Venturing Off!!

[pallaway]

Hey everyone!! Ive only posted on this forum once so im not known here, but id love to show everyone my trip and hear input!!
So im leaving. Couldnt be happier. If i didnt have court on the 16th id be gone already, but im glad the world kept me where i was for the time. So im going up the east coast. Been alotta places but not over there. I feel like i have everything i need and a few things i dont. I could write more, but im in the middle of a couple projects. Just wanted to stop and put my feet in the water right quick. Ive put pictures below of what im bringing, my vessel, and everything packed up how im takin off. Also including a screenshot of my rough map, so if anyones headin the sameway lemme know=)

 

[Odin]

Welcome to STP... good pics dig the bike

I'm on the hunt for a decent ride... just finally got into biking again but I just had a handmedown. xmart bike. Would be good to get a nice lugged frame schwinn or trek or something.

Good luck on your journey. Lotta good traveling info on this take time to search and read.

Peace.

 

[Tude]

cool and welcome to stp. I have a guy in another group I moderate who has been out on his bike touring quite a while now. He's currently on the west coast now though. There are at least 2-3 people here touring I believe.

 

[pallaway]

I cant wait to get out and live outside again. This place is draining my energy and health from me. I need a good adventure. Ive been lookin at prettt much everything on this site for a minute. I got off probation in june and immediately started savin up monies. I wanted to go to greece, but things worked out differently. Why leave when i can stay where everyone knows my language anyways lol. I should have some better tires and heavy duty inner tubes coming in the mail sometime this morning. And yea my bike found me kinda. I got it on craigslist. 1986 fuji del rey=) i got hit by a car on it shortly after gettin it by a stupid driver runnin a red light, but a bike shop was able to fix it. Said i was lucky it has a steel frame. Ill keep yall updated though.

 

[Dunedrifter]

It looks a little top heavy. Do a short trip and see how it all feels (including steep hill climb). Your gear looks good; you could reduce the amount of duck tape probably since that roll weighs a lot, and you'll likely never use more than a few feet of it. Just wrap a couple yards length around an ink pen. You'll figure out what you need/don't need as you go. I carry a blue Crown Royal pouch ;-)
Good luck, I'm totally jealous, but I'll be there soon!

 

[pallaway]

Yea the duct tape is brand new. I used all my other tape making one of my tarps into a bivvy. Itd give me more space too. I switched the way i have it packed. Also put on some thorn resistant inner tubes and better tires. Figured it was worth the money for better shit. I went for about a 15mi ride right when it got dark earlier and it was actually better than i thought. Felt great with all the sweat and breathin and exertion=) loved it. Ill be leavin soon. And crown bags have always been useful lol. The brown bag is instant coffee.

 

[Dunedrifter]

If you haven't already, check out and sign up with warmshowers.org

 

[pcflvly]

Loving your bike although I agree with the other comment that it looks top heavy. Put a front rack on it too if you can. Here's a pic of my setup

 

[pallaway]

Im likin the front rack idea. My clothes are in the waterproof bag on the very top. I moved it to the bottom. But i wanted to try and tie the stuff to tge front. Ima look into some front racks now.

 

[pcflvly]

Here's my old bike. Similar but different. I had the load even lower.

 

[pallaway]

Im leaving today!! I wanted to be gone by now but i was the very last person to be called in court. Fuckin my time up. Im gonna get an extra day of travel still though so i can make it in time to nashville and see the total eclipse=)✌✌

 

[pcflvly]

Awesome. I left today too.

 

[Dunedrifter]

Safe travels! When things get tough, just remember that you are free.

 

[pallaway]

Good luck dude!! I got up early and took off at 4:15 this morning to catch the sunrise, but storms a comin and the clouds fucked it up for me lol. Oh well looks like ill get to test my rain gear out. Imagined it would be a little harder considering all the weight and everything, but its awesome and im enjoying it. Yessss..feels good to finally be free=)

 

[pallaway]

P.s. mountains suck lol. Beautiful. But they be tall and steep

 

[pcflvly]

How is the ride going? How many miles per day... Meeting any characters?

I left the same day as you but from Minneapolis. I rode through six hours of rain the second day. It was 260 miles and took two and a half days. I loved the homebums in Mason City. I'll stay in Des Moines for a couple weeks then ride on to Lawrence, KS View attachment 38631 this was my stealth camp the first night.

 

[pallaway]

Youre makin alot more miles than me!! Im doin anywhere from 40-60miles a day. My muscles are getting adjusted pretty good and it was getting really easy until....bamm mountains. Itll probably slow me down a bit, but ive already made up like four days of ridin cuz my friends were going to see their parents and they picked me up on the way to see me one last time before im gone gone lol. Its nice been findin good places to sleep and going through beautiful areas and cities. I got to see the eclipse and got a really good picture of it. I dropped some weight and replaced my panniers with a milk crare from vehind the store. Works a lil better. Im having fun on my travels though. Im in knoxville now and have some friends here so i can shower and they can go take to do some fun stuff in their city. Probably stay here for a couple days and enjoy it. Even better than expected=) add my facebook if your on there. Gavin palpallatoc.