My Epic Bicycle Touring Thread! - Page 2

Jurgen · 03-06-2013, 12:24 PM

Chisenhallw · 03-07-2013, 10:31 AM

Holy run-on sentence, batman!

Nihon Newbie · 03-14-2013, 10:13 PM

Another excerpt:
"Riding at night always tended to be a last resort measure. Intense daytime heat was the main reason this time. Turns out, most of Washington state is not the lush, damp, evergreen expanse I had always pictured it to be. No, a vast part of Washington is a dry, blistering, desert planet-like place during summers. I had run out of water twice on my way to the Grand Coulee Dam, having not learned my lesson the first time, while climbing a horrendous grade that ascends from the Columbia River, to meet a highway just South of Nespelem. It was around 105F ambient, and I was being outrun by a lizard. Pedaling that slowly was probably death for my knees, but I couldn't help but laugh a little at the fact that I was nearly done with the Cascade Mountains, and was still wanting for even lower gearing!

Leaving Grand Coulee on the 174E, I was looking forward to sunset. People were eating dinner, and I was just hitting the road, but it felt good to be on the way to Spokane, and nearly out of Washington, slashing another checkmark into my list of states. The first 8 miles pitched me up a 1600 foot climb, back out into high plains desert, which eventually transitioned into endless, dimly lit farmland. The grass was a welcome sight, as well as the chill of night. The climb was tempered only by the view...I came over a large hill and remember looking into the dark at scattered twinkling lights, which I thought were cars, but were actually small towns and some houses. The expanse over which I was looking must have been absolutely massive, and I'm sorry my pictures don't do it justice. Aside from the coyote howls, it was silent, the dead-straight road lit only 20 feet at a time by my headlamp, as I pedaled over an infinite stretch of rollercoaster hillocks. My hand-written directions assured me this kept on for many miles, but I was nevertheless wary that the road would suddenly just end, and I would fall into an abyss, or maybe ride into a barn. I may have been a little tired at this point..."

In other news, it looks like I'll be putting my Surly back to good use next month! I have a good buddy coming back into town to visit the area, and he wants to ride together, but his catch was that I wasn't allowed to use my Tarmac, haha, so Ill be putting pedals back on the LHT once more...

03-06-2013, 12:24 PM	#16
Jurgen Trolljegeren Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Sandoval, Nuevo Mexico Oddometer: 32,341	__________________ They're nihilists, Donny, nothing to be afraid of. Moderator:CSM/JoMomma/ShinyThings/Sports

03-07-2013, 10:31 AM	#17
Chisenhallw Kilted Terror Joined: Feb 2007 Location: I've narrowed it down to 'earth'. Or 'Baltimore'. Oddometer: 1,742	Holy run-on sentence, batman! __________________ ESCAAAAPE..FROMMMM...BALTIMOOOOORE Dynamick & I are raising money for the Children's Foundation. Please give if you feel so inclined! 2001 Kawasaki Concours

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

03-14-2013, 10:13 PM	#18
Nihon Newbie ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2012 Location: SLO Cal Oddometer: 130	Another excerpt: "Riding at night always tended to be a last resort measure. Intense daytime heat was the main reason this time. Turns out, most of Washington state is not the lush, damp, evergreen expanse I had always pictured it to be. No, a vast part of Washington is a dry, blistering, desert planet-like place during summers. I had run out of water twice on my way to the Grand Coulee Dam, having not learned my lesson the first time, while climbing a horrendous grade that ascends from the Columbia River, to meet a highway just South of Nespelem. It was around 105F ambient, and I was being outrun by a lizard. Pedaling that slowly was probably death for my knees, but I couldn't help but laugh a little at the fact that I was nearly done with the Cascade Mountains, and was still wanting for even lower gearing! Leaving Grand Coulee on the 174E, I was looking forward to sunset. People were eating dinner, and I was just hitting the road, but it felt good to be on the way to Spokane, and nearly out of Washington, slashing another checkmark into my list of states. The first 8 miles pitched me up a 1600 foot climb, back out into high plains desert, which eventually transitioned into endless, dimly lit farmland. The grass was a welcome sight, as well as the chill of night. The climb was tempered only by the view...I came over a large hill and remember looking into the dark at scattered twinkling lights, which I thought were cars, but were actually small towns and some houses. The expanse over which I was looking must have been absolutely massive, and I'm sorry my pictures don't do it justice. Aside from the coyote howls, it was silent, the dead-straight road lit only 20 feet at a time by my headlamp, as I pedaled over an infinite stretch of rollercoaster hillocks. My hand-written directions assured me this kept on for many miles, but I was nevertheless wary that the road would suddenly just end, and I would fall into an abyss, or maybe ride into a barn. I may have been a little tired at this point..." In other news, it looks like I'll be putting my Surly back to good use next month! I have a good buddy coming back into town to visit the area, and he wants to ride together, but his catch was that I wasn't allowed to use my Tarmac, haha, so Ill be putting pedals back on the LHT once more...