Tag: bicycle touring

RA91: Rolling

Posted on August 29, 2011May 1, 2012 by Rich

Raymond ME to Brunswick ME – 71.2 miles This morning I was very pleased to see blue skies. Winds were swift from the ?south or ?west but there appeared no sign of further rain, and the forecast from 2 days ago suggested that the winds would die down quickly today. Time to get on with our tour. There was still no power in Franks’s house in Raymond ME. I arose about 6:30AM and jumped into my daily riding routine, packing up my bedroll, pulling on cycling clothes, and preparing the panniers. Jack saw me and groaned. “You don’t even know

RA90: Tropical Storm Irene

Posted on August 28, 2011May 1, 2012 by Rich

Raymond ME – 0.0 miles Periodic heavy rains greeted us this morning as we all (except for Roger and Jack) piled in to Frank’s car and rode off in search of breakfast. We soon piled in to Danielle’s Sebago Diner and enjoyed an excellent breakfast. I hate to say it, but I’m definitely addicted to caffeine again after this tour, and getting my morning fix is starting to feel pretty good. We also hit the WalMart for supplemental food since many of the guys plan to stay at Frank’s house for 4 or 5 days more. Back at the house,

RA89: Finally Into Maine

Posted on August 27, 2011May 1, 2012 by Rich

Jigger Johnson Campground (east of Kancamagus Pass) NH to Raymond ME – 63.2 miles The group got up early this morning and all followed Frank on a beeline on US highways to his house, but I don’t quite know what they were smoking. The scenery is so breathtaking around here that, in my opinion, taking the backroads is a necessity. Jack and I rose last, gathered our crap and started down the mountain. The continued descent made it chilly but the scenery was magnificent. We followed the AC turn onto Passaconoway Road and discovered one of the prettiest passages yet.

RA4: Team RA Connects

Posted on June 3, 2011July 5, 2011 by Rich

Port Townsend WA to Rasar State Park WA We both thoroughly enjoyed a nice warm and comfortable night in the motel in Port Townsend, although both of us stayed up too late blogging. Breakfast at the Lighthouse Café downtown, then a quick trip to the post office where I’d had a helmet visor sent general delivery. It was there! It’s always great when a plan works. We jumped on the ferry, something I’d been looking forward to. This ferry was a nice one, taking about 30 minutes for passage to Coupeville, wth great views of the town and surrounding islands.

RA3: Endurance Check

Posted on June 2, 2011July 5, 2011 by Rich

Fairholm WA to Port Townsend WA As expected, it was cold last night at Fairholm, officially 38F. I left the tent fly open all night and was rewarded with a decent drying of both the tent and its contents. My “30F” Marmot sleeping bag performed well, supplemented with silk long johns and wool socks. We headed out on a very winding road around the lake. Before you start on it, you push a button that activates flashing signs that warn motorists that bicycles are on the route. The road has very little shoulder and is frequented by logging trucks that

RA2: Lake Crescent

Posted on June 1, 2011July 5, 2011 by Rich

Kalaloch WA to Fairholm WA A very rainy night at Kalaloch, but it finally stopped. I slept quite well. Temperatures dropped into the mid-40s, but the sleeping bag was warm and the tent dry. I awoke around 5AM, dozed, and was all packed up by 6:30AM or so. Sure was a good thing the rains stopped. Jack and I took a long 32 mile ride into Forks. The ride took us first along the coast and then through some breathtaking scenery within the Hoh Rain Forest. It is incredible to see how so many plant species crowd into every square

RA1: Runnin’ Down the Dream

Posted on May 31, 2011July 5, 2011 by Rich

Ocean Shores WA to Kalaloch WA Breakfast at the hotel, then the long awaited ceremonial dip of our bike tires in the Pacific. The beaches here in Washington seem particularly wide and open, which only seemed to add to the pomp and circumstance of the event. Linda took a handful of pics, and created a billboard for the RA tour in the sand. Running Down The Dream. After some happy goodbyes, Linda finally hit the road and so did we, heading first to the local Tourist Information center and gas station to score some maps. Because the roads into Ocean

preRA: Fountain Hills #4

Posted on April 18, 2011November 25, 2011 by Rich

Off the bike for 5 days in a row this week, playing in a golf tournament. My partner and I didn’t do too badly, so I made a brief post about it here. [By the way, if you’re into exquisite dining and a way cool celebrity encounter, you should check out a couple other very recent posts on our travel site – start here.] The desert up by Saguaro Lake is always beautiful, and this morning the temperatures were a perfect 75F or so. Most of the penstemons have waned, but the desert marigolds are in full glory. The other

preRA: Fountain Hills #3

Posted on April 11, 2011May 29, 2011 by Rich

Another loaded spin up by Saguaro Lake, then down the Beeline to Fountain Hills. When the weather behaves we get NE winds in the mornings, and it makes the hills out by the lake interesting. At Beeline and Bush I spied this outrageous orange-red cactus in bloom in the desert and trudged out for a photo. Rolling down the Beeline is almost always fun, and this morning I did so for about 7 miles at 24 mph. Approaching Fountain Hills, I watched the end of the fountain’s cycle, realizing that it was actually the 9AM cycle I was watching, with

preRA: Rain Gear

Posted on April 9, 2011May 29, 2011 by Rich

An unexpected opportunity presented itself this Saturday morning. Steady rain and 43°F! A great chance to try out some rain gear! I did a simple 12 mile run out for office supplies and groceries, but did so fully decked out in rain gear. A few things discovered: Rain Jacket – I continue to really like the Performance Ultra rain jacket. I’d say it is practically waterproof. In the hour I was gone, the inside of the fabric just barely started to moisten, and even that could have been sweat. This jacket fits great, is ultra lightweight, and provides excellent