Tag Archives: Touring Bikes

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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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..

Custom Front Rack In Progress

I took my idea and asked a good friend who has the materials, tools and space to allow me to make a front rack for my touring bike. It’s so cool that I could make this, I’m glad to have good friends.

I made the cuts and bends one day. On the second day and after a quick lesson in brazing I jumped in and started with this as my first project of this type. Right now it’s not much further than the photos show but it’s straight and fits.

Next step is to clean it up a bit and then figure out how to coat it.

I wanted something that could carry front panniers low like my old Blackburn FL-1 Front Rack and also have a top rack over the front wheel like the poorly designed Jandd Extreme Front Rack I wasted money on. I could not afford any of the big Nitto racks.

Previously: Custom Front Rack Idea

 

Custom Front Rack Idea

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I’m not sure if this would work. Each color is a separate bent tube. I think it would be easier to get the pieces right if none has more than two bends.
It would have attachment plates at the forward eyelet on the dropout and at the mid fork. And a connection at the fork crown.
Also not in this sketch are a few straight pieces to make the top deck give more support.

Ps this is a test post from my iPhone.

July 2009, supported group tour camping

West Texas somewhere

Here is a look at one day of my last tour. That’s my tent and old bike. Touring in an organized group was fun because I had my own space but I was with a group of people all doing the same thing. I did not have any say in our route or our riding schedule, but I didn’t have to pay for camp sites or hotel rooms either. I should say that this was less than your average supported group tour because we were hired as “endurance cyclist” and compensated to wear branded jerseys and participate in promotional events in certain markets. All for a vodka company owned by Bacardi.

We had hotel rooms on most nights, camping only sometimes. On the next trip I take it’ll be nearly all camping. And I’ll likely be riding solo. And I’ll rarely visit private campgrounds like this one. I prefer State Park camping or free camping in quiet places. It’s mostly because of the money. Why would I want to pay $10 – $20 just to set up a tent for a few hours? Now I look at this photo and I picture everything behind my bike and tent gone, the eight tents and two passenger vans replaced by trees and grass. That’s what my next tour will look like.

I really wish I could have the company of so many good people as I travel again, and having a big company foot the bill in exchange for wearing a free jersey is a dream come true. But that’s not gonna happen again. Much more likely is saving some money, collecting the gear and finding the time to just go.