bike failure

never even left.

bike is still feeling the fallout from the colorado bike trip.

continuing to take apart, reassemble bike.

a new bike isn't far off the horizon it seems.....

2 Days.....

Bike is all put together and works good as new....although its paint job begs to differ.

As far as weather goes.....the usual summer forecast for east coast....chance of evening thunderstorms.

Anyways, not much else to report except that the drive from Wyoming back to Virginia was extremely lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng.  28 hrs of nearly non-stop driving.  I don't recommend this for anyone wanting to drive the distance all in one sitting. 

Lately I've been more occupied constructing fly-fishing themed mandolin than thinking about bike trip....I guess I still have until Saturday morning to start getting my mind prepped and ready for the two week trip.  

Either myself or Loretta will post some information throughout the next couple of weeks...it'll all depend on where internet access is located along my path of travel.....

Still in Wyoming, but planning......

Though I'm still living/working in Wyoming the planning for this quickly approaching bike trip starts......now!  My bicycle is currently in a sad state though.  Right when we got back from a trip to Boulder, Colorado  I rolled my weary bicycle into the kitchen and started the process of taking it apart.  Part by part until it was entirely...apart. 

While in Boulder, Mike Matzuk took a look at the rear wheel after our ride earlier this week and concluded that my rear wheel needs to be rebuilt or replaced.   Apparently my rear wheel isn't quite the perfect, and ideal, circle it once was.  I knew, for a while, that it wasn't spinning true but had no idea it wasn't a perfect circle anymore....so, I guess I'm not going anywhere on my bicycle until I have the rear wheel fixed. ....enough rambling. 

The proposed route....a 1,400 mile trek from Georgetown, D.C. up to Bar Harbor, Maine.  It's not the most direct route between the starting and ending point, but the route I have planned out should be very interesting and scenic to say the least. ...

The first leg of the trip will follow the historic C&O Canal Towpath.  It starts in Georgetown and follows the Potomac river for 185 winding, riverfront, car-free miles.   Cumberland, Maryland is the end of the C&O Canal. 

 From Cumberland, MD I'll follow the 150 miles of car-free pathway until I reach Pittsburgh.  This stretch is called the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and is a rail-to-trail system.  From Pittsburgh it's 153 miles to the shores of Lake Erie.  Once there I'll follow the Adventure Cycling Association's Northern Tier route and follow it eastward until I reach Bar Harbor.  The route will go through/past Niagra Falls, Adirondack Mtns, Green Mtns, etc.  

I figure it'll be about a two week trek, give or take a day or so and plan on carrying less gear than my previous, smaller bike trips I've done this year.  I'll opt for the seat-post rack and saddle bags rather than the B.O.B. trailer.  I might be shooting myself in the foot right from the start seeing most folks who bike the C&O Canal and G.A.P. use hybrid or mtn bikes and I'll be using my old racing bike with the widest treds I can manage to squeeze on....We'll see.  

Tentative start date July 25th....

Some website for folks references if so desire...

http://bikewashington.org/canal

http://GAPTrail.org/