Well this weekend I realized it had been two months since Erik and I finished our biking adventure. Our lives have crept back into breakneck routines and the easy days of 70 miles are behind us, but I thought that I would tell you a few things we have done.
First off... I just got my bicycle fixed! Yes the cracked wheel took almost two months to sort out. Needless to say Bikeline and I have become quite close... As I was riding to my studio this morning, I thought maybe I will perform a smudge to clear out any residule mojo and make it all new again.
Two weekends ago Erik and I did a bike ride in Wilmington. It was the return of professional bicycling in Wilmington and they were trying to break a world record. So Erik, Mercedes, Sofia and Precillia Rakestraw and I adorned ourselves with Pink BreastCancer coalition shirts and did the 2.1 miles. Erik had brought some water he had frozen from the cookie lady's house and we all drank some to lift our energy, luck and spirits. I signed us up as a team and wouldnt you know it we were called to the start line first. This ment that we were the first to talk with the press! When they asked our names I said forget us! we are with the delaware breast coalition and that is all you need to know! Well we had fun. We did not break any speed records, but we all made the finish line. I joked with the several reporters who found out that Erik and I had ridden across the country, that we had ridden 3,700 miles as our training for this. I never saw if we made the news, but hopefully Precillia go some good press.
This past weekend I did a sweat lodge with a few friends of mine. They had allowed me to sweat with them before I took the trip and this was a post trip celebration/what the hell is next, kind of thing. As I was packing my towels and things I could not find an empty back pack. so I went to the basement and pulled out a small overnight bag... Well when I opened it, there was a business card from June Curry.... yep some of you may have guessed it... the cookie lady! Well I figured she needed me to find the card, so I brough her into the sweat with me. I also thanked the many others who's generocity and spirit had helped Erik and I accomplish our ride. So hopefully it will bring good things to you all.
the 28th of September is bike to the bay. Both here in Delaware and in New Jersey. I havent signed up for either, but I still may... so expect me to hit you all up for money if I choose it.
I still havent retreived all of my pictures from my camera and I havent listened to the tape recording I made, but eventually I'll get to it... (nor have I fully unpacked at home... sorry Mercedes) So keep a look out for updates.
Thank you all again for all of your support. If something pops into your head about the trip... ASK! and hopefully this will not be the end.
Much love
T
PS ask me about Sofia and my amazing adventure!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
cracked wheels
So I get my bike back from the bike shop last night and they tell me that the reason I was getting so many flats in the end of the trip was because the spokes were pulling through and had actually cracked the wheel! Yes the wheel was cracked in several places...
So I wanted to update my repair list. a new wheel is in order... (I still rode the bike last night for a small ride... I crave the exercize!)
So here is the equipment that needed repair on my bike during the whole trip and in my return...
8 inner tubes (all the back wheel)
spoke tape was replaced on the back wheel
2 chains one in Pueblo, CO and the second once home
5 tune ups... the one in pueblo was the best... they pulled off the sprokets on the wheel and the cranks and cleaned the bike up all for $19! most of the others just checked the bike and wiped the chain off...
The airline bent the post that holds my front break on, but they were able to bend it back... ( a scary proposition for a custom welded fork!)
I already mentioned in a previous post my displeasure with my NIKE shoes... grrrrrrrrrrr!
Things of note.... I did not need to replace the break pads on the bike... (maybe I am too much of a dare devil on the down hills)
Again... ask questions... it helps with the memory
and I'm sorry about the pics... they are going up soon!
much love
t
So I wanted to update my repair list. a new wheel is in order... (I still rode the bike last night for a small ride... I crave the exercize!)
So here is the equipment that needed repair on my bike during the whole trip and in my return...
8 inner tubes (all the back wheel)
spoke tape was replaced on the back wheel
2 chains one in Pueblo, CO and the second once home
5 tune ups... the one in pueblo was the best... they pulled off the sprokets on the wheel and the cranks and cleaned the bike up all for $19! most of the others just checked the bike and wiped the chain off...
The airline bent the post that holds my front break on, but they were able to bend it back... ( a scary proposition for a custom welded fork!)
I already mentioned in a previous post my displeasure with my NIKE shoes... grrrrrrrrrrr!
Things of note.... I did not need to replace the break pads on the bike... (maybe I am too much of a dare devil on the down hills)
Again... ask questions... it helps with the memory
and I'm sorry about the pics... they are going up soon!
much love
t
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Brooksie's question
First off. Brooksie, thank you so much for all of your support. You have been a mainstay and wonderful source of support for me during and now after the trip. Thank you, thank you, Thank you.
As far as total lbs I am guessing I have lost 50 lbs. It has not just been the weight loss, but a re distribution of the weight. My waist is much smaller. my thighs and hips are tiny. My calves are huge compared, but are about the same size as before. I am not ripped by any stretch of the imagination, but part of it is that it will take quite some time for my body to absorb the extra skin and stuff... ick that sounds so gross, but I am guessing its true.
I am hoping to get pictures up on another source so everyone can see them all. Blog spot has limited bandwith for pictures... maybe later today if it keeps raining here in the poconos.
I would love to do this trip again. I think there is a way to attach a bike to mine so Sofia can ride with me and then have Mercedes ride solo... or maybe a tandem built for three? But yes... it is my hope to do this again. I was also thinking of crossing europe. They are well suited for touring by bike. So do you and Stewart want to join me or us?
I am hoping to paint alot. I am also hoping to work on marketing my work a little more. I have had this question posed by more than a few people and I thought maybe I am supposed to do something big for an encore... like take on world peace or cure cancer... but for right now... I'm just going to be an artist, a father and friend... If you have any suggestions... let me know.
My beard is not very long... mercedes says three inches, but how do you measure that sort of thing. It is dark red with two patches of gray. They are in two patches that make them look like I have white horns from my chin. My hair is long and wavy... So I look like I just came from the mountian. (or 3700 miles on a bike if you will.)
Liz... I have tons of info on gear if you want... I am not sure what interests you... so either e-mail me or write your interests here.
Thank you again Brooksie and everyone who wrote. I will be posting pictures soon.
Much love
t
As far as total lbs I am guessing I have lost 50 lbs. It has not just been the weight loss, but a re distribution of the weight. My waist is much smaller. my thighs and hips are tiny. My calves are huge compared, but are about the same size as before. I am not ripped by any stretch of the imagination, but part of it is that it will take quite some time for my body to absorb the extra skin and stuff... ick that sounds so gross, but I am guessing its true.
I am hoping to get pictures up on another source so everyone can see them all. Blog spot has limited bandwith for pictures... maybe later today if it keeps raining here in the poconos.
I would love to do this trip again. I think there is a way to attach a bike to mine so Sofia can ride with me and then have Mercedes ride solo... or maybe a tandem built for three? But yes... it is my hope to do this again. I was also thinking of crossing europe. They are well suited for touring by bike. So do you and Stewart want to join me or us?
I am hoping to paint alot. I am also hoping to work on marketing my work a little more. I have had this question posed by more than a few people and I thought maybe I am supposed to do something big for an encore... like take on world peace or cure cancer... but for right now... I'm just going to be an artist, a father and friend... If you have any suggestions... let me know.
My beard is not very long... mercedes says three inches, but how do you measure that sort of thing. It is dark red with two patches of gray. They are in two patches that make them look like I have white horns from my chin. My hair is long and wavy... So I look like I just came from the mountian. (or 3700 miles on a bike if you will.)
Liz... I have tons of info on gear if you want... I am not sure what interests you... so either e-mail me or write your interests here.
Thank you again Brooksie and everyone who wrote. I will be posting pictures soon.
Much love
t
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
equipment on the trip
several stats for those who like these things...
I wore only one pair of socks to pedal in the whole trip. They are still in great shape. The Earth,Wind, Rider people gave me a pair and told me they would be my favorite sock ever and maybe I wont go that far, but they sure held up... and btw I washed them out almost every night... for those who were worried.
I did not use several items I brought, like bike tools and extra bungee chords, but I would say my list was kind of spartan, but I didnt miss anything. (except my bed) I would have brought a smaller sleeping bag for after the rockes if I had thought of it, but the extra weight just made me stronger.
My bike: what can I say... for what I paid for it... it was perfect. The tires Bruce Gordon sent with it were dry rotted and needed to be replaced in telluride, and I replaced the chain as a precaution, but the bike worked flawlessly. It needed very little maintence. I would suggest this kind of bike to any one considering the trip.
The Brooks Saddle: if you get one. Expect it to take a while to break in... or maybe your bottom to break in. (I'm not sure which it was in my case) the springs on the seat were invaluable... I was very satisfied. Again... buy it early and ride with it as much as you can before you take off for a cross country trip.
The Gordon bags and racks: they worked great. One of my pannier bag developed a rip along the way, but I am not sure if that was user error or poor materials... I am guessing it was my fault...
My clothes: I wore a long sleeved wool sweater by EWR for the whole trip. I brought two and washed one and wore the other every day. Not only did it save my skin from sun damage, save money on sunblock, but it provided a steady tempurature whether it was 19 degrees at the top of Monarch Pass in CO or 100 in the humids sections of Virginia. When I was hot it got wet from sweat, but the wind that was genenrated by riding at ten miles and hour+ gave me a cooling effect that made it feel nice. OK it was 100 degrees and it would have been hot no matter if I were naked or in my sweater, but the wool gave me the sensation that I was cool... That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I brought three bike shorts with me... I basically used two. The third was a cheap pair and mas kind of uncomfortable so I kept it to wear while I washed the other clothes at the laundromat.
Bike gloves: they didnt do squat, but make my hands smell and polish my palms to a shiny leather look. I bought an expensive pair in Missouri and they promptly fell apart. My hands still got numb from the hours of riding huntched over. so wear them to save your bar tape from smelling too.
My nike SPD shoes... besides being very comfortable... NIKE sucks... my shoes started to fall apart the first week and after several e-mails to NIKE they informed me that they were doing nothing to help me and that I was SOL... the good thing is that they held up long enough to finish the ride, but I will never buy another NIKE product if I can help it!
what else? ask away.
much love
t
I wore only one pair of socks to pedal in the whole trip. They are still in great shape. The Earth,Wind, Rider people gave me a pair and told me they would be my favorite sock ever and maybe I wont go that far, but they sure held up... and btw I washed them out almost every night... for those who were worried.
I did not use several items I brought, like bike tools and extra bungee chords, but I would say my list was kind of spartan, but I didnt miss anything. (except my bed) I would have brought a smaller sleeping bag for after the rockes if I had thought of it, but the extra weight just made me stronger.
My bike: what can I say... for what I paid for it... it was perfect. The tires Bruce Gordon sent with it were dry rotted and needed to be replaced in telluride, and I replaced the chain as a precaution, but the bike worked flawlessly. It needed very little maintence. I would suggest this kind of bike to any one considering the trip.
The Brooks Saddle: if you get one. Expect it to take a while to break in... or maybe your bottom to break in. (I'm not sure which it was in my case) the springs on the seat were invaluable... I was very satisfied. Again... buy it early and ride with it as much as you can before you take off for a cross country trip.
The Gordon bags and racks: they worked great. One of my pannier bag developed a rip along the way, but I am not sure if that was user error or poor materials... I am guessing it was my fault...
My clothes: I wore a long sleeved wool sweater by EWR for the whole trip. I brought two and washed one and wore the other every day. Not only did it save my skin from sun damage, save money on sunblock, but it provided a steady tempurature whether it was 19 degrees at the top of Monarch Pass in CO or 100 in the humids sections of Virginia. When I was hot it got wet from sweat, but the wind that was genenrated by riding at ten miles and hour+ gave me a cooling effect that made it feel nice. OK it was 100 degrees and it would have been hot no matter if I were naked or in my sweater, but the wool gave me the sensation that I was cool... That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I brought three bike shorts with me... I basically used two. The third was a cheap pair and mas kind of uncomfortable so I kept it to wear while I washed the other clothes at the laundromat.
Bike gloves: they didnt do squat, but make my hands smell and polish my palms to a shiny leather look. I bought an expensive pair in Missouri and they promptly fell apart. My hands still got numb from the hours of riding huntched over. so wear them to save your bar tape from smelling too.
My nike SPD shoes... besides being very comfortable... NIKE sucks... my shoes started to fall apart the first week and after several e-mails to NIKE they informed me that they were doing nothing to help me and that I was SOL... the good thing is that they held up long enough to finish the ride, but I will never buy another NIKE product if I can help it!
what else? ask away.
much love
t
Some reflections
OK 3,700 miles was a lot of pedaling... a plane would have been much faster.
the trip was filled with so many amazing stories. I will try to remember and post them as they come to me. One of my favorite examples of "its a small world" was the houston Hotel. Eya, who is one of the hotel's owners, used to live in Delaware County PA. She graduated from a local highschool and knew many of the people I grew up with in Valley forge. We frequented many of the same places as a kid and as an adult growing up on the main line. But here is a freaky small world happening...
she was given up for adoption as a baby. She had recently met her biological father for the first time... (last year) she had gone and visited him at his home in.... yep lake naomi in the poconos. I have been playing golf with him for years in the Friday men's league here in our pocono house development!
so how weird is that? I ride all the way across to Houston, Missouri and meet someone like that.
Several people have asked me how much weight I lost... well I have no idea the number of lbs, but I lost six pants sizes and two shirt sizes.
I hope as you have questions you ask.... It will help me remember and stay focused...
much love
t
the trip was filled with so many amazing stories. I will try to remember and post them as they come to me. One of my favorite examples of "its a small world" was the houston Hotel. Eya, who is one of the hotel's owners, used to live in Delaware County PA. She graduated from a local highschool and knew many of the people I grew up with in Valley forge. We frequented many of the same places as a kid and as an adult growing up on the main line. But here is a freaky small world happening...
she was given up for adoption as a baby. She had recently met her biological father for the first time... (last year) she had gone and visited him at his home in.... yep lake naomi in the poconos. I have been playing golf with him for years in the Friday men's league here in our pocono house development!
so how weird is that? I ride all the way across to Houston, Missouri and meet someone like that.
Several people have asked me how much weight I lost... well I have no idea the number of lbs, but I lost six pants sizes and two shirt sizes.
I hope as you have questions you ask.... It will help me remember and stay focused...
much love
t
Friday, July 13, 2007
So it took 70 days
Today was a bittersweet day. I finished the ride in Yorktown around 5pm. Mercedes and Sofia drove down Wednesday to cheer me on for my last ride Thursday... I rode in from Ashland to Williamsburg by noon and we spent the day walking around colonial Williamsburg... then it was time. Time for me to finish what I started. I had received several congratulatory calls already and the last few miles seemed all but academic... Well they were some of the hardest thirteen miles of the trip. Not because of the terrain. in fact it was down hill most of the way, but because it was the end.
I will post more later today or maybe even over the next few days, but I made it!
Thank you all. Thank you for your love and support and most of all thank you all for being in my heart and head over these past 70 days. You should be proud of yourselves... you worked hard for me on my trip.
Anyway...
It will be my pillow tonight.
Much love
t
I will post more later today or maybe even over the next few days, but I made it!
Thank you all. Thank you for your love and support and most of all thank you all for being in my heart and head over these past 70 days. You should be proud of yourselves... you worked hard for me on my trip.
Anyway...
It will be my pillow tonight.
Much love
t
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