words from the trail

June 20 165 Km

Today’s Points 1 Total Score 1

I guess I have some words of advice from the trail.

1. Make sure you are not planning a trip that is going to be too hot (or too cold or wet). Texas was a bad idea. I wake up every morning before dawn and race until about 11:30 when it becomes too hot. Then I take a break until about 5 when the shade of the trees makes biking tolerable again.

2. Find a way to clean up daily. It may seem obvious but if you don't, wash yourself and your clothes regularly, you will develop some weird rash on your legs. Or at least I did. This is why your mother always told you to take a bath.

3. You may want to invest in an adventure cycling book (http://www.adventurecycling.org/)for the trip that you are going on. I never did but in hind sight it might have been a good $20 investment.

4. Don't carry too much stuff or too little. I packed a bit too much in the beginning and ended up mailing some extra clothes home after a week or two. You can always pick up some more essentials in towns along the way.

5. You will quickly learn that small "one horse" towns don't always even have a horse, or a gas station, or a grocery store, or water for that matter. Unless it is real city, don't assume that you can get things that you need.

6. The water proof panniers that I have work great

7. The computer is awesome, It keeps me connected with the world and gives me something to do when I am waiting out the heat or the rain.

8. It takes me about 2 weeks of touring before my legs are no longer sore. Any training you can do before the trip will make the actual trip more enjoyable. My butt still hurts, I think it is the seat, or the shorts or the sweat from the hot weather. If you figure out how to solve this problem, let me know.

June 19 145 Km

Today’s Points 1 Total Score 0