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!

two hundred sixty one

 ROAD SHOCK

My Surly Cross Check does not have any type of suspension. The tires are hard because they have 100 psi and the wheel hubs are attached directly to the bike frame. The handle bars are attached directly to the frame through a rigid stem. 

Everything on a bicycle vibrates, every bump travels directly through the entire bike. I lost my first Garmin Etrex Vista due to this vibration and fresh strawberries turn to jam in abut 20 miles. 

Good gloves help but all day on a bicycle takes learning a technique.  I have learned over time how to grip my down bars to minimize the effects of this vibration. 

Constantly changing hand position, avoid long contact with the heal of your palm and not resting too much weight on the bars. This can be adjusted by having a proper bike shop fit. Make sure they understand you are doing long distance touring.

I have not yet developed a butt technique. On a ride around town I am constantly in and out of the saddle to absorb the road shock but all day on a touring bike this is not possible. 

There was a 100 mile stretch in Southern California, the berm had a deep cut groove every 20 feet, there was no way to take every hit with my legs. Eventually I had to take each hit with my full weight on the seat. Each shock traveled through the bike and up my spine. This was a very long day.

I needed something to absorb the road shock. I found the Cain Creek Thud Buster seat post. They make a larger size with plenty of travel for off road. I had one but found the compact size met my needs much better. No springs or fluids to squeak or leak and three densities of rubber inserts to adjust the firmness. 

There are many other designs on the market but I like this design because it keeps a constant distance between my butt and my feet. I never feel like I'm  bouncing in fact I don't feel it is there. I do know it adds miles to my day and cuts down the aches and pains of a long days ride.

two hundred sixty

CUSHION vs FRICTION

This is my most prized bicycle possession. It is a Brooks Colt leather bicycle seat. I bought it in 2002 in a bicycle shop in Tempe Arizona. This was a very cool bike shop because over the decades they had stocked every possible piece of bicycle gear and accessory. I don't know the history but it seemed the owner knew nothing about inventory control. 

He had passed on and the family or new owner had sale after sale to reduce this inventory. They had every weird piece of clothing and gear imaginable. They had wind silencers that fit on your helmet straps in front of each ear to silence the wind noise. Rain ponchos that covered the handlebars and electric hand and toe warmers, I imagine these sold well in the Arizona desert. 

I bought several pieces of gear from them one was my Cat Eye Cycle meter. The best thing I found was this bicycle seat. It was in a glass case along with an assorted tangle of bicycle parts. In this tangle there was one partially hidden bicycle seat. It had no price tag and no one had any idea how long it had been there. People that had worked there for 15 years remember it being there as long as they remembered. All I know is that it was as hard as a rock.

We negotiated a fair price $80 I then took it home and put it on my Surly Crosscheck. I took one ride and immediately changed it back to my padded comfy seat.

Like most people I thought a soft cushioned seat would be soft and comfortable, but this soft comfy seat was the seat I had learned to hate. I had taken two trips and suffered from blisters and chafing. Short commuting trips were fine but months in the saddle this seat was pure torture.

I had read about leather seats but this rock hard Brooks seat was not happening. I first soaked it in Neetsfoot oil but it barely made a difference.

I ran into Collin Lang who had built a bike I had purchased third hand. It was a Col-Ian steel road bike hand built by Collin and his son Ian  in 1980. That was my first step up from the Huffy I rode for a few years. I had found the 27" Huffy in a dumpster behind my apartment. Collin examined the bike and said it was his personal team bike when they were located in Tucson Arizona. 

Collin was involved in the Tour De France as a builder and coach for many years. He fit his creation to me and taught me a lot about adjusting and maintaining  the bicycle. This was my training bike for several years until I could no longer find replacement parts for the classic Campagnolo drive train.

I told him about the seat and what I was doing to soften it. In has best British accent he said it is a damn bicycle seat just put it in a bucket of water then ride on it. I asked how long or how far? He said months and 1000 miles. I thought he was nuts but that is exactly what I did. 

Trust me, the first 1000 miles was as he had said miserable. I started in Florida and headed north to Maine, a very long way from my cushioned seat that was back in Arizona. I cursed Collin and that damn seat for weeks but one day it became manageable. I had won the battle between hard leather and my ass. 

I have noticed my 34+ year old saddle is much thicker than the newer Brooks seats. The Brooks company has changed hands several times so who knows where they are made today. I'm sure this one is old enough to have been manufactured in their original workshop by the original craftsmen. It is thick and heavy but extremely comfortable for me because it fits me exactly. 

Collin also taught me it is worth paying the price for a high quality cycling short with a high quality chammy. If you are on the bicycle day after day one small blister can become a big problem if it is not addressed immediately. 

Friction is the enemy and a soft comfortable padded seat creates friction, but a smooth leather form fitting seat reduces friction. Most seasoned touring cyclists prefer a smooth leather seat. Like I said this seat is my most prized bicycle possession. It has solved one of the major issues or concerns of day after day touring.

two hundred fifty nine

THE TIRE PUMP

4295 miles without a functioning tire pump, sounds foolish, but I did it. 

My trip from San Francisco to Maine started in the early spring of 2008. Some of the mountain passes were still closed so I had to be creative and take a few detours. I traveled alone through Nevada on the what they call the "Loneliest Highway", highway 50. I traveled alone through the corn and wheat fields of the plain states, countless urban streets and highways, back roads and bike paths all of the way to the Atlantic coast. Day after day, week after week I rolled across rocks, potholes, broken glass, wire, scrap metal and random  pieces of sharp junk. Through all of this I thought my trusty frame pump was at the ready. 

I had never taken even a short ride without a tire pump, tools, a patch kit and extra tube. In fact I secretly mocked stranded riders who weren't prepared. I would always stop to help them, many times giving them a new tire tube. We would small talk while I fixed their flat tire, then shake hands, then I would give them a smug (you're an idiot) smile as I waved goodbye. Yes I can be a pompous ass, but they got a new tube and maybe a lesson.  

It is hard to believe 4295 miles without one flat tire. A few times I did top the pressures off at a bike shop using their floor pump, but no on the road flats requiring the use of my pump. If you ride bicycles you know how rare this is, because flat tires are just the price you pay for having fun. No one enjoys fiddling with bike tire tools chains and pumps. Rear flat tires are the most common for some reason and if you are loaded you have to remove panniers and the bike chain. After weeks on the road your chain and everything is covered with grit and grease so I always pack several sets of disposable gloves.

There are several types of tire pumps. One very light weight style is the one using  compressed air cartridges. I have used them but they are designed for road and mountain biking focused on getting you back home. I prefer a mechanical pump, they range in size and weight. I have had several sizes and types one was a  beautiful frame mounted pump that I hauled from coast to coast. Yes that is the one that didn't work. Every pump no matter how well made has a shelf life because the rubber gaskets over time break down and leak as mine did. Tire pumps are emergency equipment, they need to perform when we need them, they need to be periodically inspected serviced or replaced.

 Who knows when my pump was manufactured, how long it had been on the shelf in the bike shop and what did the months of Arizona desert heat do to it? I made the mistake of assuming it would always work.

A bike tire pump can be a matter of life and death depending on where and when you need it to work. At best a bad pump is a big inconvenience. There is no fool proof solution but we can improve the odds. Buy a quality pump that is well made and test it frequently. Oil breaks down rubber so never ever lubricate a pump. 

I found the Lezyne Micro with a built in tire gauge. It is light weight, well made and it looks cool. The pump can be easily maintained everything screws together no glued or welded parts. I am not sure if the parts can be replaced but you can inspect the condition of all of the rubber parts. The price is around $60 I think it is well worth the price. High performance tires require higher pressures 120 pounds per square inch or more this pump is rated to 160 PSI.

I can get cold chills thinking about what could have gone wrong not having a workable pump in the middle of Nevada. It was a good lesson once I discovered it on a day ride after I returned home. This is why I recommend taking a shakedown run before any long trip. Set up and use everything to make sure it works, you may be surprised what you find. I run 100 PSI in my rear tire when I am loaded and the Lezyne pump handles this very well. I have marked 100 PSI on the in line tire pressure gauge to make it easy for me to see. 

For peace of mind one option is packing a onetime use air cartridge pump they are compact and light weight, great for backup. Tire tools a patch kit and at least three new tubes are essential for touring. Some recomend bringing along a new collapsible tire. This may be vital for off road touring but loaded on road touring from city to city you can usually find a bike shop, a hardware store or even a Walmart to meet your needs. I have drilled my rims to accommodate Schrader valves if that is all I can find. There are tiny rubber inserts to accommodate the preferred Presta valve size just ask your bike shop.

Many times I have refer to learning things the hard way this is one hard lesson I learned the easy way. I am also  aware how very lucky I was.