Across America with the ABC's John Shovelan

cfsmtb

This is amazing,

ABC correspondent John Shovelan begins his 4,800-kilometre bicycle
journey across the US.
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/acrossamerica>

Send John a message and wish him all the best, and please pass this info
onto other cyclists too.

Question, tired joke, but, is he doing this on eight cents a day?

".......If you have any questions for John along the way, you can email
them to newseditor@your.abc.net.au



--

hippy

>Originally posted by cfsmtb
>ABC correspondent John Shovelan begins his 4,800-kilometre >bicycle journey across the US.
>http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/acrossamerica

This is the bike journey blog I am currently reading: http://www.crazyg-
uyonabike.com/journal/?opts=300&doc_id=339&mtime=20040514153714

(TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/2gcvw)

It's kinda scary. This guy is close to my age and he's left everything
to ride his singlespeed all over the states, visiting friends, visiting
Mexico, visiting bike shows, visiting races...

Makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing sitting in an office all day...

hippy



--

Terry Collins

cfsmtb wrote:
>
> This is amazing,

Curiosity question. Can people explain why it is amazing?
You do realise that people are doing this all the time?

DRS

"Terry Collins" <terryc@woa.com.au> wrote in message
news:40A8BEA5.34F4E9F5@woa.com.au
> cfsmtb wrote:
>>
>> This is amazing,
>
> Curiosity question. Can people explain why it is amazing?
> You do realise that people are doing this all the time?

People are crossing America by bicycle on 8 cents a day all the time? Who
knew?

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

cfsmtb

Terry Collins wrote:
> Curiosity question. Can people explain why it is amazing? You do realise
> that people are doing this all the time?



Odd response Terry, thought you were a cyclist into the great outdoors &
into touring et al. I thought it was a well designed site, plenty of
planning etc, wide coverage on the ABC site and it would inspire people
to plan their own trips.

Rather discouraging when cyclists become fashionably cynical about their
own kind. Suppose I should stop putting high priority on plans for the
2007 PBP, everyone does it so who cares.



--

flyingdutch

cfsmtb wrote:
> I should stop putting high priority on plans for the 2007 PBP, everyone
> does it so who cares.



whoah! respect!

on a SS, per-chance to dream?

or maybe a HelloKitty touring special...

When the kids are gone and wif and I become the grey nomads, I dream of
going around Oz/World with support vehicle to catch up to me every
morning...

A big Winnebago with sick sound system, comfy bed and some Grateful Dead
or Tool to tune out to. Now, back to the desk job...



--

Terry Collins

cfsmtb wrote:
>
> Terry Collins wrote:
> > Curiosity question. Can people explain why it is amazing? You do realise
> > that people are doing this all the time?
>
> Odd response Terry, thought you were a cyclist into the great outdoors &
> into touring et al. I thought it was a well designed site, plenty of
> planning etc, wide coverage on the ABC site and it would inspire people
> to plan their own trips.

Okay, perhaps my question could have been better phrased. I have a
professional (business?) interest in understanding what motivates people
to put bum on seat and go bicycle touring.

Yes, it is great to have bicycle touring featured on such a high profile
sit as the ABC. Even better that it shows that you don't need a tent,
etc to go bicycle touring (although difficult in Australia). and
asolutely fscking fantastic that it is NOT another bloody charity ride.
(I even get asked which charity I am riding for when I am commuting).

>
> Rather discouraging when cyclists become fashionably cynical about their
> own kind.

ROFL, me, fashion and bicycles. Nothing further from the truth. My main
cycling clobber was king gee shorts, cotton shorts and sandals and lets
not talk about what my frame looks like. I've rolled my own in just
about everything. One day I'll make my own frame.

>Suppose I should stop putting high priority on plans for the
> 2007 PBP,

Did his site encourage you to keep thinking about it.

As I said, why do you see it as good?

Even roadie opinions (hawk, spit foul tase {:-) are better than having
to deal with "we are trying to develop bicycle products and services and
brand them with the town" as I recently had on the telephone.

On the otherhand, perhaps you roadies would take to something that
involved coaching, a leg wax and sauna {:-).

Terry Collins

flyingdutch wrote:

....snip.....
> When the kids are gone and wif and I become the grey nomads, I dream of
> going around Oz/World with support vehicle to catch up to me every
> morning...

Gambling huh?
My only advice is not to wait. Once the kids finish their education or
even start their tertiary education, you should consider going. Once you
become a parent, health can be a bit of a gamble.
>
> A big Winnebago with sick sound system, comfy bed and some Grateful Dead
> or Tool to tune out to. Now, back to the desk job...

Yep, it was the desk job that got me. Two nights of tests in hospital
and "congratulations, here is your companion for life. Just plug it into
the power point each night". Not too many of those where I like to tour.

cfsmtb

Terry Collins wrote:
> On the otherhand, perhaps you roadies would take to something that
> involved coaching, a leg wax and sauna {:-).



Ahahaha, moi, a roadie?!? Sorry you've got no idea how funny that is.
Roadie? More like small womble....making good use of the things that we
find, things that the everyday folks leave behind.

Why do I like the site? Because I enjoy reading about cycling being
portrayed positively in the mainstream media . A pluralist approach is
certainly preferable to the shite served up by idiots like Neil Mitchell
and Stan Zemanek.



--

flyingdutch

Terry Collins wrote:
> Once the kids finish their education or even start their tertiary
> education, you should consider going. Once you become a parent, health
> can be a bit of a gamble.



That's the plan/dream!

As for the last sentence, tell me about it!

In 10 years of working I had taken one sick day (refer broken arm
comments in other thread) but with the rugrats bringing home everything
but bubonic plague, I have never had so many colds/flu's/sniffles. And
they want pocket money? Haah! Go get a paper round! When I was a lad,
blah, blah...



--

hippy

>Originally posted by flyingdutch And they want pocket money? Haah! Go
>get a paper round! When I was a lad, blah, blah...

I would've killed for a paper round when I was a kid, but we lived out
of town

Nowadays it'll be some guy in a car delivering papers because it's
'quicker' or because it's too dangerous for kids to ride bikes with paper-
baskets (not baskets made of paper!) on the front or they'll get
abducted, or.. blah, sook, precious bubble-wrapped children.. city
people.. pfft! (I'm tired, does it show?)

On a more thread-related note..

How feasable/stupid would it be to ride from Melbourne to Mildura in
August? It's about 600k and I know as much about bike touring as I do
about knitting (and for all the doubters, that's 3/8ths of bugger
all..). I imagine it would be long, boring, cold, wet and probably cost
more in accomodation/gear than driving up there.. but it would be
different

hippy



--

flyingdutch

>>I would've killed for a paper round when I was a kid, but we
>>lived out of town

Yeah, I actually delivered papers to the house I now own (well ,the ban
kowns most of it!)

>>How feasable/stupid would it be to ride from Melbourne to Mildura in
>>August? It's about 600k and I know as much about bike touring as I do
>>about knitting (and for all the doubters, that's 3/8ths of bugger
>>all..). I imagine it would be long, boring, cold, wet and probably
>>cost more in accomodation/gear than driving up there.. but it would be
>>different

What kind of distance is it? Oh, kill that query... you could split it
into 3 or 4 days i guess (4 or more would be friendlier and less like
hard work tho).

You could just YHA it or gets rooms at the local pubs along the
way, just carrying maybe light sleeping bag, and a change of
clothes (trackies and Tshirt and fleecy maybe?) if carrying tent
etc is a big deal.

Maybe even do an alternative like Train it up to Wang (or up from out
West - Nhill or thereabouts???) and go across/up from there. Must be
flatter and less traffic dodging from there too...

That way you could do it in a day or 2 if time is limited



--

hippy

>Originally posted by flyingdutch you could split it into 3 or 4 days i
>guess (4 or more would be >friendlier and less like hard work tho).

I don't think I could do 3 days of back-to-back 200k's. I mean, if I
started it, I'd probably finish it, but I wouldn't want to plan around
doing that sort of distance. e.g. the day after ATB, the last thing I
want to do is ride!

>You could just YHA it or gets rooms at the local pubs along the >way,
>just carrying maybe light sleeping bag, and a change of >clothes
>(trackies and Tshirt and fleecy maybe?) if carrying tent >etc is a
>big deal.

I don't really know how much accom. is available along the way. Close to
Melb. wouldn't be a problem but getting towards Mildura gets pretty
empty as far as towns go. Freecamping(?) sounds like a cool idea.
Problem with that is: where do I shower? what do I do when it starts
pissing down? how cold will it be in August outside?!

>Maybe even do an alternative like Train it up to Wang (or up >from out
>West - Nhill or thereabouts???) and go across/up from there. Must be
>flatter and less traffic dodging from there too...

Hmm.. I gotta look at some maps! I've got to be the most travelled,
least geographically knowledgable person ever! :S

ta! hippy



--

Terry Collins

hippy wrote:

....snip.....
> I don't really know how much accom. is available along the way. Close to
> Melb. wouldn't be a problem but getting towards Mildura gets pretty
> empty as far as towns go.

Since I am in NSW, I use the NRMA guides, which cover all states. about
$15 each (?, 2 accommodation and caravan & camping). They don't change
much, so you can get a decade out of them.

> Freecamping(?) sounds like a cool idea.

To camp, all you need is a string and large sheet of plastic and wear
all your clothes to sleep in. Dig a hip hole if you sleep on side. If
windy, just wrap plastic around you.

> Problem with that is: where do I shower?

Washer/flannel wash. You can also go swimming in the Murray.


> what do I do when it starts
> pissing down? how cold will it be in August outside?!

What do you do now?