End of Summer Success

I go back to school on Monday. It hasn't been the summer I'd expected it to be. Frankly, I'd expected it to be more bike riding and playing and less paper writing and textbook reading. But it's been good nonetheless - I mean, can I really complain here? I've just gone eight weeks without having to wear shoes! So, although I didn't ride the Wilderness 101 or work at Spokes or even race Wednesday's at Wakefield, I am proud of is this:

Rockin' the skinnies at Schaeffer

So long, summer 2008!

Pitt to DC: Brief Debrief

(Full details of our Pittsburgh to DC ride can be found here.)

Well, our bike trip went off without a hitch! Of course, I think we would all agree that my thorough, exhaustive, and painfully detailed bike preparation is the reason. Let me catalog the mechanical issues - I hesitate to call them "problems" - we had on the trip:

• One (1) flat: Cali's front tire flatted out on our way from Hancock, MD to Harper's Ferry because of a nasty little rock shard that wormed its way into the tired tread. Really, it's hard to fault anyone for this flat. It was fate, really, and you can't blame anyone - least of all the bike prep guy - for fate.
  
• One (1) crippled bike computer: In the homestretch, just after passing Great Falls, a rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth turtle - which looked shockingly like this - launched itself at Cali's front wheel and managed to eat the sensor from her bike computer. OK, it was actually a stick, but it was a evil, stinking sewer stick for sure and I'm pretty sure evil, stinking sewer sticks are also covered under the "fate clause" mentioned above.
  
• One (1) lost bolt: While unloading at home, I discovered that I'd lost one of the bolts connecting my rack to the bike. It was still attached in Harper's Ferry, so I must have lost it that last day. I'm blaming the rabid turtle or the Communists. And since this really wasn't an "issue" or a "problem" or even "something worth mentioning," it also doesn't count against my bike prep skills.
  

So, by my count, we had a total of zero (0) minor mechanical inconveniences over five days and a combined 700 mi. of cycling. Let's just declare me "the World's Greatest Bike and Bike-Related Preparation Guy in the Whole Wide World, Who Also Happens to Be Extremely Good Looking in Spandex" and call it good.

Good. I'm glad we got that settled.

Pitt to DC: Gettin' Ready to Ride!

Cali and I typically have pretty cool vacations. We've traveled to Seattle, Paris, and Las Vegas. The last two summers we've been able to visit Utah for a month to see family and play. This summer we weren't so lucky. (Remember how most jobs don't give you the summers off?) Nevertheless, we wanted to have an adventure. Well, do we ever have one planned!

We are going to bike from Pittsburgh back to DC. That's right 350 miles along traffic-free rail/canal trails. We leave tonight for Pittsburgh and should arrive home on Tuesday, averaging about 70 miles a day. We did a practice run over the 4th of July by bike-camping along the C&O Canal trail; it was a pretty fun trip despite the rain. (See full trip report here). You can be certain I'll post up when we get back.

In the meantime, let's talk bike prep. Here's the rundown on our bikes:

Cranky's Bike: Singlespeed (40 x 16) 29er mountain bike with semi-slick tires and rack with panniers. The gearing is nearly perfect - light enough that I can cruise, tall enough to travel pretty fast. The tires have some knobbies for the C&O Canal trail; it's mostly gravelly double-track. I estimate I'll be carrying about 30 lbs among all the bags. The rear end is so heavy that the front seems awfully light and a bit squirrelly. (I could wheelie like crazy on this thing.)

Cranky's Weapon of Choice: Ready to Roll!

Mud Flap, for when it gets messy

Cali's Bike: 1x8 mountain bike with slicks and a seatpost-mounted rear rack. Cali'd been running her mountain bike as a single speed, but wanted a few more options on the trip. So I set her up with a rear derailleur and an 8-speed cassette. The suspension fork posed some real problems when I tried attach the clip-on fender. I gave up (eventually) and mounted the front fender to the back of the rack. It works beautifully, some of my best make-it-work cobbling. Let's hope it doesn't rain too much, though. Otherwise she'll miss that front fender!

Cali's Rig: Lookin' Sharp!

Rear Fender Attachment: Fender is easily detached and stowed when not needed.

Other Notes: On a trip like this I worry a bit about, well, everything. I put together a pretty thorough tool kit. (Cali's got another on her bike.) Let's hope we never need to use 'em!

Only thing missing: extra spokes!

One of my big bike decisions was to run flat pedals on this trip. Ever since I went with Speedplay pedals on my road bike, I've never ridden without being clipped in. (I ride Crank Brothers Candy's on my mountain bike.) At this point, it simply feels strange to ride flats. BUT, I wanted to travel light on this trip, so I installed some quality flats and have been "practicing" all sumer long with them. So, if you happen to be on the trail and see a tall, skinny cyclist pedaling along in Crocs, that's me! Give me a wave!