Logistics

Last week I received from America by Bicycle some more information on the trip.  I’m glad that I’m taking a tour with a tour operator, because even with all of the logistics taken care of there are sure a lot of logistics!

Astoria, Oregon where we start riding is about 100 miles west of Portland.  So first is to make arrangements to get to Astoria, and to get the bicycle to Astoria.  The only public transportation to Astoria is a bus that runs from Amtrak in Portland, twice per day.  That requires using the light rail between the Portland airport and Amtrak, which seemed just fine to me since I’d just ship the bicycle by Fedex direct from home to the hotel.  However, when I estimated the cost of shipping the bike, it appears that checking the bike if I fly Southwest (they charge a lot less for checking a bike than the traditional airlines like American, United and Delta) and renting an SUV from Hertz and returning it in Astoria, may not be a lot more expensive than shipping the bike and taking the bus.  So I’ve rented the car and have more time to compare.  I’ve had to reserve a hotel room for arrival night in Astoria, since the tour officially starts at noon on Sunday, June 19, but I’m flying out on June 18.

I talked with my bike shop about getting the bike ready and packing it up.   The tour operator sends a checklist of servicing that you have to have done on your bike before the trip.  And they include a signoff sheet that your bike mechanic has to sign.  I can hear the cash register at the bike shop ringing!  Then it rang even louder when they told me what they would to package the bike for shipping/checking on the airplane, but if I use my own hard case, then I’ll have to pay to ship the hardcase back home, since the tour operator doesn’t have room to carry people’s cases.

While all this was happening, I discovered that when I ordered a new pair of wheels for the trip, I did not receive the proper front wheel.  The one I had (and that I have ridden on for awhile) did not have as many spokes as the version I had paid for.  So, I had to contact the company.  Rol Wheels was very accommodating.  They Fedex’d me the proper wheel, but then I had to take the old one off, box it up and send it back to them.  Just another logistic!

The tour operator provided a list of items I need to bring.  Most I had thought of.  Some I hadn’t.  I have a pair of sunglasses with a prescription insert, but I need to try and get new pair so that I have two--just in case.  I saw a pair online at a sport prescription sunglass vendor.  But when I called and tried to get dimensions to make sure they offered the coverage I wanted, they couldn’t give me that information.  So now I will have to go to visit local opticians to try to find something good.  I’ve been comparing online handlebar bags for my bicycle.  I thought that two of the ones that looked good were carried at REI.  So yesterday I went there.  They had neither in stock.  And the ones they had, plus the ones at a bike shop, didn’t have what I thought was enough capacity.  So that search continues.  I need to find some new cycling socks and want to find some with some compression, since I normally wear compression socks due to some lifelong venous insufficiency problems in my legs.  I’ve found several online, but they aren’t available locally.  So I’ll have to order one each of three types, try them, and then order a few more pairs of the ones I like.   I have a cycling rain jacket, but not rain pants.

This week  I got a more detailed itinerary which included the amount of climbing I would do each day of the ride.  There’s about 108,000 feet of climbing in 3,650 miles, or just under 30 feet a mile, which is my average ride around the DC area.  However, there are eight days where we climb in excess of 50 ffet a mile, including the third full day of cycling with 5,150 feet of climbing on a 66 mile ride—78 feet per mile.  Ouch!  For those of you who are cycling aware and want to see the gory details of the climbs, check out the details of the Bucket List Cycle Trip Data.

So I’ve got to step up my training.  But I’ve been off the bike for five days now.  A hernia that had not bothered me in the 40 years since it was identified, suddenly a few weeks ago began to make its presence known.  So last week I got it repaired.  I’ll probably be ready for some easy rides for the rest of the week starting tomorrow.  Next week, let the real training and climbing begin!  Only five weeks and five days until the start of the adventure.