Resuming Tour - November 29, 2012

I am resuming my bike tour on Thursday. I am back on Amtrak November 29 to Deland. I haven't contacted any of the warmshowers or couchsurfing host that I had previous made request with. I have made no arrangement for places to stay. I plan on traveling on a very flexible schedule. I will make request as I travel.

I boxed my bike this morning and am all ready to go, except mentally. I have a lot of pain in my joints and muscles. I live with the pain, so I hope that it doesn't become a real factor. I hope that by being on a less planned schedule, that if I have an exceptional hard day, then I will just do less or take a day off. I have a much lighter load this time. My bike weight 38 pounds, (I cut 2-3 pounds off it) and my load is 38 pounds, (down about 20 pounds). That includes everything except the water. It also is easier to pack everything in the panniers. We have been having some cool weather, or I would have got rid of a few more items, and cut the weight by an additional 2-3 pounds. The cooler weather should help with the ride, and we have also been having less wind. The breeze that we have had the last few days have been from the NNE. I am riding south, so I hope the wind will stay cooperative. On my previous attempt, I had a strong head wind and it continued to increase as Hurricane Sandy moved up the coast. On the evening of my last day of riding, the wind gust were above 50 MPH. Being right on the beach, it was a constance wind that I couldn't ride into. Fort Lauderdale still has an area of A-1-A closed because of Sandy. I hope that I don't run into other areas that are closed.

Déjà vu

I am preparing to resume my trip. I have made adjustments on my bike, and have lighten my load. Repacking my bike for Amtrak, again. I have reservations on Amtrak for November 29^th to Deland.  

Getting Prepared to Complete My Tour

It has been about two weeks since I suspended my bike tour. I have been busy working, a few day in Vero Beach, and then in Hollywood. I plan on being finished here by the end of the week. After I finish, I hope to go back to Vero and get my bike and get back on the road. My biggest concern is that I stay in so much pain. I don't know what is causing it, but all my muscles hurt. I joints hurt, but that is nothing new. I hope the pain doesn't worse.

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Thursday October 25, 2012

I am reading Pete Staehling Less Encumbered Touring http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Ultralight. I find some good information in his journal about touring lightweight.

I planned my trip in late October when it would start to cool in Florida, and when the probability of a hurricane would be less. I mapped out the distances I would travel each day, and where I would stay. Guess what, three days into my trip I am fighting the winds and rain created by hurricane Sandy. It has taken me off schedule, and I have already changed my plans. I expected that everything would go as planned, but not to this extend. However, in the three days that I did ride, I learned some valuable lesson: One is to be flexible with where you are going to be, and second, don’t carry too much (I am scaling down what I am carrying). I am also making adjustment to my seat and handlebar grips. My hands and my rear is already sore. I will be back when I get on the road again.

Dinning Car on Amtrak

10-27-2012 Hurricane Sandy has produced rain for the last few days, and 50 plus miles per hour winds. I am real disappointed right now. I am in Vero Beach waiting out the weather and doing some emergency repairs on a machine for a client, and the parts for the repair won’t be in till Friday. At this point I don’t know what I am going to do. I have ridden my bike locally and the wind almost blows me off. My route down A-1-A has flooded areas and closed roads. I am considering getting a ride home, and trying it again later.

November 1, 2012 I am home now. I am rescheduling the remainder of my trip. I am going to do the trip different. First: I am scaling down the weight. Anything that I don't absolutely need, I will not be carrying. I had too much weight. Second: I had ever day's distance and stops planned. Now I am going to plan only a day or so ahead, and then only when I stay with a host. This way I can deal with the elements better. Third: I am trying to make some changes on the bike. I have carpal tunnel and my hands are killing me. I don't know how I am going to resolve this problem. I am looking at different handle bars, but I don't know if that will help. My bike is still in Vero Beach. I am going back up to Vero in a couple of weeks. If the weather is cooperative, then I may complete my ride then. I was very disappointed that I suspended my ride, but the wind and weather from Sandy was just too rough.

Light House at Daytona