Bicycle Touring via Volunteerism?



N

NYC XYZ

Guest
I read about some Dutch guy who did some kind of two-week volunteer
work in Japan...sounds like he had his stay more or less paid for in
exchange...anyone know about such things? I guess some kind of Peace
Corps sort of deal, but much shorter and less formal. It doesn't sound
like much to help out with manual labor for charity in exchange for
shelter and a hot shower.

BTW, what's the best bike box out there for a recumbent? Money's no
object -- the objective is reliability. But it has to last through
customs, and fit an SWB like the HP Velo SMGTe.

I'm starting to get sick of biking around the NYC metro area...with my
new 'bent (COMING THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I probably have
another year or two before I think about joining the circus...heh.
 
NYC XYZ wrote:

> BTW, what's the best bike box out there for a recumbent? Money's no
> object -- the objective is reliability.


If money is no object have one custom built. Also, ask HP-Vel
themselves what they prefer to send their bikes around the world in.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
NYC XYZ wrote:
> I read about some Dutch guy who did some kind of two-week volunteer
> work in Japan...sounds like he had his stay more or less paid for in
> exchange...anyone know about such things? I guess some kind of Peace
> Corps sort of deal, but much shorter and less formal. It doesn't sound
> like much to help out with manual labor for charity in exchange for
> shelter and a hot shower.
>
> BTW, what's the best bike box out there for a recumbent? Money's no
> object -- the objective is reliability. But it has to last through
> customs, and fit an SWB like the HP Velo SMGTe.
>
> I'm starting to get sick of biking around the NYC metro area...with my
> new 'bent (COMING THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I probably have
> another year or two before I think about joining the circus...heh.


You've been talking about getting a 'bent since *at least* July of
2005. What has the builder been doing, mining the ore to forge the
frame tubes?

Bob Hunt
 
Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> You've been talking about getting a 'bent since *at least* July of
> 2005. What has the builder been doing, mining the ore to forge the
> frame tubes?


I can see it now:

Hey guys! Here's my new bike! The builder traveled to the interior of
darkest Africa for the iron and manganese ore. He grew the willow trees
and burnt them himself to create the charcoal. Using a furnace powered
by Hate and quenched in baby lamb tears he forged the tubes for my
recumbent!

The rims were extruded using a die made from Ymir's bones and the
non-anodized un-machined rims were polished by the rouged breasts of
only the most virtuous Malaysian virgins.

So, do you think I should put a black seatcover on it, or should I go
with the navy blue? I really think I should return it for one with a
yellow cover...

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
The instruments of science do not in themselves discover truth. And there are
searchings that are not concluded by the coincidence of a pointer and a mark.
-- Fred Saberhagen, "The Berserker Wars"
 
Not trying to sound weird about this, but if a person wanted to
volunteer and ride his bike, it wouldn't be that difficult to find
opportunities to do both without traveling to a whole nuther country,
but that is probably not the point of the question.
 
Bob wrote:
>
>
> You've been talking about getting a 'bent since *at least* July of
> 2005. What has the builder been doing, mining the ore to forge the
> frame tubes?
>
> Bob Hunt



Heh, you'd be surprised.

Was supposed to have the 'bent today, but of course, things just had to
get mixed up if it's my order.

I should play the lotto tonight, nu?

It's arriving Thursday...I hope nothing's damaged and everything's
there.

But for the record: I've first thought about a 'bent last year. I
haven't actually started researching for an actual purpose until this
year. Would've had it a month ago if it weren't for two previous
dealers not being very responsive to a ~$4K sale. Truth to tell, I
couldn't simply "fall asleep" on Hostel Shoppe, either, though the
experience was much better than my previous other ones.
 
Now you know why I hate shopping.

Then again, I guess some of us know how to handle money, since we have
to earn it.



Dane Buson wrote:
>
>
> I can see it now:
>
> Hey guys! Here's my new bike! The builder traveled to the interior of
> darkest Africa for the iron and manganese ore. He grew the willow trees
> and burnt them himself to create the charcoal. Using a furnace powered
> by Hate and quenched in baby lamb tears he forged the tubes for my
> recumbent!
>
> The rims were extruded using a die made from Ymir's bones and the
> non-anodized un-machined rims were polished by the rouged breasts of
> only the most virtuous Malaysian virgins.
>
> So, do you think I should put a black seatcover on it, or should I go
> with the navy blue? I really think I should return it for one with a
> yellow cover...
>
> --
> Dane Buson - [email protected]
> The instruments of science do not in themselves discover truth. And there are
> searchings that are not concluded by the coincidence of a pointer and a mark.
> -- Fred Saberhagen, "The Berserker Wars"
 
KILL_ARBR NYC XYZ <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Now you know why I hate shopping.


Fair enough, I actually enjoy window shopping myself. I rarely buy
something the first time I see it though, I tend to distance myself from
it, research and *then* buy it if I've decided it's what I really want.
Not unlike your posts to a certain degree, but I tend to keep my
discussion about these things to myself.

> Then again, I guess some of us know how to handle money, since we have
> to earn it.


I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. If you are attempting to
insult me in some fashion, feel free to. I certainly wasn't making any
attempt to be your friend with my post, then again I wasn't going out of
my way to be vitriolic either. If my gentle twitting bothers you,
please killfile me.

As far as earning money, there are certainly those who work harder, but
I can't see as I fall into the category of fat capitalist living off the
labor of others.

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
Love makes the world go 'round, with a little help from intrinsic angular momentum.
 
Dane Buson wrote:
>
>
> Fair enough, I actually enjoy window shopping myself. I rarely buy
> something the first time I see it though, I tend to distance myself from
> it, research and *then* buy it if I've decided it's what I really want.
> Not unlike your posts to a certain degree, but I tend to keep my
> discussion about these things to myself.


Two brains is better than one, I always figure.

> I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. If you are attempting to
> insult me in some fashion, feel free to. I certainly wasn't making any
> attempt to be your friend with my post, then again I wasn't going out of
> my way to be vitriolic either. If my gentle twitting bothers you,
> please killfile me.


Part of handling money properly is maximizing its purchasing power.
This involves experience. So why should I reinvent the wheel?

> As far as earning money, there are certainly those who work harder, but
> I can't see as I fall into the category of fat capitalist living off the
> labor of others.


Having to really earn money naturally makes one more careful with it.
Rather have too much data than not enough.

> --
> Dane Buson - [email protected]
> Love makes the world go 'round, with a little help from intrinsic angular momentum.
 
Peter Clinch wrote:
>
>
> If money is no object have one custom built.


Well, I'd meant where models already on the market are concerned.

> Also, ask HP-Vel
> themselves what they prefer to send their bikes around the world in.


Damned Germans are too scared to give advice. They claim to only make
the best bikes around and don't know anything else.

> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/