Tag Archives: New York

August 1, 2011

Day one. Condensed.
Rolled fully loaded for the first time w this set up out of Crown Heights to meet Andy at Pies n Thighs. Had pancakes. Talked about climbing. Went to Outlier to say bye. Jesse gave me a paper swan and a patch I wanted. Rachel took my picture. Went to mid town said bye to my roommate. Rode to central park. Said bye to Crihs. Rode out of the park together. He also took a picture. After that alone.
Was nervous but felt good. No phone but was hearing phantom rings.
Writing in a notebook 20 years older than me.
Rode on Bronx River Road and 22. Lots of stone walls at the road on 22. Pretty, shady.
It rained twice. And those were the only times I talked to anyone. Both time guys asking about my trip.
Had the song by sting or police in my head for hours. I can’t stand losing you.

Camped for free. Rained more at night. Nervous but slept well

rode 79 miles to Danbury, CT.

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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.

 

The Front Door to My Apartment


Every day I go out this door.

I have been looking at writings about preparing for a bike tour. One part of these articles that has absolutely nothing to do with me is the part about how to ship your bike before a tour. I have never started a tour that did not begin where I lived. Both of my solo tours started in my home state of Ohio. The first was riding West to the Pacific Ocean and the second was to the East and then South along the Atlantic Coast. A few years later I was selected from applicants all over the world to ride a promotional tour that was to start in NYC, and it just so happened I lived in Brooklyn at the time. So in all my experience I’ve never had to ship my bike and gear to my start point.

What I have done is arrange transportation for my bike and self after the tour ended. Once by bus, once by car, and once by plane. In that order. I can say that shipping a bike that has already done its duty is not stressful or needs any articles written. Put it in a box, send it, deal with it later.

I want to do another tour through an area in North America that I’ve never been. The East coast north of Boston. Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. Right now I still live in Brooklyn so I am already on the East coast and it happens to be that my lease is up on August first. I think August and September would be a fine time to travel north.

The thing about this trip idea is that I’ll be doing a big loop. All of my transportation will be by bike. I’ll depart by bike and return by bike. I wonder why I never did it this way before? It’s got me thinking, who are these people who ship their bikes and fly to some start point? Why not just ride there?

I can guess who, I can guess why.

For me, if all goes as best as I can imagine it then very soon I’ll walk out this door for the last time. With my bike all loaded and ready to go and will see the first day and first miles of a long tour. It will also be the last day I lived in this building.

On the other hand, if this trip gets put on hold, for some reason, I’ll still be moving out. The rent went up and my roommate and I are not that attached to this area. Either way, so long 1400.

 

Touring Bike Rebuild

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This is my bike in April 2011. After fresh powder coat, before installing new components. The only original parts, aside from the frame/fork are the stem, seat post. And rear rack was purchased at the same time as the bike. The wheels here are new Phil Wood 48 spoke hubs to Velocity Dyad rims.