Out and Back On John Tyler Memorial Parkway

For today's training ride I rode west on the John Tyler Memorial Parkway. I had planned to do a loop back north, but I missed a turn somewhere so just kept heading west. It was actually a very beautiful stretch of road, pine and diciduous forests on both sides. Not a lot of traffic (and basically no shoulder either, but that wasn't really an issue), and it was Very Flat!

My intentions right now are to slowly increase the amount of time I spend on my bike, as well as the amount of weight I am carryig with me. In considering time - since I have trained for and completed both a marathon, and several half marathons, I know that my body can keep going pretty well for at least three hours (my time for a half marathon) and it might be able to work back up to six hours (my time for a marathon). However, at six (more or less) continuous hours of exertion, it's easy to start losing too much weight, as you simply burn more calories than you can consume later. (Of course, that's a good thing if you WANT to lose weight. :)) I don't mind losing a little, but I'm not planning on losing a lot. Therefore, I'm looking at riding on average about four hours per day - or less.

In my mind, I'm thinking about this like a "job"; i.e. it is going to be my "job" to get on my bike and ride for three or four hours/day. I know the real "professional" riders do A LOT more than that, and I may do more as my body gets used to it as well. In the other hours of my "work day" I will be managing my gear, food, clothing, etc., setting up and tearing down, preparing, and cleaning. I also have plans to be taking pictures and videotaping and then, of course, there is writing on this blog and on Facebook.

Furthermore, I'm considering how many days I want to ride in a row, and if I want to alternate between longer days and shorter days as well as full rest days. Right now I have enough gear that I can ride three days without doing any wash. To do four days, I will need another set of shorts - and as much as I am liking these Gore "bib" shorts, I may just have to get another pair of these (although they are Really expensive). But, you know, the folks at Revolution Cycles in Rockville warned me - once I tried these, I wouldn't want to use anything else! : )

And for my 34 miles today, in 3 hours and 45 minutes, I'd have to say, I was really comfortable. Furthermore, I fell into more of a "meditation mode" as I was just pedaling along that very long, flat road. Some people might be frustrated by the monotony of a circumstance like that, but I realized it was a wonderful opportunity to just practice Being Happy and Feeling Without Limitation. And besides, it was really beautiful out there in the fresh air and bright sunshine filtering through the cooling shade of the trees.

To think - I have much more of this to look forward to. : ))

If you would like to add your support to my journey (let's say, in this particular case, helping me buy another pair of Gore Bib Shorts) please feel free to use the PayPal "Donate" button below, and "Thanks" in advance for your contribution. : ))

Being on the Bike is Good!

In the past week I have had three major outings on my bicycle. The first took me through relatively familiar territory; i.e. places I had driven before - Monticello Avenue to The College of William and Mary, and then through parts of Colonial Williamsburg. It was the first time I've been on my bicycle since this past winter. It was about 13 miles for that trip, in about an hour and fifteen minutes. The second trip was down south to the Colonial National Historic Parkway. I didn't know until I got there that it would be a concrete and river rock road surface, which was a little rough, but not as bad as it might have been since my bicycle is set-up with "cross" tires; i.e. usable for rougher terrain, but smooth enough for the road as well. I think if I had been on a skinny-tired road bike it would have been much more difficult riding. That second trip ended up being a little over 20 miles. I took lots of breaks along the way, as I was traveling through several historical sites in and around Jamestown. Altogether that was a little over two hours of riding. For these two rides I carried very little with me, just trying to get used to being on the bicycle again.

For today's ride, I took a west and then northern route along News Road and then Centerville Road to Richmond Road. This is a nice area to ride as they have quite a few bike lanes and there was one along Centerville Road. I still need to do some research on which roads I am officially allowed to be on. I'm thinking the shape of the numbered sign is an indicator, but I haven't pinned anything down yet.

For the record, I've always been a street rider, so even if there is a "path" off the road, or a side-walk, I stay on the road. I actually feel safer there as it is more consistent and people can see you better there then they will when you are crossing their path 10 feet from the road (as with a sidewalk crossing an intersection). On sidewalks, you also have to worry about traffic approaching the main road from the right and intersecting the crosswalk area without even realizing it, thus blocking any traffic headed down the path. Apart from that, I also whistle in high, short bursts whenever I see a vehicle approaching from the right, and I keep whistling until I make eye contact with the driver so I know for sure that they have seen (and heard) me coming. This usually keeps them from "sticking their nose" (i.e. the "nose" of their car) into my "riding zone" - i.e. the "white line" right on the edge of the road.

The benefit of being on my bicycle right now, and still having a "home to go home to", is that I have lots of time to continue to think through everything that I need to be considering as I work my way closer to "take off." As I said in my previous blog, my intention is to add weight to my bicycle gradually. As I have tested myself just with the bicycle on some of the relatively modest hills around here, I am thinking it may not be a bad idea to go ahead and get new gearing; i.e. gearing the bike as low as possible, because if it is hard at all right now, it is going to be much, much, harder when I get all my gear loaded. My whole approach right now is to keep my cadence, i.e. my "revolutions per minute" as high as possible because this is the most efficient use of my energy and it will protect my knees and other joints which could be harmed if I were straining too much. That kind of peddaling means lower gears. I may be peddaling really fast and barely moving forward, but the point is I will still be Moving Forward (or upward in the case of hills).

Back to today's ride. I have decided to stop at a local "Food For Thought" restaurant in the middle of my ride. And, as I have been thinking (but failed to act on today), I suspect the guests might have appreciated not having to look at my lycra clad hips and somewhat scraggly legs, and therefore I probably "should" have brought along a pair of "Bell's Baggy Bottoms" to cover-up a little before going in. I will be sure and do that next time! : )

Otherwise, I'm trying out my Really Fancy riding kit today from Revolution Cycles: Gore Bib shorts (i.e. with shoulder straps and no waistband), my Gore undershirt that is especially designed for high performance "wicking" of perspiration, under a regular Revolution Cycles logo adorned riding jersey. I'm also trying out my "DZ Nuts Bliss" chamois cream...and, I have to say, I think I Like It! : )) (Also of note: The tank shorts have zippers along the sides that allow me to drop the shorts without having to pull of the should straps. : ))

Finally, I am writing to you having linked up with the free WiFi and Food for Thought (the service at the house has not been working so well this morning). All-in-all, I'm kind of doing what I had in mind to do, in terms of riding my bicycle and using WiFi where available. I may even try to find the Williamsburg Library this coming week and see what they have to offer. For now though...it's time to eat! : ))

(Oh, and one other observation of note: There are Pancake Houses ALL OVER Williamsburg. I guess, between the college students and the retirees, the economy can support a whole bunch of them. It really is pretty funny though, to see one every few blocks! Makes me think they should call this the "Pancake Belt"! : ))

Lots of Pictures Up On Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/set=a.10150432316470276.628134.641195275&l=29ef8af73b&type=1

The URL above should take you to my photo album on Facebook where I have posted lots of pictures of my gear that I have been working on the last several weeks. I am getting Really, Really, close now to being done with everything.

I think I will definitely need to take some time to train (a week or so), to get used to being on the bike again, while also adding weight gradually. Otherwise, I'm feeling pretty good about what I've managed to actually get loaded on the bicycle at this point.

Also,I want to give special thanks to Andre' from the Home Depot. He helped me out A LOT with technical skill and taking many of the photos. : )) I've been wanting to do all of this (get loaded/unloaded/set-up the tent, take pictures, etc.) for a long time now and his willingness and interest gave me just the extra motivation I needed to follow-through.

I know I don't have all the computer savvy yet to make this page fully functional (for instance, I could not just get the "link" function to work with this post), but I'm going to keep at it and I hope I do get more of it figured out as I go along.

I guess you could say: "I'll get by with a little help from my friends, Gonna try with a little help from my friends..." and FOR my friends!... Peace!

"Is It Time to Go Yet?" : )

Well, actually, no, and I suspect it is getting as frustrating for anyone else reading this blog as it is for me. However, I have thought to tack a sign to my trailer with a picture of a turtle on a bicycle (like me) with the caption "Can't Rush This!" (And if the music from M.C. Hammer's "Cant' Touch This!" has come to your mind, the association would be correct. :))

I am much closer now, of course, to starting my journey, but that means my brain is also kicking into overdrive (as it did last night until 4:00 this morning) to make sure I have thought of everything I can think of that I can do to better insure the success of my journey. In addition, it is reminding me of ideas for things to do that I've actually had all along, and now I am at the point of following through on those ideas as well.

In addition, I am having to be sensitive to the patterns of the changing seasons. With my original plan, I was going to head West and then North West, assuming I would be better off traveling away from the summer heat. Now, as I am seeing myself moving more into the middle of August, with September, and "fall" not far behind, I may decide to take my route more directly West instead.

Either way, the first few weeks of my journey are going to be HOT, which ultimately means I will not be able to spend as much time each day riding, so as not to get heat exhaustion, although I'm thinking I can accommodate that some by traveling more during the early morning or late evening hours. However, cycling in the evening is more hazardous and may require using more lighting/battery/solar power as well. In general, traveling in the heat means I have to be more sure of water sources and making sure my electrolyte intake is sufficient.

All these things I have to take into consideration, and better to imagine in as much detail as possible now, and plan accordingly, than to approach this in a haphazard way without really "thinking it through" first. I have a good brain, and it is quite good at "visualization" so I am using that capacity fully. And now that I am out of my house, but have a comfortable place to do this important part of my preparation, I want to be sure I do the mental as well as practical work that needs to be done.

As I mentioned above "Can't Rush This!"...(duh, duh, duh, dunt, duh, dunt, duh, dunt...Can't Rush This!...) (Imagine a Blue Turtle Dancing in Baggy Pants!)

: ))

Progress Update

It is pretty amazing to me that almost three weeks now have gone by..."just like that"! But, I have managed to get a lot done, most recently I made several pairs of "Bell's Baggy Bottoms" out of light weight cotton fabric which I think will be the most practical for me to wear when I am not on my bicycle. I've even been able to share the pattern and sewing method with my host...I just have to clear myself out of her living room so she can have the space to sew some for herself! :)

And that clearing should take place this next week. I only have some minor adjustments left on all of my gear and storage bags. I hope I can take pictures to share, but I've had trouble uploading pictures to this blog so far (at least with my iPad).

Otherwise, I am almost fully recuperated from being sick myself while I have also been able to help my host in caring for a five-week-old kitten - the only survivor of a litter of six that were rejected by their mother. He's had an eye infection that may have cost him the eye, but with the TLC and medication we've been able to provide, it is almost completely healed now. It's been nice to be around furry animals again as I have had only my turtles the last couple of years.

I have also had the opportunity to share some of the diet info I started to share here (and hope to continue as soon as I get the picture upload problems solved) by actually making green smoothies, sprouting mung beans and lentils, etc. and cooking up my special "Egg Friend Rice" recipe to share with my host. This is kind of something I've always imagined doing, i.e. living with someone or a family for a while and actually doing these things for/with them until they were comfortable enough to continue on their own.

As a side note: While sewing I have been watching Boston Legal since my host had the complete series on DVDs. I've always been a William Shatner fan since the early Star Trek days, so it was good to see him again. What I have come to appreciate however is how David E. Kelley use the medium of the show to debate politics, etc. in a public forum. Since I have never watched television that much, I forget that sometimes...there are good programs out there that allow for some really serious consideration of important issues.

In addition, I have been listening to Free Audio Books available from Stefan Molyneux at www.freedomainradio.com. So far I have listened to Universally Acceptable Behaviors, Every Day Anarchy, and I am currently listening to The Origins of War in Child Abuse which is a Reading by Molyneux of the book by Lloyd Demause.

A major thrust of Molyneux's work is Understanding Violence (or the "initiation of force") as a major underlying "evil" of human behavior. I will still add the caveat that some "primitive" cultures may have evolved a better understanding of this than "modern cultures" - per Daniel Quinn's writing especially in The Story of B; i.e. that what we know of "human cultures" in the modern world does not necessarily represent our knowledge of ALL OF MANKIND. Nevertheless, I feel the ongoing acceptance of violence, especially that exercised by modern governments as a part of our everyday lives is one of the most important issues we are going to have to deal with more effectively if our modern cultures are to EVOLVE beyond where we are right now. I would offer that our clinging to violence as a "solution" to so many "problems" is what is holding us back and that we will continue to spin our wheels in this rut, until we are willing to give up violence as a solution - altogether.

I hope you will take the time to listen to more of what Stefan Molyneux has to say yourself. He has definitely opened my eyes and heart to a deeper understanding of violence and all the forms in which it exists in society today. I feel it is time that we Move Beyond this rather un-evolved way of being, as there is so much more to be gained by doing so.

Peace...

Re: Staying "On Schedule"

Just a brief post here to mention that as I have been resting, recuperating, and finishing the work of organizing what I will be taking with me on the road, it has poured down rain almost every day (except today, which is not over yet). And when I say poured, I mean, torrential, bucket loads.

If I had been "on schedule" as I had initially "thought" or planned myself, I would have been riding in all of that, or camping in it, and I'm sure it would have made for a much more difficult start to my journey.

However, for now at least, I am dry and secure, as is all of my electronic gear, food and clothing. Furthermore, "Mother Nature" has made very clear my need to be more certain about weather protection for myself and my gear, which is where all of my sewing skills are going to once again be called into action.

Now that I am not on a work schedule, or a move-out schedule, or any other particular "deadline" as far as my travel plans are concerned, I am going to trust that I will know when I am ready, and when it is actually time for me to go. I think one of the real spiritual lessons for me now is to be even more guided by "Universal Impulses" rather than just my mentally thought out plans.

For some of you that may seem impractical, and you may even grow impatient with my "wandering"... but, this is my journey and part of the whole point is to be able to engage it Freely, Spontaneously, and Happily.

There is so much in our culture now that does not allow for that, and I think it is a great loss for each of us as human and spiritual beings.

Recovering from My Move-Out

My move out of my basement apartment in Maryland ended up taking A Lot longer than I anticipated.  I think it was worse because I was not just moving to another place, but was having to sell things and put the rest in storage.  The time it took on e-mails and phone calls to potential takers of my furniture, etc., really cut into my time packing. And, then, at the end, I had to find a place to re-locate my left-over food stuffs, both perishable and not-so-perishable.  Add to that a live-in landlady who had motives of her own for slowing my progress (so that I ultimately missed my move-out deadline of June 30th), and then it becomes clearer as to why I did not actually get out of the house until July 2nd.

And now, I've come down with my usual, gunky, upper respiratory response to way too many days and nights of over exertion and not enough sleep. I am currently staying with a friend in Williamsburg, VA and I hope to be able to finish figuring out what I can pack onto my rig and how, while I am recovering from being sick.

In general, I have understood all of the challenges I have faced so far as mere "training" for the additional challenges I know I will face in the weeks and months ahead.  So I have been trying to just "Keep On Keepin' On" and assuming that I will get on the road eventually, and I will make this journey as I have planned, if not necessarily within the exact time-frame I planned.

For now, I am still in the transition phase of my journey, from living in a stable situation to living and traveling on my bicycle. I really wish I had time to pack my rig before moving out of my apartment, but that's just not the way it worked out.

As I anticipate will be the case throughout this experience, I am just going to have to adapt and overcome. :)

I appreciate everyone who has helped me thus far, by buying my stuff at Harper's Ferry Flea Market, and from Craig's list, and E-bay, etc. and for Radu who helped me move my larger furniture pieces into storage, and for others who accepted "food gifts" from my pantry, as I hate to see anything go to waste, and to those of you who have made direct contributions via this blog and PayPal.

I also appreciate all of the words of encouragement. I think some of you sense the enormity of what I am trying to undertake even moreso than I do.  But then, if I really understood how difficult this was going to be from the beginning, it might keep me from actually attempting it! Better just to take one day at a time and see how things go. :)

Thanks again, Everyone! I will be in touch.