posted
Lalo, if you don't get on that bike SOON we won't see you at KamaCon
http://www.psgd.org/bike/country.html this guy actualy knew what he was doing, and has a good route, even if it wasn't quite the route you planned. Going up farther into Washington State will make your route far longer (500-1000 miles more). He averaged 73 miles per day.
He didn't hit Chicago. Assuming you keep as rigorous schedule as he did and actually used his route other than an extra two days into Chicago (which I think is optimistic, given your cycling expericence though he did have some rest days) You are looking at between 37-40 days to make it to Chicago. IF you take the same route. If you decide to go farther out of your way, it will take you probably 55-58 days to get here.
There are 31 days in July. We have 15 more days in June. Kama Con starts the 13th of August. That is exactly 59 days.
I don't think you can make it. I think you are all talk, and a smart alec punkass kid who isn't gonna make it.
posted
If you don't start in five days, I give you 5% odds of making it to Chicago on your bike, if you leave tomorrow I give you 30% odds. If you don't start within 10 days I give you .05%. Good luck.
posted
Hobbes I don't think he HAS a bike he can ride yet. I've talked to him for hours and hours on IM trying to help him out and there's always some excuse why he can't get his butt to the bike store. I'm fed up.
And because speed is now becoming a huge factor, I've recanted my mtn bike reccommendation and definitely endorse a road bike.
posted
I'll put it this way: if Eddie can make it to KamaCon on his bike, I'll pay his portion of the room fee.
---
That said, if Eddie's actually interested in doing this some time, he could do worse than check out the tour to which you've linked. $4000 for a fully-escorted, three-month-long tour is not unreasonable.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Hmm. Crap. I'm still training for the damn thing.
Tomorrow I'm doing a 120 mile trip, possibly extended to a 160 mile ride. Last Saturday I did a 60 mile ride. I figure with a few days of these 120s, I'll be set to conquer the world within a week.
Hope to see you there, dude.
Crap, I really am running out of time.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
And heh. Thanks, Tom, I'm now gonna make it just to spite your claim. And to get out of the fee.
And $4000's way out of my budget. I don't need an escort -- all I need is, crap, to get the tent/bag/bike and get my ass out the door. The excuse I gave AJ's still unfortunately valid, though, and I'm still kinda screwed for the next couple days.
Hmm.
I'll see if I can make things happen anyway.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Eddie boy, you need to forget the "training" you are going to have to ride yourself into shape on the way or it ain't gonna happen. You need to at this point BUY THE DAMN BIKE, pack everything up and GO. Even if you only go 30 miles a day it gets you that much closer to here. Plus if you made it to Iowa you just might be able to catch a ride with Dana the rest of the way in.
It's in the works! I still have a road bike, though, which while too brittle to handle touring, is decent for training.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
She's right. Train on the way. Like jogging before you start a run. Goooooooooo.
What's your route, anyway? How close will you get to me? I might be able to ride with you for a day or two or three.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
On the other hand, those mortals get from point A from point B. You, on the other hand, can't even get your lazy, afraid-of-failure ass out the front door.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I've decided that if I ever resolve to go back to school and complete my degree, I'll mention it here on Hatrack first so that you guys will shame me into actually doing it. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Bobble's so sexy when he talks trash. Maybe you don't need to make it, Eddie. Maybe I'll have my hands full.
Posts: 3956 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Even guys who ride the Tour de France specifically aren't at peak when the Tour starts, they normally aim for around the middle. Besides which, as AJ says, it doesn't matter if you aren't in shape, switch your training rides into going somewhere rides, and then you can train and get closer to Chicago.
posted
Yeah my coworker gave me that poster, it's up in my office now. And on my screen background I've got a picture of Tyler and Lance riding together.
(Insert another approriate cutting and sarcastic remark about Lalo here)
Today: pick your route, figure out where your going and along what roads, and find milages between as many points as you can. Do something thinking as to how to break it up (keep the fact that you'll be going much slower on mountains/hills than on flat).
Tomorrow: Go get your equipment. Head down to your bike store of choice, talk the sales guy for a long time, make sure you find a good one, because a bike salesmen is a vital part of the bike you're buying. Get the bike and whatever equipment you need there (be sure to consult the salesman about the equipment as well as the bike, as why there are price differences, what you're getting and what they suggest for touring). Go to a mountaineering store, or whatever you feel is appropriate for the rest. Spend the rest of the spare day finalizing your route. Pick destinations for each day, and print out maps, maps maps. It's key you know where you're going.
Day after tomorrow get everything together, go over your route, validate, check things out (your bike, your route, whever you plan on staying). Tell someone what your route is so if something happens, at least someone else knows where you are. Take your fully loaded bike out for a short trip and fix whatever needs fixing.
Yikes, okay, geek. I'll be gone by the end of the weekend. I hope. Once I get started, I figure I'll just have to do more and do it faster. I'll get to Chicago. Though I'm starting to lack in motivation, despite Celia's offer of keeping her hands full...
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Lalo you AREN'T going to be able to go much faster than that dude I linked to at the top went. He made decent time (he said he was averaging 13-15mph which is faster than I can ride). You are gonna go SLOWER for at least the first week and a half to two weeks. After that, maybe you will be able to hustle more. But don't make your expectations unrealistic. If you take the shorter route I linked to and leave by Saturday, I think you have at least an even shot at making it. Any later than that and your odds go down to under 25%.
posted
Never ever. I don't know the meaning of the word fail! Nor do I understand "circumference" or "hyperbole," cuz I had an American ejukashun.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Hey, but really, AJ, I just might take that guy's route -- but what a wuss HE is. 60-70 miles a day? Ha! I laugh at his overweight middle-aged ass.
And that's what I'll keep telling myself as I'm cramping and dying on my bike. A middle-aged fat man could do this, a middle-aged fat man could do this...
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Hobbes timeline is excellent. For the route: Google US bike touring and coast to coast cycling and a bunch of other stuff like that, that was how I found that route I mentioned above.
posted
1) Lalo, you've been offered free roam and board, a free steak dinner, and tons of respect by Hatrackers, what counts as motivation for you?
2) You'll get in shape doing this, and you'll become mroe used to it and go a little faster, but remember, you'll also begin to wear out, don't expect to accelerate all the way to the end.
3) On a 70 mile trip I did with my Dad we averaged abuot 18 miles an hour. I was on a very, very nice road bike with nothing on it besides a few tools, a pump and some water and I wasn't going to have to ride again the next day. You'll be going way slower than that, you're taking tons of stuff, you'll be on a worse bike (I garuntee that, sorry but we put a lot of money into my bike) and you'll have to do it every day. Not to mention that I've been training harder than you have, which is not a good sign, seeing as I'm not planning on riding across the country.
posted
Actually one day for every hour-hour and a half by car, is a pretty decent rule of thumb. Take comfort in that you will still be travelling faster than the pioneers.
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If you hit the plains (Nebraska or Kansas) please be prepared for the summer winds. Many cross-country cyclists really aren't prepared for that, even though they think they are.
We just had Bike Across Kansas recently, and I talked to some of the riders -- they were complaining about having to ride leaned over at a 45-degree angle due to the wind -- then they would pass a windbreak and fall over! (couldn't correct fast enough). And they are FROM here. So it might slow you down some...
posted
Don't wear yourself out the first few days, go slowly and don't go for longer than is really necessary. If you feel, after 4 days or so, that you could do more, push it up a litt, ebut never too much at a time. If you screw up once and push too hard it could set you back days.
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