Bygone Bicyclist

Riding an ordinary leads to nothing ordinary. One often has to wonder why it’s still named an ordinary. By today’s standards, it’s *far* from anything normal. All that said, it is just a cycle, very ordinary and rudimentary. There’s no sophistication to it, and that’s why it’s ordinary. But again, it always leads to something out of the ordinary. Friday I decided I’d ride in the last Critical Mass that I’d be in town for in the coming months. I showed up (apparently) early, and was hanging out at Steele Indian School Park (SISP), when a group of people approached me; two were carrying professional cameras. Gently the older of the two asked with a quite familiar accent, “Friend, could we possibly get you in some pictures, with your bicycle?”. I’m always happy to let people take pictures (something you must be fine with riding one of these “strange” machines), but this was a different request. The two were photographing a local girl for her Quinceañera. Inclusive to the photos, they were doing video, and wanted me to ride by on the cycle as she walked by, etc (I was pleased to be in ‘proper’ riding clothes.). The long steel covered bridges over the water of SISP made, what I envisioned, great footage. After 15 minutes or so of shooting, I bid my farewell (and he promised to send me the video via email – I have my doubts [and should]). Either way, it was interesting, and I was happy to help.

Strange story aside, I did some test rides with the fully loaded bike. Things are a little different than planned, but everything seems to work well. My spokes came in yesterday. I’m hopeful to get the wheels and tyres redone this week, and I will have two weeks to work on the final logistics of this trip.

Weeks ago I wrote of baggage possibilities (and lack thereof). Finally, as the trip nears, I’ve the solution in hand. Creation is often less about the sheer creating of an item, but more the conjuring the thought of how to make an item. Putting materials and tools to the test is simple. The steps to get to the point of allowing you to fabricate that though, that takes skill, time (and/) or whatever you can come up with. Thinking outside the norm helps a great deal, but sometimes you just can’t solve the equation and make things work.

Then it finally clicks. Out of nowhere, the idea happens. You don’t even know why, how or when. It’s as if at random you can see the greater picture, and everything is simplified. My baggage mounts are created, and they seem to work flawlessly. I’m not 100% sold on the placement just yet, but that’s just small tweaks and changes. The Ortlieb Rear Roller panniers are 2-6 inches wider than I’d like them, but they’re as close to perfect as I could easily get. Waterproof, economical, in the “right” size range and a very solid attachment system. A few more small adjustments and I should be quick pleased with them – tomorrow’s “loaded” test ride should be an eye opener for me.

The new spokes should be in tomorrow or Friday. Late this, or early next, week should mark the rebuilding of the wheels at Tempe Bicycle, thanks to Mr. Bud Morrison (local Wheelman). The last of my purchases are coming in, and then I’m very close to ‘ready’, whatever that word may *actually* mean.

First it was May. Then it was early May or late April. Now, April 22 departure (with an April 17 “pre-departure” date – less than a month away). I’m attempting to get everything in order as quickly as possible, but sometimes things are out of our own grasp. My new spokes are being shipped out tomorrow by the wonderfully helpful Jim Spillane with Victory Cycles. Tomorrow’s task is finding some small, high strength spokes for the rear, and by the end of the week, I’m hopeful to have the machine rolling with essentially new wheels. After weeks of struggle, most of my ‘work’ came to fruition yesterday around 5am, allowing me to finally sleep like a normal person (and get some serious work done with the bike, planning and the likes – let’s hope the fixes in place stick).

With all the commotion of the trip, work and the cycle, it’s been very hard to just live life. It’s been hard to just take in the niceties of life and local fun. Above is an example of a good time killer with little taken away, but positive feeling taken from (it’s a crude video, but it was an excruciatingly refreshing trip to Conspire today). With less than a month before departing, I’m now trying to spend as much time as I can absorbing “home” (in any number of ways). I will be many months away from Arizona, and while I’m glad to once again miss the summer, there are many things here I will miss; family, friends, scene and others. It seems I’m living to avoid AZ summers lately. The last summer I spent in full here was 2007…at least I think.

I’ll post about my baggage project completion in the next day or so. It’s nice to have that finally behind me.

So I’ve been avoiding an update because my bike was at the platers. Under the pretense of worst possible chance, I figured I’d wait to get it back before continuing posts. Today I got it back, and I must say – stunning! All that’s left now is to make the baggage mounts and I’m good to go. I have the plans and materials set aside for it, however, I’ve been sick the last few days. Purchasing for the trip is nearly done. A few more articles of clothing and the final leg dehydrated foods are left still. Rapid updates are on the works now that I have the bike back and functional.

As for the trip, plans have changed slightly. I’ll be kicking off the trip from San Francisco on April 22, the same date and place Thomas Stevens left to be the first person to cycle across the US (and around the world). Original plans had me leaving in early May, but part of me wanted to leave on the 22nd. I found a train ticket to the Bay Area and will be arriving there on the 18th. A few days around there and then I will embark northward. Heading north on PCH isn’t ideal for a few reasons, but it is the best I can do considering the terms. Headwinds plague the northbound Shoreline Highway, and when traveling north you are on the ‘mountain’ side (southbound gets the shore side). All that said, I’m still incredibly excited to get back on the road, as well as see all my West Coast friends.

… in many ways.

As the trip nears, I continue my regiment of tour journals, cycling forums and reminiscing over past trips. Last night I decided it was time to clean and grease the machine, so I tore it apart to do so. After getting it apart, I came to a conclusion that something needed to be for it. Much paint has chipped off over the years, and it is clearly showing now. Luckily, as the family runs a Corvette restoration shop, I happen to know a plater! Today I glass-beaded (much like sand-blasting, but with glass sand) every piece of the disassembled bike and took it to our platers. Much to my surprise, the ‘head’ of the cycle is stamped for Kennedy – who wants that covered up anyway! He tells me Saturday I will see my friend once more, in a new, shinier nickel finish. I’m terrifically excited.

The constant downpour has tried to put a hamper on my planning, but I won’t allow such a thing. As each day closes, the desire to get back out there grows more. I want once more to be the bird that can fly anywhere, and decides to do so.