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The carrot

A few days before I started this tour a friend called me from a Midwest city. He told me he was gonna have his race and it would pay more to the winner than last time.

I was glad to hear this because I won the race last time. The last time it happened was two years ago but it was supposed to be yearly thing. Going back one year he’d said it was going to happen but in the days leading up he canceled.

As I rode away from NY I was already in a slight, faint hurry to get back. To get back in time to grab my race bike and bus to that Midwest city.
I had more worry than hurry though.
I knew there could be a repeat of last year, say it is so. But when the time comes there is no go.
That would have been worst case. Rush around enjoying this tour a bit less than I could and then what I rushed for was nothing in the end.
Of course there was a best case. Find a smooth way to get to the race after enjoying the tour as much as I could. And then the race and prize is real. Plus a win if at all possible.
I had days where I felt worry about not knowing how to predict what really was no better than a coin flip.
Some days I barely thought about it. But really I only took one full, non weather forced rest day. And that was with a reason. There were some half days.
Anyway. I got so lucky. Even getting doored and how much that cost me in damage costs and time from crippling my top speed. I was lucky. I got to what might be the best city between NYC and the Canadian boarder north and caught a cheap ride to NYC. Grabbed my race bike like I imagined. Traveled to the race. But that was only the easy part, now I had to win. Other wise I was just spending money to hang out and delaying my trip.
Since I’m not always the fastest, i rely on making less mistakes than my competitors. So the last thing I want in an open streets, chose your route, check point race is some one faster than me following me and mimicking my decisions and route to just out sprint me at the end.
But this time the race was different. No clues before hand. Except for the hour before the start. The 11 checkpoints were disclosed less than an hour before the go. Not much time to make sure my route was not only the smartest but one I could do without being followed.
I made a plan for my first 3 CP’s leaving the 4th as a possible last or keep it 4th. As a way to break off a copy cat if needed.
At the start I was the only one in road shoes. Brand new ones at that. After I get clipped in I’m gone. Most of the other rider, all fixed and breakless, were in street shoes and running toe-clips and straps.
Lined up on one side of the courthouse square and all our bikes laying on the edge of a stage 50feet away we edged closer as we heard the 3 2 1 GO!
I ran, we all did but as I stopped to pull my bike down I slipped and fell on the smooth tile. Pulling my bike down on top of myself. I was the first one to crash.
I got up quick and was stepping in my chosen direction cutting through the madness. And as I hopped on I felt alone. I clipped a shoe in and heard nothing else close to me. I was in the street a second or two later. I’d made sure the road was clear for me to go then I looked back and I was alone. Not one person followed me. There were not a big number of racers, only a few really but I’m sure they all knew I’d won the last time and in my mind the chances of being able to ride solo off the start were about none.

But there I was around the first corner and looking back a block later and not a soul. Two blocks and still the same. So now it’s just a matter of not stopping and not messing up the route I planed.

I was nervous because there were some hills and I was not hitting them crazy fast. Maybe I was losing time.

After I did my fourth check point which was on the top of a 6 level parking structure, I realized my over all route would be much shorter if I saved it for my last. Was that a mistake?

I had a chrono running on my watch but I never looked at it except at the 27 min mark. And I was not quite half way finished. The good thing was even though I saw other racers I never got held up at CP’s because of any.
I was doing the 9th of 11 and it was a further out spot. A friend signing nagged me about being slow but his tone changed when I told him “only 2 left”.
And those two were in a near straight line along my way to the finish.
At my 10th I had not scouted it prior and unnecessarily jumped a fence to get to the center of the running track where the CP was. Running out to the track infield I felt super slow and the run back and jumping a 5 foot fence. Not all that smooth.
At the last CP I was super worried about being on the wire of not making 1st place, there was nothing for second, (as the organizer says, second place is first loser) all I remember is a crowd of people (non-racers) to navigate to get signed. One guy I didn’t bother to look at or acknowledge was saying “that’s one serious bike” over and over till I was gone.
After 11 signatures I ripped just a few blocks, not more than eight blocks to the finish and just in that time it started to rain but no slowing down, I was trying to find it to speed up. By this point I had my legs dialed, my balance and my route were not even a thought anymore. I could see the road and any on oncoming traffic in my mind. The only thing in my brain was “speed up, go faster”.

All those days on the road gave me plenty of time to think. And in my last race. The Race Against Time in NYC a month before my tour started I raced against a friendly rival and lost to him because on the last few blocks I had looked back and seen no one so I’d let myself just ride it in. But as I approached the finish he swung around the corner just a second in front of me.
Had I not let myself scrub on the last blocks into the finish I’d have had him. Lessons.

Although, the race is not always won like that. So as I was burning the last few blocks it was not in my mind.

One last turn

One last block

I don’t even drop my bike, I ride right in the front door of the bar. “anyone else make it in first?”.

And there I was. All alone. The organizer was not even there. He had to relieve a CP worker so he didn’t make to the finish until after second an third arrived.

The next racer to show up said he’d given up because he still had 3 CP’s to get when his girlfriend texted him “doug won”.

The next racer to finish was over 20 min behind me.

I caught the carrot I’d been chasing all around Canada. Now I can go back to ny and swap my busted front wheel for a good one off my pile of bike parts, get on a train back to VT and continue my tour.

After five days in my home town and sitting on a bus to ny as I type this. The whole thing feels like it was easy.
I know it stressed me out a bunch at times. I’m lucky. I ended up in the best case.

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Day After Bangor

I’ve passed the pol0 cities for now. I will be in Halifax but I cant say when or have any idea what day. I still need to send an email to the club to see what’s up. So far it was Sun. pol0 in NYC. The next day I left, then get to Boston by Wed to play(good games), then Portland, ME by Sun to play(I was there they were not) then be in Bangor by Wed(great time at pol0). So even though this has be a pretty care free ride I have had some time constraints. That lightened up a bit today. But talking to my hostess last night and this morning about Nova Scotia I think I just added 300 miles to my time there. Plus the fact the St. John ferry would cost $81 for me and bike I may just ride around. Also adding time and miles in New Brunswick. I can’t slow down too much. I want to try to be in some cities in the latter part of the ride before it’s too late in the season.
But on a time saving note I may take a ferry from Bar Harbor to the other section of Acadia Park. Saving me a days ride and many miles on a busy Route 1.

Today I camped on the side of the road behind a few trees and brush just before the road goes onto the island. About 1/2 mile before the 3 and 198 split.

Also of note, I woke up at 7:47am and was in bed in the tent at 8:32pm but it’ll be at least be 10 before I’m asleep.

Also the last place I filled up H2O was from a dirty hose on the side of a gas station. The bathroom sink was busted.

And I cracked 700 miles on the odo today.

My route was 1A to the 3. Bangor to Trenton. Slept on Thompson Island.

Simplify cleaning after cooking

One thing that is bad about bringing cooking gear is the clean up after eating. But the other night I made pasta, very simple I boiled water and cooked whole wheat thin noodles, used the pots lid to strain the water out. I added sauce from the jar to the noodle in the pot, added some salt and pepper. Good to go. Ate it right out of the pot I cooked it in. I don’t have a plate. (or a strainer)
But when I’m done I have pasta sauce all over the inside of the pot.
Here is the tip. A slice of bread. Wipe up the left over sauce with bread and the clean up after the meal is a snap. Just a fraction of the water is needed to clean up.
Same goes for the vege burgers I cook. The greasy mess in the skillet. With the corners of cheese that gets stuck on there too. And the grease on the spatula (great to have for pancakes). Wipe the spatula on the bun, or bagel, then use the top of the bagel to mop up the mess in the skillet before setting it on the burger to eat. The pan is nearly clean and I haven’t even taken my first bite yet.

Internet and me

Finding web time is not as hard as keeping this old iPhone charged. Need some solar charger but don’t want it bad enough to research, find, or buy one. Mainly because being on the Internet slows me down and sucks the life out of my time.
I’m exaggerating. I did drink a huge coffee at Bard Coffee in Portland, Maine while sending some tweets to let friend know I’m alive. Look at emails and try to contact portland bike pol0. Waiting on a response. Also look at 36 hour weather. Dry now but says all rain coming up. Rained all last night. Luck that it started 30 min after I was in my tent.
Also got this thing fully charged while waiting. Still no reply. Getting super hungry. Fingers crossed they play when and where their site says.

Also I met another touring cyclist.

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August 2, 2011

Rain still on tent in morn. But clear skies.
Got simple stuff to eat at a close store. Yogurt. Granola.
Stopped at a shady bench near pond to have lunch. Watched one little turtle try to climb onto a floating board. The 4 others already sunbathing did nothing to help. After 5 tries the little guy made it on his own.
Had a biker offer a place to stay. It was later but I needed to ride east more to get to Boston in good time. And he lived west of where we were. Did another 14 miles before I stopped.
Smooth roads 90% of the day.
Taco bell for dinner.
Slept behind a long row of bailed cardboard stacked on skids behind a Walmart. In the grass. Quiet dark.

105 miles to Willimamtic, CT

In the night at 4:40am a forklift driver found me. Called out. But I stayed quiet. No problems.

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Sunday

My last full day in NYC for a little while. I’ll probably be in CT before Monday night.

Today I had a couple few things still to go to storage, but as I was about to go out with it a friend called and asked if I could help him get a couch out of his 3rd floor apt and down to the curb. That was not a bad thing because I did want to say bye. and after we sat down for a cold drink, it was pretty hot out. After I finished the storage stuff. Then when to pol0 for a quick few games. Library to return, Post Office to send back my last Netflix. (still need to forward my mail). Got a juice from Liquiteria. Called some friends. And back home to clean the apt w/ roommate. After that her and a friend and I went to a place for dinner and they would not let me pay. That’s sort of embarassing but maybe it’ll bring me good luck. But really I should have paid for them b/c they are watching my plants.

At pol0 there was a Boston player visiting NY and he’s a friend so I mentioned that I’ll be in Boston soon, he said they play on Wednesday nights at 6pm till about 9. Also offered a place to stay. I didn’t say I was going to be on a touring bike. My goal it to get to Boston and play a game and have a place to stay. Leaving Monday at noon realistically, I should make it.

Later I emailed Portland, ME and Bangor, ME pol0 clubs to figure out the days they play. Within an hour I heard back from both. After Bangor no pol0 clubs till Halifax.

As I type this late Sunday night, it’s fucking raining!

I never expect all the little things at the very end to take so long. I’ve walked from the living room where my bike sets to my bedroom and back about 900 times in the last two days. And up and down the 4 flights of stairs about 90 times. I hope I’m glad to be riding my bike in one really big loop.

 

Saturday

Today I made progress. Woke up and was out of the house by noon. wanted to go to the library and p/u some French language CD’s for my ipod. Also wanted to get a juice, last night I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. about a guy who gets healthy by drinking just juice. Might be my last Netflix instant. I turned in $67 in coins at the bank, looked at maps at Barnes and Noble, that place sucks for maps. I went to EMS and bought a bunch of crap. and then I was back home by 2pm to do some moving. It’ll all fit and I’ve got a few last things to move but had to stop at 7pm because of the hours of operation.
At home I packed up the bike a little.
Tonight going to the bowling alley for a b-day party.

Tomorrow? move the rest before 4pm. maybe pol0. eat. still need a UV filter and soap, cancel Netflix, return French CD’s and whatever else..

Friday

It’s 7:00pm, today I worked my last shift and secured a storage unit. I started to move things there but it’s not 24 hours so the remainder will have to be done tomorrow. And I have Sunday as an absolute last day to get my shit together.

Also I picked up my FR-5 from the welder. I may never use this tool but if I do I’ll be able to turn it with my 15mm.

It’s raining now, and it rained heavy last night. I hope I can ride for a bit before bad weather hits me.

Home alone because my roommate has already moved out I can see exactly what I have to do. It looks like a lot but it’s just 3 things, 3 categories. 1. going with me, 2. going to storage, 3. going to trash/free pile. Easy.

Netflix is wearing the rope I just gotta check the box. The one that says cancel membership.

It’s my last weekend in NY for a while, for the summer. But I think I’m just gonna stay in tonight.

I just got a call from a friend in Ohio telling me that he is throwing a race the 3rd weekend of September. In Ohio and the winner gets a heavy cash prize. I’ve won his races in the past. So now I’m thinking maybe, if this race happens, I should do what I need to do to get back to NYC in time to get on a bus or something to Ohio and try my luck at this race. Maybe.

 

 

Wednesday

Four more days to get it together.

Yesterday I woke up and worked  a day shift. I got off work and felt very tired, not like I did very much, more just a lack of sleep. After work on Wednesdays I usually like to go to the park and watch soccer but today I rode over to a storage place near the BQE at Flushing checked prices, was OK. Figured I’d ride home to pack but on the way I checked a storage place walking distance from my apartment. It was the same price. I think I’ve got my storage sorted out.

But today I have to go to traffic court for a ticket over no lights on my bike from months ago. I have lost the ticket and don’t even know if the court threw it out or not, I don’t even know which courthouse I’m supposed to be. I think it’ll be OK. I don’t have to be there till 4:30pm.

I installed the front rack and fitted my front paniers to it. Everything is fine there. After that I put some clothes and stuff in boxes. Then I fell asleep.

Tuesday

Um, five days left. Yesterday I got some things done and totally flopped on other things.

  • picked up new eye glasses
  • sold a spare bike
  • bought sunglasses
  • ate lunch with a friend, mac and cheese sandwiches
  • brought primered front rack home
  • spray painted said rack on my roof b/c the painter is OOT till after the 1st
  • made a fitted sheet cover for my air-pad so I won’t lay right on it on hot nights
  • checked with my welder doing a custom fix to my Park FR-5, not  done yet
  • bank card came in mail
  • watched a movie
  • found my Park CBW-1, it was in my toolbox

Things I meant to do that I did not do.

  • secure a storage unit
  • pack my apartment
  • cancel Netflix, still got a few days on that one
  • call the bank
  • ask about deposit
  • buy UV filter for my lens
  • find good road maps
  • buy soap

 

Restless

Man! so much to do to get ready. But not that much. But factor in my procrastination and I’m screwed.

Six full days until the morning I plan to depart NYC. In that time I work a day shift, a double shift and another day shift. Then Saturday and Sunday off. And then Monday Aug 1st is the day. I still do not have a route or real plan or a place to camp mapped out for the first day, nevermind the rest of the trip.

I still have to line up some bank things, fingers crossed my new bank card arrives in time. I’m turning off Netflix. My Boost mobile phone goes dead if I don’t pay, so by not paying I’m turning off my phone. Thanks Boost for doing all the leg work on this one for me. I still need to find a storage unit and move my property into said storage unit. That’s a big one but it’s on my list for today.

My front rack is still in the paint booth waiting on the last coat. My photography website is all hemmed up and I don’t know if it’ll get fixed before I leave. I still have not set everything that I’ll be carrying out to make sure I have it all. And right now I can’t find my 8/10mm open wrench. Where the hell is it?

Am I getting the deposit back on my apartment? Can I sleep here on the night of the 31st? I’m trying to sell a spare bike still. Not like I’ve had all summer to do this and I wait til my last week to put it on craigslist.

I just seen a tweet that a friend is doing PDX to SF in 3 weeks so that’s inspiring. And I’m trying to decide if I want to go through Boston or not. I think I do. I know some bikers there and it would be cool if the Geekhouse guys let me visit.

Man I’m nervous. Need to cut my hair one last time. Ask my roommate to adopt my plants. I still need to buy soap.

 

Outdated Hand Signals

I think that riding through many new towns and cities a cyclist is bound to not have a good understanding of drivers attitudes. Signaling helps. The reason I’m thinking of this subject is because I was riding in Brooklyn and some guy rode by me and did what’s in this image showing “right turn”. My thought was – no driver is going to understand what that means. These signals were made for drivers way back before cars had turn signals. And all these signals use the left arm because a driver could not safely stick their right arm out the window. To use this Right Turn signal while riding a bicycle is silly.

As a bike rider we can use either arm to make a turn signal.

Left turn = left arm extended
Right turn = right arm extended

Keep it simple.

 

Committing

For many years I have wanted to do more touring. In 2006 I had just left California after living in a mountain town for a number of years, I went back to my home town in the Mid-West and was looking to do one of three things. I was ready for something new, my ideas were to either buy a house and let that be my first step into being a landlord, ride my bike around the perimeter of the lower 48, or move to New York City and be a bike messenger (in 2005 I had visited some long time friends living in Brooklyn & working as messengers, it seemed so much more fun than my job).

About two week into being back in my home town I still had not decided because I was having fun being unemployed and hanging out with friends a family I had not seen in a while. That was when I got a call from a friend in Brooklyn asking if I’d found a place to live and job yet. I had not. His news was that they were looking for a roommate and could get me a job working with them. I asked when the room would be open. It was in just a few days and I drove there with my things on time to not let the room sit empty. My decision was made.

In 2009, after living and working in New York for three years I had really started to want to take another tour on my bike. I had some money set aside for travel I just needed to get my touring bike out of storage (a barn at my moms house). That same year I saw the Bicycle Film Festival was doing a big ride from NY to LA, I signed up and was picked to be one of forty two “endurance cyclist” for the two month promotional group ride. The departure date was less than a month away by time I knew I’d made the cut. I made a quick trip to the Mid-West to pick up my touring bike but it was not in shape for a tour, lots of rust on very worn parts. After bringing it to NY, I ended up just setting that bike aside because one of my sponsors at that time sent me a new bike. I put 4000+ miles on a Specialized Tri-Cross Comp in 59 days. The only thing I did to it was put on a stronger wheel set, with a Phil Wood rear hub, for the ride. Afterward I sent it back to my sponsor with a thank-you. Leaving me satisfied in a sort of way for having traveled and with a rusty old touring bike that I’d bought a few parts for just before the Specialized became a reality.

Again in the Spring of 2011 I start to daydream more about a big solo tour. Having no real plans I figure at least I could finish building up my touring bike and at the very least I’d have a road bike to go on some longer rides.

But the more I thought about it the more I really wanted to get away from New York City, to ride quiet roads, to see places I’ve never been, to camp and sleep outside.

I’m living in an ok apartment but the location is not very good. It’s not bad for me because I ride a bike so living a few miles out isn’t a big deal but in the year I’ve lived here I have not had many guests. Not many friends live near me. My roommate feels the same way. We decided not to stay. Sort of made the same decision, separately. Our lease is over as of Aug 1st. I was looking but keeping my rent the same was not very likely. So with a bunch of things in the Pro category I decided to take another trip, this time solo again.

Pros:

Going North to Canada via Maine in August and September seems like a perfect time, from what others have said.

Trying to find time to travel is hard because of funding it and paying rent simultaneously. With my lease over I don’t pay rent.

Converting my rent budget into touring budget would mean living like a king out on the road. But there is no way I’d go that route, I’m only gonna spend money on food and film.

Putting things off is a slow way of not doing them.

Touring is what my bike is built for, and I already have the camping gear.

Riding bikes and taking photos makes me happy.

I usually sleep better when camping.

Time to take my time.

I can turn off my phone (Boost).

 

But there are some things about such a drastic change that makes me very nervous.

Cons:

I have friends in New York, I don’t know a soul North of Boston. Well, a couple in Canada.

Not knowing where I’ll sleep each night.

Spending money while not making money.

Finding work when I return.

Finding a place to live when I return.

Paying New York City’s storage fees.

Getting ready.

And the biggest one as far as things I didn’t want to do, telling my bosses that I’m leaving just over a month after starting.

 

But that was kind of the deciding event. If I could say to my new bosses who I’ve known for a few years and really like because I respect their business and admire their attitude about many things, that I’m leaving then maybe I do really want to do this. I don’t have a lot going for me in the job world. I have done a few different things and some were pretty cool but other than this last month or so, every dollar I’ve made in the last five years has be made by riding bikes. I just got an indoor job working for a growing company that produce useful goods in the USA and now I’m basically quitting. I don’t like to quit.

And that’s another con, If I can’t finish what I start with this trip then the whole thing will make me feel like a failure.