I Met A Man Today...cross Country Bucket List Ride

[CAMPYBOB]

It was only 59° at Noon today when lit out for a 50-mile solo training ride. The skies were cloudy, dark and things didn't look none too promising, weather-wise. To make things more Velominati-like, the wind was running a steady 13 to 16 MPH with gusts to 23 MPH.

I pushed off North into the wind.

Things were going good when the skies ahead turned black as I crested a hill...rain ahead. It's too cold to fight this **** for 35 more miles so I altered course to try and ride around the line of rain that was moving through. I turned East and saw a lone rider up ahead about a half mile.

I picked up the tempo to see who was out in the hood.

He wasn't moving much more than 15 MPH or so, but going steady enough. I hauled along side and yelled, "Car back!" over the steady wind noise.

He looked over and said, "Push me!".

We laughed...I told him that he should be pushing me as I was the older. He was 57...a youngster!

I asked him where he was from...New York state. Huh? Yeah, this was day 24 of his cross country bucket list ride! He had left from San Diego, crossed the desert and went through Texas. 8 flats to Texas and none since, he said.

He was on a fairly stripped down Domane with a smart phone for navigation and Map My Ride posts and was averaging 115 miles per day...166 miles the day before we met! 11 hours and 45 minutes in the saddle on day 23! Hellova manly man!

I asked him where his gear was and told me his nephew, Patrick, was up ahead with the SAG vehicle. In a minute or two his ear bud must have had an incoming call because he told Patrick to reserve a table for three at a restaurant I knew was just up the rode a couple miles.

Patrick must have questioned the number of three for lunch because I heard Scott, the bucket list rider, say, "Yeah, I picked up this old geezer out here on the road!".

Guy was totally cool, had some awesome road stories and after lunch I lead him out to his next way point in his journey and we parted ways.

It's always amazed me how a routine training ride can lead to the coolest stuff happening.

Scott and Patrick have a blog of his journey with some pretty neat pictures: www.spoketrek.blogspot.com

I hope that link works!

 

[Uawadall]

Thats what I like about cycling, theirs a sense of comraderie and shared experiences. I here some talk about "rude and snobby" cyclist, but when I'm on the road fixing a chain, a fellow cyclist will always ask if I need assistance. Even a head nod for respect goes a long way. I met so many people when I use to walk around town as my main transportation, its always cool to meet people unexpectedly.

 

[swampy1970]

awesome story - thanks for the link Bob old chap.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

From Scott's trans-continental blog site:

An iPotato pic snapped by Scott's nephew after we had lunch in the brick stage coach inn in the background (founded 1832 according to the menu).

You have to admire a man that lives his dreams. He was also trying to do a 10,000-mile year and cross that one off his list this year.

I've done 10,000-mile years, but I never got to try my attempt at the Trans-Ohio record when I was young enough to have a shot at it. A long, long shot!

 

[jhuskey]

Good story Bob. It was a bit chilly yesterday but overall perfect for a ride. After seeing the title I thought you were
coming out but then I read the story.

 

[Corzhens]

Gee, that's one good story worthy of NatGeo. That Scott is surely a cool guy who rides alone, huh. Isn't it a lonely ride? Maybe I would love a cross country tour with not all by my lonesome, 3 or 4 of us riders would be fine. Another interesting point in the story is the restaurant reservation for 3. Scott is one cool dude who seems to want to fully enjoy his touring. If ever he sets foot in Manila, I hope it would be posted here so I could give him a warm welcome and a restaurant reservation.. .all on me.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quote by JH:
"It was a bit chilly yesterday but overall perfect for a ride."

It was 46° this morning! Yikes!

I was cold in that short sleeve for the first few miles of warm-up. First time for tights since last Spring. Scott wore the opposite...no tights, but a long sleeve base layer under his jersey.

It never got above 64° yesterday and the only time I even got close to sweating was the last 12% 200' climb about 5 miles from home.

We were nearly 90% cloud coverage for most of the day, not even much sun to warm things up. And like I said earlier I turned away from the rain that was North of us. After lunch we ran into some still damp/wet roads from that rain.

You can see some of the rain Scott rode through on his blog pages. He's going to have some great stories from the road, for sure. I hope I'm one of them.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Scott's lunch stop:

The Menu: I erred...it was 1822.

 

[jhuskey]

Quote by JH:
"It was a bit chilly yesterday but overall perfect for a ride."

It was 46° this morning! Yikes!

I was cold in that short sleeve for the first few miles of warm-up. First time for tights since last Spring. Scott wore the opposite...no tights, but a long sleeve base layer under his jersey.

It never got above 64° yesterday and the only time I even got close to sweating was the last 12% 200' climb about 5 miles from home.

We were nearly 90% cloud coverage for most of the day, not even much sun to warm things up. And like I said earlier I turned away from the rain that was North of us. After lunch we ran into some still damp/wet roads from that rain.

You can see some of the rain Scott rode through on his blog pages. He's going to have some great stories from the road, for sure. I hope I'm one of them.

I didn't look at the temperature yesterday when I started but it was 62 when I finished. 34F upon top of Old Smoky this
morning.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

At least ol' Smoky let you be on top this time...

34° in the hills already? Damn! I hope we're not in for another **** Winter.

Supposed to hit 76° this afternoon and sunshine. I already gave the creww marching orders. I'm headed out as early as I can clear my desk and get the weekend meltdowns at least under repair procedures. The road beckons!

 

[bigsmile]

Great story.

It takes two people for Scott to realize his dream (his nephew carrying his gears). Once driverless cars hit the market, this can be done solo.

And I think it will also be easier to enforce the actual respect of cyclists on driverless cars. After all, it's unlikely that "Cyclist in front, run over him" will be a legal setting for driverless cars.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Anyone can haul their own gear though. A friend and I spent a summer in Europe doing just that.

But I agree that Scott's supported touring plan is way easier and in my advanced years I would opt for a motorhome AND the motel option. Rolling fast and light with a support vehicle only minutes away is an awesome way to ride (I've done short, supported bike tours and motorcycle tours).

"After all, it's unlikely that "Cyclist in front, run over him" will be a legal setting for driverless cars."

LMAO, but some hillbilly hacker will find a way to kill us!

 

[BobCochran]

Oh CampyBob, that's what I want to do -- go cross country. I'm the right age too. Grey haired. But still working the daily job. (Grin) You both look great in the photos.

Thanks a ton

Bob

 

[Bicycleman]

Thats what I like about cycling, theirs a sense of comraderie and shared experiences. I here some talk about "rude and snobby" cyclist, but when I'm on the road fixing a chain, a fellow cyclist will always ask if I need assistance. Even a head nod for respect goes a long way. I met so many people when I use to walk around town as my main transportation, its always cool to meet people unexpectedly.

That is true, most cyclists will stop and help you, and I have done the same for others, especially if it's a pretty girl. (Don't tell my wife). The snobby cyclists I have found were in one particular bike club, and they were part of the club's racing team. That team consisted of a lot of juniors, whose dads purchased the best of the best Italian bikes. Of course, when I arrived to do training rides with them, they looked down their noses at my chromoly Trek.

 

[Bicycleman]

Anyone can haul their own gear though. A friend and I spent a summer in Europe doing just that.

But I agree that Scott's supported touring plan is way easier and in my advanced years I would opt for a motorhome AND the motel option. Rolling fast and light with a support vehicle only minutes away is an awesome way to ride (I've done short, supported bike tours and motorcycle tours).

"After all, it's unlikely that "Cyclist in front, run over him" will be a legal setting for driverless cars."

LMAO, but some hillbilly hacker will find a way to kill us!

In the winter, I ride with some guys that do the bike packing tour rides with panniers, tents and the like. They will camp out, but they always eat in restaurants. About every 2nd day, they go to motels, just to wash their clothes, yet several camp sites have showers and washing machines for just that. Even though they will ride anywhere from 60 to 75 miles a day, and find a campsite, what they do seems somewhat expensive when you factor in eating out in restaurants all the time. When I started cycling, I did that kind of riding because I am a former backpacker. I was hard core. I cooked all my food at the camp site and only rarely would hit a restaurant for food. I hit the supermarkets though for trail food.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

In my misspent youth, when I toured by bicycle I carried a Svea white gas stove. I stopped at grocery stores and bought food to cook/eat and also ate at restaurants when I was presentable enough and/or had the extra money to do so. Money was an issue, for sure.

Back packing food took more money than eating while cyclo-touring. I remember that to be true. The pre-packaged stuff was expensive even back in the 1970's and I never did get into making much of my own food for the trail.

Scott had money after a lifetime of work so his tour budget was no strain on his finances. My motorhome plan affords enough luxury to make keep me happy. A diesel pusher bus would be awesome, but not an absolute requirement. I'm not 20 years old any more and sleeping on rocks and eating freeze dried fruit isn't going to cut it.