tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88275097814312187852012-01-26T12:12:46.565-08:00A ride from East to West across the US.The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.comBlogger121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-73075509882625964712008-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:002008-01-09T11:47:50.003-08:00

I'm postponing my cross country trip from June 2008 to May 2009. There's just too much to do in too short a period of time for me to accomplish such a ride in 2008. I'll still update this blog regularly, so please keep reading.

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-85990268659762166842007-12-03T21:21:00.001-08:002007-12-03T21:25:17.616-08:00

I normally would wear a reflective vest, but...

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-1712685410642860222007-12-03T09:05:00.000-08:002007-12-03T09:16:39.597-08:00

The next Neils on Wheels tour will be over the Christmas weekend, and visit Philadelphia, Doylestown, Bethlehem, and returning to my home on Christmas day. No jokes please about our arriving in Bethlehem on December 24 - it's not for the census, I assure you. Let's hope there is room in the inn. "There were cyclists, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their bikes by night...."Meanwhile,

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-6861295586384990052007-11-20T04:41:00.000-08:002007-11-20T04:46:10.116-08:00

"It's 9:30 Saturday morning, and I'm here with Neil B. on the Shoyelkill Trail - ""That's 'School-kill', Neil."" Schuylkill River Trail, under the radioactive power lines near Norristown, and I am starting my five day tour." Neil Fein turned off the hand-held tape recorder he was talking into and looked at me. "What do you think of it?""It's so high-tech I'm surprised you didn't start the

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-56404204813348028432007-11-09T04:48:00.000-08:002007-11-09T05:07:15.610-08:00

Here are links to two interesting accounts of low-budget touring. The first is the journal of a South Carolina man who rode from his home to Texas on a Schwinn Sidewinder, a $150 dollar flat bar bike from Wal-Mart. He rode 1900 miles without a mechanical problem aside from a loose screw on the rear rack and flat tires, camped the entire time, and spent only 400 dollars on food and supplies. His

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-61863099085196378492007-11-08T07:34:00.000-08:002007-11-08T07:52:12.111-08:00

When I was younger, I started planning next year's garden each year about this time. Even though it was months before I needed to order seed, I reviewed and re-viewed any and all items I considered ordering from Burpee's or Gurney's. And so, even though it's going to be months before I embark across the US, I am planning my packing list.Bike clothing:three pairs of bib shortsthree pairs of

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-67283587739036903502007-11-07T20:53:00.000-08:002007-11-07T21:02:50.554-08:00

So far I have offers to be hosted in the following route locales:Edison, New JerseyHarrisburg, PAPittsburgh, PAa town in southern OhioWest Lafayette, Indiana (two different readers)Spokane, MissouriOrange County, Caand another reader in South CA. Anyone else?

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-14279108308202536412007-11-07T08:03:00.001-08:002007-11-07T08:18:10.746-08:00

Bike riding can be economical, but a cross country ride isn't to be entered into lightly. It's expensive. My estimate of expenses for the trip are 4000 dollars. This doesn't include money to cover my fixed costs - rent, bills, etc - during the period I am without an income. And it doesn't include the bike.Assume 60 days to cross the US, and no free meals, lodging, etc. That's 900 dollars for food

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-72812408061405768222007-11-07T07:50:00.000-08:002007-11-07T08:02:04.516-08:00

What I plan on taking for now:Bike - what brand and type of bike remains to be seen. If I'm short on cash I may need to use my Trek Navigator. I'm trying not to imagine that possibility. The Navigator is heavy, the upright position limits it's speed, and the gearing is wrong for a cross country tour.Tent - a two man tent, since I am larger than the average bea, err, cyclist.Sleeping bag - rated

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-44131107277253076172007-11-07T07:42:00.000-08:002007-11-07T07:50:01.179-08:00

So far my route is as follows:PA "S" bike route towards Harrisburg, and then on towards Pittsburgh. Across southern Ohio, taking advantage of an offer of lodging, and then towards West Lafayette, Indiana, where I also have friends who have offered to put me up and put up with me. Then south along the Race Across America route for 2007, crossing the Mississippi at St. Charles, staying with another

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-65612992240874203932007-10-26T23:23:00.000-07:002007-10-26T23:40:15.947-07:00

I'm still considering routes for the trip, but this much I have decided on:1. The destination is Los Angeles, where "The Driver" has offered to put me up for a few days.2. The first leg of the trip will be from the Atlantic to my home outside of Philadelphia. This will allow me to test the bike setup and make adjustments before pushing on. And because I can accomplish the first leg in a weekend,

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827509781431218785.post-20916863475359420692007-10-24T21:25:00.000-07:002007-10-25T07:59:29.906-07:00

... when the 385 pound man entered the gym. He waddled up to the front desk, trial membership in one hand, oversized sweat clothes in the other. After filling out some forms, he staggered to the locker room, changed, and headed towards the stationary bicycles. Seven minutes later, he was gasping for breath, sweat running down his chubby face. After a brief rest, the fat man lifted some light

The Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152771061213643548noreply@blogger.com6