What is stealth camping?

I’ve often heard people use the expression “stealth camping” and I’ve just as often seen someone with a puzzled expression.  Just what exactly IS this “stealth camping.”

Basically, stealth camping is the technique of finding a place to camp without acquiring permission first.  It isn’t intended as a form of “theft” or trespassing per se, but rather the need for a cheap campsite in which to sleep.  Self supported cross country bicyclists are probably the most frequent users of this technique.

When traveling long distances, nightfall may not arrive with a convenient campground located nearby for a wide variety of reasons.  In these cases, the traveler looks for a good location in which to get off of the road, pitch their tent, and get a night’s sleep.  Early the next morning, the traveler then packs up their tent and starts pedaling their way down the road again.  Often, a meal is not even prepared at the campsite, for fear of attracting attention.  Meals are prepared at other locations earlier in the evening and later in the morning.

Someone who knows that stealth camping is a likelihood is going to do a few things differently during the preparation stage.  These things may include:

• Finding a tent with a very small footprint
• Finding a tent made from fabric colored in a way that it won’t be extremely noticeable (brown, tan, green)
• Using a bivy or hammock rather than a tent.
• Having covers for the reflectors on the bike to prevent passing cars from reflecting off of them.

Stealth campers will avoid areas marked with no trespassing signs, fenced off areas, and areas close to homes.  Preferably, they will camp in wooded areas that are “slightly off the beaten path.”  They leave no sign of their stay either, except for maybe some crushed grass, and building a campfire is taboo as well.  Many frequent stealth campers suggest using cemeteries, church lots, etc. as their campsites.  It is also a good idea to be familiar with the trespassing laws in the states you will be passing through, just in case.

When stealth camping, if you are challenged by anyone, property owner or not, it’s usually a good idea to just move on.  Arguing or being confrontational will not help your cause at all.  On foot, moving on might mean a very long walk, but its better than dealing with the potential for criminal charges.  Be polite, courteous, and cooperative.  It will pay off in the end.

Here’s some other “rules” to remember.

• NEVER damage anything.  That covers any structure, from fences to buildings to windmills to crops.  Damage is the biggest reason that people are unfriendly to those who stray onto their property.
• Don’t harass or tease livestock.
• In dry country, don’t camp by the only source of water.  Move off at least 100 yards, or the length of a football field.  Remember, that water is probably the sole source for miles, for everything from large predators to livestock.  Give them room to avoid you.
• Skip the campfire.  Fire scars take a LONG time to heal, and the fires attract attention.  During fire bans, which you may not be aware of, it may do a lot more than merely catch someone’s eye too.  Use a camp stove to cook.
• Don’t leave your trash behind.  You brought it with you, take it with you when you leave.
• You are a guest, even if  you are an unknown one.  Act like you appreciate the honor, even when you are asked to leave.
• If in doubt, especially in small towns, inquire with the local police about where you could camp for the night.  Often, they will help you out, if for no other reason than to be able to keep an eye on your easily.  Hikers and bikers have a handicap with distance travel, and often must make “alternate arrangements” when their speed for the day doesn’t cover enough ground to get them to their desired destination, and they realize that.
• Arrive late, leave early.  Arriving after dark and departing soon after daylight reduces the likelihood of offending anyone with  your presence.  What they don’t realize happened won’t bother anyone.

Good luck in your travels, and may sun down always find you with the perfect campsite!

Organizations, clubs, and associations

I’m not a big “clubber” kind of person.  I get too aggravated with the pecking orders and minor manueverings of people who are under the impression that being the president or v.p. or whatever for an organization has promoted them to the status of a minor deity.  I’ve done it, I’ve even helped found new organizations, but in the long run, when things are up and running, its best if I just go.  I’ve been told that I should have a warning label, because sooner or later, (usually sooner) I’m going to forget to censor what I’m thinking before it comes out of  my mouth.

But with that said, there are a lot of merits to organizations, formal or otherwise, once you step away from coping with people’s thwarted political aspirations.  It creates a collective of information, assets, and even buying power.  It allows for efforts that cannot be achieved on an individual level.

So, I’ll confess, I’m heading down that road all over again with the social organization that meets together under Meetup.com.  We don’t have “officers” though, it’s not that formal at this point.  We do have “organizers” and “hosts” though.  (That’s the people that do the work so that everyone can complain when something goes wrong.  Not always the case, but its a source of wry humor for me sometimes, since I’m usually one or both of those designated go-fers.)  I realize that everyone is busy, and no group can have activities that appeal to everyone all of the time.  At the same time, I’ve only missed out on two camping trips due to vehicle break downs, and one kayak race where we weren’t doing anything but showing up.  Outside of that, I’ve been there. In the rain, in the heat, I’ve showed up.  It has made me try some new things, I’ll admit.  Some I liked…and some I didn’t.  That’s a good thing.  New things expand our horizons.

Organizations also offer something else.  Potential knowledge in the databases of other members’ minds.  That can be trails, skills, tools, anything…and it helps.

Its tough to find other people with similar interests, to facilitate that sharing of knowledge.  That’s the reason that the social organization of Get Ready GO! was created.  We had the website, we knew some people, we knew some stuff…and we wanted to share what we knew, and learn new things.  So…we embarked on this new segment of the journey.

Have we learned anything?  Hmm I’ve learned things, but they were probably not purposeful lessons.  I happen to be, like old…and I’ve done a LOT of camping, the primary focus over the past nine months or so since we started the Meetup group.  The other people who have knowledge I don’t…are the same ones I’ve been camping with for 4-5 years already.  So…I’d been learning about the local plants, animals, snares, traps, and other related material that was a mystery to me.

We do have some unique knowledge that I am very curious about with our other members though.  Kayaking–I’ve always wanted to try it, and someday…I will.  I am learning about boating in the coastal region, not “deep sea” boating, but in the rivers, bayous, and other fresh, brackish, and salt water.  I’m also learning about tides and fishing in the region.

I’m expanding my knowledge about bicycle touring and camping, which is a really odd niche.  It’s not particularly appealing to most devout campers…and it’s not really appealing to most devout cyclists either.  Maybe that’s part of the appeal–it’s odd, and so am I sometimes!  But for me, it just makes a lot of sense.  Backpacking isn’t exactly my thing anymore, carrying that backpack is a killer on back, shoulders, and neck.  I get tired and cranky, and then we start hiking.  With the bicycle, I can go further, and the weight is actually carried on the bike and trailer.  I really want to expand my knowledge and skill in this area.  It’s been tough though, because of the peculiar niche it occupies.  I have no illusions about my ability to keep up with serious touring cyclists who regularly ride 75-100 miles in a single day.  I have a different objective.  To enjoy myself.

I’m learning more about photography in regards to the outdoors too.  Not that I’m the next Ansel Adams, but I take a pretty good photo, well enough to illustrate what I’m talking about.  That old saying that a picture speaks a thousand words is very true.  I’ve not joined any clubs or organizations for this, it’s been books, trial, and error.  It’s been using the photos and realizing that they aren’t perfect, and trying to do better next time.

I’m learning more about people too.  What they (as a group) are apt to like…or dislike.  The things that make them go oh yeah, and the things that make them go ho-hum.  About how they are similar, and how they are different.  About gender differences.  About how people are the key to it all…because each and every organization is made up of individuals coming together and becoming a group of people, hopefully with common goals.

And that’s what makes it all tick.

The Great Adventure-the sales pitch

The Great Adventure.  I actually mentally put capital letters on it when I think of that phrase.  What does it mean?

It refers to this grandiose plan of taking an extended, possibly cross-country, bicycle trip…with two aging dogs and two aging, out of shape riders.

GM claims I’m crazy.  Our daughter rolls her eyes.  She’s trying to renege on her agreement a few months back on keeping the cats for us too.  Sneaky kid, right?  She has two cats, ours with their Stockholm syndrome would be happy in a closet anywhere.  With climate control.

So GM points out that we don’t have bikes designed for sustained riding such as I’m proposing.  I agree.  We need new bikes.  I want a Day 6 bicycle, I think.  I think he would also be more comfortable in a recumbent or pedal forward bicycle.  He says they are expensive.  I agree, sort of.  Compared to our $88 specials, they are expensive.  Compared to one of Lance Armstrong’s bikes, they are very inexpensive.

We only need about $1600 to purchase two bikes.  Okay, so that’s a bit tougher.  I’ll figure it out.  I’m good at that.  We’ll agree…the first step would be purchasing the bicycles.  In the meantime, I just need to make the other plans, as well as lists of things to remember or purchases we’ll have to make in addition to the bicycles.

Next, GM’s tactic is to point out our daily mileage compared to the average cycle tourist.  I agree.  It would kill us right now to be forced into riding 100 miles in a single day.  To do it three days in a row would be impossible.  We’re not in good shape, we have parts that complain and whine and refuse to budge.  But we’d have an advantage on our new pedal forward Day 6 bikes too.  We’d not be hunched over handlebars in an uncomfortable position for the sake of aerodynamics.  We’d be riding high and comfortable.  We would also choose to not worry about mileage like most touring cyclists.  If we made it 10 miles, fine.  If we rode 100 miles, fine.  Inevitably, consistent riding day after day would surely improve our distance and endurance.  We aren’t trying to set speed records, we’re both far too realistic than to aspire to something so grandiose and impossible.

GM then opts to try to burst the bubble by pointing out that we can’t afford the trip.  This one probably makes the least sense.  Homeless people can afford to live in tents.  We’ll just be homeless and living in a tent and riding bike all day.  Okay, so I do want things like a cell phone and internet, and the ability to pay for our campsites in parks, tour destinations, and buy food.  We’ll need some money, but not any more than what we need now.  We could park the van, store the trailer and boat, farm out the cats, and take the dogs along in the trailers, since they are old and out of shape just like us.  We could cut the insurance bill on the van, since it would be stored, we’d not have utilities to pay, and my shopping would be strongly curtailed since everything we have would have to fit on the bikes and trailers.  We could get by on a surprisingly small amount, I think, even opting for motel stays on occasion so we’d have soft beds, television, electricity, and a break from the weather.

GM thinks I’m having a mental breakdown.

In reality, The Great Adventure was proposed as somewhat of a joke.  I really WAS kidding about it.  Then, as I thought about it, I thought that really WOULD be cool.  I turn fifty this year, I’m not getting any younger.  It’s still possible now, but would it be possible in another decade?  Probably not, especially at the rate of our physical deterioration!  This would mean stepping out of our current lives, putting  a lot of things on hold, and grabbing an experience of a lifetime.

I dreamed of doing this as a teenager, when I could climb on my heavy Huffy with its three speeds and ride twenty miles before lunch without breaking a sweat.  Even my $88 special of today is a speed demon compared to that clunker of a bike!  Still, it was virtually bomb proof.  Once everything was adjusted by the mechanics at the car dealership my father owned, it never needed anything else done to it.  It shifted on cue, it braked the way it was supposed to, and since it was stored in the garage when it wasn’t being ridden, it stayed clean and rust free.  It never got oiled again either, by the way.  I rode it for four years or so, off and on, in the seasons that the Upper Plains allowed.  Not even I would dream of biking in the snow and ice.

Then, in my mid twenties, on a bike not that different from the one of my teens, my biking came to an abrupt end with the arrival of a dog I remember as being very large, very black, and possessing the biggest teeth I’d ever seen.  He hit the bike, I don’t know if he intended to bite me or not, but I ended up smeared down the pavement.  In my daze, I saw someone come running, snatch the dog, and vanish into the blur of houses along the street.  I was bleeding, my glasses were broken, and by the time I picked myself up, I was already too stiff to remount the bike.  I started home, pushing the bike and looking very pathetic in my formerly white pants now streaked with black and blood, limping as I had been wearing flip flops…and had skinned the tops of my feet in the fall.  Later that evening, I was sitting in the emergency room of the local hospital, waiting for the x-rays of my hand to be read to see if it was seriously injured, as it was swollen and turning blue.  I looked like I had lost a war.  I didn’t ride bike again, other than brief rides on one of my kids’ bikes to run an errand, until last summer.  I’ll admit…a dog coming at me still scares me  half to death, despite the fact I have worked with dogs for decades and have no fear of dogs, per se.  That is the one time that I do!

I think I’ll buy some pepper spray.  I don’t want to be a victim again.

I’m not doing well with the whole concept and GM.  He’s got every reason to resist.  For one thing, he’s not an avid cyclist on any level.  He goes with me mostly so I’m not going out there and riding alone.  He has resisted every effort to make it more comfortable to him, like replacing his saddle with a saddle more conducive to out of shape, middle aged riders.  He can ride circles around me, so he’s in much better shape, but still…

I’m not sure how to sell him on the idea, although I could take the tactic of “I’m going to do this and I’m dragging you along, just so I can hear I-told-you-so every time I feel like giving up” and run with it, but is that really fair to him?  I’m not sure.  It would be a lot more fun if he was a bit more into the concept of grabbing The Great Adventure with both hands.

Part of me wonders, could I really do this?  Day in and day out, pack up a tent, eat our breakfast of instant oatmeal or grits, drink a cup of coffee, feed the dogs, load up our bikes, and start another day of pedaling forward towards Adventure.  I’m a realistic sort, I know each day isn’t going to be a Grand Adventure.  A lot of days will seem like a grand pain in the behind, with traffic and maps and routes and loose dogs and complaining joints and muscles and an aching back.  We’ll have days where we never get the camera out all day long, and other days when it seems like the world is a photographer’s dream.  We will miss holidays and birthdays with our families, there will be days when we’re stuck riding in the rain all day long, and then try to figure out how to sleep when it turns out our sleeping bag is as soggy as milk toast.  We’ll meet some rude people along the way too, I’m sure.  I’ll be hot some days and cold others, we’ll catch colds and flu, we’ll get to be sick while living in our tents.  We may have to eat food that is bland and tasteless and boring because we never found a grocery store.  Sometimes, we may go to bed hungry too.  Some nights, we may have a lot of trouble finding a place to camp, and end up forced to doze beside our bikes alongside the road, taking turns watching.  I know it won’t all be wonderful, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.  I don’t expect it to be all wonderful.  I do expect it to be a new experience though, in which we see America in a whole new way.  Small towns, country lanes, and family farms…

GM claims he needs a new spine before he embarks on such an adventure.  I’m not so sure that I can respond to  this, other than stating that a recumbent or pedal forward bicycle is much more comfortable.  His back won’t hurt any less if we stay home, of that I’m certain.  Perhaps the answer is to choose a less ambitious, more reasonable goal as a first step to answering the question.  We could embark on a one or two week tour, just a mini-version of our Grand Adventure, and see what we feel like after doing it for a short time.  If we hate it completely and are totally disabled by our short attempt, we would be armed with some knowledge.  If we do fine, then I would have set the new spine issue aside.  I suspect too that he feels that I am the one who is least capable of this grandiose plan, and that his claims that it is his back are simply avoiding pointing out the more obvious handicaps I would be dealing with.

Hmmm

So that will be my plan.  We shall do a small tour, dogs in tow, to ascertain the feasibility of our bigger plan.  We can do this smaller tour on our ill suited discount store bikes, with our single bike trailer, and possibly even one of the tents we currently have.  It won’t be convenient, as we’ll have to wear backpacks to carry our stuff, as the trailer will be filled with dog, one at a time, the other one running alongside.  We’re apt to be lucky to make it the ten miles a day.  Maybe we need that second trailer after all…

 

 

Maiden voyage and approval of the Aosom cargo trailer

Red Dog in Aosom bike cargo trailer

Today, I finally managed to squeeze in a test ride with the Aosom cargo trailer in tow.  Empty, it was unnoticeable behind me until it hit a bump and the noise startled me.  I felt like someone was sneaking up on me!  With a toddler sitting in it, I noticed her weight, especially since she was sitting completely to the rear in the trailer.  It made me realize that loading weight to the rear alone might be counterproductive.

Next came the real test.  Putting Red Dog into the trailer and securing her for a test run and initial training on riding in the trailer.  This was also the most hazardous portion of the entire process.  Not only was there a possibility of me wrecking on the bike because of her movement, but also that she could be injured too.  I also swiped the floor mat from the van, which was nearly a perfect fit for the floor of the trailer, giving Red Dog a non-skid surface to stand on rather than slick metal.

To minimize injury and movement, I used three leashes.  One went from each front corner to her collar, was looped through and then secured on the trailer again.  In the back, I fastened another leash in one rear corner, looped it through her collar, then secured it to the opposite side of the rear of the trailer.  It didn’t look like she could move much, and I was right.  I also knew that she’d sit there fine with the trailer not moving, but the real test would occur as I started off on the bike, the point when I’m also at my least stable.

My method of securing her in the trailer worked.  I’d not recommend that kind of arrangement for a long ride, but for the short up-and-down-the-street-beside-the-house routine to start her training, it was fine.  She could not move, although twice I did have to dismount and return a stray front leg to the interior of the trailer.  After about five minutes, she quit attempting to jump out, apparently realizing it was a futile effort.  However, her escape attempts did resume for the first few minutes on round 2 of the training session, after she’d disembarked, had some cookies, and then reloaded for another ride.  Still, she did well, and its obvious that she’ll appreciate the trailer after trotting a few miles alongside the bike.

I’m going to love the trailer–for a lot of things.  It’s a fantastic addition, and we’re talking about taking it into the bayou on the bikes for a bit of fishing.  It will easily carry the gear and a cooler too!  (We’d have to leave Red home for that much to fit)  At just under $100 for the trailer, including shipping, it’s a bargain and the trailer seems fairly well made.  Despite a 35 lb. weight on its own, it rolls behind the bicycle so easily I didn’t notice it was there.  With a toddler, the weight was noticed, but not much of an effort except during starting.  With Red Dog, I’ll get a tougher work out, I’m sure.  I definitely noticed her weight in the trailer, but she weighs in at 65 lbs.  That’s a substantial amount of weight for a novice cyclist, and the equivalent for a full weekend of camping gear.  (Tent, stove, bedroll, backpack, food, water, walking stick, etc.)  I could still manage to ride with it, although on a hill it would be much more difficult to pedal up–and might result in me pushing the bike/trailer combo more often.  One advantage to using it with a dog, if I have a long uphill climb, I can always get her to get out and use her own steam, unlike standard cargo loads!

Bike trailer choices

Bike trailers are much more common than they were a few years ago.  Even Walmart carries a couple of different models.  The more common models are designed to carry one or two young children, too young to ride on their own, yet over a year old.  For some reason, infants riding on a trailer or bike under 1 yr is frowned upon, even when riding in a seat designed for a motor vehicle.  I guess the difference is the lack of a protective frame around the bike trailer?

For those interested in bike camping, touring, or emergency preparedness with a bike, these common child-toting trailers are not designed to do what you are going to demand of them.  Even grocery shopping with one of these child toting models is far from ideal with their teardrop design and zipper closures.  A much better choice would be the cargo trailer.

I read all the reviews, from single wheel models on up.  Some of the models are wonderful, but unfortunately…so are their price tags.  In this economy, bicycles are often a transportation to save money, so who wants to spend several MONTHS worth of gas money on an expensive cargo trailer?

I also had a special purpose in mind for our cargo trailer–carrying a large but aging dog.  That meant the more common and lighter weight nylon canvas flooring was not a good choice for us.  Dog toe nails, especially when they are LARGE, can wreak damage quickly to fabric, and I suspected it would be worse with the trailer bumping over minor road obstacles.  I wanted a solid metal floor.  For the sake of stability with a large animal as a passenger, I also wanted two wheels.  Not only was she going to feel more secure, but she will be less likely to cause me to swerve or sway as I pedal along beside traffic.  In addition, the two wheel design, in my opinion, seemed more versatile in terms of loading and toting other gear, as we are seriously discussing purchasing a second trailer.

The critical decision was also based on cost.  I just couldn’t justify spending too much on a trailer.  We just weren’t sure it would get enough use to justify budgeting a substantial portion of our available funds into the bike project.

I opted to go with an Aosom trailer, which was listed at their website for $99.99 including shipping.  Expedited shipping, which would have gotten it to me on time for our biking expedition last week would have cost an additional $70, which I could not justify to GM or myself.  It also resulted in Red Dog and I having to drop out early and then wait for rescue though.  Hindsight shows me that the $70 price for expedited shipping would probably have been worth it, but that’s another story.

I ordered the trailer on March 14th, and it arrived on March 22nd.  Aosom isn’t the speediest shipper I’ve ever encountered, but they are also not the slowest.  It’s just that patience is short when I’m waiting for something I perceive as a genuine need, I suppose.

Upon arrival, it took 3 adults, 1 pocket knife, 1 multi-tool and about 15 minutes to have the trailer completely assembled.  It’s that easy, despite the “manual” for assembly being a single vague page with poor photographs.  The bicycle hitch is attached to the trailer, but needs to be removed and then installed on the towing bike.  We also ordered a spare hitch, so that switching hitches was not necessary every time we wanted to trade off who was doing the towing.  Unfortunately, the extra hitch was not included in the box.  I think that Aosom customer service informed me that they would send it out “soon”, but I am not entirely sure–their accent and my ears have a hard time exchanging information.  I guess I’ve lived in the South too long?  Hopefully, it will arrive soon.

The trailer’s tongue attaches to the hitch with a spring loaded flexible “gizmo”.  I have no idea what to call this attachment other than a gizmo.  I may have some concerns about lifespan of this spring, but it does make for a connection that looks like it should be a very workable solution.

But in the meantime, I have to wait for GM to unload the bikes from the bike rack on the van and then install this gizmo on the bicycle’s rear axle.  Patience might be a virtue, but unfortunately, it’s not mine.  Waiting kills me!  I’ll ride the street right here and learn how it affects my ride empty, and then we’ll embark on the training project with Red Dog.  Because Mississippi seems to have a very high rate of unrestrained dogs who hate bicycles…I’m not sure about riding in our own neighborhood to train Red.  We may end up having to load up and go into town, using the local parking lots as our training venue, free of distracting stray dogs.  Red is not known for her friendliness to approaching snarling dogs.

 

 

Geometry lesson on a bike

Bicycles have a lot of geometry in them.  It’s all about the interaction of these geometric shapes, the engineering of how the sprocket moves the chain which ultimately turns the wheel, and how that assembled bunch of metal carries a load on it.  With a bicycle, that load happens to be the rider, primarily.

When you change anything, it will be amazing how much that one change will affect the entire equation, even if you did not see it as part of the whole.

In my case, it was the handlebars.  The low rise mountain bike bar was forcing me to put too much stress on arms, shoulders and wrists and I needed to change the position.  One reader suggested bar ends, but they looked peculiar to me, and I was afraid that they’d be hard to get used to, so I opted to change the handlebars.

I put on a set of matte black cruiser handlebars.  They are beautiful, and entirely change the bike’s appearance.  It also changed a lot of other things.  The first thing to come to attention was the brake cables.  We had to loosen the bar to even attach the left (front brake) cable, and it was still very short.  When I went to push the bike from our work area towards the driveway, it was also apparent that it affected the rear as well–it locked up the rear brake when I turned the bike to the right.  So, we got brakes adjusted, they looked good, and it was time for my first test ride.

My daughter was a better bicyclist at 2 than I was.  You would have sworn I had no clue how to ride a bike.  I couldn’t even get on it and start to pedal before I was falling over.  The familiar bike I had put so many miles on was now unfamiliar and ungainly.  So, first step was to drop the seat about two inches, to make it easier to mount the bike and start off.  Maybe.

Then, it was fine adjustments to brakes, as I had very little brake action when I pedaled the first twenty feet.  That didn’t take long, and I tried a few more wobbly rides up and down in front of the driveway, not daring to venture any further.  Our initial plan of a leisurely ride to the corner store and back (about a mile round trip) was shelved.  I needed more practice closer before I dared ride alongside a country road, as I wobbled and tried to steer.

The position was MUCH more comfortable, but it seemed awkward to ride the bike now.  It’s unstable and wobbly.  I’m not sure how much of it is due to the fact its just “different” or if it is a case of this mountain bike cannot have the rider ride upright because of the engineering issues created by the design itself.  It’s a triangle balancing over a pair of wheels, really, and if that triangle isn’t configured correctly, it’s that much more difficult to maintain your balance.  The triangle is formed by your seat, your feet on the pedals, and your hands on the handlebars.  If you mentally look at how those shapes are formed on different designs of bikes, you can easily see that the bigger the triangle, the more easily your weight is spread out over the center of mass.

In a road bike, designed for speed, you see the base of the triangle as the line between pedals and seat, coming forward to the handlebars, which are situated low to put the rider’s head lower for less wind resistance.  Ideally, they are presenting a long, low silhouette with little resistance to wind, their head is not much out of that triangular arrangement. They will have very thin, smooth tires and usually use a 700 cc wheel.  Typically these bikes are geared for maximizing speed potential.

The mountain bike rider is presenting a lower silhouette, but not as smooth as the road bike racer.  Their pedals are  just slightly in front of the vertical line created by their seat post,   allowing the rider to easily stand on the pedals for better force going up a steep incline or for navigating through rough terrain. These bikes will typically have very knobby tires and a 26″ wheel, and usually sport a number of gears, including some that are geared quite low for steep inclines.

The comfort or cruiser bike rider is sitting upright, with their legs slightly more forward than the mountain bike’s rider has his or her feet, so that their triangle has different angles and could be construed as more of a rectangle.  Here, wind resistance is a non-issue–the comfort rider isn’t trying to set records for speed, but rather seeks to enjoy the process of riding and viewing their surroundings.  Handlebars are wider and higher, seats are larger, and the bikes are heavier.  They will have tires typically as wide, if not wider, than a mountain bikes, although they will not have the dramatic knobs that are found on the mountain bike tires, they are probably going to be a 26″ rather than a 700 cc wheel as well.  Cruisers or comfort bikes are less likely to have gears, and if they do, are apt to have fewer gears than are found on road, touring, or mountain bikes.  They are designed more for the park path than for rough terrain or the open highway.

Touring bikes are built with a lot of features from the other bikes, but generally speaking, they are going to be a longer and heavier frame to allow for heavier packs and panniers, and longer trips with minimal maintenance necessary.  They are more upright than standard road bikes, but lower than a standard “comfort” bike.  These bikes will also usually have 12-18 gears, with some gears low enough to manage mountain inclines.  Their tires are usually a bit heavier and wider than a road bikes, but avoiding the knobby textures preferred by mountain bike enthusiasts.  These bikes are usually not outfitted for truly rough trails, but rather for the vast majority of country roads and highways.

I’ve looked at the bikes offered at Walmart.  Considering that their prices are now nearing the same level as are found at most bike shops, I think I’ll consult a bike shop before any more bike shopping occurs.  I want some professional advice before I do any more battling with the restrictions of bicycle manufacturers and my own personal needs.  In the past, I really liked the Trek Navigators I saw, even if I despised the sales staff at the stores I originally visited prior to making my first bike purchase.  There is an alternative store about 50 miles away, and I like the looks of their website, and suspect that it might be a bit more “user friendly” to the not-so-cute older bicycle user.  I actually already suspect that my original choice of a mountain bike as a more in-the-middle-of-the-choices as a less-informed, and ultimately more expensive choice.  (After calculating costs, I’ve already spent $50 in upgrades, and can’t make it past the driveway now without a wobble…it’s not going well.)

It’s never easy to admit you made a mistake, and costly mistakes are even more agonizing to confess to.  This may end up being my most costly mistake of 2010.

Tough times are easier when you are prepared!

Whether you believe the conspiracy theories, doomsday prophecies, or economic outlooks, it seems that everyone is predicting harder times ahead for all of us, whether we’re currently feeling the economic pinch or not.    Even so, that pain can be minimized with a bit of preparation before those times get so tough.

There are plenty of fables out there to remind us of the merit of putting things away before hard times, of working hard when the “weather” is good, in preparation for when its cold and hunger comes knocking on our doors.  There are just as many historical accounts of hard times and hunger, if we just look back to the Depression era in our own country.  So what do all of these stories have to do with us today?

What those stories tell us is that an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  We’ve seen cut backs all across the board with government agencies, and most of us have little hope that if we lose our jobs in the future, there will be anyone left to give us a hand out or a help up again.  Knowing that you can stand on your own two feet in hard times is an important bit of knowledge, and probably does us a lot more for our peace of mind than any insurance policy we could buy.

So how can we prepare now for hard times ahead?  Should we be saving money?

Saving money is probably the least effective way to preserve your own well being in hard times.  Money has a tendency to be affected by inflation, which means that $1000 you saved last year might only be worth a percentage of what it was last year.  The worse the economy is, the more likely we are to see rampant inflation too.  So if things really DO get that tough, we might see inflation reminiscent of what Germany saw in the pre-war years…where it took a wheelbarrow load of money to buy a loaf of bread, and workers collected their pay in the morning so that they could buy food before the money was worthless again.  (Yes, it really WAS that bad.)  America has never had inflation that high, and it is rare even on a world-wide scale, but it is a dramatic illustration of how useless money itself can be.

Minimizing debt is always a good start to preserving your own economic well being.  If you don’t have loans to pay on, with  your house or car as collateral, then you aren’t going to have to make those payments to prevent anything essential from being repossessed by the bank or note holder.  Adding to credit card debt is also not wise, even though the dollars you borrow today may be worth less tomorrow, they still might be difficult to obtain if you lose your job.

Ensure you have an adequate wardrobe for your particular lifestyle and climate, but don’t choose trendy items, sticking instead to classic ones that can be worn many years without appearing too dated.  Often classic designs can be updated with accessories, far less expensive than purchasing a new wardrobe.  If you live in a cold climate, make sure you have warm clothing too, including items to wear if energy prices get so extreme that you need to dramatically reduce your heating bill.  Thermal underwear, cardigans, fuzzy slippers, thick socks, warm robes, and flannel pajamas may not be fashionable items, but if you are forced to reduce your heating bill to minimal levels, they can greatly enhance the comfort of your entire family.  Coats, hats, mittens, boots, etc. for outdoor wear should also be serviceable, classic, and utilitarian in style rather than the latest fad.  As winter fades into spring, purchasing clearance items is an excellent way to stretch your current budget to buy items that may be needed next winter.

Plant a garden in your yard.  This truly stretches the food budget as well as providing many other not-so-0bvious benefits for everyone.  (Exercise, knowledge, quality time, work ethics, etc.)  Even if you have only a tiny yard, “edible landscaping” can create something that is attractive, edible, and efficient for your particular climate.  In arid areas with frequent water rationing, explore ideas such as gray water recycling, rain water collection, and drip irrigation for reducing your water needs.  Starting your plants from seeds rather than purchasing plants from the nursery will greatly reduce the expense of gardening as well and is quite simple for most plants.

If you are landscaping your yard, why not plant fruit trees instead of just ornamentals? Many fruit trees are quite decorative in form and flower in addition to the fruit, and require about the same amount of work to maintain.  The fruit that is produced can be eaten fresh, traded or given to neighbors, family & friends, and be canned or made into jellies and jams as well.  Fruit trees typically take 2-5 years, depending on the variety and size, to begin bearing fruit.

Stock your pantry. Many religions advocate maintaining a food supply for a year, and this same school of thought is held by most people involved in emergency preparedness.  Shop sales and use coupons, buying extras whenever your budget allows.  Date each can with the month and year of purchase to simplify the rotation process.  Always put the new purchases behind the older ones, making it easier to use the oldest items first.   Canned goods do not have an indefinite shelf life, however, and most should be used within 12 months of their purchase.

Buy plenty of staples, such as rice, dry beans, flour, sugar, salt, etc.  Once again, grains and beans do not have an indefinite shelf life.  For long term storage, consider purchasing items that have been packaged for long term storage, typically in #10 cans or 5 gallon pails with an internal sealed liner.  These items can be stored for up to five years without any problem with spoilage, as long as the can or pail remains intact and sealed.

Learn to cook from scratch.  Not only is cooking from scratch usually healthier with fewer additives, preservatives, less sodium and less sugar, but it is less expensive.  Get a good basic cookbook, and enlist the help of an experienced cook if possible.

Learn to shop for local and in-season items, and learn how to use them in your daily recipes.  This can save you a great deal of money, and items that are not shipped across the country are obviously much better for our environment with their reduced carbon footprint as well.  Farmers markets and roadside stands can be excellent sources, as can “U-pick” farms.  (Search online for what is available in your area, in some areas, local farmers often sell at flea markets or swap meets too.)

Learn to can, dehydrate, and preserve food for later use. Not only are homemade jams and jellies far tastier than their store-bought counterparts, but they are much healthier too, as you control the ingredients that go into them.  No preservatives and a healthier portion of fruit preserves these summertime fruits for use all year long, whether its topping ice cream, shortcakes, toast, pancakes, or waffles.  Stirring a spoonful into plain yogurt also creates an excellent taste-treat that cannot be matched by any flavored  yogurt in the dairy case too.  Plain oatmeal becomes delicious fruit flavored oatmeal when it is sweetened with a spoonful of homemade jam too!  Fruit leathers and dried fruit become after-school snacks, or can be used in many recipes.  Dehydrated vegetables are easy to store and can be easily used in recipes all year long, both at home and while camping.

Start walking or using a bicycle for short errands and recreational travel.  It is amazing how quickly short errands can total into hundreds of miles and empty a gas tank without ever going anywhere!  By walking or using a bicycle, you not only save money but reap untold wealth in terms of increased health benefits.  Even grocery shopping can be achieved easily on a bicycle with the use of rear baskets or a trailer.  (Front baskets can reduce the rider’s stability while riding.)  Even purchasing a bike rack for your family vehicle can help reduce your fuel costs when vacationing–many popular tourist destinations are more easily traveled by bicycle or on foot than by car, and the car stays parked while the family enjoys sight seeing.  If you are looking for bicycle routes, try Google Maps, and choose the bicycle icon for their beta bicycle routing feature.  I’ve used it, and I love it!

Unfortunately, one of the problems that increases as the economy’s strength decreases is crime.  One of the best methods to encourage a potential thief or home invader to choose another home is to have a dog, especially an indoor dog, irregardless of its size. Adopting a dog from a animal rescue or pound is much less expensive than buying one from a breeder, and often the adoption fee includes initial shots, exam, heartworm test, parasite exam, and spay/neuter.  This series alone can often be far more expensive than the fee charged to adopt.  Owning a pet offers numerous other benefits besides crime reduction, such as companionship and affection as well.

For services of all kind, whether its vaccinations and wellness exams for your pets, healthcare for your family, insurance for your home and car, repairs, purchases, etc., it is wise to do your homework and compare prices. This can usually be done without ever leaving your home, via the internet and the telephone.  In a price check for annual exam and vaccinations for cats and dogs, in one town, I found an incredible variation in prices for virtually identical services (same vaccinations & basic annual exam w/o lab work).  The lowest was just under $100, but the most expensive was well over $300.  Why pay more if it is the same level of service?  (All of these veterinary clinics were well liked by their clients, and none had any major complaints against the veterinarians practicing there.  Obviously, I didn’t bother checking prices with clinics that were regarded as substandard in any way, whether it was quality of care or difficulty in making an appointment.)  This kind of variation can often be found in almost everything a family purchases, whether it is insurance or a house.  For example, I used an online service for multiple agencies to price auto insurance.  The company I ultimately chose was so much lower that I thought that the quote they emailed me was a mistake!  (No, it wasn’t Geico OR Progressive!) Do your homework and you won’t spend any more than you need to.

While shopping locally is a great idea, unfortunately, not everyone has a vast number of local options for their shopping.  Shopping online is a very valid way to try to ensure that you get the most choice for the least amount of money, especially when you have the time to wait for the item to be shipped. In addition, if it is shipped to you, you haven’t had to spend money on fuel to drive around to FIND the item, often a difficult and time consuming task.  Shopping online does not have to be a difficult and dangerous task.  Read reviews on the products and the retailer to ensure that other customers are happy with the service the company provides. I have purchased a wide variety of items online, from clothing to groceries to auto repair parts, from a number of retailers, and I’ve rarely had any problem except that with the shipping company.

If you are fond of online auction sites, remember, while they were once the bargain hunter’s dream, today they often start auctions at prices the same or even higher than both local and online retailers. Don’t let auction fever grab you and coerce you into spending too much for an item.  In addition, service and speed of shipping is not always what the customer likes to see.   Know the normal prices, set your limit and don’t forget to add in the shipping costs, which are often incredibly expensive.  Read reviews on the seller, and pay attention to complaints and compliments.  While no one can make everyone happy all the time, consistent complaints are concerning especially when there are repeated complaints about items not being as described, poor packaging, slow shipping, never received, etc.  Also pay attention to the auction site itself–some of then actually charge you a fee just to place a bid, whether it is a winning bid or not.  Ebay is probably the auction site most familiar to most people, and it too is not the same as it was a decade ago.

Being prepared for hard times does not mean that you are wishing them upon yourself, but simply that you are being frugal and responsible.  Exposing your family unnecessarily to the hazards of a depressed economy is not a desirable event, and we all like to protect them as much as possible.  By making minor changes in your life now, before gas prices hike, before inflation strikes, and before shortages occur is no different than buying life insurance before you die.  In this case, it truly is LIFE insurance to ensure that your family’s lives are as safe and secure as possible.

RVs, campers, vans, bug out vehicles, nomadic life, evacuations

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”   Mark Twain

www.cheaprvliving.com

We see campgrounds with their rows of RVs, their rumbling generators, their whining air conditioners, and their neat little canopies.  On occasion, we see them venturing into national forests, and they don’t look any different.  Even “boon docking”, they often are noisy affairs spotted from miles away, with television, microwaves, air conditioning, heaters, refrigerator, and all the other comforts of home.  Is that camping really?

Obviously, to them, it is.  But many of the people in these RVs actually live full time in them.  In researching vehicles that people have modified and turned into their homes, I was amazed at the immense variety and surprising compactness of some of these homes on wheels, as well as the features their owners have packed into them.

But what is camping?  Is camping about a mobile home or about making your home anywhere you can?  Is it only when we are doing it for fun, or does it include when we give up the idea of a fixed address and become nomads in a land that frowns on nomadic people?

The USA does frown on nomadic life styles, as does most of the civilized world.  They LIKE us to have a fixed address, to know exactly where we get our mail and fix our meals and lay our heads to sleep.  Society prefers to have all of its members chained to the routine of utility bills, mortgages or rent, mail service, telephone service, and jobs.  So what happens when we break those chains and become nomads?

It’s tough.  Very tough.  Either a friend or family member needs to provide a mailing address for you, or you have to hire a mail service to collect  your mail and periodically forward it for you.  If you receive a pension check that cannot be direct-deposited, that can be a real pain if you are truly nomadic over a very large area.  If you are forced to find work to support yourself, that’s nerve wracking, and there is the additional problem of needing a bank if you can’t deal strictly in cash (almost impossible these days.)

Many people assume that nomads are running away from something.  That isn’t true.  Sometimes, it is nothing more than a desire to see and experience new places, and modern society makes that an expensive prospect if you are going to follow societal norms.  When you jump the fence and take off into the wild blue yonder of the nomad’s life, you need to be prepared.  How can you start?

Research, of course!  Figure out how much money you need per month, and how you will get it.  How will you travel?  How will you sleep?  Where will you be?  What will you do with your time?

While a bicycle and a tent is really cheap, it completely eliminates a lot of urban/suburban stealth camping.  The reality is, if you set that tent up in a city park, you are apt to find yourself arrested, and that won’t be a good day.  Most jobs are going to be most easily found in that same environment that prohibits just camping out, and RV parks often do not want tents in their midst, eliminating a less-expensive temporary home option.  You need a stealthier camper than a tent, and one that can be secure as well.  That means a motor vehicle, complete with registration and insurance and maintenance, another addition to the outgoing money you will need.

Motorhomes, while a nice neat package that allows you to comfortably move around, along with their detachable sisters, the camp trailer, are not particularly stealthy.  You will be noticed parking in the ‘burbs.  You will get hassled to move on in the city.  Vans, delivery trucks, cars, etc. are far less noticeable, and won’t attract as much attention.  Many of these can be modified to make quite comfortable homes according to Cheap RV Living.  RV Net has a thread about converting a van as well.  Searching the internet can bring you some interesting ideas, even if they aren’t always going to have ALL of the directions or a workable plan.  With ideas, you can come up with your own unique plan.  Another blog with some interesting threads is Stealth Survival.   Another interesting forum with discusions is Survivalist Boards.

Moving back towards straight camping without the survivalist overtones,  we have Van Dwelling Wanderer’s blog.  Lots of forums will have threads on van campers and full time living in them (and other campers too).  These can give you a heads up on problems, as well as offer ideas and other links to check out.  Many of them offer free membership, allowing you to post questions and comments yourself too. Don’t automatically discard ideas from European forums and blogs-it’s much more common for Europeans than Americans to simply convert a van, as gas prices are very high there, and American RVs with their less than 10 miles per gallon mileage is a formidable cost there.  Great ideas about features and conversions can be found there too.

Sometimes, our partners may be a huge obstacle to the idea of dropping out and going nomad.  It isn’t going to work if they are not agreeable to trying it.  If they agree, it still might not work.  Not everyone is cut out to be a nomad.  There is another truth in that not everyone who THINKS they are nomadic in nature is really destined to long term nomadic living, let alone lifetime nomadic living.  In truth, many people are nomads not by a conscious choice, but by the circumstances of their life, and they wander in search of…something.  Some are nomadic for relatively short term periods of time-a year or two, exploring their world, and then returning to normal stationary life with only occasional road trips to satisfy their wanderlust. 

Face it, genetically, almost all Americans descend from ancestors bitten by the wanderlust bug. That’s how they were to become pioneers and colonists often, and sometimes they were fleeing something, sometimes they were seeking something.  I suppose, in a way, I’m that way too.  Once upon a time, I packed up my kids and moved to Minnesota for about 18 months before returning to the Southwest for a variety of reasons.  Years later, I packed up what would fit in a Nissan pickup and moved from Arizona to New Orleans, and for no particular reason.  I thought about relocating to NE Texas after Katrina, and I thought of moving somewhere else too, but in the end, elected to return to New Orleans, at least for a while.  It’s been almost five years since the “while” started.  Is the wanderlust flowing through my veins again?  Will I wake up one morning and say, I’m packing up to move to ____? 

Maybe that’s where my fascination with the idea of nomadic living, at least temporarily, starts.  I don’t know where I would want to move to.  Of course, I knew very little about New Orleans when I chose this location in 2003 either.  Yep, next month, I’ll have lived here for 7 years.   Will I get the 7 year itch?

Of course, my life has changed in 7 years.  GM & I have been officially engaged for 2 years now, and as my partner, he has input in the decision too.  He hates the cold, I hate the heat.  There are also economic influences-we need jobs in whatever location we would choose to live, and to live nomadically, we would still need jobs to pay for the things that we have to have-like transportation, that roof over our heads, and even food to eat. We also have more animals than I had when I arrived here-instead of just Red Dog, there is also Sissy, Cali (cat) and Smokey Robinson (cat.)  Living in a van with 4 animals could be very difficult, even on the short term side.

The van as a home is also a reality in the event of a hurricane evacuation.  Evacuations are not an “unusual” event on the Gulf Coast, and in New Orleans, it’s really no joke.  Being so low and surrounded by water here, it is foolish to NOT evacuate.  But, at the same time, evacuations are expensive, and obviously after Katrina, we all know it might be a lot longer than the previous 3 day rule.  Even with Gustav, I was out of the city for 6 days.  Being able to comfortably cope in the van greatly reduces expenses, but in the South, the heat is unbearable in it without the engine running to power the a/c.  Even tents, which we have several of, are unbearably hot during the day even with fans running when power is available.  How can the cats cope with that?  Red Dog had heat stroke as a young dog, and her tolerance of heat is also not good.  Without cold water to cool her down, she is quickly suffering.

It doesn’t take long to realize that there would have to be some serious modifications of the van to turn it into even a temporary home as long as we are in the South and it’s summertime (storm season!)  Essentially, we would need access to shore power, and some kind of an a/c unit to cool the van and keep it tolerable, or a lightweight towable (tow capacity on the mini-van is only 200o lbs.) that could be equipped with an a/c.  That’s getting expensive, so I start thinking about alternatives.

The simplest and least expensive solution would be the purchase of the smallest a/c window unit on the market, which is about 5000 btus. Home Depot lists one at about $100, and it weighs in at 40 lbs.  For the passenger window, a wooden frame would have to be constructed that would clamp to the door’s frame with the window fully rolled down, to allow the a/c unit to be supported in this window when parked.  Stealthy? Hell no, but inexpensive and any a/c unit requires shore power or a generator, neither of which is “stealthy”.  Inside, everything would be removed and placed in the tent, since we’d obviously have rented a site in a campground to power this monster.  During the day, litter box and cats would have the freedom to move around the van, dogs would be able to come in and cool off, we could use the rear seat as a sofa and even work on small tables for our laptops.  Cooking would have to be done outside, and bathroom issues dealt with by the campground’s facilities.  With a bike rack, we could have our bicycles along, allowing us to make short trips to the store, etc.  without having to remove the a/c unit and then reinstall it upon our return.  Adding a small dorm sized refrigerator would also allow us to avoid the need-ice issue, even if we needed to place the refrigerator in the tent to keep floor space free.  At night, when we need to sleep, the cats could be relegated to a crate either located on a seat in front or in the tent.  The dogs, due to their inability to get along, have to be kept separate, and Red Dog has serious separation anxiety if she’s forced to go to another area without being able to see/hear me.  Added in with her ability to destroy crates, it would be impossible to simply crate her in the tent, and that means Sissy would be the one sleeping in the tent in a crate, unless it turns out her crate would fit on the rear seat (I know its too large for a front seat.)  Red would find enough space somewhere, she’s good about that, and GM & I would sleep on a bed on the floor of the van.  As it is a mini-van, that requires sleeping sort of diagonally in order to stretch out when the doors are closed.   (The floor space is roughly 4×5′.)  Even so, that a/c unit would allow us to sleep even on hot muggy nights.

Right now, all I have is a 12 volt oscillating fan, and while it can be run for several hours without draining the battery, I’d worry about running it all night, and it helps…but it’s still HOT and sticky.  Leaving windows open is like a neon sign inviting mosquitos to come dine too.  So, it’s still hot, sticky, and stuffy.  (GM swears I’m a fan, internet, and a/c addict too!) Making some screens to attach via magnets might help with the mosquitos and allow breezes for more moderate (and boondocking) temperatures.  The van’s windows are tinted, but there isn’t much for privacy, so figuring out a way to increase privacy without a lot of hassle would also be nice. The logical solution would be to figure out how to mount curtains with magnets or hook & loop tape, especially the front window which is a huge heat gain as well.  Something with insulating properties would be a great addition when parked! 

As for cold, that is rarely encountered except on leisure trips, and we have that down pat.  We haven’t slept in the van, but Sissy usually does.  Her crate is covered with a thick wool blanket, she has her bed and a microfleece blanket, as well as her own microfleece coat.  In addition, we tuck one or two chemical hand warmers under her bed, and they consistently radiate heat all night, keeping her snug and happy.  Red has gotten so that the cold bothers her too now that she is getting older, and she has her own fleece coat, and typically sleeps on our bed. On truly cold nights, she will crawl alongside me, allowing me to put the blanket over her (and share her heat too!) and she helps ME stay warm by sleeping on the opposite side from GM.  A few times, she has crawled between us, which has usually produced more laughter than anything, before she gives up and seeks a better spot.  She has learned that we have heated bricks at our feet, so to sleep between our feet or on top of the bricks means extra warmth, esp if the “extra” blanket is tossed over her. 

I also know, from previous vans, that if we are in it and the weather turns bitterly cold, we can actually heat it with nothing more than a candle.  That does require care, and normally, we would not sleep during the candle’s burning, but rather warm up the van, put out the candle, and go back to sleep.  A can of jelled alcohol or an alcohol burner can serve the same purpose.  Just remember to use care to not poison yourself with carbon monoxide while trying to stay warm!

So many thoughts…and sometimes, it all boils down to why am I feeling this antsy, anticipating, edgy feeling?  Is it intuition or paranoia?  Do I just have gypsy blood flowing in my veins?  Who knows…but time will tell.

Maiden ride on the new bikes

Despite severe weather warnings (flash floods/severe thunderstorms) Greg and I opted for a safer location for our maiden ride on the new bikes.  We left them in the van, and went to Lafreniere Park.  Even though there is no bike path and they aren’t allowed on the jogging path, the speed limit on the roads is only 20 mph and people give bikes a wide berth, so we felt it would be a safer bet than a normal residential area and the inevitable through streets to cope with for novice riders.

Oh am I glad we did make that choice.

When I did ride regularly, I had chosen bicycle riding as a way to maintain flexibility after a serious knee injury & long recovery.  Nearly 25 yrs of NOT riding regularly showed up fast.  First, I had to stop and raise the seat higher.  Even though it meant I could not reach the ground while perched on the little seat, I had to be able to flex my leg out completely.  In the position where I could reach the ground on tiptoes, my knees were screaming in protest and never came even close to full extension.

My knees filed complaints and it necessitated frequent (embarrassingly frequent) stops to allow me to stand up and stretch again.  My shoulder complained, and surprisingly, my elbow complained too.  I had more leaning forward than I had expected, and that could be a problem.  I’ll talk to my physical therapist and see if he has any suggestions or if its going to cause a problem beyond the increased pain during rides for now.  I may have to consider getting higher handlebars that sweep back more, bringing them closer to my position on the seat and therefore reducing the strain on the arms.  It just might be good for me to have to lean forward and ride, adding resistance and forcing the shoulder to work too.  A test by the Walmart bicycle rack sure didn’t show that I would have problems extending forward to reach the handlebars, but that is nothing like a test ride either.

I made the entire loop, a sum total of about a mile, I’d guess.  My knees said that was a good maiden voyage, and the bikes really do need tightening & adjusting before we do more than a simple loop like that.  It’s going to take me  a while to learn to shift gears, use the brakes (serious adjustments needed there!) and start pedaling.  Right now, I’m a little wobbly the first few feet.  Dismounting discovers I am a whole lot more wobbly in the knees than I expected as well.

So, it showed me I have a lot of conditioning to do, but in general, I like riding the bike.  It was really nice this afternoon, with a cool breeze coming from the incoming storm, and the temperatures had dropped substantially from midday.  I’m also quite surprised at which muscles are filing complaints now, an hour later.  I would never have expected upper arm muscles & both elbows to be somewhat in shock.  My knees, despite the wobbliness, aren’t hurting at all, I think they rather enjoyed the work out!  My butt, on the other hand, is quite reminiscent of a childhood post-spanking sensation.  Ouch.  And that is after a single mile loop.  I’m so glad that Greg insisted on this short jaunt through the park as our initial foray…what would I have been like after coping with whizzing traffic inches away and a much longer distance?

So…we shall venture out again tomorrow, probably to Lafreniere again, but this time, we might aim for an early morning ride for variety.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to relax more with the ride, and spend less time with cramping joint muscles and sore butt fixations and more time on noticing things like the ducks hoping for handouts and cute kids being kids.  Then again, maybe I’ll opt to wait for our ride until after Greg changes out the seat…

Hmmmm

But so far, I’m happy, and I think it’s a true statement: any bike under your butt is getting ridden a whole lot more than no bike at all.  I also think this might be a project that will shave years off of me as I work on regaining some flexibility and muscle tone while re-learning how to ride.  I’m also going to explore the directions via Google maps for bike routes-it has a beta bike route option, and I have already compared bike routes with standard car routes…and I think it might be a very useful tool!

New tires on van, new bikes in the van, life is good!

I did it.  It’s a done deal.

We bit the bullet and bought our straight-off-the-rack-from-Walmart bicycles.  Against our cycling friends’ advice too!

We had a basic theory…a bike under your butt gets ridden a lot more than none at all.

Even the Walmart specials were the result of some good fortune, as Greg received some unexpected pay, allowing us to cover the last pair of tires for the van and leaving the other money to buy the bicycles.  Even a pair of cheap bikes was not all that cheap–we spent about $260 before we walked out of the door with our $88 bicycles between the “warranty”, a locking cable, a new seat for mine, and a pump for the tires.  As you may guess, Walmart bicycles come complete with new flat tires!

That still leaves us with no bike rack for the van, no helmets, no pump that attaches to the bike, no water bottle rack, no tools, no spare tubes or tires, and with Greg riding on a stock seat, which he will do without saying a word simply because he’s hard headed.  But…they are beautiful and I’m ecstatic.  I told Greg that today was a very rare day, as I got to eat my cake and have it too!

You may wonder about the cake remark, but I had given up on the bicycle idea because of the tire situation on the van.  We need a reliable vehicle, and the tires had reached the point of being dangerous, much to my surprise when they were brought to my attention.  I get to thinking about the miles that they had driven, it shouldn’t have been a surprise, as those tires were on the van when I bought it three years ago.  In the meantime, I’ve made a trip to Minnesota, a good 20 trips to Houston, about 20 trips to Mobile, another dozen trips to Florida, a dozen trips to Lafayette, and a good forty trips to various points in Mississippi…and that doesn’t include the “local” driving I’ve done around here!  Just in the past week, without “going anywhere” we’d clocked over fifty miles on the odometer.  It seriously adds up remarkably fast.

I should be pleased, tires rarely lasted me over 2 years in Arizona, and often died a horrible mangled death at the hands of sharp edged rocks on the dirt roads I often traveled.  That minor detail has made me a huge fan of the “road hazard warranty.”  I don’t know how many times I’ve had a tire destroyed by slashing from a sharp rock or broken bottle in the last ten years, but I do remember vividly having to walk home one cold winter night when I was about 7 months pregnant because of a three day old tire being slashed.  I was less than a mile away from home, on a cold dark night on a very lonely dirt road and it was late at night.  Without a flashlight, it was going to be nearly impossible to change the tire, so I took off across country (I knew the area VERY well!) and was home in 10 minutes.  The next morning at about dawn, there I was, back at the truck, changing the tire so I could get back to the house, pick up my daughter, and then take her to school before making the 1 hr trip back to the tire store and getting a replacement tire so I could be to work on time that afternoon.

Flat tires, for any reason, totally suck.  There was no way, if there was any way around it, that I was going to “make do” with used tires, no matter what people said about them.  People don’t replace tires because they want a new pattern…

With that said, I’m happy.  Greg, after mowing part of the yard, announced it was shower time and the bikes were just fine lurking in the van.  They need unloaded, tires aired up, seat changed, and minor adjustments and tightening on various parts, all of which is beyond my abilities right now with the shoulder injury.  A critical point on the bike shopping was whether I could reach the handlebars with both hands and to make sure it was not necessary to ever lean on the handlebar for support.  Even the initial loading was frustrating Greg, who had momentarily forgotten my little handicap and couldn’t figure out why I was so little help until I reminded him why–I was equally as frustrated at my uselessness at the project.

So now I’m forced, like an excited kid, to wait until tomorrow…

Anticipation, it’s making me wait…