two hundred seventy

CREEPY CRAWLERS

 HAWAIIAN CENTIPEDE

This is a Hawaiian Centipede, I hate them with a passion. Hawaii is a damp tropical climate so bugs are to be expected. Many Hawaiian  homes have or will have roaches, ants and these monsters. 

One got in my bed in the house and stung me while crawling across my chest. My wife was still awake watching television and still laughs about watching a crazy naked man throwing all of the bedding into the backyard. Thank goodness they are in Hawaii. There are a few types on the mainland but I have never had any issues with them.

SCRORPIONS

I camped hundreds of nights all over the southwest and have never had an issue with scorpions or snakes. An old prospector told me the secret of desert camping which is simple common sense. 

In the desert everything needs water and food, most are active at night so they go to the water for water and food. Critters large or small that eat other critters eat the critters that are where the water is.  If you don't want to sleep with the critters sleep where there is no water. So I don't camp too close to creeks or lakes and have never had an issue with snakes or scorpions.

I try not to set up camp before I am ready to crawl in for the night. This doesn't give the critters a chance to get in your bedding. Shake out  everything before you get in it, put it on or put it away.

 

BLACK WIDDOW SPIDERS

Black Widow spiders are always under things so watch picking things up. They are not aggressive unless you are in their space so keep you fingers out of dark places.

BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS

Brown Recluse spiders have a very powerful venom. It is a type that kills the tissue in the area of the bite. They use there venom to digest their pray. They are very passive and their fangs are not designed to attack their pray. Coming in contact with them by laying on them in grass or in your bedding is how you get a bite. 80% of the bites heal but the consequences if you do not treat them can be severe. I have been bitten and did not treat it but I'm an idiot well a lucky idiot I am fine.

MOSQUITOES

I grew up in Ohio mosquitoes were a constant so I learned to live with them. We never worried about disease in those days so it was the welts and itching we tried to avoid. Today West Nile virus, Zika virus, Dengue and Chikununya are an issue. They appear mostly at dusk and dawn and seem to go away through the night. Central North Dakota was the worst, they never ever stopped. I was amazed how aggressive they were at high noon. 

BITING FLIES

Ohio had several types of these blood suckers. On hot summer days these would bite through a t-shirt. I ran in those days, they would land on my back and eventually drill their way through to your skin. You constantly pulled your shirt to shoe them away. 

I found these in the plain states as I was cycling. Somehow they could find a way through a shirt at speed. They suck blood but I am not aware of any deceases that they spread. Unfortunately they seem to be immured to repellent.

NO-SEE-UMS

These are tiny mosquito like critters. They are also called sand flies or biting gnats. They are so small you feel their bite before you feel or see them. Repellant works well there are specific No-See-Ums brands but repellant with Deet works the same. I assume they spread disease like Mosquitoes but I did not find any information.

  

ANTS

There are several types but the fire ant is the ones I try to avoid. They are in most states now so you need to be aware. They aren't deadly but they do hurt. Luckily they sleep at night and don't get active until sunrise. 

I camped all night with no problem but as I returned from a breakfast trip to a nearby restaurant my tent gear and bicycle were completely covered with ants. They were so aggressive I could not strike camp until they decided to move on. I found ants for days.

Most types of ants want your food, these seem to want you. There are other aggressive types but these are the most common.

TICKS AND CHIGGERS

These are the critters that worry me the most. Limes decease is a serious health issue in many parts of the country. They are tiny, travel on animals and get into your clothing and hair. They definatly carry disease so closed fine screened tent camping and avoiding the types of areas they might be is important to learn. I travel by bicycle I don't take naps in the grass or walk through high weeds. My training in Ohio gives me a leg up on where not to go. 

 

When traveling through these areas repellant and showers work the best. Keep this in mind when you budget your motel money.

WASPS

I don't understand these creatures, some live in nests and some live in the ground. I think I have been stung by every type over the years when painting houses, digging stumps or removing a nest from my patio. They can sting you multiple times and they are unpredictable. I was riding a motorcycle and one somehow found me an stung my hand at a stop light. It must have been some weird cycle because I know of two other people who had similar experiences on the very same day. I think it is a case of you are it, but unless you are allergic the stings fade very quickly.

HONEY BEES

 

Honey bees are amazing and pretty much harmless. They are usually busy (as bees) and go about their work with little notice. My only bad experience was disturbing a hive in an old shack. They had formed around the door frame on the inside so as I attempted to open the door the saw it as an attack. They poured out of the crack and stung me several times as I ran away.

I only ran 20 yards before they quit their attack. I was fine but I am not allergic which can be fatal to some people who are. Africanized bees are now in most states. They are exactly the same except for their temperament. If the bees I had disturbed had been Africanized the would not have stopped after 20 yards. They would have continued to swarm until I was finally far far away and not a threat.

I lived in the Phoenix Arizona area in the 90's. They had such a panic about this new strain of aggressive bees they formed a special fire department unit to deal with the new hives. Yes a few people died from disturbing these bees and bee keeping became more difficult, but like most things we have adjusted. 

Stumbling upon a rogue bee hive is not good so if you see one walk away. This happened to me once while back packing in the Tucson area. I heard a low buzzing sound and saw a few random bees and then there I was ten feet away from a very large hived. I cautiously backed away and took a wide detour. The lesson is treat them all like aggressive Africanized bees.

TARANTULA SPIDERS

 

It isn't all bad news these gentle giants are harmless. Desert camping in Arizona I first found these or should I say they found me as I sat beside a small fire. A small herd of five ran through my camp site. I have seen how harmless they are when I was a kid at the Cleveland Zoo. I was picked out of the crowd to have one crawl on my hand and up my bare arm to show how docile they are. I found them in several places around Arizona. 

THE BASICS OF CAMPING IN STRANGE AREAS

Do a little research to understand before hand the dangers you might face in a new unfamiliar climate, the locals may or may not give you good advice. For an example the locals told me two completely different stories about camping in alligator country. It wouldn't have been a good nights sleep either way so I stayed in a cheap motel.

 Don't take chances sleep in your tent, use repellent, and don't be a tough guy. Riding on a bicycle is fairly safe but where you sit, walk or sleep is where you need to be extra cautious. 

My one man tent has a closed bottom with an extra tarp floor to keep the crawly things out. The top is all fine screen to keep out the tiniest bug so it is like safely sleeping under the stars. It is great for warm weather camping with ample ventilation. The inside volume is small so I can kill all of the mosquitoes easily without spray.

The rain fly can be added for dew or rain. I have easily endured torrential rain, high winds and sub freezing temperatures. This design has great ventilation to control condensation. It can be freestanding without stakes or staked securely for windy conditions. This tent is no longer made so I resealed and waterproofed it to use for as long as I can. I love this tent design and hope someone will produce one exactly like it.

Repellent with Deet is the best. I try not to apply it to my skin just my clothing. I don't know which one is the best I'm still doing research. I have run out at the worst time and spent a long night with little sleep.

There are many more bugs that I haven't covered but these are the ones that came to mind. 

The romantic vision of sleeping under the stars undisturbed by insects is just a vision. The reality is a little different. Movies and television never portray how difficult it is to deal with critters. Navy Seals crawl through jungle swamps but they never show the bugs, snakes and leaches. Lovers make passionate love as they roll in the sand on a tropical beach but they never point out how abrasive sand can be. 

It is not that difficult. Traveling through unfamiliar climates safely just takes a little common sense. Relax, do some research and be prepared, you will have a great time. 

two hundred sixty nine

THE ART OF TALKING TRASH

Muhammad Ali was the king of trash talk. He brought a new element to the sport of boxing that initially was not well received. He came on the scene during the civil rights movement following other boxers like Joe Lewis. Lewis was a champion more comfortable allowing his gloves to do the talking.

Ali was brash, mouthy, loud and sometimes rude. I remember my dad hating him in the beginning of his career. People watched hoping to see this big mouth get his ass kicked, which was great for ticket sales.

What happened fight after fight was he kept winning and winning. He even started to pick the round he would knock his opponent out. The public became less and less outraged but one thing I noticed was how my dad changed his opinion of Ali.

My dad began to respect the fact that he backed up what he said with results. He was also funny, fast, smart and yes pretty. I loved him earlier then my dad but over time he won over a whole generation of blue-collar white men. They possibly had issues with his race and the tone of his trash talk but there was an absolute respect for his ability to deliver on what he promised.

As a man myself I understand this world, I hated Joe Namath but respected his come back win with the Jets. The humiliation of the players that foolishly engaged in trash talk with Micheal Jordan. Baseball is legendary for trash talk starting with Babe Ruth pointing at the left field fence before a home run smash.

Individual athletes are often egotistical jerks if you get too close but if they say it and do it I respect them for what they achieved.  Saying what you will do and doing what you said is my measure of people in general. Some is polite and low key, some is loud and in your face and some is completely obnoxious. Each level determines the amount of crow they will be required to eat.

It is high risk behavior that requires mental and physical endurance  and the ability to deliver in high pressure situations. Most elite athletes perform better under extreme pressure. The average person will avoid these situations at any cost. I'm not good with pressure but I can take a beating so the endurance and mental toughness part is what I understand.  

On the other end if a person won't commit, pick a side, make a declarative statement or simply say yes or no, there will never be crow in their diet. They will safely avoid the humiliation and pain of the agony of defeat but they will never feel the thrill of victory.

How much of a champion is motivated by the repulsion to the taste of crow and how much is the addiction to the thrill of victory? I think it is a combination of both.

I myself enjoy winning but I don't get that much of a charge out of it. On the other hand I absolutely hate losing with a every fiber of my being. I don't risk winning and losing to a game of chance. I will risk my pride on a few games of skill. And I will risk everything on my ability to endure until the end.

Riding a bicycle thousands of miles takes a certain personality type. It is physically painful a great deal of the time. The muscle fatigue, burning lungs, joint pain not to mention a narrow bicycle seat jammed up your ass. Dirt, sweat, hard ground, hills, headwinds, hot sun, rain and insects make it even more interesting.

As for trash talk I use it almost exclusively for motivation. I don't want a parade or trophy at the end of my trip in fact I try to avoid attention. I get a thrill out of knowing I did it and I wear a Cheshire Cat smile for months. I do search the faces of the people I told I was going, particularly the doubters to see how they react. He said it and did it, that is the thrill for me. 

Day after day, week after week and month after month navigating  unfamiliar highways under my own power. Fatigue, aches and pains, mental isolation and emotional loneliness but I could not quit. The fact that I said I was going to do it got me on that bike morning after morning. 

That first days turn of the crank often brought forth a grown. After a few miles I was back into it but there were days that sucked from sun up to sunset. After a day or two feeling like this I always got my head back in the game.

Bicycle touring is a long slog filled with highs and lows. If it didn't feed something deep in my soul I would never do it. Pride can't be the main reason to endure but it is part of it. It is something running in the background that I rarely think about, but sometimes it is the only thing I think about.

After 30 years of sobriety I know pride got me through a few bad days.

two hundred sixty eight

THE USEFUL IDIOT BOX

I was born in 1951, my parents were by no means wealthy in fact they were lower middle class. We had a car, a tiny house my father built and the year I was born an RCA Victor black and white television.

My first memories were Captain Penny, Howdy Doody, Mighty Mouse and the guy in a suit that my parents watched. My parents would pay close attention to this man every night and would scold me for interrupting. 

The television was on a schedule so if you wanted to see a program you had to be in front of the TV to see it. No VCRs or rewind if you didn't see it you missed it.

Soon people started rearranging their schedules around TV. Madison Avenue realized there was money to be made by selling products to these new TV viewers. There was a whole new industry born to market to and yes manipulate these new consumers.

Edward L Bernays called the "Father of Spin" came on the scene. He was instrumental in developing the techniques and psychology to manipulate the masses. This was first developed to sell products and services to consumers.

He then turned his tactics and schemes toward manipulating the darker side of human nature or what I call our lower natures. He originally develop these skills to enrich himself but he set into motion a tried and true set of tools for others to use. 

Public relations departments, originally called propaganda departments became part of every large business. Many politicians, fascists like Hitler and Mussolini, Scientology, Jim Jones and the sellers of the "pet rock" successfully implemented his methods.

Soon that innocent box in the living room where I had watched the Browns vs Steelers rivalry games, Jim McKay on the Wide World of Sports, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Three Stooges soon became a powerful propaganda tool.

This new media had the additional power to stir the emotions of the viewer. Nightly news now had images and film clips to frame not only the thinking of Americans but their emotions.

Early on they seemed to have a desire to provide facts and an honest effort to hide their opinions and biases. As time went on profits and the popularity factor began to change this and manipulation seeped in.

Now it is difficult to find anything on television that is immune from some hidden agenda. Consumers of television became like hungry baby birds with open mouths waiting to be fed. 

 

Decade after decade the techniques have been perfected, even the most independent and informed sceptic can occasionally be sucked in. This propaganda is not exclusive to the news it is movies, advertisement and now sports. 

There is money to make, power to obtain and votes to get. The molding of the masses is big business and those that are good at it are well paid for the selling of their souls. However many of the best manipulators are deceived themselves. I call them the useful idiots.

Cool is like a drug because we want to be with the in crowd or hang out with the cool kids. The consumers of this media grow subject to group think. We have our self centeredness and emotional neediness justified. 

Today our victim status is empowering. They provide an oppressor and justify our judgment and hatred for the group of people they tell us is responsible. Facts fade into the background and feelings begin to dominate our opinions and understanding. 

The consumers of television have become accustomed to this justification. We buy things we can't afford or need, compromise our values and rationalize our bad behavior. It is simply easier and much more comfortable to go with the flow. 

A Bible quote out of Second Timothy describes this dynamic......"to suit their own desires, they gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear". 

I have severely limited my TV viewing in general and I never watch television news. The news programs offer a limited amount of actual information, the panels of "expert" guests feed a specific narrative. An emotional drumbeat is woven through every segment using specific words, phrases, opinion polls, expert endorsements and images, all designed to invoke a specific feeling. 

I am by no means the most intelligent guy and I am subject to manipulation from time to time. However I stay away from card tricks, shell games, timeshare and Amway presentations. 

To the best of my ability I try to find the truth. I now step back and periodically completely remove myself from the day to day soap opera. After the fog clears I return with a clear mind, fresh eyes and ears. I then can see clearly the methods and tactics working to manipulate us. Try this yourself you will be amazed, a week or a month don't worry the world will still be spinning when you tune back in.

Today we are subject to more media then ever in history. Social media, smart phones, tablets, laptops and smart everything. They have built on the work of Edward L Bernays beyond anything imaginable. I doubt we will even realize when AI takes over if it already hasn't .

There is a game being played and everyone of us is a "mark". The more people who realize this fact the more liberty we might keep. Turn off the media for a week or a month the world won't end and you will have a clearer mind and heart.

Again this is a bicycle blog so one thing I know, traveling by bicycle will keep me connected to what is real. 

For a more in-depth look at this phenomena check out these videos.

MANIPULATING THE MASSES

AND

Edward L Bernays

two hundred sixty seven

HALF OF THE FUN IS CREATING YOUR OWN STYLE OF RIG

Traveling by touring bicycle is much more then transportation, it is a lifestyle and an expression of your personality. There are very few if any touring rigs sitting in bike shops ready to jump on and ride into the sunset, you will need to create your own which is half the fun. 

There are bike shops today that have all of the parts and pieces to build your rig, but you first have to make some choices. It depends on what you want to do. Is it on road or off road, long distance or short weekend trips? Do you have a bike or do you want to purchase or build a special use touring bike?

If you have a bike that is geared right, instead of racks and panniers a great place to start is a "BOB" trailer. These came out in the late 90's and were very popular when there were very few touring specific bicycles and gear. They easily connect to most road of off road bicycles. It directly attaches to the rear axle and tracks well with one wheel. 

I have seen plenty of these on the road, they seemed to work well. I tried one on a short ride but I didn't like the feel, it felt like I had a flat tire. There are some issues with down hill speeds and vibration. I camped with a guy who had this issue that resulted in a crash. Panniers must be packed correctly or they can have vibration issues too. The "BOB" style trailers may have the same issue.

I here good and bad things about them but one thing about trying a trailer you can know if you even enjoy touring without purchasing a new bicycle, racks and panniers. If you don't like touring you can usually sell the trailer with little or no loss of your purchase price because they are very popular.

Today they make a few more styles and brands. Some are geared for off road with a wheel shock absorbing system. They hold up to 50 pounds and a few are designed with racks for additional panniers. 

Off road trail riding takes a specific type of bike. This is more for the minimalist who needs performance more than creature comforts. I met a man in Central Oregon heading to Ushuaia (the tip of South America) on a similar rig. He started in Alaska and seemed to be in a big hurry. I admire his grit, his bike and his gear but I need a few more creature comforts.

On road touring rigs are built specifically to carry weight. You need to look at these more like a truck then a sports car. They are longer, heavier and much slower then other bicycles. Reliability, safety and fowl weather riding is the focus. 

Panniers are available everywhere now. Some companies do a great job designing them for wet weather and convenience. Picking the right storage packs is fun but I suggest accumulating your gear first to see what you need and then buy the panniers to fit. You may find your style of camping will require more or less room. You don't want to drag anything you don't really need over a mountain pass.

 

Your first tour will suck, this is just how it goes. You will understand the feel and freedom but your bike and gear will have some issues. Touring is a continuous learning curve. Each trip you will find things that work and things that don't and some things that will make you wonder what you were thinking. 

A young couple was in a shop in Phoenix purchasing brand-new bikes and clothing. This was after the first six days of a coast to coast tour to Florida. They left San Diego and found that nothing was working. They put panniers on their sports car road bikes then were shocked that they got flats, broke spokes, the seats were torture and the desert is cold at night. They almost flew home but thank goodness for high interest plastic.

It is all part of the fun. Everything I bought was a piece of the dream. I search the internet now but back then I visited dozens of bike shops, camping stores even hardware stores searching for that perfect item. Dreaming and creating the perfect rig that reflects your style and personality is the fun.

This blog allows me to show you my style and personality. I hope my experience can help you avoid some of my mistakes. There are some characters in the bicycle culture riding the most amazing and original creations. You will see every possible rig configuration. Let your free flag fly.

Anything is possible....

This is my creation, it is functional and reflects my personality.

My rig is now a tested product of my imagination. Here I am in Florida thousands of miles from home. I saw fires, floods, tornadoes, snow, deserts, dense cities and endless open spaces. 

*RANT TRIGGER WARNING*

America is taking a hit these days but take my word for it the people of this country are kind, generous, curious and loving. I am amazed how every place I interacted with people face to face, people were so different then I had been led to believe (the media). 

Test this for yourself look in the eyes and hearts of a stranger, but remember respect reflects respect, kindness reflects kindness, love reflects love but hate will always reflect hate. First check what you are putting out into the world and realize there is a total difference between reality and Netflix.

Let me be clear I fear our Washington government is broken and beyond hope, so by America I mean it's amazing people. I don't call for a rebellion, revolution or an "insurrection" (the media and half of our politicians new word). Person to person understanding, tolerance and respect will cure the hatred, fear and drama that keeps us pissed off, fearful and divided. 

two hundred sixty six

DING DING.......

 

....DING

 Yes it is a bicycle bell. I really didn't need one but this one is stealth with a surprisingly piercing sound. I rarely used my old one except to say hello and alert a walker or cyclist on a boardwalk or bike path.

I stumbled across a picture of one so I researched the company. The company is located in Australia is called Oi. They make a few styles and colors but I opted for the stealth look.

It matches everything and makes a great sound. Too bad I have bar end shifters or I could have those sparkly streamers.

My bike bar bag is perfect. It holds my headlight, bug spray, dog pepper spray, glasses and hats. I don't like the bar bags on or above the handlebars because they make the bike feel top heavy. This is small and holds just enough. I rarely ride and fumble around finding gear, I just stop I'm not in a race. 

two hundred sixty five

WHY DID THE CAR MAKE ME CROSS THE ROAD?

I have been crossing streets since I was a small child. "Look both ways before you cross the street" was drilled into us. Cars and trucks behaved in a predictable way. We understood they are much larger than us so we accepted that fact and reacted accordingly. 

Crosswalks do give the pedestrian the right of way, the cars and trucks are to yield to pedestrians IN the crosswalk. Not yielding to a pedestrian IN the cross walk can end in receiving a citation, but this is rarely enforced.

I have been walking everyday to get my knee in shape. I live in a residential area so most of my route is on sidewalks. There are a few busier streets and a couple have specific pedestrian crossing lights. 

The small side streets are where I notice this the most. Traffic will stop to let me cross the street even if I don't want to. I try to look like I am in no hurry and I am not wanting to cross the street. I do this with my eyes and with my body language, but they stop anyway. 

I can be up to 15 feet from a crosswalk when they see me and instead of just driving they stop in the middle of the street, sometimes blocking traffic. If I wave them by they glare at me. If I do want to cross I would rather wait until they pass so I don't have to hurry. At least give me a chance to be at the crosswalk and look both ways.

I noticed they stop for people illegally jaywalking. Jaywalking is the art of timing traffic so you can cross through the spaces between cars. This requires the cars maintain their speed but as soon as you step out somebody stops and screws up the whole plan. I'm a damn jaywalker I don't deserve your damn politeness. If I see a jaywalker I figure it is illegal so he is on his own and I assume they have a plan I don't want to screw it up.

I first saw this while living in San Francisco and wrote it off to some new woke cult of pacifist driving. I walked everywhere in SF and learned to not look at the crosswalk until you were there or cars would stop while you are ten feet away from the crosswalk. 

I did have a confrontation with a jogger while driving in Noe Valley. He came from behind a building at full stride as I entered the crosswalk, he then kicked the side of my SF friendly beater GEO Metro. We exchanged pleasantries and commented on each others levels of intelligence. I smiled and politely offered to kick his ass as I exited my car. This is a tradition not seen often in San Francisco. For some reason he lost interest and chose to continue his run. My x-ray vision must have been on the blink that day.

SF is a congested city with scooters, cars, trucks, cabs, trollies, public busses, pedestrians and very obnoxious idiot cyclists. This blend of chaos is amazing to navigate. There is a ying and yang or give and take that works, in a way in all of that chaos I understand the pedestrian phobia.

I now live in a small town in central Oregon, the people here are polite to a fault. My DMV experience was delightful, they all smiled, helped me find the proper forms, directed me to the shortest line, then promptly finished the transaction and thanked me, yes thanked me. I felt bad there wasn't a tip box because that is how well I was treated. This has happened every time I have been there.

This may explain some of the overly polite driving. There is also an aggressive element, they are usually in large mud covered pick up trucks or in expensive German touring cars.

The reason for this post is my worry about this change. I ride on the edge of the road sometimes far from bike lanes. How people react to me is important. I actually hope they don't over react. This over reaction has put me in danger many times. 

On one of my trips through Vermont there was an accident behind me because the driver instead of passing me stopped and followed me up the hill. I was climbing a grade so I was going slow. Every other car drove past, a few slowed, a few went extra wide but this one stopped and followed.

The cars piled up behind me but I could not turn off because of a deep ditch. A truck back in the line started to pass and naturally a car came over the crest of the hill. Things got interesting and fenders got bent but somehow we avoided a total disaster.

I don't trust cars, period. However I do rely on a little judgment and skill. My philosophy is do what you are going to do and I will work around you, just stay in your lane. Over reacting to my presence can put me in danger. Don't let me in, don't wave me by and don't follow me up a hill.

I learned to ride a bicycle in traffic in the Phoenix area. Phoenix is not a bike friendly or bike tolerant city. They crowd you, block you, blow the horn at you and throw stuff at you. Yes they throw stuff at you like Big Gulps and whiskey bottles. I learned to ride close to traffic, draft trucks and use cars for picks. 

Heavy traffic riding takes timing and skill, a driver stopping in traffic to give me the right of way is a nightmare. The traffic behind usually isn't aware or in agreement with showing me the same courtesy. I have a plan as to how I am going to navigate any situation so this always screws up the flow. 

I don't worry about big trucks, the driver is usually a working professional so I assume they have some level of driving skill. Cars and pickups are a mixed bag but the scariest vehicles are motorhomes. These are piloted by and unskilled senior driver, they are 30 or more feet long with a car dragging behind, what could possibly go wrong? Now if we add to this a new overly cautious driving style it doesn't help.

I hope this new driving style hasn't spread across the country. I don't understand it and I won't do it. I have received the evil eye and a middle finger a few times as someone lifts their eyes from their phone and expects me to stop on a dime. They don't realize there is traffic around me and I don't stop because it might cause a four car pile up on a dark snow covered street. 

As a pedestrian, cyclist and a driver I take in the whole picture. I don't want to slow or change the traffic flow I'm content waiting for an opening. The reality is cars have fenders I do not.

My rant is simple, 

JUST DRIVE I WILL WORK AROUND YOU!  

two hundred sixty four

Continental Contact Plus 700x37c

TOURING TIRES

This is my latest tire choice Continental Contact Plus. It is an upgrade but I have no idea how reliable this model is other then the reviews. It is a high quality shielded designated touring tire, I just haven't had any experience using them.  I am a Continental Contact fan and have had a good experience with other models, all four sets. 

Touring specific tires are designed for reliability. They are built to resist punctures with extra layers of protection. The treads are designed to handle most surfaces. They were good in the rain (except for my crash on a wet steel bridge in Maine). The rear tire wears more then the front and gets most of the punctures. A new rear tire will get you from coast to coast but that is about it. The front tire holds up well but it is also subject to flats.

I use internal puncture shields as an extra layer of protection. I once went coast to coast with no flats but that was unusual. Slime does not help I run 90 psi  pressures, Slime only works up to 80 psi. Slime also gets weird and clumps causing lumps and vibration, plus it is a sticky mess.

Bicycle tubes come in different thicknesses but I haven't noticed much of advantage to the extra thick tubes. I always carry three extra tubes while touring so I avoid the extra weight.

There are solid tires filled with a hard sponge rubber but they are useless on a tour bike. They work great on the giant tricycle, you know the ones with a milk crate basket and flag.

No matter what you do these tire shreds will find a way to flatten your tires. The shreds have these tiny wires that somehow work their way through every layer of you tires to find the air. Even if you miss the big chunks the next 100 yards are like a mine field. 

Other puncture nightmares are the Goathead thorns and broken glass. I lived in Arizona where these were an on and off road nightmare. The "plus" in the Continental Contact Plus is for an extra layer of protection that is designed to help deal with these demons.

 

I'm a roadie by heart so 700 cc wheels are my preferred size. The tires are 700 x 37c, they are a little wider but not enough to ride on sand or dirt with a load. This is an issue in a few states that have a soft gravel berm but I prefer the feel of a road tire. This is just a personal choice.

I once cut a tire that was over an inch long. I scrounged around the highway trash until I found a plastic soda bottle. I cut a patch to insert into the tire to keep the tube from bulging through the hole. It worked so well I road a few hundred more miles until I found a tire.

No matter what you do you will get flat tires it is just the cost of having fun. The only thing you can do is take it in stride and be prepared. 

two hundred sixty three

 THE WEAK LINK 

WHEELS

A bicycle is designed to carry one human unless it is designed to carry one human and his stuff. The majority of bicycles on the market in 2002 were the one human type. 

There were very few companies building bicycles for loaded touring. The Bob Trailer was the hottest new idea but bicycles in general were not designed to carry heavy loads. 

I had a Surly Cross-Check designed for cycle cross. It was a beefed up no nonsense road bike capable of going off road. It fit my commuting style. I jump curbs and race down wash board gravel roads and trails with little concern for breaking the bike. 

Surly had not yet produced the Long Haul Trucker. It was a reasonably priced touring specific design. Touring bikes have a longer wheel base that makes them a little boring but that isn't a bad idea with a load. 

I had a Surly Cross-Check with a much shorter wheel base and only a double ring crank set. The frame is steel, it has bar end shifters, fatter tires will fit and I could add a granny ring to the crank set. I owned it so I decided to make it work.

This was only the beginning. At that time it was hard to find racks for panniers if you could find panniers. It was trial and error but piece by piece the bike came together. One nagging question I had was how much weight will the stock wheels handle?

A bicycle shop I found was newly purchased by a young guy named Mike. I discovered he was a wheel builder. He explained the benefits of hand built vs machine built wheels. I explained what I needed then I  gave him free reign to build whatever he thought I would need. He took the challenge and built the wheels.

It took a couple weeks for the parts to arrive and a few more to build the wheels but the end product was perfect. Mavic welded 36 spoke rims and Shimano Deore XT hubs, he said the hubs can be serviced and the rims will handle 100psi. He chose extra thick spokes and gave me extras to zip tie to the frame if I ever lost one.

He also added a Shimano stack with lower gears to handle loads. Mike was into the challenge of building these wheels because he had never known anyone who wanted to strap a bunch of camping gear to a bicycle and ride it from coast to coast. I think he thought I was a bit of a nut because I was obsessed with long distance touring. 

I would stop by his shop when I was on a long training ride on a 110 degree Arizona day. I really knew nothing about bicycles but he smiled when I said something stupid or talked about what I was planning to do.

I talked a great deal of trash which was part of my plan. This helped motivate me anytime I was thinking of quitting. Instead of renting a car and going home, I would remember how much crow I would have to eat. I hate eating crow!!!!

One thing about bike shops not every owner or employee is excited about the bicycle culture. A lot of them are burned out and only get excited when they are selling something. Mike's Bike Chalet was really a bike culture bike shop.

 

That is Mike with the grin. I returned after the first couple of trips and I knew he was impressed that I had actually done what I had said. Mike's Bike Chalet is open today it is located in Mesa Arizona. I have not seen him in years but he is no doubt telling stories as he works and eating yellow curry chicken from the Thai restaurant next door. I knew Mike since he was in high school. I am sure his crew loves working for him, they work hard and play hard. The wheels have never needed a single adjustment they are as true as the day they were made. I have been as gentle as I can but 14,000 miles on every surface imaginable I'm shocked they have endured the heavy loads, there is now no weak link.

two hundred sixty two

 SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK

I'm old school in my approach to touring bikes. A touring bike is designed to be kind of boring. The day in and day out wear and tare of the elements, vibration and hard use require reliability. 

I understand why they once hanged horse thieves. I became so dependent on a functioning bicycle, in fact at times it was a matter of life and death. My worst nightmare was having my bike and gear stolen, I have read stories of this happening to other adventurers. I know I would figure out how to get home but it would be very very hard to get over.

Disk breaks are better in many ways and are very reliable. I prefer a braking system that is bomb proof and one I can repair. Cantilever style brakes have one nagging problem they glaze and squeak. My first two sets of pads did this, they functioned well but they squeaked like hell. 

I discovered these Kool-Stop brake pads made with two densities of rubber. They do not glaze or squeak. This is my second set. The first set was fine with some wear but I changed them out to start fresh for the next tour.

Roaring down a mountain pass using the stabbing method I use driving tour busses with air brakes. You brake hard to drop the speed then coast until you gather the speed again then hard brake again and so on. I found it works much better than riding the brakes. 

These brake pads were amazing time after time, even wet stopping was reliable. One really great thing I never ever heard a single SQUEAK!