Got the new front boom clamps installed and adjusted. Replaced the Vector power meter batteries and went for a short ride. Easily got up to 30 mph on the neighborhood streets.
This photo was taken facing West on Tuesday, February 21st 2017 at 10:45am CST.
Where the picture(s) were taken:
Robyn is going to be following me on my Coast-2-Coast adventure.
She has spent the last couple of months getting El Hefe Rojo (our big red Sprinter crew van) ready for camping across the US as she tries to keep up with me as I speed along on my bike. :wink:
She has been a “Sisters On The Fly” member for a few years now and has camped all over the US with her Sister friends.
Inspired by her fellow Sisters she striking out on her own to follow me across the US.
At times the house got quite messy, with Robyn staging El Hefe stuff on the downstairs kitchen table, and I consuming most of the upstairs staging my bike/camping stuff.
I emailed Bubba (http://www.bubbaspamperedpedalers.com) about Robyn following along with the riders and received this terrific response:
The tour has always welcomed family or friends with open arms and of course the other Coasters welcomed them as well. At times on past tours a family member or friend would stop by for dinner with the group. Again, this happened occasionally and never more than once or twice during the entire tour.
For the first time this year, there will be Coasters family or friends on the tour for extended periods of time which has forced me to instituting a new policy. This policy is designed to have extended guest be part of the family by enjoying everything the tour offers everyday they are with the tour.
By definition, an extended –stay-guest is any non-rider who will be with the tour for any part of more than four days whether those days are consecutive or non-consecutive.
An extended-stay-guest will have the same privileges as a rider. Not only will they be welcomed; they will be encouraged to take part in all activates. Be part of the C2C family. Activities include but not limited to; all tour equipment available to riders, morning coffee/tea, breakfast, sag stops, lunches if provided by the tour, drinks and snacks around camp, appetizer daily before dinner, dinner drinks, dinner, and dessert. Also included would be use of all facilities at the over-night lodging location.
Of course Robyn will have to sign the usual forms and waivers, and pay a fee. But still, what a great service oriented business.
Always the fashion maven, Robyn got together with one of her friends and somehow created a logo for her visor and tee shirt.
Beautiful day flying. Went to Little Rock for a business meeting.
I still can’t get over how fast this plane is.
Pictured below off the right wing tip is Georgetown airport (KGTU). You are looking west at runway 29. Lake Georgetown in the background on the left.
They let me park with the big boys at Little Rock International (KLIT).
Air was pretty darn clear leaving KLIT. About 70 degrees with just a hint of a breeze.
This plane climbs like mad compared to my DiamondStar. 1,000 feet per minute all the way up to 16,000 feet. Above 12.5k I need to wear the cannula for supplemental oxygen.
This post supersedes all prior Coast2Coast checklists posts (which I have removed).
The checklists are now complete (probably, well not really). I’ll be riding (and living) against them for the next 5 weeks to prove them out.
| Location | Description (click links below to scroll and view online) |
|---|---|
| On Bike | FastBack System Bag - for flat tires & on-road repairs |
| On Bike | On Bike Electronics |
| On Bike | Arkel Red Seatback Bag |
| On Bike | Topeaka Fuel Bag |
| Bubba SAG | Blue Canvas Maintenance Bag |
| Robyn SAG | Mecerdes Van Re-supply Extras Checklist |
| Luggage 1 | NorthFace Orange Duffle Bag 1 |
| Luggage 2 | NorthFace Orange Duffle Bag 2 |
Belonging to the Coast2Coast mailing list and Bubba’s facebook page has been really helpful in learning new things about long distance touring.
Here I’m trying to capture some of the conversations so that I can put these things in my checklists.
Various comments:
Hi All, I was waiting for this question, a question which is so very hard to answer since the weather on each past C2C tour has been different.
No such thing as a “weather pattern”. 2015 the coldest night of the entire tour was the night spent at the Alabama/Mississippi border. 2016 it was very cold in middle Texas where normally it is very warm. Past years Tombstone would hold that honor. Alpine, CA as well has held that honor.
Before suggestion some items to help keep you warm allow me to make this suggestion. Feel free to bring a “cold weather bag”. Might be just a gym bag or small carry on bag. Once the tour gets out of the normally cold area that bag can be left of the baggage truck. If by chance, as in 2015, the weather gets cold again the cold weather bag can be off loaded for your comfort.
Now, ideas of things to bring. At least two pairs of wool socks. Keep one inside your sleeping bag and wear them only at night. Do not sleep in the same sock you wore that day since moisture may be trapped in the socks. A good knit cap is also a great idea. It packs easy and works well. As you know, you loose lots of heat for your head at night. A > knit cap will keep you much warmer at night. Pair of warm gloves also. Actually two pair. One pair for riding and one pair for non-riding.
Hands down however the most important thing to pack is a GOOD SLEEPING BAG. Zero degree. Of course it will never get to zero degree, at least lets hope not, but history has shown those with a good sleeping bag get the best rest.
Each of you will be sleeping on an inflated air mattress. That is the good news. What happens on cold nights is the air inside the mattresses becomes cold. To help on those nights it is suggested you have some sort of barrier between you and the mattress. An extra blanket which then could become your covering for the warmer nights.
Actually, there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing. It’s ALL Good!
On another note Mary has a great idea about stuffing the sleeping bag into a dry bag. Think I read somewhere in Bubba’s packet that the crew tries to keep our baggage dry but it could get wet. No one likes a wet sleeping bag. I will have to look at my kayaking gear.
Rain jacket, rain pants, rain booties, helmet cover. Also a very lightweight faux down jacket, one or tights, 1 light fleece top, 1 very lightweight long underwear top, arm warmers. 1 pr convertible gloves/mittens. Also bring a wind vest but maybe the Bubba safety vest will suffice.
Good suggestions. The safety vests will not help in keeping you are since they are mesh. It’s ALL Good!
I agree with Phil. It normally takes about ten days to get “settled in” even for the staff who all have done is several times. So > early on do not fret, thing will “settle in” I promise.
On bike electronics are for two things: safety and “don’t get lost”.
See and be seen is the motto.
This has a, one-button-push, get an ambulance here now function.
Also, I have created a “Find my bike” page using the Spot tracker on my blog.
To make sure I don’t over do it at the beginning of a long days ride I use the following sensors:
Always have a paper route sheet in a plastic waterproof protector. Know how to use it.
For the route sheet you will need an odometer on your bike. I have two. One is very cheap, but has a battery that lasts at least a year. This is my backup. The other odometer is either the Garmin Edge 1000 or my iPhone.
I have been using a Garmin Edge 1000 for the last couple of years. I’m thinking of moving to the iPhone instead but I’ll need to test this on some long rides over the next couple of weeks.
Today I went on my first long ride of the year. It was about 57 miles total. It was a lesson in perseverance.
Including breaks, it took me about 6 and 1/2 hours with a very leisurely lunch stop. Probably an hour off the bike making about an average speed of 10.5 mph. I was averaging around 12.5 mph until the winds came up and I had a long 20 mile stretch at the end with a 12 mph headwind. That put the serious hurt on me.
With the ride goal being long distance, and time on bike, I set out at a real easy pace keeping my heart rate under 120 and my cadence around 80 uphill, or a real easy 60 to 70 rpm on the downhills.
At the turn around point (32 miles) in Salado I only burned just under 1,000 calories and averaged 13.8 mph.
http://www.strava.com/activities/838097757
I had a nice relaxing brunch of 3 breakfast tacos and a very large ice-tea. When I got back outside to the bike the winds had picked up and I could see I was going to have a pretty good headwind for the 25 mile ride back.
Once on my bike I noticed that my Garmin Edge 1000 was being wonky. It stopped being able to track satellites. I could get my other sensors ok (heart rate and cadence) but anything related to GPS was wonked (speed, distance, moving map, directions). Bummer. So, since I had my iPhone with me I started up the Strava app and tracked the ride back with it.
http://www.strava.com/activities/837545521
Winds were pretty good on the way back.
