Cross Country Biking
09-26-18, 10:03 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,237
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18413 Post(s)
Liked 15,536 Times
in
7,328 Posts
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28675949
Nasty section, but I wouldn't say much of it at approximately 10%.
Nasty section, but I wouldn't say much of it at approximately 10%.
09-26-18, 10:09 AM
#27
Behold my avatar:
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SW Colorado
Posts: 1,034
Bikes: 2019 Gorilla Monsoon, 2013 Surly Krampus, Brompton folder
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6941 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
289 Posts
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28675949
Nasty section, but I wouldn't say much of it at approximately 10%.
Nasty section, but I wouldn't say much of it at approximately 10%.
10-01-18, 08:17 AM
#28
coast coaster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 13
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hey SonicSpeed, you should do this. I rode the US cross-country from west to east when I was 19 my second year of college. That trip changed my life and was one of the best decisions I ever made. As far as your question about training goes, I didn't really train much since I was also an athlete and in good enough shape. Your body will adapt quickly as you go, so my suggestion would be to just go for it. The biggest challenges for me were not physical as much as they were mental. There will be moments of frustration, possible gear failures that force you to rely on strangers for help and set you back. boredom on long stretches, full days of fighting cross-winds or head winds, stupid drivers, little frustrations that can build up, and fear and uncertainty sometimes. You want to be able to keep a positive attitude no matter what so you can meet these challenges.
I would suggest to spend your time and effort making sure you know how to easily fix possible bike problems like flat tires, broken spokes and chains, shifter problems and such. All it takes is one of these to halt all forward progress and possibly put you in a risky situation you will need to get out of. Physical training is not really that important if you already in decent shape, you will only improve. Also try to get as much experience camping and backpacking so you can get your camping gear and routine dialed in. These are more important than physical training for a cross-country trip in my opinion. Let us know how the preparation and traveling goes. Good luck.
My trip journal for my Europe / NZ trips is at crazyguyonabike/crazygreg (I can't post URLs yet because I'm also new to this forum)
I would suggest to spend your time and effort making sure you know how to easily fix possible bike problems like flat tires, broken spokes and chains, shifter problems and such. All it takes is one of these to halt all forward progress and possibly put you in a risky situation you will need to get out of. Physical training is not really that important if you already in decent shape, you will only improve. Also try to get as much experience camping and backpacking so you can get your camping gear and routine dialed in. These are more important than physical training for a cross-country trip in my opinion. Let us know how the preparation and traveling goes. Good luck.
My trip journal for my Europe / NZ trips is at crazyguyonabike/crazygreg (I can't post URLs yet because I'm also new to this forum)
10-01-18, 10:07 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
171 Posts
Hey SonicSpeed, you should do this. I rode the US cross-country from west to east when I was 19 my second year of college. That trip changed my life and was one of the best decisions I ever made.
As far as your question about training goes, I didn't really train much since I was also an athlete and in good enough shape. Your body will adapt quickly as you go, so my suggestion would be to just go for it. The biggest challenges for me were not physical as much as they were mental…
As far as your question about training goes, I didn't really train much since I was also an athlete and in good enough shape. Your body will adapt quickly as you go, so my suggestion would be to just go for it. The biggest challenges for me were not physical as much as they were mental…
My wife and I did a cross-country tour, west to east, in our twenties. We had done a few-week long trips over the few years preceding that, and gained experience, but did not specifically train, and mostly rode in relatively flat Southeastern Michigan.
Our first day out, we rode up our first mountain ever, with switchbacks. Since we were both working at the time, planning a wedding, and packing up our lives to move to Boston,there was no way to... including mountain passes. We were young, and endurance developed with daily fifty mile rides over eight weeks.
Our first day out, we rode up our first mountain ever, with switchbacks. Since we were both working at the time, planning a wedding, and packing up our lives to move to Boston,there was no way to... including mountain passes. We were young, and endurance developed with daily fifty mile rides over eight weeks.
Nice summary of those “ancillary" (mental) challenges other than conditioning. I presume that you and the OP are solo riders. There have been previous threads about that status.
I can't think of a more nearly perfect touring companion than a new bride as on our cross-country honeymoon. We had toured together previously for a few years so had a system. On that cross-country ride…
…It was a great way to start married life, since every day we would have to find and set up a homestead for the night in a new environment where we only knew, and could depend on each other.
I can remember two distinct times on that trip when either one of us hit low a point, and were bouyed up by the other; me in Kansas and she in Ohio
I can remember two distinct times on that trip when either one of us hit low a point, and were bouyed up by the other; me in Kansas and she in Ohio
...While I would still enjoy riding about 50 miles a day for an extended trip, the thought of the uncertainty of finding a place to stay for the night was unsettling. (Our previous tours were all self-supported and self-guided.
If I/we were to resume touring, it would at least be a credit card style, if not an organized tour.) On that honeymoon though, finding a place to stay was a memorable part of the adventure:
I guess 30 years of a stable, predictable cycle-commuting lifestyle erodes that exhilaration of the uncertainty. One of the best quotes I have seen about the spirit of cycle-touring is this:
If I/we were to resume touring, it would at least be a credit card style, if not an organized tour.) On that honeymoon though, finding a place to stay was a memorable part of the adventure:
I guess 30 years of a stable, predictable cycle-commuting lifestyle erodes that exhilaration of the uncertainty. One of the best quotes I have seen about the spirit of cycle-touring is this:
A thought or two, based on personal experience.
… what's the hurry? One of the joys of touring is the singleness of purpose and absence of demands. All you have to do is get there: you don't have to get there fast or get their first - and if you are touring with camping gear, odds are you can be incredibly flexible about what "getting there" means on any given day.
Embrace that. Don't let your tour become an exercise in trading one rat-race for another.
… what's the hurry? One of the joys of touring is the singleness of purpose and absence of demands. All you have to do is get there: you don't have to get there fast or get their first - and if you are touring with camping gear, odds are you can be incredibly flexible about what "getting there" means on any given day.
Embrace that. Don't let your tour become an exercise in trading one rat-race for another.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 10-01-18 at 10:46 AM.
