Pain Freaks cycling tour 08

[Pain Freak]

I converted my cross bike to a tour bike...Bianchi Axis. I sent my bike up today. Official weigght for UPS was 96 pounds. I still have a few items ...camping towel, Ipod, phone, and a few odds and ends. I've really tried to go as light as I could and the 9 days of food is really the lightest thing I have so I'll just have to see how it works out. Once I fill up on water I think I'll break the 100 pound mark. (ouch!) Still this is not a ride I planned on riding fast. I will take time to smell the roses. I figure I have 10 to 12 hours a day to pedal and some days I'll use that and some days maybe half of that. I'd really like to cover between 60 and 80 miles a day.

13 days to go.

[sdyeti]

Mike, you da man...considering you probably don't weigh much more than your bike will, that's going to be pretty admirable.

[coldbrews]

Are you doing this simply for the love of riding or for a cause?

Sounds really cool, it reminds me of adventure rider, this site people post rides on where they travel from the states into and through Mexico on dual sport motorcycles. Everything packed on their bikes.

Hopefully youll have some really cool encounters along the way.

[davidB]

this is gonna be one hell of a ride report

[Pain Freak]

Freekin 8 more days to go!!!

[JOx2]

I cant wait to see your dream into reality!
The best part is, we at STR is somewhat part of it.

[Chopper]

Originally Posted by coldbrews

Are you doing this simply for the love of riding or for a cause?

I got asked this question a lot when I rode from San Fran to Huntington Beach a couple of years ago. My standard answer was that I was doing it for cause. Cause I've got cement in my head instead of brains.

Have a great trip Mike. That hiker biker campsite in Big Sur State Park is the best! I could have stayed there a week and they even have a store.
I did my ride in July and hit heavy fog and mist from Monterey to Pismo so be prepared for a damp day or two.

[Pain Freak]

Last year I did RAGBRAI which is a ride across Iowa. After I'd done the ride I started to think about how it could be different and still be fun. Although riding with my buds/budettes is so much more fun I knew they'd be hard pressed to be able to join up so I planned it the way I have but others are still talking about joining up and that's great. I look foward to it. I'm doing it for my love of biking and adventure.

We all spend so much of our lives working and chasing the almighty dollar and I'm one of the worse. I have 20 weeks of vacation built up, I get 4 weeks a year now. I basically had to resign my position before they'd let me start using my vacation. When they asked "What would it take to keep you?", one of the things I insisted on was that I get to use my vacation time. No I don't want the money, I want the time off. My mother who worked her entire life and never realized how to enjoy the fruits of her labor. She had close to 1 million dollars saved and didn't know how to spend it on herself. It was real sad to see her in her later years with not much to do but to plan to go back to work. I told myself I wasn't going to let that happen to me. We really are here only a short time and I think the worst thing you can do is waste this wonderful thing we call life. Get out and enjoy it. Use it, experience it, but don't waste it!

[Burner]

well said Mike

[xhuskr]

more power to you brother! ride like the wind and then some!!! Hope to ride with ya soon!! And yes..many of us work to hard and don't stop to smell the roses.....sniff........enjoy all that you deserve my friend!

[Pain Freak]

7 days to go!

[genusmtbkr5]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I was going to bring a laptop but by now the bike is way over what I expected it to be. I'll be keeping a journal and I'll do a write up of the trip (with pix) when I get home.

That would've been impressive to read RR's daily but we love ya anyway Mike. Can't wait to see some of the pix and read about your trip. Have an epic journey. God Speed Brotha!

[Abui]

Originally Posted by Burner

well said Mike

ditto

[OTHRIDER]

Have a most excellent ride Mike.

I sure hope this isn't some misguided attempt to reunite with the buffalo in your avatar....

Way back before I knew people rode bikes for exercise, we created our own little adventure. In the summer following our freshman year of high school ( '76 ), we took about 4 hours to plan a ride all the way down to San Clemente from Fullerton. Most of us rode our Stingrays and two rich kids had 10-speeds. Back then you got to ride through the Irvine Ranch since most cities weren't developed. Dodging cows and enjoying the countryside are still one of my best childhood memories.

Here's to you!

[Pain Freak]

Well, tomorrow I leave for my trip. Starting weather is less then ideal, but I really am not a fair weather rider, even though I prefer the hotter rides, there's a lot of folks here that will attest to me riding even in the snow including snow storms and freezing cold ( that wasn't to smart). So off I go. I've managed to find a few others who will be doing this ride at the same time. A couple from Austrailia will be doing the same route and we have decided to hook up and ride together for a while. This is a coed group so I feel a little awkward but they assure me it's no problem as they enjoy the company. They are both on heavy bikes too and they have circumvented the entire continent of Aus and most of South America before. Now they are doing the states, so I'm looking foward to some of their stories.

I'm very excited about the trip and haven't been able to sleep thinking of what I possibly could have forgot. I thought I'd packed everything but now with rain coming and the temps dropping down to 50 degrees I'll have to bring some other clothing and some insulated gloves (waterproof). Oh well, whats another couple more pounds on a bike that's over 100 anyways?

I really appreciate all the well wishes and if things work out I might send some updates along the way.

[VTVic]

Best of luck Mike. You da Man!

[sheclimbs]

Bon Voyage Mikey!


Since when are you intimidated by co-eds?

[khai]

have fun mike

[Burner]

i think we are all very jealous of this adventure... may the wind be at your back and all that stuff.

when are you expecting to roll back into So Cal? I think a few of us would probably like to welcome you back as you roll in and hear some stories hot off the press.