I leave for SE Asia (Indochina!) in just about five weeks, and here are some of the ways in which I am not prepared:
I have never changed a flat tire.
I do not have acceptable maps.
I have not purchased front panniers.
I do not have a bike computer, although I will need one to measure distance.
I'm tool deficient.
I need to have my bars cut down, because they're too wide.
I have no idea how to get into Bangkok with the bike (but not ON the bike).
I don't think I've actually ridden more than twenty miles at a time.
I have never had any kinds of communications with anyone who has done any bicycle touring.
I haven't decided what kind of tires, if any, I'm going to install on the bike.
THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!!
I have never changed a flat tire.
I do not have acceptable maps.
I have not purchased front panniers.
I do not have a bike computer, although I will need one to measure distance.
I'm tool deficient.
I need to have my bars cut down, because they're too wide.
I have no idea how to get into Bangkok with the bike (but not ON the bike).
I don't think I've actually ridden more than twenty miles at a time.
I have never had any kinds of communications with anyone who has done any bicycle touring.
I haven't decided what kind of tires, if any, I'm going to install on the bike.
THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!!
Of the things that you haven't done --
ReplyDeleteRiding 20 miles seems to be the easiest and yet most important. We've talked about conditioning (on FB) and the way to phrase my current thoughts is that there are two kinds of conditioning, which we can call cardio-muscular and gluteal, respectively. I'm sure you're okay with the cardio already. The other kind is addressed with "time in the saddle." Spending a half-dozen or so hours on a bike can be a bit rough, unless you're used to it. And the only way you can get used to it is to build up to it.
You wanna know what it'll be like to ride 50 miles in SE Asia? Well, first find out what it'll be like to ride 50 miles around NYC.
I'm excited for you! It'll be a great adventure!
Actually, I DID have a 36 mile day in Chicago, and a 30ish mile day here. Kept thinking that I should do "hill training" by going back and forth over the bridges here, but the highest bridge grade is 3.8%. That is not going to help me with the 10% grades I'm going to be confronted with. Eh, if worse comes to worse, I'm sure I'll be able to throw the bike in the back of a truck and hitch a ride wherever.
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