4/28/2022 4 Comments wheels in the atlantic oceanA couple things that happened before I put miles on the scoreboard in Virginia:
Clarisa and her mom were kind enough to drive me to Yorktown and to be there to witness the start of my adventure. We parked near the beach, and I set up my bike and got everything situated. And before I knew it, it was time to go! We took photos of my bike tires dipped in the Atlantic Ocean, and I was on my way west. The rest of the story of my first day biking in Virginia will be posted at a later time ;) and here's a sneak peek: it was 92⁰F
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4/24/2022 0 Comments Test Ride #2 & PackingOn Tuesday I packed up my bike with full touring gear for a second 30 mile test ride to Muskallonge Lake State Park on the shore of Lake Superior. I was starting to feel the constraints and necessity of such a short time period before my start date, so this ride was snow or shine. I gave the weather the benefit of the doubt, yes there's a chance of snow and 25mph N/NW winds, but maybe it won't be that bad!
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Train in the worst possible weather so all other weather feels pleasant. There were snow flurries. Not flakes, but hard pellets that created an almost whiteout situation. And then the wind! 20-25mph N/NW headwind wind for roughly 25 of my 30 miles. It was grueling, but the snow wasn't sticking and the roads weren't icy. I say all of this because it was fun. 20ish pounds on a bike + a girl in a bright yellow coat biking in the cold, snow flurries, and wind is a funny event to watch - and an even funnier event to partake in. I simply cranked my music to hear it over the wind, sang along, and laughed every time the wind threw me. To make this ride even better, a friend was planning to join me at the 10 mile mark for the rest of the ride. It's not very often, I ride with someone, and I was elated. Suddenly the wind wasn't as terrible and the temperature warmed up, not because the weather changed, but because the act of a shared experience made it more bearable. We made it to the Park in 2 hours & 50 minutes, and I'm pretty dang sure with negative splits, so that was awesome. A day later, it was time to pack everything into a bike box. This was … also a grueling event. I have packed my bike up before, but never with the high stakes of keeping it safe for a flight across the United States to Virginia through TSA. Additionally, I have no concept of what 50lbs feels like, so that's fun. I am flying United to Virginia, because it was the cheapest flight. They are historically the airline that did not allow boxed bikes onboard - however they do now. The bikes must be in a hard cardboard bike box or hard carrying case, and under the 50lbs weight limit, and the oversize fee doesn't apply. I quickly found out that most of my items would need to be in a carry-on. The only items in my bike box besides the bike is my tent/stakes/poles, bear canister with CamelBak & bike tools, and my bathroom bag with liquids/gels over 3floz. In my opinion, this is the bare minimum for items added to the box - because it's all items that cannot be in a carry-on, such as a pedal wrench, or tent stakes. Everything else is stuffed into my front panniers, which are in turn placed in my rear panniers. I will be wearing my helmet LIKE A DORK through the airport (or ya know, attaching it to a pannier). ~ Airport deemed hazardous items such as ISO butane fuel mix, headlamp, MSR cook stove were mailed to a friend's house in Virginia to minimize any reason TSA might have to open my bike box. Now it's all just a waiting game until the airport tomorrow. And what an adventure that will be. I really can't believe that I am actually going to bike across the United States! For so long I have been planning and dreaming of this adventure. Last but not least ~ when I'm on the road (this blog post right now included) is not being posted by me ~ they will be posted by a friend, Bronte! Woohoo, thank you x100, Bronte!! 4/17/2022 0 Comments A few gear reviews
4/15/2022 0 Comments Test Ride to Lake SuperiorLast week I went on a 30 mile ride, full bike touring set up with panniers and gear. It was an amazing ride, a route and feeling that I’ve missed in the past year. I had such a great time that I forgot to take photos of the trees, snow, and my bike en route.
I rode from my house to Muskallonge Lake State Park, which is 30 miles (one way) of hills, curves, and flat roads to the coast of Lake Superior. This was not a ride for speed, but merely to enjoy the route and to listen to my body and bike regarding how my gear is situated. I am pleased to say that my bike made no new squeaky sounds, and my panniers were balanced. It’s been four years since I’ve rode with full panniers, and I forgot how much you have to shift your body weight to counter the weight of the bike. My legs took a little bit to warm up - and that was entirely my fault, because I did not warm up before hopping on my bike. One thing I love about the Upper Peninsula is the lack of people. Our roads are generally less busy than other parts of the state and country. However, the first two miles of the ride through town was the most harrowing simply because a) it was all downhill and b) I do not trust townies to see me although I’m wearing a bright yellow raincoat [this worry was not unmatched, because someone almost turned into me when I had the right of way]. The rest of the 28 miles was peaceful with the occasional truck passing me with a wide berth. This was a ride that I’ve been dreaming of the past year in FEMA Corps when I was 500+ miles away from my bike. The weather was absolutely perfect, temperature around 40 degrees, very little to no wind, and overcast. My route to the State Park uses two roads - both of which have paved shoulders and another 3ft of gravel before ditch/trees. We still have snow, hard packed down thanks to snowmobilers between the road and trees, where you can see the stratigraphy of snow/dirt lines in the snowbank. Cycling is one of the sports where you have the time to slow down and take in your surroundings. Chickadees, ravens, robins, blue jays, and other birds joined me and said ‘welcome home.’ Pileated woodpecker holes in dead, dying, and decaying trees lead the way north. Red pines, white pines, scotch pines, jack pines, beech, paper birch, and tamaracks swayed to the rotation of the earth and hold memories of those before me. To truly listen to the wilderness and be immersed in the quiet. I am happy. |
Author: Eryn corinthCyclist. Feminist. Outdoor enthusiast. Tree hugger. Archives
October 2022
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