Still looking for one like that. Best I've found was a deck of playing cards with the Texas flag on the back of each. When one fades, I slap on a new one.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=182326

Have fun. Plan on doing at least one fun thing along the way. Even if the trip is miserable, you will always remember that one fun thing that you did.

Nice touch.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...l2010356-1.jpg

Don't wait for some hoped-for perfect spot to have a drink, have lunch, rest, change your jacket, pee, adjust some squeaky thing, etc. etc. Do it as soon as you think of it. Especially don't wait to have a snack until the top of the hill - do it now!

Take an airplane, you get there faster and smell better.

There are lots of good tips and tricks in this thread, which used to be a sticky ... pages of them ...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ips-and-Tricks

Your tour, your rules.

Don't use cheap gear on someone's recommendation unless you are SURE you can whip his/her @$$.

Gotta love the "come and take it" flag - my favorite Texas flag.

Pack as light as possible!
R&J

**this is a really good one, especially for stopping for food. The number of times on bike or cross-country skiing that I have put off a nibble and it ends up biting you in the ass with you feeling run down. You are going to stop at some time anyway, so eat when you need to, makes a world of a difference-especially when schlepping umpteem pounds of stuff on your bike up a hill or skiing at -10 or -15c--you gotta stoke the furnace or ye ol ship runs down on steam.

***have said snacks and such WITH you.

While "light" is somewhat in the eye of the beholder, the crazy guy on a bike journals strongly suggest that lots of people quickly figure out the difference between 'would be nice to have' and 'necessity.'

I work downtown and can pick one up and mail it to you, if you want. If they still have them that is. If they dont I can keep an eye out. It is made of tin. I attached it by poking two holes where I wanted it with a pocket knife. Overall very solid. I rode 5,500 miles without issue.

Just send me a message and we can set something up.

I think it is funny how Texans are the only ones that have posted pictures of their bikes with state flags on them.

Another thing is how many people out side of Texas have their state tattooed on them. We Texans have pride in our state.

Know your bike. Learn the mechanics. be able to fix a flat.learn how to use your tools.

**yet another gem. One can be quite a bit more relaxed knowing that the truck, or motorhome or whatever IS moving over. Without knowing you tense up, listening intently to get a second or two idea if they are going to scream by you real close, blowing you onto the gravel. I recall being markedly more relaxed after getting a mirror....and having a second or two extra time to bail when the SOBs arent moving over and are in fact squeezing you over.
Very handy for the dreaded "two oncoming vehicles at exactly your position" time, it helps to know if the one behind is in fact far enough back not to coincide with being beside you when the other truck coming is also....

This. Also, ride lots in the lead up to your tour. While you don't need to ride at an intense pace on the tour itself, having a high level of fitness will make you feel a lot better if it turns out that camp site marked on your map is actually another 30km or so down the road (as has happened to me in the past).

I don't know about that. I've used a mirror in the past, and it didn't really help me a great deal. Pretty much everytime I saw something in the mirror, I ended up turning my head for a better look anyway. And I see most car mirrors these days come with a warning about objects being closer than they appear.

I readily concede that bike mirrors arent fantastic, but on a narrow bit of road with lots of coinciding front and back trucks, and or Mr and Mrs Smith in the rented motorhome with the leg chopping off steps sticking outta the side.....hell, I will take a second or two's worth of blurry info over nothing.

but your mileage may vary.

ps, the dreaded 10 or 20 or 30 klicks more than expected to the campsite...arrgh indeed.

My advice: Take any advice, including mine , with a grain of salt;)

smart man that Mr64
its like the old saying, "there's nothing free in life except bad advice"

Pace yourself. Ride within your limits.

Yes! Eat when hungry. The nice spots with sweeping views are for tea breaks.

I knew I could count on all of you to give me some good advice...along with a few laughs! Thanks so much.

Other than a solid spare parts kit, pack only what you imagine you'll use every single day.