Wild_E
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Ok, seriously, Pickle juice helps with leg cramps? <div>never heard that before.</div>
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Wild_E
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PICKLE juice!<div>wish I had known that in the Army during those forced marches!</div><div><br></div><div>Q. consume the juice or apply topically</div><div><br></div><div>Thinking I get leg cramps a lot even riding the bike</div>
Seraphim
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There is a wider variety of recumbent styles than there are DFs. More two wheelers than trikes, and an entire racing community. Speed records are held by recumbents, and bents were banned in 1933 after a bent won one of the most prestigious races ( double check the date). Just after the win, they decided bents were unfair and took the trophy back lol.
There are high racers, low racers, kid racers, long wheel base, short wheel base...
They are not unstable, but require a week or so learning curve, as the balance is different? Becomes second nature, just like riding a DF. .. I got into them after a car wreck messed up my back and couldn't ride wedgies any longer. 'Bents are more comfortable and inherently faster due to the aerodynamic position. Use a slightly different muscle set.
Sorry, trying to educate the public about 'bents is one of my passions lol.
Seraphim
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BTW: 'bent is short for recumbent, in which the rider is a reclined seating position, feet forward. I'll start an information thread, for anyone who may be interested.
DF, wedgies refer to the standard 'bike frame designed on a double triangle: diamond frame, wedge, etc.
DF, wedgies refer to the standard 'bike frame designed on a double triangle: diamond frame, wedge, etc.
LMAO!<div>consume.</div><div>i don't know why i'm laughing, the truth is, it SHOULDN'T work so quickly when consumed so topically almost makes more sense. but somehow it works. i don't think anyone knows exactly why. and i don't know how much, i go with about 3 oz i guess? i've heard about a shot's worth.</div>WildernessReturn said:
Back before I got my drivers license I thought about bike travel but I'm way too chicken to even really attempt that. *lol* I'd car dwell in a early 2000's corolla (36mpg) or in a VW TDI wagon (40mpg) before I'd try that. <br><br>Or on a trike of some kind maybe.. which I also considered. But even then, you can end up in pretty rough situations weather wise.<br><br>I don't mind camping but not every night for several years. I learned that after just 6 nights in the rain with a leaky tent (tarped over) while car camping in 2008. 3-4 nights is about my limit in a tent before I need some indoor time, even if that's in vehicle.<br>
Wild_E
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I have lived in Tents long term with no issues. My preference is for Canvas Tents with poly floors, with a Canvas Covering that does not touch your tent. Put a silk liner inside and it keeps the heat in and does a good job cooling in summer as well.<div><br></div><div>Winter, if you can long term it, then I would put an internal frame up, light weight of course, put in DuroFoam sheets, shiny side in and seal edges with metal furnace tape.</div><div>Put it all up on pallets, that are linked together, with insulation inside the pallets, ontop of a plywood sheet, then the tent.</div><div><br></div><div>Rocket Mass heater or traditional heater with some stones and bricks around it to give it more mass for heating.</div>
Spirituallifetime
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I have done some traveling and camping on a bicycle when I was younger. I would ride up into the mountains from Eugene, OR and camp near the Mckenzie Pass. This was my favorite ride. But I did take many other trips in western Oregon. The only parts that have failed on the road are tires and tubes, carry a couple of tires and tubes. Don't buy the expensive folding tires a regular tire can be folded just twist it into a figure 8 and fold it over, this is how I carried mine.<br />Strong wheels are important for carrying heavy loads, look at the spokes on the wheel and count the number of spokes that are crossed by one spoke 4 should be crossed for a strong wheel any less than that is for sport riding and racing. And stay away from the skinny racing tire also, they look cool and are fast but don't carry a heavy load. I had a racing tire fail when I had my bike loaded with camping gear, it split open from bead to bead!<br /><br />Traveling in Nevada and Arizona Water and shade are going to be your main issue for survival, you will need at least a gallon of water per day just to keep your body hydrated.
Saguache
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All told I've got about 40,000 miles of bicycle touring under my belt. I started, whena lot of you guys were contemplating this as an option, when I was 14 and the. Just never stopped. And while I've never really dedicated my living arrangements to permanently live from the saddle, there have been some very protracted periods where that's all I lived from. It can be done, it will make you change some things in your life, you will probably enjoy it.
In the west this is a lot less problematic tha you might imagine. The further east you go the more problematic it becomes because of the lack of public lands. Just so you know, you can lug all that gear around. Many people lug it through some very challenging places. Remember that the bike is carrying the weight, not you.
Start by always assuming the best about people. Someone could come by your house and load whatever they wanted into their truck at any time too, but that rarely happens. One of the nicest things about living from the saddle is that in doing so you eliminate many of the physical and social walls that exists around people in cars. Imagine yourself on a beach in SoCal and someone approaches you while you're cooking dinner. They've seen your bike, probably your camp too. Ninty-nine times out of a hundred they're interested what you're doing. Maybe they share your wanderlust? Maybe they're curious about who you are, where you've been, or where you're headed? Now is your opportunity to invite them to experience your life for a moment or two, if you immediately assume the worst about them they'll retreat and it will put them off of cycling.
Assuming the best of people often disarms those with negative intentions too. Your friendly smile will open them up to their curiosity thereby protecting you far more effectively than brandishing a weapon. That said avoid places you know you'll get into trouble.
It's pretty darn easy to become a very good bike mechanic. That said the single most important thing you can do to prevent a catastrophic failure is regular bike maintenance. Keep your drive system clean and well lubricated. Make sure you clear off dirt build up from moving parts and friction surfaces (think rims for friction breaks). Look at your tires ans replace them when they get worn or cracked.
If all else fails you can usually get a ride from a passing truck to a town with a bike shop for free.
Other things to think about:
1) getting sick on a bike sucks donkey balls. Have a plane for dealing with sickness, because if you're on the bike full time you'll need one eventually. I've had to recover from the flu while on tour on my own. When I was overcome with the symptoms I was in the boondocks and so I got my camp set up as best as I was able and then forced fluids with ample amounts of ibuprofen to break the fever. Listen to your body, it's what moves you around.
2) Are you dropping out for a while or just riding around the edges? If your dropping out you won't have an address or possibly even a phone number unless you think about how to deal with that. That's actually pretty cool way to do it IMO. Most of humanity throughout history lacked either address or phone number, but if you get good at locating free wi-fi you can still stay in contact with friends and family.
3) Recumbent or not the pace of your life will be about 12 to 15 MPH. Man I've ridden wall, even have a velomobile out front, but if you're peddling around 75 to 150 pounds -- your house on two wheels -- there will be precious few moments where you'll be able to exceed that speed range. And plenty of times when you won't even get there. Get comfortable with this and don't bust your ass or break your bank trying to exceed it. You won't regardless of the expensive, fancy gear you buy or endless hours in the gym.
In fact, don't go to the gym and ride the cheapest bike you can reasonably get away with. Then your fun to mile ratio will improve and you won't be walking around like a clown in spandex.
4) Beware of hidden agendas. Someone else posted a recommend for Darren over at bicycletouringpro.com. Darren is an awesome dude, but, land this is a big but, look at his website and all the pictures of him. This is a guy that has predicated his financial future and current well being on that sharp, well- maintained website and a shaved mug every morning. This means that he spends a lot of time working on that stuff instead of the bike trip he's currently supposed to be enjoying. Imagine trying to get a phone signal in the middle of Ukrain so you can discuss sales strategy with a sponsor.
Years ago, while on a tour, I ran into a guy from Australia, and this encounter guides much of how I tour today. He was headed south on Hwy 97 in Washington, I north. He was on his ninth year of touring and his first North American visit. He was riding a crappy bike with true wheels and 4 gallon buckets for panniers. He hadn't showered in a week, but the smile on his face was intoxicating. We stopped to talk, as tourist will do, and ended up camping the night together. During that night I got to hear a bunch of amazing stories and came to understand his agenda as it was. "Go south for beer and warmth during the winter, come back north when it isn't so cold. Meet people." Let me tell you, this IS the way to do it.
5) By now you've probably already left, but I'll include this one just so others will see it and hopefully learn. You can't condition for a tour. Sure you can ride your bike before you leave, and this is all well and good. Bt to become the motive force in your daily life, there is no substitute. You just have to get out there and keep spinning, mile after mile, day after day. If you ride like you're getting ready to race, that's what you'll be ready for when you start your tour (and you'll blow your energy and bonk because you're ready to race). Same goes for just about everything else. The only way you'll be ready to tour is if you tour.
6) The Zen of bicycle touring is being able to cope with A-hole drivers. I used to get angry, used to chase A-holes down, used to scream and carry on, used to moan about how I'd been wronged, used to film them and then take it to the cops, used to. That never got me anywhere but angry.
Today I understand that there are A-holes on the road, they will probably pass me to close. From time to time they may even throw something at me. That not why I'm out there though, to be angry, and each one of those events is just an opportunity for me to deal with that wild emotion. Identify it, let it pass, and keep spinning.
Hope that helps and maybe I'll see you out on the road.
In the west this is a lot less problematic tha you might imagine. The further east you go the more problematic it becomes because of the lack of public lands. Just so you know, you can lug all that gear around. Many people lug it through some very challenging places. Remember that the bike is carrying the weight, not you.
Start by always assuming the best about people. Someone could come by your house and load whatever they wanted into their truck at any time too, but that rarely happens. One of the nicest things about living from the saddle is that in doing so you eliminate many of the physical and social walls that exists around people in cars. Imagine yourself on a beach in SoCal and someone approaches you while you're cooking dinner. They've seen your bike, probably your camp too. Ninty-nine times out of a hundred they're interested what you're doing. Maybe they share your wanderlust? Maybe they're curious about who you are, where you've been, or where you're headed? Now is your opportunity to invite them to experience your life for a moment or two, if you immediately assume the worst about them they'll retreat and it will put them off of cycling.
Assuming the best of people often disarms those with negative intentions too. Your friendly smile will open them up to their curiosity thereby protecting you far more effectively than brandishing a weapon. That said avoid places you know you'll get into trouble.
It's pretty darn easy to become a very good bike mechanic. That said the single most important thing you can do to prevent a catastrophic failure is regular bike maintenance. Keep your drive system clean and well lubricated. Make sure you clear off dirt build up from moving parts and friction surfaces (think rims for friction breaks). Look at your tires ans replace them when they get worn or cracked.
If all else fails you can usually get a ride from a passing truck to a town with a bike shop for free.
Other things to think about:
1) getting sick on a bike sucks donkey balls. Have a plane for dealing with sickness, because if you're on the bike full time you'll need one eventually. I've had to recover from the flu while on tour on my own. When I was overcome with the symptoms I was in the boondocks and so I got my camp set up as best as I was able and then forced fluids with ample amounts of ibuprofen to break the fever. Listen to your body, it's what moves you around.
2) Are you dropping out for a while or just riding around the edges? If your dropping out you won't have an address or possibly even a phone number unless you think about how to deal with that. That's actually pretty cool way to do it IMO. Most of humanity throughout history lacked either address or phone number, but if you get good at locating free wi-fi you can still stay in contact with friends and family.
3) Recumbent or not the pace of your life will be about 12 to 15 MPH. Man I've ridden wall, even have a velomobile out front, but if you're peddling around 75 to 150 pounds -- your house on two wheels -- there will be precious few moments where you'll be able to exceed that speed range. And plenty of times when you won't even get there. Get comfortable with this and don't bust your ass or break your bank trying to exceed it. You won't regardless of the expensive, fancy gear you buy or endless hours in the gym.
In fact, don't go to the gym and ride the cheapest bike you can reasonably get away with. Then your fun to mile ratio will improve and you won't be walking around like a clown in spandex.
4) Beware of hidden agendas. Someone else posted a recommend for Darren over at bicycletouringpro.com. Darren is an awesome dude, but, land this is a big but, look at his website and all the pictures of him. This is a guy that has predicated his financial future and current well being on that sharp, well- maintained website and a shaved mug every morning. This means that he spends a lot of time working on that stuff instead of the bike trip he's currently supposed to be enjoying. Imagine trying to get a phone signal in the middle of Ukrain so you can discuss sales strategy with a sponsor.
Years ago, while on a tour, I ran into a guy from Australia, and this encounter guides much of how I tour today. He was headed south on Hwy 97 in Washington, I north. He was on his ninth year of touring and his first North American visit. He was riding a crappy bike with true wheels and 4 gallon buckets for panniers. He hadn't showered in a week, but the smile on his face was intoxicating. We stopped to talk, as tourist will do, and ended up camping the night together. During that night I got to hear a bunch of amazing stories and came to understand his agenda as it was. "Go south for beer and warmth during the winter, come back north when it isn't so cold. Meet people." Let me tell you, this IS the way to do it.
5) By now you've probably already left, but I'll include this one just so others will see it and hopefully learn. You can't condition for a tour. Sure you can ride your bike before you leave, and this is all well and good. Bt to become the motive force in your daily life, there is no substitute. You just have to get out there and keep spinning, mile after mile, day after day. If you ride like you're getting ready to race, that's what you'll be ready for when you start your tour (and you'll blow your energy and bonk because you're ready to race). Same goes for just about everything else. The only way you'll be ready to tour is if you tour.
6) The Zen of bicycle touring is being able to cope with A-hole drivers. I used to get angry, used to chase A-holes down, used to scream and carry on, used to moan about how I'd been wronged, used to film them and then take it to the cops, used to. That never got me anywhere but angry.
Today I understand that there are A-holes on the road, they will probably pass me to close. From time to time they may even throw something at me. That not why I'm out there though, to be angry, and each one of those events is just an opportunity for me to deal with that wild emotion. Identify it, let it pass, and keep spinning.
Hope that helps and maybe I'll see you out on the road.
I totally agree with Angeli...excellent post and I always thought the bicycle touring is definitely the best way to see the world......me? I'm way too hooked on comfort...LOL But I admire those who do that.<br /><br />A couple I met in Baja travel the world on a tandem bike. Recently they crossed the US. I met them when they were between a long trip throughout Europe and a New Zealand trip during which she volunteered with a clinic treating Maori indigent. She is a MD who had recently sold her clinic that treated the indigent of Humbolt County, CA hoping to retire a bit and do volunteer work. <br /><br />She had treated the poor all her career and had little to show of her career but a huge smile that came from her soul. A strong proponent of single payer healthcare, they traveled the US on the bike giving lectures and speaking in support of it. I follow them closely as I think they have what I want...a clean and smiling soul...<br /><br />They did all their cooking on a pop-can alkie stove....light , easy to make and use and so easy to get through customs...LOL<br />Bri
mockturtle
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I'm surprised no one has posted this yet: http://gizmodo.com/5899053/you-can-pull-the-worlds-smallest-pop+up-camper-with-your-bike/gallery/1
I've read good stuff about the TentCot and was seriously looking into buying one of the larger ones and making a bike trailer out of it. seems like their implementation is heavy and not particularly durable.
Willie, what I liked about the Tent Kot from Kamp Rite is that they make the only collapsible one. I breaks down to 8"x 8" x 40",,,perfect for carrying on my sidecar.<br /><br />I don't have any experience with the others or with Cabela's style. I do like that if I sit on the edge of mine when it is set up I can sit up straight and can't with the others....<br /><br />A guy has to go with what is available if he needs one and the quality seems good to me....especially for the price....I think I gave $135 for mine off Amazon.<br /><br />They are heavy, being made of steel...I can't see aluminum holding up with how they are built. <br />Bri
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