Threw out the directions today and took a Rails to Trails bike path for about 60 miles today towards Hermon, MO. Of course the day after I mention my Conti tires are holding up, I get two flats from my front one with a cut sidewall.
I also got stung by two bees. It was very much like the end of My Girl.
Columbia, MO tomorrow.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
17?
Moustache ride into St Louis today.
I've lost track of the days already.
Two days ago I saw in the paper that the next day there was a criterium in Champaign, Illinois, the town we were in that day. Me and Jen decided to stay in do it, with Jaquie being our support. It was a lot of fun, Jen got 3rd in her first crit, and I finished pretty mediocre at 10th in about a 20 person field. The average was about 24mph in pouring rain, and I hit 35 at one point and this was not during an attack. Definitely felt the 1000 or so miles I had been doing non stop during this one...
Today we rode from Taylorville, IL to St Louis, MO in a huge, midwestern style thunderstorm. Pouring rain, lightning, and intense winds. It was great. We were in a group of 10 all complaining together, chanting "BLOOD OF CHRIST", and fighting the wind.
I don't really have much else to say, or feel like saying. We're hitting more midwestern locations soon, then the Rockies.
Since I have access to the computer now, I'll at least talk about some of the other people that have given me a lot of support on this ride.
Slate from Rapha helped me out with some clothing for the ride. I can safely say that their bib shorts are the most comfortable thing I've ever put near my ass. They also ended up sponsoring the whole ride with some jackets, which have been great on those cold mornings and the days when its just rained a bit. On days like today howevever, nothing could keep us dry, but we still looked classy as fuck.
Seriously, look at me and Joaquin. How fucking classy do we look? We look like absolute gentlemen.
Serfas helped me out with some glasses, pump items, and some tires (fortunately my Conti tires haven't failed me yet). I've always had a problem with cycling glasses, and these don't make me look like a total asshole and they don't fog up as bad as the other ones I've had. However, I do have a pretty brutal mark between my eyes from wearing them.
Topeak helped me out with a tent, one of the Bikampers or whatever. It's small, easy to set up (if you use your bike with it), and gets the job done. On a cushy tour like this, I wish I had brought a bigger tent.
Hammer Gel and Tofurky helped me keep it real (read: vegan) this trip.
Friday, July 10, 2009
15
Still never enough time or opportunity to give justice to anything that's happened in the last week or so since I attempted to blog last.
We're currently in Champaign, IL. The last few days we've gone through Ohio, Michigan, and most of Illinois. Chicago was great - the Chicago Diner was unfuckwithable and 42Ride took the 3 top spots in goldsprints.
My right knee had been acting up and causing me to sit in the van for about 4 or 6 days during Ohio and Michigan. New positioning and switching back to my road shoes seemed to have helped, that an a borderline unstraightedge amount of Tylenol. I've had two days straight riding without considerable pain, although I will probably give myself a lot of rest before the next time we climb.
We've been stopping in at sports bars along the way to watch the last hour of the tour. It's been pretty amazing, especially considering this is part of our jobs.
Tomorrow me and Jen are doing the Tour de Champaign, a downtown criterium, then continuing on with an 80ish mile day. We are making our way towards St Louis in the next week or so I guess, i'm not really sure. More than half the time I don't know what day it is, and more than that I don't care. Just as long as I remember when the next Harry Potter movie comes out...
I'll try to do a more appropriate update soon, but i'll leave you with two items of note.
gentleman's goldsprints in Denver. You can't hear our tour manager nervously muttering "ok guys, that's enough" as the layer's go.
riding through a field in Three Rivers, Michigan next to the Travelodge.
That is a Circle A shirt, you should go buy a frame from them.
I am having a great fucking time, but I still miss the ole' PCDC at times.
We're currently in Champaign, IL. The last few days we've gone through Ohio, Michigan, and most of Illinois. Chicago was great - the Chicago Diner was unfuckwithable and 42Ride took the 3 top spots in goldsprints.
My right knee had been acting up and causing me to sit in the van for about 4 or 6 days during Ohio and Michigan. New positioning and switching back to my road shoes seemed to have helped, that an a borderline unstraightedge amount of Tylenol. I've had two days straight riding without considerable pain, although I will probably give myself a lot of rest before the next time we climb.
We've been stopping in at sports bars along the way to watch the last hour of the tour. It's been pretty amazing, especially considering this is part of our jobs.
Tomorrow me and Jen are doing the Tour de Champaign, a downtown criterium, then continuing on with an 80ish mile day. We are making our way towards St Louis in the next week or so I guess, i'm not really sure. More than half the time I don't know what day it is, and more than that I don't care. Just as long as I remember when the next Harry Potter movie comes out...
I'll try to do a more appropriate update soon, but i'll leave you with two items of note.
gentleman's goldsprints in Denver. You can't hear our tour manager nervously muttering "ok guys, that's enough" as the layer's go.
riding through a field in Three Rivers, Michigan next to the Travelodge.
That is a Circle A shirt, you should go buy a frame from them.
I am having a great fucking time, but I still miss the ole' PCDC at times.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
09
I never figured I would go this long without having access to a computer. We're in Fremont, Ohio right now, I've ridden 590 miles thus far. I posted links to some other riders' blogs. We just joined up with a film crew who are making a documentary and a book about the ride, that should be interesting.
If you've been looking for me on the WeLikeBike site or the twitter I won't be on there until I'm 25. In short, it's an industry standard to not have anyone under 25 represent alcohol. But subscribe to the twitter, if 100,000 people join they'll give $42k to the Alliance for Biking and Walking.
This whole experience is absolutely ridiculous. A vodka company is paying us, well, to ride our bikes across the country. We're fully supported with two vans and a truck and nice campsites and hotels. It feels like cheating. I feel dirty when I run into other people on tour. Kind of like the punk-guilt you have for coming from a middle class background but still talking up about how little money you don't have (when you actually do). But still - it's been amazing thus far. The riders range from couriers, racers, commuters, and people who are really new to long distance biking. I have so much respect for those whose longest ride before this trip was a 30 mile ride, and who still continue to go all day.
There is so much to say about the last 9 days, I really don't have the time or energy to go into detail. A few snippets however:
-New Jersey is an utter hellhole. Aside from the mediocre guilty pleasures hardcore and pop punk you tossed out in the late 90's, the boss, and Alicia Lahey, I am not a fan. Also, Ohio? No thanks.
-Lancaster County is absolutely gorgeous. I bought root beer from Amish children of the damned and it tasted like real beer.
-We got lost on the day we climbed the Allegheny Mountains and ended up doing a century. Rode past Napier, PA, the Cannondale factory, and over about 4 mountains. This was the day I cracked after the routing being messed up, and almost swore at an old lady. In hindsight, it was my favorite day. As horrible as I am at climbing, it's really fun and the scenery is unfuckwithable.
-Pittsburgh was amazing. Ran into an old roommate, got vegan pizza and wings and a cookie dough milkshake.
- I have basically only listened to Shelter and a Harry Potter audiobook.
-We've been eating ridiculously well - the other vegan on this trip, Jen, makes me feel bad for eating anything processed. I don't think I've ever eaten this well.
Overall, this is still an amazing trip and every thing that goes wrong is nowhere as near as bad as a good day at work. My knee has been bothering me so I took yesterday and today off, but should be back on tomorrow.
Tomorrow we head to Detroit, and from there we go down into the Midwest and back up to Denver. I can't wait for the mountains.
Giving up the ghost leaving Cleveland
The beginning. meeting at the Newark airport.
Jen and I during our century through Amish country
Hitting the first of two 100+ mile days thus far.
Fuck New Jersey.
Welcome to Philly.
Freedom, PA
Jen at the vegan ice cream place in Pittsburgh
WWW.TUMBLEWEEDSTOUR.COM
We ran into these guys coming into Ohio. They're on a self supported tour raising money for Project Rwanda. Two of them were actually from DC. I felt totally humbled and spoiled being on such a plush tour while these guys were roughing it and not getting paid.
Lake Eerie
If you've been looking for me on the WeLikeBike site or the twitter I won't be on there until I'm 25. In short, it's an industry standard to not have anyone under 25 represent alcohol. But subscribe to the twitter, if 100,000 people join they'll give $42k to the Alliance for Biking and Walking.
This whole experience is absolutely ridiculous. A vodka company is paying us, well, to ride our bikes across the country. We're fully supported with two vans and a truck and nice campsites and hotels. It feels like cheating. I feel dirty when I run into other people on tour. Kind of like the punk-guilt you have for coming from a middle class background but still talking up about how little money you don't have (when you actually do). But still - it's been amazing thus far. The riders range from couriers, racers, commuters, and people who are really new to long distance biking. I have so much respect for those whose longest ride before this trip was a 30 mile ride, and who still continue to go all day.
There is so much to say about the last 9 days, I really don't have the time or energy to go into detail. A few snippets however:
-New Jersey is an utter hellhole. Aside from the mediocre guilty pleasures hardcore and pop punk you tossed out in the late 90's, the boss, and Alicia Lahey, I am not a fan. Also, Ohio? No thanks.
-Lancaster County is absolutely gorgeous. I bought root beer from Amish children of the damned and it tasted like real beer.
-We got lost on the day we climbed the Allegheny Mountains and ended up doing a century. Rode past Napier, PA, the Cannondale factory, and over about 4 mountains. This was the day I cracked after the routing being messed up, and almost swore at an old lady. In hindsight, it was my favorite day. As horrible as I am at climbing, it's really fun and the scenery is unfuckwithable.
-Pittsburgh was amazing. Ran into an old roommate, got vegan pizza and wings and a cookie dough milkshake.
- I have basically only listened to Shelter and a Harry Potter audiobook.
-We've been eating ridiculously well - the other vegan on this trip, Jen, makes me feel bad for eating anything processed. I don't think I've ever eaten this well.
Overall, this is still an amazing trip and every thing that goes wrong is nowhere as near as bad as a good day at work. My knee has been bothering me so I took yesterday and today off, but should be back on tomorrow.
Tomorrow we head to Detroit, and from there we go down into the Midwest and back up to Denver. I can't wait for the mountains.
Giving up the ghost leaving Cleveland
The beginning. meeting at the Newark airport.
Jen and I during our century through Amish country
Hitting the first of two 100+ mile days thus far.
Fuck New Jersey.
Welcome to Philly.
Freedom, PA
Jen at the vegan ice cream place in Pittsburgh
WWW.TUMBLEWEEDSTOUR.COM
We ran into these guys coming into Ohio. They're on a self supported tour raising money for Project Rwanda. Two of them were actually from DC. I felt totally humbled and spoiled being on such a plush tour while these guys were roughing it and not getting paid.
Lake Eerie
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
-01: training
Less than an hour and a half away from leaving and only now am I seeing how I should have been training for this. To quote Jeremy
And if you think you're over training. You're not. Don't let your mind fool you into thinking you need some rest. Seriously. Be the master of your own mind. John Joseph is.
And if you think you're over training. You're not. Don't let your mind fool you into thinking you need some rest. Seriously. Be the master of your own mind. John Joseph is.
John Joseph New York City Urban Warfare Cro-Mag Training from Polygraph Productions on Vimeo.
Monday, June 22, 2009
can't stop, won't stop
I leave tomorrow morning. Way too much stuff to probably do, but rather hang out with friends and panic in the morning.
On Thursday morning, at 4:30am, I leave with 41 other folks to ride from NYC to LA over the course of 55 days. It's a promotional thing for 42 Below vodka (oh, the irony) and the Bicycle Film Festival. We split up in Philly and half go a Southern route (2 and a half weeks crossing Texas?! Not for me!) and the rest of us go North!
I've got my bags kind of packed, my bike mostly packed up, and my loose ends tied and necessary bridges burnt. Made it through Tour of Washington County unscathed and spent all day today at Six Flags.
I'll be updating here and on the 42ride website.
Be back on September 3rd! The MABRA CX scene better watch out.
On Thursday morning, at 4:30am, I leave with 41 other folks to ride from NYC to LA over the course of 55 days. It's a promotional thing for 42 Below vodka (oh, the irony) and the Bicycle Film Festival. We split up in Philly and half go a Southern route (2 and a half weeks crossing Texas?! Not for me!) and the rest of us go North!
I've got my bags kind of packed, my bike mostly packed up, and my loose ends tied and necessary bridges burnt. Made it through Tour of Washington County unscathed and spent all day today at Six Flags.
I'll be updating here and on the 42ride website.
Be back on September 3rd! The MABRA CX scene better watch out.
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