Testing, testing. One two, one two.

I just downloaded the Blogger app on my phone, so I'm testing it out with this post...

Something I haven't mentioned yet is that my two other friends, Michael and Koral, will be joining us on our trip. I'm not sure if they will be posting anything on this blog so I'll provide a brief introduction. Michael and I grew up in the same neighborhood, going to the same schools. Over the past year in particular, we have been biking a lot together. He shreds on a fixie, has plenty of outdoors experience, and has a lot to offer in regards to our "group dynamic." I met Koral through a mutual friend a couple months. She needed a partner to go cross country with and ended up with the four of us. She rides a custom Old Fields bicycle (among other bikes), is a bike mechanic, and is incredibly rad on and off the bike. We've been hanging out and riding together the past month, and I couldn't be more stoked on her joining us.

Down some dirt road, by some cow pastures.

Koral and I went on a two-day trip this past weekend to Lafayette Blue Spring. We rode 160 miles total in a span of 32 hours, so our time was mostly spent biking and sleeping, but I still got to see some awesome things. We passed through four counties, crossed several rivers, rode down dirt roads and across cow pastures, and spent some time in Perry--a town that I've only driven through. Unfortunately I didn't take very many pictures, but trust me when I say that North Florida is absolutely beautiful this time of year. Though I've lived in Tallahassee pretty much my entire life, bike touring has shown me facets of my surroundings I've never seen before. I'm ready to see what else is out there.

After I finish with this post I'm going to call Amtrak and book our train tickets, finalizing the last bit of preparation before the big date. I have the bike, I have the gear, and I have the legs! Everything is coming to a close; I'm graduating this Friday, my internship ends Thursday, and I'm going to start moving my stuff out of my house soon. It's crazy. I want to put together one last test-run with Koral, Michael, Dylan, and I. Perhaps to somewhere new, but I want to go back to St. George as well. We'll see.

Until next time!

- Chris

G'd Up From The Feet Up

Author's new bike sitting in front of Krank It Up, Tallahassee's Community Bike Project

I'm graduating from college in two weeks and, in just four more after that, we're leaving for our tour. Holy hell where did the time go? I distinctly remember last summer when my two friends (Cole and Michael) did their cross-country tour, inspiring me to save up and plan for my own journey across America. It's hard to believe that we're just a little more than a month out, and that it's actually going to happen. Of course, I didn't do it all on my own--and this post is dedicated to those who have been vital to the preparation of the tour, as well as those who have helped in my development as a cyclist.

Author's parents, Neil (front) and Marien (second)

First and foremost, the bike pictured above is my Salsa Fargo and it was gifted to me by my parents as a graduation present. I couldn't be more stoked on this bike; steel frame, disc brakes, limitless rack/mounting options, climbing gears for days, fits 29er tires as well as smaller road tires--this bike can do it all. Although the Fargo is marketed for bikepacking/off-road, it is incredibly comfortable and capable on pavement as well. I fully expect to ride it for the rest of my life, and I already have a list of countries I want to tour in with it. And before I forget: Huge thanks to The Great Bicycle Shop for taking good care of us in buying the bike.

I'm definitely lucky to have my parents' support in my biking interests. They both are very accepting of my choice to commute by bike, despite Tallahassee's god-awful drivers and lack of biking infrastructure. My dad has also been something of a guiding force behind my understanding of bike maintenance, bike culture, and everything in between. And I have to mention the fact that my parents did an incredible job raising my brother and I to appreciate the great outdoors via countless family outings to go biking, hiking, paddling, camping, etc. Simply put, my parents are bad ass and I know that I would be lost in preparing for this tour without their lifelong influence.

You may have noticed the swaggy accessories I have added to the Fargo. Specifically:

• Brooks B17 Saddle
• Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Rear Panniers
• Ortlieb Ultimate 6 Plus Handlebar Bag

For those who are familiar with bike touring products, the quality of these pieces do not have to be explained, and I am stoked that I now own them. In addition to the bags and saddle, I picked up a pair of Salsa's Anything Cages, some Shimano pedals and cleats, and a nice pair of dry bags for my sleeping bag/pad and tent. To my Aunt Pacita, who helped to finance some of the nicer pieces of gear, thank you so much. I'll be riding in style because of you! 

My buds and I @ Talloween X Alleycat: Franklin Manor

I want to wrap up this post with acknowledgement of my friends and peers within the Tallahassee biking community. I've been thinking about how I'm going to be gone for over two months, away from the people who really helped me find my passion for biking, and I'm going to miss them a ton. My roommate Jesse, and right-hand-man Robert. All the guys and girls in the Tallahassee Bike Polo Society who have showed me the most fun sport I've ever played in my life. Joe and Pete at Joe's Bike Shop, who have put up with my questions and all my bike mishaps. The volunteers at Krank It Up, who helped me to become more self-sustaining with my ever-growing collection of bikes. And everyone I've met through biking and who share a common passion for bicycles. 

You guys all rule. My friends, my family, and everyone who rides a bike. 

I'M SO PUMPED FOR THIS TOUR, BABY. WOOO!

- Chris

A Change of Plans...

Okay... so I think I waited (procrastinated) too long to make another post. There's a lot I want to write about! Oops.

On the bridge to St. George!

So Dylan, Jesse, and I went on a mini tour as our first test-run for the big tour. We rode 200 miles over the course of three days, camping one night at Wright Lake in the Apalachicola National Forest and the other at the St. George Island State Park. It was our first time putting some real distance down on the bikes, as well as our first mini-tour! I'm really excited about how well it all went. Our route was very scenic and relatively safe, and the gear I purchased all worked perfectly. I've definitely been bitten by the bike-tour bug, and I seriously can't wait until the next mini-tour (and the cross-country tour, of course).

The biggest lesson I learned from this experience is that you have to be on top of everything:

Being aware of your route and road conditions. Making sure your bike and equipment is in proper working order. Where's the next source of water? Food? Having the proper camping gear while accounting for weight. When does the sun go down?

You get the idea...

Shortcomings in any of these categories can easily ruin your day, and perhaps even your tour. With a combination of preparedness and a little luck, we made our weekend excursion work. 

After setting up camp at Wright Lake

Preparing for and doing the weekend tour also made me change my mind on a few different things. For one, I have decided not to use my DIY Bike Buckets on the cross-country tour. While they worked amazingly on our mini-tour, I'm not sure that I trust them to hold up for our entire journey across America, and I really do not want to have to deal with unnecessary equipment failure. Also, we have chosen to abandon the "voluntouring" aspect of The Ride. Just planning and executing for a three-day tour proved to be stressful enough, let alone a two-month one. Money and time was also a concern, plus we will now have more leisure to explore and document our experiences without the constraints of volunteering. Therefore, I have renamed the blog "The Ride: A Bike Tour Across America" with no particular mission statement. The blog will simply cover the tour from our perspectives, and offer pictures and videos to further enhance your viewership! And finally, we have changed the route slightly: We will be going on the TransAmerica route as planned, up until Pueblo, CO where we will transfer to the Western Express, which will take us through to San Francisco, CA! It's a bit shorter, but the idea of ending in SFO and meeting up with my family there sounds really awesome. Also who doesn't like a little taste of California? Check out the maps in our updated About section! 

So... departure date is set for May 30th or 31st. We're still figuring out how to get to Virginia, but there have been discussions about taking a train from Jacksonville. I am also getting a new touring bike, which I'll probably post about in the near future. And there's an epic going-away party that we're planning for May 16th. Very, very exciting times for us. So ready to hit the road. 

See you next post! 

- Chris