For anyone not already in the know, I’m currently riding a long-distance bicycle tour. I’m riding solo and self-contained, carrying everything that I need with me. I am riding from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Bar Harbor, Maine, using routes published by Adventure Cycling Association.
During my tour, I plan to write here about once a week, subject to computer/Internet access. A lot of people keep asking me the same questions about my tour, so I’m going to post a few of those questions and answers here, before the trip starts.
How many miles is it? How many miles will you go every day? How long will the trip take?
The official mileage for the route I’ve chosen is 1,345 miles. I am very comfortable planning to ride 50 miles/day. With a few rest days and some detours thrown in to visit friends and go places I want to visit that are off-route, I plan to take 5 – 6 weeks.
Are you touring to raise money for charity?
No.
How much weight do you want/plan to lose?
None. I am very happy with my current weight and fitness level. I am doing this for the personal challenge, not weight loss.
How are you going to get your bike to Ohio? Can you take a bike on an airplane?
Bikes can be checked as luggage with an airline, but the box is oversized and overweight, so there is a stiff fee attached. For this trip, I’ll be shipping the bike by Fedex to my uncle’s house. It’s cheaper, more convenient, and doesn’t involve the TSA searching and then trying to repack my disassembled bicycle.
How much does all of your gear weigh?
I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out. My guess is about 25 pounds without food or water. Remember that that’s everything that I need for 6 weeks – shelter, clothing, cooking implements, personal care, and anything I need to maintain my bike or fix it in case of mechanical trouble. If it’s 40 degrees and raining when I get to the mountains, I’d better have my jacket and some gloves!
Where will you stay? What will you eat?
My goal is to camp or stay with friends/family 6 days a week, and stay in a hotel one night, preferably on Saturday night. I strongly prefer to avoid campgrounds on Saturday night, plus if I stay at a hotel in a town on Saturday night, I can clean up and go to church on Sunday.
I like to cook for myself as much as possible. This means that I have to haul around a lot of food. I’ll be going through towns and a few large cities, so I can visit grocery stores to stock up along the way. I’ll probably eat out a few times a week as well. After a hot day of riding, it’s really nice to sit down in a cool restaurant and have someone bring me all of the ice water I can drink!
Aren’t you worried about safety? Are you taking a gun?
I live and commute in a large urban area. Realistically, I’m probably going to be safer on tour than I am at home.
In my opinion, taking a gun would make me less safe. It is common for bike tourists who carry to spend a few nights of their trip in jail, simply because the concealed permit process varies so much from state to state – it is logistically difficult to adhere to the regulations while on a bike tour. Getting a handgun into Canada would also be much more of a hassle that I am prepared to deal with. Also, I do not have nor wish to undertake the training necessary to safely manage and use a firearm in an emergency situation; I don’t think that turning a bad situation into a shootout would be doing myself a favor. This is my personal opinion. You are entitled to your own. If you want to debate about it, please find an appropriate forum elsewhere for doing so.
I do regularly carry pepper spray, to use against dogs. I absolutely hate hurting a dog by spraying it. The dog is just doing his or her job and defending the house – it’s the owners who screwed up, but the dog pays the price. However, in the end, I think that my health and safety are more important than that of the animal. Yes, I have used my pepper spray before.
(For anyone reading who is inspired to start carrying pepper spray for riding, running or going on walks: Practice before you leave home, don’t try to spray while you are moving, check the wind direction first if at all possible, and AIM FOR THE EYES.)
How will you shower? Where do you go to pee?
Most campgrounds have showers. If they don’t, they certainly have a source of water from which I can manage a sponge bath. Bathroom access really isn’t a problem; I don’t get that far from civilization! I’ve packed a trowel and TP on past trips, but never used them, so I’m not taking the trowel this time.
I’ve tried to think of all of the more common questions, but I’m sure that I’ve missed a few! Feel free to post questions in the comment section, and I’ll get around to answering when I can.
Hi; Lynn,
I met you today 6/15 in Oberlin in front of what used to be the army navy store that is no more. I want to say thank you for giving me your card. I will be following your adventure, looking forward to each new post.
One thing I want to say is, there is nothing wrong with that old wallet that a little bit more duct tape couldn’t fix. I wish I would have pulled my well taped-up wallet out to put your card in. I think you might have been impressed.LOL.
Another thing, whenever I hear Austin, TX, I think about my all time favorite female singer/ songwriter Nanci Griffith.
Many tailwinds to ya, Bob Edgar, Elyria, Oh.
It was nice to meet you, Bob!