I rode 45 miles last Friday and felt great afterwards and the next day. I made really good time in a meandering trek around eastern Johnson County.
I also ordered a pair of clipless cycling shoes. I've never used cycling shoes before and I'm looking forward to the extra efficiency they'll provide. I'm not looking forward to pain of training the other muscle group in my legs. I'm sure it will be worth it once I get my legs broken in.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
On Gear...
One of the more difficult things to approach when planning an extended bicycle trip is figuring out exactly how much stuff to bring. It's interesting to pare down your entire personal inventory of junk into a few dozen pounds of "essential items". I start with a long list of things I think I might need or like to have. Then run the list through a gauntlet of considerations and see which items make it through.
I've got my list broken down into five main categories. Camping gear, Hygienic gear, Bicycle Gear, General gear and Non-essential gear.
My list of camping gear encompasses the materials found in most primitive camping situations. Including essential items such as my hammock/tent, sleeping bag and mess-kit. There are also less obvious materials like dish soap and bug repellent.
Hygienic gear is your basic traveling kit of tooth-brush, hand sanitizer, soap/shampoo. One item of note in this group will be baby wipes. I'll be using them for general bathing purposes due to the lack of available shower facilities. I considered picking up a camp shower but decided I didn't want the added weight of the contraption and all the water it would take to use.
Bike gear includes basic spare parts (tubes, spokes chain) as well as the tools to make minor adjustments. I also include obvious items like my helmet and bike lock in this category.
General gear includes all clothing, maps and contact information. This will include exact numbers of shirts/shorts as well as things like a cell phone with extra batteries.
Non-essential items are usually the first to get cut. They include a couple paperbacks, some notebooks and other items of personal amusement. I may cut this group altogether. I didn't use any of these items on my last trip.
I've got my list in a MS-word file, broken down into groups and color coordinated into categories of things I have in my possession and those which I still need to aquire. If you're interested in see the Big List let me know and I'll post the whole thing or send it attached to an email.
I've got my list broken down into five main categories. Camping gear, Hygienic gear, Bicycle Gear, General gear and Non-essential gear.
My list of camping gear encompasses the materials found in most primitive camping situations. Including essential items such as my hammock/tent, sleeping bag and mess-kit. There are also less obvious materials like dish soap and bug repellent.
Hygienic gear is your basic traveling kit of tooth-brush, hand sanitizer, soap/shampoo. One item of note in this group will be baby wipes. I'll be using them for general bathing purposes due to the lack of available shower facilities. I considered picking up a camp shower but decided I didn't want the added weight of the contraption and all the water it would take to use.
Bike gear includes basic spare parts (tubes, spokes chain) as well as the tools to make minor adjustments. I also include obvious items like my helmet and bike lock in this category.
General gear includes all clothing, maps and contact information. This will include exact numbers of shirts/shorts as well as things like a cell phone with extra batteries.
Non-essential items are usually the first to get cut. They include a couple paperbacks, some notebooks and other items of personal amusement. I may cut this group altogether. I didn't use any of these items on my last trip.
I've got my list in a MS-word file, broken down into groups and color coordinated into categories of things I have in my possession and those which I still need to aquire. If you're interested in see the Big List let me know and I'll post the whole thing or send it attached to an email.
Friday, June 5, 2009
On Training
Austin, Texas is roughly 750 miles from Kansas City, Missouri. I've done a few calculations concerning estimates of daily mileage and found that I'll be on the bike for 9-12 days if I average 60-90miles per day. This is bound to take a toll on my endurance and therefore it's important that I build my stamina over the course of the summer.
I was in great shape during my trans-Missouri trip last fall but the cold K.C. winter didn't allow me to get out on any long rides. So now I'm starting over. I went out yesterday for a hard-paced 20 miles to get back in the training mindset. If I've got the time then I'll try to do another 30 today. I need to try to get in as many back-to-back training days as I can. The ability to be on the bike day after day is just as important as the ability to cover the high-mileage. I'd like to meet a personal goal by getting in at least one century ride (100miles) during the training period.
By the end of the summer I'd like to be able to take a couple of overnight practice runs to local campgrounds. I'll carry full gear and stay at a state park on the outside of town. This will give me a chance to train for the camping portion of my trip. I don't want to be ignorantly fumbling with a camp stove or knots when I should be relaxing after a long day's ride.
I was in great shape during my trans-Missouri trip last fall but the cold K.C. winter didn't allow me to get out on any long rides. So now I'm starting over. I went out yesterday for a hard-paced 20 miles to get back in the training mindset. If I've got the time then I'll try to do another 30 today. I need to try to get in as many back-to-back training days as I can. The ability to be on the bike day after day is just as important as the ability to cover the high-mileage. I'd like to meet a personal goal by getting in at least one century ride (100miles) during the training period.
By the end of the summer I'd like to be able to take a couple of overnight practice runs to local campgrounds. I'll carry full gear and stay at a state park on the outside of town. This will give me a chance to train for the camping portion of my trip. I don't want to be ignorantly fumbling with a camp stove or knots when I should be relaxing after a long day's ride.
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