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!!
0 Comments
4/17/2022 0 Comments A few gear reviews
3/31/2022 0 Comments Pannier Racks and BoltsWith Michigan’s unpredictable yet predictable Michigan winter weather, the roads were clear last week, yet there is a rain/snow/sleet covering the EUP for the foreseeable future. Snowy roads = non-guilty time spent indoors categorizing bike touring gear and planning how to fit it all on my bike. Last week, I met up with a bike savvy friend to figure out how to make my bike pannier racks work for the gravel bike. I bought an Axiom Journey Suspension & Disc Lowrider front pannier rack. They are flaunted as fitting V and disc brakes, and I happen to have a bike that they do not fit. :) The quick release lever on my front axle sticks out ~ ½ inch and the front rack did not fit on that side. Rather than buying a new rack, we made it work - added a few spacers and bolt extensions. The rear rack I had bought in 2018 and that I used for my UPCycle was specifically for V brakes, so I completely understood when that one did not fit the gravel bike. A Bontrager rear rack for disc brakes fit the gravel bike nicely and without complications. On a side note - - Did you KnoW that there’s american (imperial) and metric bolts/screws? Just like on a ruler there’s the metric and imperial system - there’s wrenches in metric and imperial that are just slightly different sizes but are essentially the same exact thing. (and ofc most bikes nowadays use metric bolts, my bike is the same) ANYWAYS, the same goes for bolts and screws, and they are not very compatible. Long story short, one side of my front panniers is american (imperial) bolts/screws and the other side is metric. Now that my pannier racks are all set, it’s time to start loading with gear I need for my trip across the United States. I currently have roughly 80% of my gear in piles around my room alongside my normal-precleaning-piles. Yeah, me too, I can barely handle the mess. Most items take me at least 3 minutes to find. I add ‘finding a certain item that’s definitely somewhere in my room’ time into my schedule if I have somewhere to be. As of right now - where I have not put everything on my packing list on my bike yet - I believe I’ll have enough space on my bike & bags for the essential gear. I’ll deal with that when I get to it, that’s for another day. 3/25/2022 0 Comments Happy Birthday, RoryHappy birthday to the gravel bike, Rory!!
Today marks the third year of smashing PR’s and zooming on Eastern Upper Peninsula roads. I'm super excited to become one with this bike over the course of 3,800 miles across the United States. This gravel bike is a 2019 Raleigh Amelia 1, which has since been discontinued; and interestingly enough, Raleigh USA does not exist as a company anymore (according to a reddit thread), however, Raleigh retailers in other countries seem to still be operational. Below are photos from March 25, 2020 when I first unboxed the bike. 3/24/2022 0 Comments New and Old GearFor this trip, I have bought a considerable amount of gear, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Those starting out in a new sport or picking one up again might feel the societal pressure to get the fastest, lightest, and newest gear.
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need all the newest gear, the gear you have already is probably enough. I grew up camping, backpacking, and being outdoors. Naturally, I have accumulated quite the stash of outdoor gear. And I, just as anyone, cruises online outdoor retailers gazing at the newest sleeping bag/hiking boots/fall coat. Do I sometimes fall for their marketing schemes? Absolutely. Other times I recognize early on that I’m looking at the same exact sleeping bag that’s just slightly lighter and a different color. However, that’s exactly what the materialistic and consumerism based economy and US buying culture wants you to think about (or not think about) - replacing your gear every year to get faster. To get that season PR or FKT. To “fit in” with the others in your sport. Sometimes, buying new gear is essential. Zippers break, holes get burned through bags, out of style parts aren’t built anymore. That’s not the point I’m trying to make here. We live in a unique blend of materialism and capitalism that makes us think that what we have isn’t good enough and that we must buy a newer version to succeed in the world. You might recognize this as the culture we live in everyday, but I believe in close, specialized circles, this is even more evident. The increase of social media and up-close views of elite athletes turned influencers can show a false horizon of quick turnover of gear and promoted posts. I too, have felt like I wasn’t enough in the biking world because I don’t have the newest bike or lightest shirts. Overcoming this feeling hasn’t been easy. As my mountain biking technical skills have improved and I’ve competed in more races, I’ve come to realize that some people who sport fancy kits and new bikes, actually don’t know what they’re doing. In the past few years I’ve gotten more confident on and off my bike, and that has increased my aptitude in sidestepping the current bike culture. (the Radical Adventure Riders is a gr8 organization that is a total sidestep to the mainstream biking culture) This can be seen in other sports circles - last year I saw an ad for downhill skis where their message was ‘we want you to buy less skis,’ creating quality gear to last longer and combat replacing them every year. Much of the gear that I will be bringing with me on the TransAmerica Ride is gear that I already have. I’m not biking across the United States for a new fastest known time, I’m biking to have fun, see the country, and meet new people. The gear I have bought for this trip are items that have multiple uses - lightweight tent, raincoat - and a few bike specific items like front panniers. My outdoor gear philosophy is to buy quality items that will outlast me. Personally, I think I have seen the quality of outdoor gear decrease from historically good quality sites (looking at you, LLBean). There’s a good article by Laura Killingbeck talking about this entire phenomenon of the newest and lightest gear called “Packing Hacks for an Inexpensive Tour.” I’ve read a lot of blog posts from the Adventure Cycling Association and Laura Killingbeck. Her article “In Search of the Wild Reindeer” is an amazing, inspirational read. https://radicaladventureriders.com/ https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/packing-hacks-for-an-inexpensive-bike-tour/ https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a34466128/search-for-the-wild-reindeer/ |
Author: Eryn corinthCyclist. Feminist. Outdoor enthusiast. Tree hugger. Archives
October 2022
CategoriesAll College Colorado Gear Goals Illinois Iowa Kentucky Missouri Motivation Nebraska Ore To Shore Pandemic Rides TransAmerica Ride UP Cycle Virginia |