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Archive for 2011

All that bike stuff

Posted in Our equipment on June 5, 2011| 2 Comments »

Sterling, KS to Larned, KS

Miles: 55

Total so far: 2,295

Sunset last night near Sterling, KS

We are riding touring bikes.  These are different than the average “road bike” one sees at bike shops these days.  It would be rare for a bike shop to stock touring bikes as they are not the lightweight steeds the market craves these days. Featherweight carbon fiber in racing configurations will not hold up to what we are doing.  Carbon fiber can hold a heavy rider, but when touring panniers are placed on a lightweight bike, odd things take place because of the significant change in centers of gravity, and the geometry of the bike.

Sunrise near Sterling, KS this morning - we were already on the road

These bikes are steel through and through.  They have to hold up to heavy loads placed in odd configurations, and treated roughly.  I am riding a Co-Motion Americano Co-Pilot.

Co-Motion Americano

A bike specially configured for touring from the same steel tubing and components used in Co-Motion tandems (a tandem is a single bike built for two riders).  This bike has couplers that allow the frame to be taken apart.  The bike breaks down and fits in an airline compatible suitcase.

Sallie is riding the venerable Trek 520.  This is a model of touring bike that has been around for 30 years or so.

Trek 520

Hers is only about five years old, and reflects improvements in design and components consistent with modern bikes.

Although these have  all the appearance of a “road bike”, the gearing and associated components along with the brakes are actually from the mountain bike world, allowing very low gearing for pulling steep hills with heavy loads.  Both of these bikes have “old school” bar-end shifters that allow room for handle bar bags that will not interfere with shifting cables.  We are running 700×32 Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires.  These are a touring favorite and are pretty bomb-proof.

Our bikes have front and rear cargo racks from Tubus, and our panniers (bags) and handle bar bags are manufactured by Ortlieb.  We weighed my bike the other day on a digital scale used for deer at 78 pounds fully loaded (without the rider, of course).

Maintenance-wise, we’ve done pretty well so far.  I had to replace a freak broken spoke on my front wheel at about 600 miles into the ride (for you mechanically inclined out there, I say it was a freak thing because it not only broke on the front wheel, but it broke inside the nipple at the threading.  My wheels have 40 spokes each so they do not often break).  I’ve had to true Sallie’s rear wheel once, and lube some clicking pedals.  So far that’s it.  Cyclists NEVER like to mention the “F”-word while still riding lest they jinx themselves, but to date, we’ve not had any flat tires to repair.  The credit for that goes to Schwalbe for making such a tough touring tire.

Kansas today

 

 

Early morning shadow play

Arriving in Larned, KS; Agenda: Have lunch and go to the pool.

100 degrees? Great pool! (Trans Am cyclists are invited in for free)

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Jason Curtis Barnett

Jason Curtis Barnett

Jason Barnett was killed by a drunk driver on May 14, 1997.  Jason was from Elkhart, Kansas.  An impaired driver failed to secure his trailer.  It became detached and went into the oncoming lane causing a head-on collision.


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Walking in those shoes

Posted in Thoughts on moving forward on June 4, 2011| 4 Comments »

Newton, KS to Sterling, KS

Friendly horn taps:

Miles: 64

Total so far: 2,240

Kansas today

Beauty break

We are settling into a rhythm of early starts to minimize the effects of the heat and the wind.  Things have settled some for us and we may not be defeated quite yet, though at times it may look like it.  Today for instance, I laid down on the concrete pool deck without the benefit of a lounge chair at the Sterling Municipal Pool and went fast asleep while small, wet children scrambled all around me heading back to the diving board to repeat their cannonball acts.

We’ve had some tough days.  There were a few days in Missouri where the narrow, winding, shoulder-less roads, steep hills, and rude impatient drivers combined for some long nerve wracking and exhausting days.  When I thought it impossible to relax, when my nerves were on edge and my legs wanted to give out, I thought of the others who for 35 years have ridden these same roads, and found comfort in their successes.

In the painfully long, enduring road I’ve traveled with my grief, it is not too much different.  The fact that others have traveled similar roads and survived is vital.  I will never forget a  Compassionate Friends Conference (a group that supports parents after a child dies) when, in one workshop, a newly bereaved woman broke down and went on a rant expressively giving voice to all the pain she was going through, the grief spasms that seized her, the uncontrolled pain, crying, and otherworldliness she was feeling, and finally, she accused everyone in the room of some sort of insanity because she had observed people laughing, enjoying friendships, seemingly going about life “normally” when she was absolutely convinced she was losing her mind from her knife-edged grief.

The presenter, a kind and insightful bereaved father and Episcopal priest, asked everyone in the room to stand.  Then he asked those standing to sit down if they had not experienced uncontrolled spasms of grief.  He asked those who have not experienced knife-edged pain, to sit down, and did the same for those who’ve never experienced the “otherworldliness” feelings of no longer belonging to the rest of the world.  When he was done, he asked the woman to look around the room.  There were about 200 people standing.  No one was seated.

He explained that we were not only standing because we experienced the same things, but were standing also in support of her.  It was an impressive moment.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving serves the same purpose.  Last year, MADD turned 30, yet our organization’s heart and soul remains intact.  We give victims a voice and a place where your loved ones will be honored.

Keep moving forward...

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Travis James Dreiling

Travis James Dreiling

Travis James Dreiling’s hometown is Hutchinson, Kansas, not far from here.  He was killed at the age of 26 on November 26, 2005 by a drunk driver.  He was expecting his first child.


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Early starts

Posted in Uncategorized on June 3, 2011| 1 Comment »

Cassoday, KS to Newton, KS

Friendly horn taps: 3

Miles: 41

Total so far: 2,176

We woke up at 4:30 this morning to try and knock out some miles before the wind and heat became too much of an issue.  It’s blowing from the south, creating cross winds (crosswinds are better than headwinds), the afternoon wind gusts are in excess of 40 miles per hour and there are record setting highs throughout Kansas.  We came into Newton, Kansas in good shape, looking forward to another 12 miles to Hesston to stay at the firehouse there.  The Hesston firehouse was reported as having good restaurants, free lodging for cyclists, a kitchen to use, and showers.

The only problem is all that was available at Newton, not Hesston, and is the result of a typo on our maps.  No harm, we caught the error early before departing Newton, decided to stay there and the day resulted in a good short ride in deteriorating conditions.

Oh! I found this gravy machine at a convenience store. Sallie loves all things gravy (not)!

Newton, Kansas train station

 

 

Fire Station #2, Newton, Kansas

This is John, going San Fransisco to Yorktown. He was traveling with his cousin who got heat exhaustion in Colorado and had to take over driving duties in lieu of riding.

John and Bill - San Diego to Yorktown, VA http://www.peregrine-house.org

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Paul Lawrence Elwell

Paul was my brother for 22yrs. He was a wonderful and fun. He was more like a twin than a brother. I will always miss him. Paul was killed on December 18th. 2003.

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Small wonders

Posted in Friends made on the road, Just for fun on June 2, 2011| 1 Comment »

Toronto, KS to Cassoday, KS

Friendly horn taps: 5

Rude honks: 1

Miles: 60

Total so far: 2,135

The Fall River near Eureka, KS

Camping at Cassoday City Park

My tent is a modern marvel of materials and design.  It works with an inner shell of breathable material, mostly screen mesh for ventilation and then a rain fly over top of that, designed to shed water.  The design provides for a space between the mesh and the fly, essentially keeping a minimum of material from touching the fly, as that is where leaks may start.

Now, let’s talk about spiders.  Daddy Long Legs in particular (also known as Harvestmen), which are really not spiders at all.  Although they belong to the class of arachnids, they are not really spiders for a variety of technical reasons.  Here’s what is important: 1. They eat bugs — including mosquitoes. 2. They are commonly thought of being dangerous to humans, but they are completely harmless to people.  3.  Anything that eats mosquitoes, is OK in my book when I am camping.

Every morning when I awake, there are maybe a dozen of these creatures on the mesh area of my tent, usually up high, below the rain fly, hanging out, apparently having gorged themselves all night long on the variety of bugs that try to get into my tent.  That’s good stuff.

Here’s the question I have:  How do these not-so-little guys know to flock to tents in the first place (they don’t fly, they walk), and then position themselves up high between the mesh and the fly?  I presume, like mosquitoes they may be attracted to the carbon dioxide I emit when I breathe, but is that the reason they hang out on people’s screens at their houses too?  Even when the windows are closed?

Butler County Kansas today

These are the things I ponder as I cycle across Kansas.

 

Stan and Margie on a 200 mile jaunt from Wichita, KS to a class reunion in Paola, KS

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Kegan Johns

Kegan Johns

Kegan Johns, Marion Illinois, was killed 8/18/2004. A night of many bad choices by two 18 year old boys went terribly wrong. My son Kegan trusted his best friend with his life. His 18 year old friend walked in to a liquor store and bought a bottle of vodka, consumed it and Kegan got into the car with him, and was involved in a single vehicle crash that killed Kegan instantly. My heart is forever broken. His shining smile, his loving touch and caring nature are missed by many.

Always & forever I love you and miss you Kegan,

Mom 

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The great wild asparagus hunt

Posted in Friends made on the road on June 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

Hepler, KS to Toronto, KS

Friendly horn taps: 3

Miles: 74

Total so far: 2,075

Winter Bauer

This gentleman is Winter Bauer.  Mr Bauer came to the church yesterday afternoon to ensure we were well taken care of.  I would say so – his son brought us two dozen farm fresh eggs and a pound of sausage.  We were extremely well taken care of and our stay at the church was just what we needed.

 

During our conversations with Mr. Bauer, he told us that wild asparagus grows in the roadside ditches in the area.  he said people pick it all the time and cook it up.

Today, we hit the road early, well rested and had a rare east tail wind for a portion of the ride.  Sallie really enjoyed putting the chain on the big ring for a bit, as this has been the first opportunity to do so since leaving Florida.  We stopped along the road and found some wild asparagus as promised – it was a little mature.   Right now you’d almost need a chainsaw to cut it.  Onward we went – more worlds to see.

Steve Miller

This gentleman is Steve Miller.  He has 4,000 acres in corn, wheat, and soybeans  south-east of Coyville.  When we tied up to visit with him, he was in the process of planting soybeans with this very sophisticated equipment.  Mr. Miller says he works the farm with his four sons, and he has two tractors the same size and two similar planters.

Between the tractor and the very sophisticated planter, Mr. Miller was running about $350,000 worth of equipment. I told him the bank must love him.

I asked Mr. Miller if Sallie could take that tractor for a spin.  He indicated that would not be possible.  Good for him.

Starting camp at Lake Toronto, KS

We got to Toronto State Park campground and Sallie took off immediately for the lake.  We took advantage of the first opportunity to swim in waters not inhabited by alligators since the ride began.  It was the most refreshing end to a day that started with good rest and a great breakfast.

 

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Michelle Benjamin

Michelle Benjamin

Michelle had a Masters Degree in Gerontological Counseling and was Director of a program which assisted people with Dementia and Alzheimer’s remain in assisted living in San Francisco. On January 28th, 2007 a drunk driver ran a stop sign slamming into the passenger side door, where Shell was sitting, at 75mph. She fought hard to live, receiving 102 units of blood and her heart stopping 5 times.

 

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