Start the trip with brand new tires and tubes.
Bring my hands-free (for talking on the phone in the evenings, not while cycling!)
No kindle -- just navigate with google maps and index cards, the way I ended up doing it.
Carry my droid phone in some sort of protective case (I dropped it a few times and it's getting a little flaky).
Build a holder for my solar charger that mounts onto the handlebars of my bike.
Start with two water bottle holders instead of one, and keep water there instead of strapped to my pack in back (better weight distribution).
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Cycling on route 29 between Culpeper and Charlottesville, Virginia
This turned out to be more of a challenge than route 28.
There's no other option for parts of the route between Culpeper and Charlottesville, so I just went for it.
Parts of the way, there's a half-decent shoulder (though it's only about half the size of the big one on Pulaski Highway between Philly and Baltimore). Sometimes it gets really narrow--strong encouragement to pedal like crazy until you get through the narrow spot.
My safety strategy was to watch my mirror carefully, and when two cars are next to each other (no room to get over), make sure there's a lot of shoulder room, or else stop and get off the road. I only had to get off the road a couple of times.
There's no other option for parts of the route between Culpeper and Charlottesville, so I just went for it.
Parts of the way, there's a half-decent shoulder (though it's only about half the size of the big one on Pulaski Highway between Philly and Baltimore). Sometimes it gets really narrow--strong encouragement to pedal like crazy until you get through the narrow spot.
My safety strategy was to watch my mirror carefully, and when two cars are next to each other (no room to get over), make sure there's a lot of shoulder room, or else stop and get off the road. I only had to get off the road a couple of times.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Cycling on route 28 in Virginia
I was wondering how this would go, so I'll share in case somebody else is wondering.
I rode on 28 for I'm guessing about 10-15 miles today. I just followed Google bicycling directions from Arlington to culpeper.
The first part of 28 is a pleasure. 4 lanes, divided highway, plenty of room and not much traffic (on a random Monday noonish).
Later on it gets to be two lanes, and at times the shoulder is slim to nothing. Even still, the traffic pretty moderate which made it tolerable. The beautiful scenery helped too!
I suspect riding it at not rush hour makes a difference.
Here are a few photos.
Baggin' it
I unloaded my backpack at the post office this morning. My Whole Foods bag fits everything I need, and is more secure and easier to put on my rack.
Plus it looks cool, I think.
Sexy new front tire
Tire / tube changes:
Day 1: major (audible) leak in front tube. Patched the tube.
Day 2: pretty fast leak in rear tube. When I took off the tire, I found quite a collection of small glass and rock bits in there, so I went ahead and changed the tire too, even though there was no evidence the tire was punctured. Partly I had never changed a tire and so wanted to try.
Day 3-5 they seemed to hold up pretty well with just a little topping off now and then.
Today (day 6) the front tire's slow leak was at the point where it needed air every hour or two, so I changed it. The tire too, as this one, like the other, was full of glass bits.
If I were to do this over again one thing I would do differently is to start the trip with new tires.
I recognize this spot!
I think it's my mother in law's favorite spot to park and nap while driving through here.
Bye bye kindle navigation
My kindle setup was a little too static. It had only premeditated PDF routes. In reality I end up routing more dynamically. So I'm moving on to Google maps plus hand drawn routes for on-the-road reference.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Whoops: Whole Foods Arlington!
Total accident: look what I stumbled on!
I took the opportunity to pick up a couple GoRaw energy bars that I couldn't find at P Street.
Hi Mom!
And family! Some family happened to be in DC this evening so we met up to say hello. And Mom took my camping stuff, lightening my load. Thanks Mom!
I'm in Arlington tonight.
I think the images are rotated but I don't want to spend time trying to rotate them on my phone. Turn your head sideways :).
Beautiful store
It has the largest selection of prepared foods of all the WFMs I've visited so far. Delicious!
A world within riding distance
A world, sure. But no WFM here! I saw a sign for a "yes" organics coming soon though. Lookout Whole Foods!
Can't complain
It's a beautiful afternoon, I'm well rested, and these back roads through Maryland are the nicest I've been on yet!
P street WFM by dinnertime?
Zonk indeed!
After two nights in a row of late night festivities of one sort or another, I slept in. I checked out of the hotel at noon! And first stop is walmart to get a new pump (I broke mine). Adventures to be sure, but not much in the way of miles :)
Camping fail!
After laying for two hours without sleeping, mostly because of mosquitoes and insufficient protection therefrom, I decided to reevaluate my situation. If I don't get any sleep, that won't help me ride!
Eventually I recognize that the only thing keeping me camped is some sense of pride. Silly!
Fortunately for me there's a hotel only half a mile away. At midnight I check in, methodically wash my clothes and scrub the poison ivy off my body, and zonk out.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Stealth camping at BWI
Putting this camping gear to use. I toted it all this way after all! Hey, maybe it would have been wise to test out gear before hitting the woods. I have a bug net canopy to hang from my tarp, and I'm winging it because I've never used it before.
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