Sunday, December 19, 2010

Never say "Never"

As recently as my last post, I settled the issue of whether or not I would ever try another ride as long as my last trek.  I said, "NO - Not that far, not alone, and not pulling a trailer."  But now, exercising my right to follow in the footsteps of some of our infamous politicians who frequently mis-quote, mis-lead, mis-appropriate, and mis-serve our nation, I acknowledge that I may have "mis-spoke."  I am starting to investigate the wisdom and logistics of another trip for this coming Spring or early Summer that will circumnavigate the entire state of Florida.  The ride will begin at the War Memorial in Pensacola, follow East along Highway 98 to Crystal River, Highways 98, 19, & 41 to Miami, US 1 to Key West, North along US 1 & 1A to Amelia Island, West along Highway 40 to Kings Ferry, Ga, South on 115A & 301 to Baldwin, Fl., West on US 90 to Crestview, Rt 4 to Davisville, North 97 to Meadows Lane, West along Meadows Lane and Nokomis Rd to Pineville Rd, South along Pineville to Enon, 97A to Bay Springs, 99 to Barrineau Park, 196 to 97 South to Beulah, US90 to Blue Angel Pkwy (173), 173 to 298 West, 298 & 297 to 292 (Gulf Beach Hwy), 292 East to West Main St., Main St back to the War Memorial in Pensacola, for a total distance of approximately 2,000 miles, requiring approximately 50 days on the road.

The sole purpose of this trip will be to raise funds to build a shelter for homeless veterans in the Panhandle.  I will encourage individuals and businesses to donate funds, equipment, and services to defray the operational costs of conducting the ride, and pledges on a per-mile-completed basis to fund the construction and operation of the homeless vet shelter.

One thing I learned the hard way on my last trip is that I shouldn't even think about doing this alone; although I'm confident I could do it.  If I could accomplish 1160 miles alone, why not 2,000?  But, common sense says that I won't be able to effectively plan or promote this alone, advertise and fund raise alone, or ride and support this alone.  This could be a massive effort, involving many riders and supporting organizations.  The financial goal of this project will be ambitious for tough economic times, which, in and of itself validates the need for substantial public effort to help care for some of our most deserving citizens, those who put it all on the line, at the expense of personal health, family, and careers, only to return home to hopeless life circumstances. 

Something else I learned during my October trip, is that a properly-motivated person, even if relatively unfit, can accomplish virtually any reasonable fitness goal, given sufficient time and support in the right environment.  I started my last journey weighing 233 pounds with poor stamina.  I came home 25 days later weighing 204 pounds (still too much) with much greater stamina.  I'll be 64 years old when I start this next trip.  I'll come home weighing around 185 pounds and feeling as fit as I did 30 years ago.  This will be an excellent endeavor for anyone who has similar fitness goals.

To make this trip possible, each rider will need to raise approximately $3,000 in funds to finance personal participation in the ride, and gain as many pledges as possible to forecast reasonable assurance that a suitable veteran's facility can be built and operated.  At least one maintenance and support-equipped vehicle will have to be provided to complete the entire journey with the riders, preferably with a covered trailer that can shelter participating bikes and carry necessary supplies.  An escort vehicle would be very helpful to scout routes, help riders avoid construction and other hazards, and pace riders in areas of traffic congestion. 

Any number of properly-funded and equipped riders can participate in any portion or all of the trip.  Riders can plan to relay en route, unless riders wants to pedal the entire distance.  I plan to pedal the entire trip to set the pace and to accomplish personal fitness goals.  All cycling participants will be required to wear a cycling helmet and gloves and should ensure that their bikes are properly maintained and equipped, including lights before departure.  All ride participants should carry a cell phone, GPS if you've got it, or plan to ride with someone who does.

I am soliciting as much input as possible to help plan and execute this ride.  Biking associations in particular could benefit from the exposure generated by this ride.  Using cycling as a means of raising public awareness of important social issues serves the double purpose of encouraging folks of all ages and fitness levels to get out and enjoy one of the best low-impact aerobic exercise opportunities available - cycling.

Individuals interested in supporting this mission might consider donating, loaning, or otherwise making available to ride participants bike equipment and attire, support vehicles, including RV's that can be used to shelter riders en route and overnight (This alone could save untold thousands of dollars that can be channeled towards the primary goal of constructing a shelter for homeless vets.), shouldering the responsibility for advertising and promoting the ride, and coordinating with other private, government, or business organizations that will participate in, or benefit from our efforts.  Others might help solicit donations of speciality products specifically suited to cycling events - food, drinks, first aid equipment, etc. 

Other things that we must investigate and prepare for before departure are road, traffic, and construction conditions, and forecast weather.  Some roads may require swapping out tire types.  Forecast weather may dictate carrying different kinds of riding attire.  I recommend each rider have a minimum of two days of appropriate moisture-wicking riding attire, including padded Spandex shorts and tights, and at least one long-sleeve shirt.  Sunburn will absolutely be an issue, as will insects in some areas.  I don't recommend tent camping for this trip, as camping fees can be unreasonably exorbitant; and you will need good quality rest and facilities to stay fit and able for this ride.  In the absence of available RV's, several folks can "camp" in a motel room and enjoy much-needed facilities at substantial savings.     

Please contact me ASAP with your questions and suggestions.  The sooner issues can be resolved and plans completed, the more likely and easier our goals can be accomplished.  I don't want to trust any important considerations to last-minute resolution; and sponsors are entitled to trust and expect that we will accomplish what we set out to do.  This will be a great opportunity for you to immerse yourself in an opportunity that will test and reward your ability to achieve a number of personal and corporate goals, made easier by mutual effort, support, and encouragement, not unlike some of the difficult tasks routinely accomplished by our soldiers every day.      

      

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Scenes Along the Greenway 1

SCENES ALONG THE GREENWAY 1

From October 1 thru 25, I pedaled 1160 miles roundtrip on the Greenway from Fernandina Beach to Key West. Although I was driven by other missions that kept me from being primarily a cycling tourist, one of my goals was to evaluate the Greenway to identify sections of it that I could bring cyclist groups back to for weekend tours. I took several dozen pictures, but then struggled for weeks to find a program that would download them from my Android II cell phone camera. I still don't have an ideal solution; but, I was able to retrieve the pictures; and I will publish a group of them every week on www.greenriding.blogspot.com.

I had really over-prepared for my trip in some respects, carrying far too much gear, including a handlebar-mounted HD camcorder to document my ride which proved to be less-than-useful; because most of the route I followed was far too rough to use it, even with digital stabilization. So, I took still pictures instead and made a digital voice journal of my riding experiences.

Florida is blessed with many beautiful coastal communities; and perfect weather conditions during my trip allowed me to capture scenic shots of areas that I would like to visit again.
Daytona Beach


St. Augustine
As you might expect, when you pedal into some of the older communities, like St. Augustine, you'll find that many streets are not particularly accommodating towards bicycles, since traffic can be heavy on narrow streets. The Bridge of Lions is a particularly difficult challenge, unless you want to walk your bike across on a pedestrian lane.

Bridges in general are okay for cycling, offering shoulders of 6 to 10 feet in width. You just have to vigilant to avoid all of the broken glass which seems to mark the territorial bounds of redneck youth whose primary source of entertainment must be breaking beer bottles. This can be especially hazardous as you accelerate at breakneck speed on the down slope. Since I was pulling a 100 pound trailer behind my bike, I had to be careful to look far enough ahead to avoid sudden swerving. I guess it's possible to jack-knife a bicycle and trailer; but I didn't want to try it. It was scary enough exceeding 30 M.P.H. on narrow high-pressure street tires! The longest bridge on my trip was the Seven Mile Bridge between Marathon Key and Bahia Honda Key, with six foot shoulders. Traffic is heavy; but I found that motorists would go far out of their way to give me extra room. The next-longest bridge is the five-mile-long Long Key Bridge between Long Key and Grassy Key, with its adjacent "Fishing Pier" constructed with newly-resurfaced bike lane right down the middle. What a nice treat, thanks to the state's Greenways and Trails folks!

Long Key "Fishing Pier"


Seven Mile Bridge

For nine of my twenty four days of cycling, I battled stiff headwinds - strong enough that it required 38 minutes of hard pedaling to get across Seven Mile Bridge. I didn't dare take any pictures from that bridge, as traffic was too heavy for me to stop on its relatively narrow shoulder.

I've been asked many times if I will do this trip again. My canned answer has been an all-too-hasty "NO!" But, the correct answer is "Parts of it." I wouldn't do it solo again, or, without a chase vehicle; and I wouldn't want to pull a trailer again for that distance. And, now I know that this trip should really be allotted sixty days to complete to allow for sightseeing and side trips. Once the bulk of the ongoing road construction in the Keys is complete, this should actually be a very pleasant route for cycling. I don't think I would plan on tent camping again, as the fees charged in State campgrounds are exorbitant and completely out of line, considering the minimal amenities used by tent campers compared to those used by RV'ers.

From a fitness perspective, this ride was an awesome experience. I lost 27 pounds in 25 days, and never felt weak or hungry, in spite of pedaling 8 - 12 hours per day, fueled by a large breakfast and 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of Gatorade per day. I would certainly recommend a trip like this for anyone who is reasonably healthy and looking for a way to lose a significant amount of weight, while improving cardiovascular health, and overall fitness. As a side note, I contacted the makers of Gatorade to tell them about my experiences and hoping to gain some insight into how that product worked for me; but they didn't extend the courtesy of any kind of reply. How strange! I believe in their product, whether they do or not! Having said that, I would not recommend that anyone blindly follow my example without first being thoroughly examined by a doctor and cleared to embark on such a journey. What worked for me may be harmful for someone else.