March 2018

OK!!! I understand! This is a blog about bicycling! So, why am I displaying myself as an old fart out on cross-country skis? Simple. I’ve been dreaming of cross-country skiing ALL season, and either had nobody to go with (yea, I could have gone alone) or some other lame excuse, like the weather wasn’t good, or I wasn’t sure if the snow was ok, or, it might be avalanche conditions. Now, this was my last chance this winter, and Jon (my son) was up to it. I can’t believe it. I hadn’t touched my skis in about 3-4 years, but used to spend winters in the snow. In fact, there was a time where I far preferred to snow camp than to summer camp. It’s much cleaner. You stay warm, if you know what you’re doing. In fact, my problem (including today) has been that of over-dressing, and getting too hot.  I usually wear wool knickers on the trail, which keep you warm, but also shed sweat and heat much better. . . but wool knickers are now a thing of the distant past. NOBODY but a dinosaur wears wool knickers any longer… well, maybe I will return to wool knickers, and hopefully restart a trend. I should have been in nothing but a t-shirt today. You burn off tremendous energy. Today’s exercise taught me several things. 1) Look at the maps before going out. We floundered for over an hour trying to find the trail head to the Iron Horse Trail. At least I got to do some downhill runs on my cross-country skis. We (Jon and I) eventually went 6 miles out and back. Quite a few other people were out there. I am most jealous of those that can skate ski. For me, forget it… impossible… I won’t even try. 2) I do miss a pack on my back and the prospect for night(s) out in the snow. Next winter, I so desperately hope I could find people to go snow camping with.
So, here are the Garmin stats… ignore the first three miles…
https://web.archive.org/web/20191210225512if_/https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/2592400242
I would be remiss to not include a photo of Jon…
Jon on the Iron Horse Trail, Snoqualmie Pass in the background and with Lake Kecheelus to the right.
Ok, since this is a bicycle blog, I will cease and desist from x-country ski talk. My skis are hung up. Thursday, I did an outside training ride, shown below. It was beautiful, and I felt absolutely marvelous the whole time I was riding, even though I was pushing it a little bit. I think I’m ready. Sarah B., thank you for your encouragement!  I won’t work out on Easter, but might do a garage ride on Monday before I head off to Virginia. Please stay in touch, and I welcome your comments either here or on Facebook. I’ll probably be publishing only once a week, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Since I’ll be camping a lot, I won’t have wifi and plan on doing these posts on my iPad. I use a Canon M100 for the photos, and a Garmin 1030 for tracking. Until next time, Auf Wiedersehen!

Car Camping with my brother Gaylon 16-18MARCH
OK, you are correct. I normally don’t do car camping. But, Gaylon was thinking about SAGing a segment of my TransAmerica bicycle ride, and hadn’t camped in years, so wanted a trial run. Besides, it would get me in tune to tent camping. I think I planned too much for the trip, as will be explained below. We decided to do two nights, in a loop around the Olympic Peninsula, somewhat similar to what Jon and I did several years ago on our bicycles. Gaylon had flown over the Olympics when he had a private pilot’s license, but he had never been physically on the ground in the Olympics, so this was a first for him. The first night was at Fort Flagler, a retired military compound, designed to guard entrance of enemies through the Straits of Juan de Fuca.
The fort complex is large, with military type barracks on the hill, and campgrounds below on the beach.
 
The Olympics were clearly seen from the beach, as well as Mt. Rainier when looking in the opposite direction.
 
Signs and exhibits describe the history of this park. Here are shown devices strung across the bay to Port Townsend, designed to stop subs and torpedos.
The next day, we headed off for Port Angeles. As a diversion, we ran up to Hurricane Ridge. The road was clear, and the views were spectacular.
New visitor center on Hurricane Ridge
The High Divide could be seen, with Mt. Olympus in the far distance off to the right of the photo. They had put in a small ski hill to our backs, which was quite busy.
We finally arrived at our planned destination of the Kalaloch Campgrounds.

The tent was just a 100 feet from the stairs down to the beach.
Am Strand. The beach as beautiful as always.
 
Camp kitchen
I created the camp kitchen, expecting to do a bit of cooking. I discovered that Gaylon really doesn’t like to cook, and if he does, uses disposable plates and utensils, so that no dishwashing or other formalities of camp care would be needed. I’ll have to save the car camping stuff for when Betsy and I go out on excursions. Gaylon needs only a single burner stove to heat water for coffee, or for single dish meals with a simple clean-up. So, I way over-packed for doing nothing but boiling water. We did have a lot of time to chat and catch up on various matters. He was inspired to possibly put in some applications to be a campground host, a means of getting himself away from Lake Merwyn for cheap.
All in all, the adventure was a success, Gaylon and I both had a great time, and it was nice spending time with brother Gaylon.

It’s now less than a month before I leave on my long ride. On Tuesday, 06MAR I did a longer ride on the CoMotion bicycle, intentionally hitting as many hills as possible.
https://web.archive.org/web/20191210225512if_/https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/2539372552
I find that the same journey on my road bike, a Trek Malone 5.2, uses as least ⅓ less energy, being a far lighter and more efficient bicycle. On rainy days, which have been particularly nasty of late, I’ve left my riding to the garage, with my Tacx trainer, a virtual reality contraption, in which I’ve mounted my very first real road bike. Here’s several photos of the contraption.
Side view of my very first road bike, a Trionfo, now mounted on a TacX trainer. Two of my friends watch over me. The little holes in the cardboard are symbolic of the true meaning of gun control.
Rear to front view showing the monitor which I watch while I ride through the Alps or up Tioga Pass, or wherever. Behind everything is my bicycle repair shop.
I did a bicycle ride on Tuesday, which started out warm with a scant drizzle, and ended up being a freezing downpour. I came home absolutely soaked to the bone, and freezing. Nobody, honestly!, nobody was on the road bicycling that day. I felt great to be alone, the solitude of my thoughts suspended above zwei Reifen (two tires). Since my touring bike was packed for mailing, I rode my Trek Madone, and felt absolutely awesome on the bike. Here’s the Garmin stats…
https://web.archive.org/web/20191210225512if_/https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/2554110562
Earlier this week (13MAR) I mailed off my bicycle and panniers to a dear friend at Langley Air Force base, at the start of the TransAm bicycle route. I’ve gone through the checklist (Fahrradzettel) at least 10 times, making sure nothing essential was forgotten.
My personal Fahrradzettel, modified for the TransAm. I hope I didn’t pack too much!
Bike and panniers boxed and loaded to FedEx back to VA. I used ship bikes.com, and the Aircaddy has been used heavily, is now on its last journey.
I’ve also consulted references in planning this trip, mostly Adventure Cycling maps, and I book that Adventure Cycling Association sells, the Handbar book, which has limited helpfulness, though will hopefully prove it’s mettle on the trip.

Meanwhile, Betsy and I flew back to Dallas, Tx to attend the wedding of a niece, and last weekend had a family reunion with Feucht relatives at our place, making up a brisket on the Traeger.
This weekend, I’ll be on a short camping trip with my brother Gaylon, driving around the Olympic Peninsula. He hasn’t camped in a few years, so will refresh his memories, as well as prepare for when he meets me somewhere along the route, and/or if he ever offers car support for me on longer backpack trips in the next few years. You’ll probably see some photos of that trip. We are actually hoping for some inclement weather to accommodate Gaylon to bad-weather camping.
Of course, anxieties develop. Have I remembered everything? Have I filled out all the necessary forms for retirement? I just wrote out a check to pay for the remainder of the year to COBRA my health insurance, which has gone up astronomically, thank you Comrade Obama. (P.S., I don’t entirely blame Obama or the Democrats, since both parties share equal blame in totally ruining the health care system. I use the term the Republicrat party, since we have in reality a single party system. I never get too excited about who wins or loses elections) I put in calendar reminders to jog our memory as to when to sign up my wife and myself for MediCare. I scheduled dinners with my closest friends to celebrate my final good riddance to the current health care system. My worst fear is dying in a hospital. Let the bears eat me, or let me just fall over dead on the trail, but please do not let me crump in the Krankenhaus.
Did I lose my mojo? Will I bonk after 3 days? Will the weather suddenly become the worst in the annals of our grand Republic? Have I made adequate provision for my best friend, who is also my wife? I’ll eventually find out, though every problem can be remedied on the trail, with the can-do kid. Yes, I ask questions of myself, as to whether I have gone insane. Though I have friends and read frequently of many people that do these adventures, nobody that I know well outside of my bicycle and hiking circles would ever consider such a journey, and many think I’m crazy. Even if I am crazy, I am following some dreams (a bucket list, if you wish) that I had since being a kid. Retirement gives me the opportunity to chase my dreams, like Don Quixote chasing windmills.
Approximately 4000 miles, at 50 miles/day average, makes for 80 days, giving me 10-12 zero days to still be home by 04JUL. I’d like to pack in at least one century day (100 miler day). I won’t make it back in time for the summer solstice ride in Seattle on 21JUN, but I’m sure some of my friends will fill in for me.  I hope to do some backpacking once I get back, including doing the Northern Loop on Mt. Rainier, and the Timberline Trail around Mt. Hood. Hopefully our son Jon will join me for one or both of those adventures.