour Joe is in the middle of the range.

I have met quite a few that have probably had well over 100 pounds of stuff on their bikes. Some of them seemed happy and were having a good time. I have also met a few who were miserable with the load. I often recommend folks try packing lighter and especially advise new tourists to cull their list aggressively. That said packing 10-15 pounds of less of stuff for a multi-month tour isn't for everyone.
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