(Rest of quote snipped.) My note below yours wasn't a reply to your own well-stated positions. I was typing away when you posted it, and didn't see it. I'm referring more to earlier notes of Hurrahs and I Told You So's. We're all here reading because he's captured our interests, yes? I want to keep hearing how he's doing, but won't get too worked up about it either way. The sun's out, the fog's burned away. Bought a new Specialized Roubaix last night. I think I'll go ride for a while. A long while.

I keep reminding myself about how much advice he received on having a support vehicle or taking Amtrak for part of the way. I don't think any of us thought he would make it without some type of help.

Now that he's accepted help, and been up front about it, I find it curious that it's being highlighted as some huge transgression. I can tell you that around here, I-10, I-35, I-20, I-40 etc, etc, is under constant construction. You can find long stretches where it is reduced to one lane with those concrete barriers on either side of the lane. There is barely room for a vehicle to go through, and certainly no way a bicycle could ride through it and hold up miles and miles of traffic. I suspect this is what they have encountered. There is not enough time to take alternative routes to avoid these things.

I don't think he ever characterized this ride as a Trans Am style tour. Rather it's always been about using a bicycle to get to DC from LA. After all, his website isn't labeled, "Touring for Obama".

I'm not a "true believer", in fact our politics are probably very far apart. I have helped him out in a few ways and will do so if I can down the road. I would like to see him get there. The fact that he headed out with a "damn the torpedo's" mind set is attractive to me. I hope he makes it.

All I care about is the bike ride. That's kind of why I read Bike Forums.

I think Ryan's use of motorized transport is being emphasized since there was so much ugly rhetoric from the 'pro-Ryan' contingent in this and other threads. Nor did Ryan help by shooting his mouth off.

My take on 'not so sweet home Alabama':

There are cretins and nutters of all shapes, sizes, and colors. I'm sorry Ryan and Josh met one. I'm not surprised Ryan tried to spin it into some sort of social commentary. Tender misanthropes do things like that.

Were I in Ryan's skin, I'm not sure how I would have responded. I think he made the best of a bad situation. I might have been a bit more forceful than Ryan was. But then again, a Southern man don't need old Neil around anyhow, and I'm sure that would be made painfully clear to me.

Did you see the size of that guy???

I think I would have politely thanked him for paying for dinner and handed him his money back telling him I can't accept it.

Frankly I don't really care if he gets rides or doesn't. It is all a part of the adventure. But as I said before, just as long as that is in the story at the end of the trip. He has a very good chance to meet Obama because of this stunt or at the very least get the attention of his staff, if not the media. The true adventure needs to be portrayed at the end.

Have you seen the size of me? Oh wait, you have. Point taken.

I would have accepted it. Ryan is a traveler with a story to tell. (Joshua too if he's still with him.) The fellow was well-paid with conversation.

Agreed.

I think it's being emphasized because it flies in the whole face of the concept of "riding a bike from coast to coast in time for the inauguration". Considering that that was the premise under which he was soliciting help and donations, I would say there was an expectation that he comply to that. Since he's chosen not to, he's opened himself up to the critique. From that point people are entitled to their opinions. I't certainly no longer newsworthy from a human interest standpoint once all the facts are on the table.

Yup, just like a car wreck. Ya know it's going to be bad, but you can't help but look.

Agreed. I'd include the emphasis on his riding coast to coast as part of shooting his mouth off. The Ryanistas didn't help matters. Had Ryan and the Ryanistas talked less long and loud about his ride, its alleged importance, and the supposed motivations of 'enemies', I doubt he'd be getting much criticism.

I don't know about that. The general public probably doesn't care if he gets a lift here and there. If he winds up riding 90% or so of the way I imagine the most non-riders would not make any distinction. I suspect that we in the cycling community are the only ones who really care about whether we get a lift here and there. Among the general public I figure I am in the minority being disappointed by his lift to Phoenix.

Historian,



You are such the Word Smith! I think we found our scribe for the BF GAP / C&O tour!

I'd think it would be the opposite. Most non-cyclists I've spoken to don't understand the lure of riding for its own sake, and would likely think of accepting a ride as somehow "cheating". What, exactly, are you cheating?

It seems to me that this isn't a ride for the sake of riding. The objective is for Ryan to get to the inauguration. The Cycling is a means to that end.

What does that make the repeated requests for money and equipment, Neil? Since this is, in your view, not a cycling event but merely a way to "get to the inauguration", would it be fair to call Ryan a cyber-beggar?

After I saw a blackberry on him in his picture yes this is correct. I would want to write down my adventure if not for myself, but to inform or offer something back (inspiration ) to the people who are helping me and people who are following me.

After all I doubt many people would donate to him, so he could get a plane ticket from LA to DC.

Yet I find this almost the same as looking at other crazy guy's active rides. It just has a lot more fluff, ranting, venders, media, and very little substance compared to other cycling tourists.

If I am not able to tour myself at least I can see/read other people touring. ( I am saving my money)

I think you need to read this page

https://www.bikingforobama.com/about/

from his website. His original intent WAS to ride coast to coast.

You are cheating yourself if you represent yourself otherwise.

You are possibly cheating your contributors that gave money to support a bicycle trip. I suspect that if you asked them, the hitchhiking would probably been OK with them but I think they would have rather have seen you ride the whole way.

I do not agree with the racist statements Ryan wrote and think he should get on here and explain himself or apologize. Zero tolerance! Everything else he is accused of is smaller in comparison.

Historian, come on, labeling him a "cyber-beggar" you better check yourself before accusing others. How can you call people a "cyber-beggar" or spammer when under every post you make is a link to your retail store asking us to help buy you a recumbent.

"Help me buy a recumbent! Shop my Amazon store: PA_Bookseller
https://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/store...=AAU22PMKSOPSJ"

Are you begging or spamming or a little of both? Isn't this against the terms of use of this forum?

It is within guidelines to have a link to your personal site or a link to items your selling as long as it is in your signature area only.

I can't paint that with the same brush. So what if he has an Amazon store? If you spend your $ and get your product then the transaction is complete. All he's asking is that you buy from him, and in the process the profits help his cause which he's clearly defined. I find that a LOT different than asking for donations outright because you're going to perform a feat that you ultimately may or may not perform. To liken Historian's to Ryans would be the same as saying "buy from me and you *might* get what you bought".

While I agree that the Historian's solicitation on this forum to his store does not have the deceptive element that Ryan's saga does it is clearly advertising his commercial venture. Is a lesser wrong still not wrong?

And I am not sure this isn't against the forum policy which states Refrain from using BikeForums to advertise your site, items for sale, commercial services or website. You may attach a short link to your site within your profile or signature.. He isn't telling us about his personal web site he is advertising a turnkey store. If this is not along the lines of solicitation or spam then I would like to see an example of what crossing the line is. Can I advertise my construction business so I can take a trip to New Zealand?

I continue to be impressed with the progress Ryan is making, and I'm at a loss as to why his adventures seem to spark so much negativity here.

My opinion:

1. Ryan's story about his encounter in the South Alabama bar seems to be even-handed and fair. He ran into a dope, Ryan apparently helped the situation from exploding further out of control, and he drew a fair conclusion about what it meant. Maybe not the same conclusion that everyone else would draw, but not out of line with what someone else might conclude about what he witnessed. Ryan wrote:

"What do I take from this? Well, at this point just hours later I am still trying to process just what went on. I see one more example of how the Obama-era Post-racial society concept is bogus. People are hurting and neglected, and many of us can’t communicate beyond our differences."


Whether you agree or disagree with what he said, it's a reasonably thoughtful summary to the somewhat emotional encounter he had earlier in the day....and if you look at his blog now you can see it has sparked some interesting and thoughtful commentary.

2. Some of you remain upset that Ryan is raising money for his trip. Personally, I don't donate to people's personal vacations, but he's been up front about what he's doing. He's asking for support to get across the country to attend the inauguration. I thought his original equipment list was silly, and said so, but if people want to help him attend the inauguration, let 'em. Asking whether he is a "cyber-beggar" just seems to me to try to affix a pejorative term to something he's been openly doing for a month - asking for help to take a trip.


3. We're upset that Ryan is hitching the occasional ride? I think only in BikeForums Court would this be viewed as a problem. 98% of all normal people (a number that doesn't include any of us, since we are on BF to begin with) would say that Ryan is riding his bike across America, whether he hitches a ride for a few hundred yards to get around a construction barrier or a few hundred miles to get around bad weather.

The fact that Ryan took off on this trip without a lot of advance planning, in the middle of winter, was unwise. The fact that he's made as much progress as he has, and has been able to generate the kind of press coverage he has, is impressive.

To quote Ryan again, "Some of us can't communicate beyond our differences."

I only see Historian's as wrong if indeed it's against policy. No one says that you have to click that link, and he makes it quite clear what you are destined for. I see one has weighed in that it wasn't against policy and I would defer that since I'm not a moderator here and subsequently can't answer authoritatively.

I'm not upset, I expected as much. He has, however abrogated his initial mission in doing so. His mission was *clearly* to bike across the country. Not walk, not drive, not hitch rides. It's the mission statement on the site, and it was his statement in his original post.

There's a fine line between proponent and sucker. IMHO he's now working that line.

And if you look at yet another blog posted on him, the article makes it look like he is doing this without support of any kind of motorized support.

I suggest you acquaint yourself with the rules of Bike Forums before you start criticizing folks for alleged violations of guidelines.

Go argue with the moderators.