What worked, part 2

Before adding too the list of accessories that worked I should say something about my bike. When I allowed the idea of touring to become closer to reality the Novara Safari was one which fit my  sub-$1000 price limit. Research exposed the limitations and weaknesses as well as the much longer list of advantages. When REI made the all steel 2011 version available to members at a 20% discount and free shipping it was impossible for me to resist taking the giant step.

A saddle, raised handlebars, fenders and different tires accounted for the most significant additions and modifications. Its frame size (XL), long wheel base and 29er wheels make it a very large vehicle that suits me well. Concerns I had about sufficient low gearing were unfounded. Fully loaded it was very obedient and quite forgiving. Its natural flex when loaded smooth any but the worst road surfaces. Fitted with Shimano Deore throughout (except for the SRAM Attack twist shifters) it should be a durable bike.

Two significant parts on the Safari did fail. After having two broken spokes on the OEM Novara Long Haul Touring rear wheel in a matter of a month or so it was evident that a replacement was necessary. The replacement was built by my Friendly Neighborhood Bike Shop (Bikes and More) using the Deore hub and a Salsa cyclocross rim. There’s more to say about that wheel later. Five days into my tour one of the bolts holding the rear rack in place sheered off. I was able to use two zip-ties to take the bolt’s place and had no further problems with it. Upon my return Brian and Paul at Bikes and More removed the offending bolt and replace both with stronger stainless steel.

Obviously, the bike you ride should feel right and work well and, except for the above issues there have been no significant problems. Of course, part of this arises from having competent people add things like the fenders, raise the handlebars, install the front rack and do general maintenance. As part of their competent work is the professional manner in which they attend to minor issues or adjustments.

The original equipment Continental TownRIDE tires (700c x 42) were satisfactory, but many tourists touted Schwalbe Marathon Plus as the tire of choice (700c x 38). I departed on my ride with more than 2000 miles on the Marathons and had no fear that they would fail before completing my ride. A misplaced, knife-edged shard of shell was about the only thing that was going to compromise these sturdy tires. My sense of security has not been damaged by this unlikely failure.

My rear wheel replacement was a Salsa Delgado Cross. It was this rim that failed and ended my tour. As disappointing as this was I have to credit both wheel builder and rim manufacturer. “Never saw a rim fail like that,” was the paraphrased but identical observation of both. Salsa replaced the rim and Bikes and More built a new wheel.

I have only one negative thing to say about the Topeak Morph G pump. It’s damn hard for old eyes to see the little pressure gauge numbers. OK . . . put the glasses on! Other than that minor thing, it was a perfect companion. Both my Messenger Mirror and Click-Stand did their jobs perfectly. They have been discussed previously. A last minute, impulse purchase of a Walmart branded Genesis helmet also proved its value. With more vents the Bell Genesis I had been wearing it was cooler and was as comfortable as any helmet has been.

Water bottles have always been something I have but seldom think about beyond their obvious use, until I purchased a Camelbak Insulated bottle. How much insulating can be done with a plastic bottle? Much more than I anticipated. Several hours under an August sun turned cold water to cool. Remarkable!

I am fully confident that without a broken rim I would have been successful In making my round trip. Being on the road that long was uplifting, but did take me out of touch of those who mattered and with whom I would have preferred having more than text message contact. As with most of life, adjustments will have to be made if I tour in the future.

And 920 miles by Greyhound . . .

Before talking about my Greyhound adventure I need to 'splain what's happening.

My bike was supposed to be disassembled and shipped to Bikes and More. It arrived at my home. Argh! Now I was faced with having to get it to where it needed to be. Additionally, there were no wheels! <sigh> Island Bikes, to whom I initially expressed great frustration allowed as how it was their error, but that agreeing to disassemble and package the bike was the first error. Getting the bike to my FNBS will be accomplished soon. They received my wheels and agreed with all previous observations that the rear one was broken more severely than was typical. It no rests with Salsa, manufacturer of the rim, to decide how to handle the matter.

The Schwinn is serving well, though lack of fenders is close to being a severe problem. I'd forgotten how nasty road grit gets when it rains. I hope to find some closure for the transportation matters soon.

And the roof leaks. Have to deal with the roofers, too . . . soon, I hope. 
 

Was it a life changing event? No, but there have been many things to consider how they may or may not apply to everyday life. But first, a word from our sponsor . . . Greyhound

The last time I rode a Greyhound bus may have been nearly a half century ago in the 60s. There were few options for my return to FL and Greyhound seemed to be the best. In the years since my last ride many things have changed. Remarkably, much has not.

The nearest “terminal” was Washington, NC, known as Little Washington to the locals. A three hour drive (give or take). The nearer pick-up location was just that, a pick-up. Stand outside a store and wait, ticket in hand, for a bus to arrive. I opted for the stop at B & L Properties where tickets could be purchased. Seemed more like a terminal. It was, but barely.

B & L may have been the couple behind the counter when I arrived at 10am for my 1050 bus. A partially converted service station (with two bays) provided indoor seating. Assorted vehicles and other equipment in stages of repair filled the service bays. My bags were labeled and the second bag paid for ($10 please) after being told to clip one front roller to one back roller so I would not have to pay for three extra bags. Seemed like good advice. The bus arrived 55 minutes late. It had been three hours late the previous day. A connection was scheduled for Raleigh at 3 pm and we were to arrive there at 2 pm, so maybe the connection would be made.

I was surprised to find that there were both 100 volt sockets and that the bus provided a WiFi signal and took advantage to charge my cell phone. Because of the WiFi connection I was also able to maintain cellular coverage where it would not have existed otherwise.

The bus passed through the home of the East Carolina University Pirates and it was no surprise that it resembled Stateboro, GA, home ot the Georgia Southern Eagles and El Sombrero, home of my favorite Mexican food. We arrived in Raleigh minute before 3 pm, but it mattered not. A bus already at the terminal (a real terminal) was being searched for a possible bomb. This must have been a common occurrence as there was police presence but little overt evidence of concern. The new bus departed at 345pm, but not until the baggage handler took exception to my bags. “I know what you did,” he hissed. “But I’ll load ‘em.” And he did with an intention aggressive disregard.

Soon after leaving the Raleigh terminal the drive announced that the bus was a local, meaning we would visit, briefly, every moderate sized city in north and central NC. He also made several allusions to the presidential race, noting that whites were attempting to keep blacks from voting. Maybe I had been alone too long. His rambling monologue made little sense.

Charlotte, too, was a real terminal. Like Raleigh and it was run down but clean. Sandwiches priced no more than twice their reasonable value. Captive audience means captive money. A strip of sockets, identified as a charging station, soon looked like a Smart Phone grazing area. Few people showed any concern about their equipment’s safety. Obviously, this was not a new experience for the majority of bus travelers.

From Charlotte the ride to ATL was swift, arriving around 230am. I expected the old Greyhound station, but found that it now existed as part of the Garnett Street MARTA facility. My stay here would be about 4 hours. Knowing I was closer to being home did not make the wait any easier. Compared to the old Atlanta bus terminal . . . no comparison. Clean. Bright. Reasonably safe with one or more MARTA and ATL police officers in evidence. At intervals over the hours, travelers would queue at numbered doors. The overly large police officer would run a metal detection wand near their pockets. I could hear no difference in sound, but he often paused and asked for pockets to be emptied. Don’t want anyone commandeering a Greyhound with a fingernail file. Wait, maybe I need to be more serious! Hard to be. After 430 am he checked no one else. Had the perceived threat left for Alabama earlier on the morning?

The trip to G’ville was uneventful and done on schedule. The bus had sockets and WiFi, but I was too weary to do more than charge my phone. I could do the ATL-Gville trip again. Most of the rest? Not in this lifetime.

Here are some of the things I took away from the numerous hours in the custody of Greyhound:

1. Passengers are too accustomed to being treated with little regard. Some of this is because of the quality of the passengers. Most is not. Who cares about bus travelers. Real people use airplanes. Common people learn to accept mediocre treatment because there is no recourse? Like the baggage guy. I did what I was told to do and he assumed I was trying to get away with something. Should I respect that he was protecting his company’s assets? Only if he referred me to the baggage people for more money. Otherwise he was just being difficult.
2. Lacking any actual luggage one can still travel by bus. A tall kitchen trash can and a mostly intact cardboard box can be nearly closed with sufficient tape to hold just about anything.
3.  Having too many pieces of “luggage” is commonplace. See the comment above.
4.  There is almost enough room on the aisle seat on modern buses to make it nearly possible to sleep for as much as an hour, though not necessarily in concurrent minutes.
5.  If it is present Greyhound WiFi works.

Just more of the adventure.

When is it actually special?

Big day at my FNBS; new wheel, chain, brakes, pedals. This happens with more than 6200 miles (since April, 2011) and seems like good timing. As usual Bikes and More completed the job in time for me to pick-up the bike and ride home. I have always appreciated the special treatment the people there provide, but stellar guy that I am it seemed reasonable that I should get special treatment. In a brief moment of clarity as I rode home, I understood that what I have felt was “special treatment” is actually “usual treatment.” They listen to everyone’s boring stories, chuckle at weak humor and tolerate questions with obvious answers. They treat everyone the same way. How quaint.

I printed cards to give to people with the blogs URL. It’ll be a lot harder to quit somewhere if I know people I know know, ya know? Guess I could do it for a cause instead of because I want to. Or because I can. There’s a sense of release to have the opportunity and the ability. Whether simultaneous merging or brief tangent, the result is the same . . . too damn cool.

Concerned about it being hot? Uh huh, but I ride in Florida’s heat daily. Start early and drink a lot. Take what the day and the terrain gives you. It matters little where I am or what is happening. It is all time well spent.

So Much Is About Timing

Brooks saddles are supposed to give a  lifetime of satisfaction. When mine broke I was disappointed. Now, after a second spoke broke on my OE rear wheel (Novara Long Haul Touring) I am more than disappointed. Paul of Bikes and More said it was very likely a second one would break soon after. He gave it about 300 miles, saying that distortion of the rim added unwanted tension. If the breakage was the result of a bad spoke the repaired wheel might not fail. It took 800 miles for another spoke to break.

The people at my FNBS are aware of the impending trip. (How can they not know? It's about all I can talk about sometimes) They also know the Safari is my primary transportation. Keith (what's a Canadian doing managing sales in a bike shop in Florida, eh?) suggested a double wall rim from Salsa would be a good replacement. The total cost using my Deore hub and discounting because of membership in the local bicycle society brought the total cost to less than $110. I might have to eat only every other day on my trip, but better that than breaking down! Brian, (one of three full-time mechanics) agreed to replace the broken spoke, despite a heavy workload, so I could pick the bike up at the end of my work day. How can you ask for more than that? Well, one more surprise was waiting. When I picked the bike up later, Lisa said there was no charge. Treatment like that is why Bikes and More is just one more reason why it is the shop of choice in G'ville.

As the title suggests, timing is critical in planning and execution. Being as well prepared as possible is the best way to handle bad timing and misfortune. What can fail? Obviously, saddles. Even the best. Wheels. Brakes. (being replaced before the trip with the variety allowing easy pad change) Chain. Tires? Probably not since even 2600 miles on them the Marathons show little rear wear. Pedal? Uh huh, with similar, but upgraded model. One unknown element is the route; campgrounds, water, food . . . The other unknown, as I have addressed previously, is my physical ability. Won't know about the route or my ability until I try it. Ad it is almost time.