From: jpalmier@rvgs.vak12ed.edu (Jim Palmieri)
Subject: XC/USA:RESPONSE
Organization: Virginia's Public Education Network
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 15:20:33 GMT

Since I have posted the article on cycling across the USA in 28
days, I have received so much mail that I am spending all my
free time responding and the responses are relatively long.  So
I have decided to write an article covering all the information
that has been asked.  What I write here is only my opinion
based upon my experience.  It is the way that I did it and
certainly not the only way to go.  As my cycling partnet Tim
said to me, it is your trip, you can do it any way that you
want.

I have found that what one plans and even what one imagines,
may not reflect what actually takes pla in real life.  I will
try to express my opinion from the viewpoint of comfort and
enjoyment.  As a friend said to me, the trip is not a race and
certainly not vacation.

WHY DO IT?: Good question.  I did it because I wanted to
celebrate my 40th birthday in such a way that I would remember
it.  It was an important point in my life and it has changed
the way I view my daily activities.  It is also not a big deal,
just about anyone can cycle across the country.  Your body will
adapt to the daily routine in short time (and unadapt just as
fast once you get home).  The USA is a beautiful country and
the West is so large compared to the East.  The country is
filled with great people just as long as you avoid the cities,
anyway the cities out West are known as towns in the East!

WHEN TO GO:  The West/mountains stay cold into the summer and
mornings can be below freezing.  Days in the desert get hot and
water becomes an important item.  You will need to pack warm
clothing.  REMEMBER to layer.  A good rule to follow is to make
sure that every item you take has multiple uses.  If it is cold
then wear three shirts to stay warm rather than pack something
extra that you may use only once.  Remember that everything you
take will have to be carried UP every hill, STROKE BY STROKE.

HOW TO GO:  I recommend taking a road machine and not a
mountain bicycle.  The direction that you travel is your
choice, I went West to East but ran into a lot of head wind and
cross/head wind. We did not hit our first day of real tail wind
until Indiana.  Nebraska was day after day of 15-20 mph
headwind.  YUCK! 

WHO TO GO WITH: Pick a friend but remember that when you finish
you may not be friends anymore.  From people that I have talked
with, about 50% hate the people that they rode with by the end
of the trip.  I met the fellow I rode with the day before we
left.  We had been communicating for about two months though.
Each one of us had a bad day where we hated the other fellow.
All it takes is a bad nights sleep or not enough food and the
next day you just drag on the bicycle, but if your partner is
feeling great then you will not be riding together much and
tempers become hair triggers.  The best thing that I could
recommend is to go no faster than the slowest person and do
everything together.  Make it your job to help out your partner
and make it your partners job to help you out.  Just basic
respect and sensitivity can go a long way.  Talk this out ahead
of time.  No one wants an argument to result in partners going
their separate way 800 miles into a 3,000 mile trip.

BICYCLE:  Save your super new racing biccycle for the rides
around town.  Beauty must be replaced with function.  An old
bicycle with reliable components will make a good bike to
travel across country with.  Strong wheels with heavy duty
sspokes is essential and a reliable set of components.  The
gear ratio will depend on how you cycle and how much you
carry.  I traveled without packs and used a 14-24 freewheel and
had no problems.  The Rockies are no big deal but the mountains
of W. Virginia and Pennsylvania are.  What ever you cycle with,
use it for the last month before starting your trip.  DO NOT
make modifications just before the trip and start your tripo
withot testing the modification with at least a couple of
hundred miles.

TRAINING:  I averaged about 110 miles each day on the trip.
Some days were 80 mile days while others were 150 mile days.
You will have to pick the milage you want to travel but I do
recommend that you start out preparing for your trip at least
2-3 months in advance.  I plan on doing at least 3- 80 mile rides
each week.  As I move closer to July, I will convert one of
those days into a 100 mile ride.  This may seem excessive to
some of you but it takes this type of milage to harden the
connective tissues of those parts of your body being used.  As
tissues get used under pressure and tension, they increase in
density and this equates to less injury on the trip (hopefully
no injury).  Anything less will be just that, LESS.  If you
plan on doing only 60 mile days on the trip, then you can reduce
your training milage.  I believe that you need to have a rest
day between long training days, for recovery.

TYPE OF TRIP/CAMPING OR MOTEL:  I believe that the easiest way
to travel across the country is by being light.  The most
valuable component that I took was a plastic credit card.  We
stayed in motels along the way and never had trouble finding
one.  Our cost was $15.31/person/night.  For me, a cheap cost
for a place to sleep (bed), shower, telephone, and most
important of all, an AIR CONDITIONER!!! After 10 hours on the
road in the HOT sun, we did not want to even see light or even
feel the sun (does not feel so nice on sun burned skin.  I also
believe that camping may sound as if it should be cheaper but
the cost all comes out the same.  If you camp, you have to buy
equipment and even if you have it, you have to haul it.  You
can not make as good time on the road and the trip may take you
another week or longer.  The real expense is food.  You will
save the cost of the motel but the overall cost will be about
the same.  Also, pack only what you will really need.  Don't
pack to cover every possible situation that you could think
of.  If the weather turns very cold, then buy an extra pair of
gloves or a sweatshirt.  Don't be afraid to mail home anything
you do not need.  Make ssure that everut thing you take has
multiple functions and try not to duplicate supplies that your
partner has.  

***One important note about cycle equipment,Make sure that you
contact at least two shops close to home and work out a deal
with them.  If you have trouble along the way and something
breaks (and believe me there are not many bicycle shops out in
the desert) remember that you can have something shipped
overnight and you only have to be delayed a day.

MATERIALS:
BICYCLE-backrack, single pannier bag, bag for top of rack, seat
bag, 3-24 oz. plastic water bottles, small doublestroke high
pressure pump, 2 extra tires and 4 punctureproof plastic
innertubes,patch kit and boot for sidewall puncture, 6 extra
spokes, spoke wrench, freewheel remover (IMPORTANT ITEM), small
can of lube spray, Swiss Army knife, tri-head allen wrenches,
small screwdriver, handymans tool (one/group).

CLOTHING:2-cycling shorts, 2-cycling jerseys, 2-3 pair socks,
cycling gloves, pair cheap cotton gloves, helmet and mirror
(IMPORTANT ITEM, saves your neck muscles), reflective vest,
lycra leg tights, 2 pair ripstop nylon shorts, polypro long
sleeved shirt, light wind breaker, ski earband, 1 tee shirt and
2 tanktop undershirts.

PERSONAL ITEMS:Daily journal and pen, 25 stamps, small camera
and film with prepaid mailers, toothbrush and toothpaste, #50
sunblock especially for the nose, sunblock chapstick, motrin,
aspirin, antibiotic creme.

MAIL: if you plan your route then you can mail out items you do
not want and have materials sent to you via general delivery.
This is important.

RAIN: Get Wet.  It will feel nice.  Don't bring rain gear. DO
scotchguard all your packs and use ziplock bags for everything.

MAPS: Pick up a state map at each state line.  Sometimes truck
weigh scales along the highway have them for free or spend a
buck at a gas station.  Write down notes on the map to help you
next time you do the trip or help someone else later.  Mail
them home.  Don't carry them.  Also, contact Bike Centenial for
their maps and guides.  They are well worth it and the group is
great.


WATER: You can probably get by on 3 24 oz bottles.  Remember,
to fill as you use it, even to stop to fill one bottle while
the other two are full.  If you run out, cars come by and there
are houses along the way (except Wyoming, I remember the town
of Natrona, pop. 5)

Good Luck and write me if you have any specific question(s).

See you on the road.  Jim
-- 
__________________________________________________________________
                         Dr. Jim Palmieri
                         North Cross School                   
                         4254 Colonial Avenue
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles,misc.forsale