Thursday, November 17th, 2005

Ride starts this Sat. and I am not ready. This is not a surprise.  I am having great fun setting up the new bike. For pictures and more info go to the web site: www.dataman.cc/philip   

More to follow.

Turkey Trot 2005 First day update

November 19th, 2005

Well! It was a super ride today. I met Bill at the Western side of San Luis Pass Bridge at 0900. Sandy and Helen both looked at us like we were nuts and then drove away. About thirty minutes later came fun part. There is a very steep bridge over the Intercostal Waterway. You have to remember I am carrying my fat self plus around 60 pounds of touring gear. T’was slow but we did ride over it. After that was just back roads all day. We stopped for major bar-b-cue fix at noon and then back on the bikes. My new touring bike is performing very well, no pains in any of the usual places! I will post more when I transfer this to the website but now I am tired. I am spending the night at the State Park, got the last available spot. They don’t allow separate tent camping here. Seem to have a problem with alligators. Good night all.  PG

Here are the numbers: 72 Miles, max speed of 27 mph, average of 11 mph, riding time 6 hours 35 minutes

Turkey Trot 2005 day 2

November 20^th,  2005

Well, was not as much fun with a co-rider, but was more like the touring I have done before. Got up by 06:30, fixed coffee and oatmeal, packed up everything and securely loaded the bike, unloaded everything and removed the front wheel as it was flat again. Couldn’t find the hole so I put on the other tube and began riding by 08:30. As the road twisted around I would alternate between tailwind, headwind and broadside. This is fun the first five minutes. I spent most of the afternoon battling a head or side wind, grinding along at 7 mph. Ate lunch at a subway in Bay City, then just went back to turning the cranks. At 62 miles, about 16:30, I came to the turnoff at Blessing. There isn’t much else there but it is only 12 more miles to Palacios! Of course I missed a street and ended up cruising the greater downtown area, only to find the R park and then learn they won’t take “tent-ers” now. They are at least half empty but a rule is a rule, you know. I rode to a local Motel and got a bed, micro, tv and fridge for ten bucks more than an RV space. Phoey, on them. All for tonight, legs pretty stiff but all else is great!

Here are the numbers: 75 Miles, plus three more just getting out of the park today, average 10.2, time riding, 7 hours 22 minutes

Turkey Trot day 3

November 22nd, 2005

Well. I did a stupid thing yesterday. The ride was going so well that I stayed on the road too long and had to ride after dark for about thirty minutes. In itself this is not so bad but it means setting up the tent in the dark, trying to cook in the dark, etc. Did you notice I said “trying” to cook? A very important part of my pump decided to give up the ghost last night so I dined in a lovely repast of caned peaches and some interestingly textured cookies. I imagine I have paid more for less in my life. Off to pay the park folks-I am at Goose Island State Park-and then finish packing up and go kill some breakfast. I will have to let the stove decide what is next as I don’t fancy two more days of camping without hot food. All for now, PG

Here are the numbers: 73.63 average Miles, 9.8 riding time 7 hours 30 minutes.

Had LOTS OF HEAD WINDS!
 

Turkey Trot day 4 update

November 22nd, 2005

After a Major sleazy cafe breakfast- could ‘a lubed the bike of the eggs!  I started riding on down the road.  Stopped at all the usual places! Wally World, Ace Hardware and Marine shops. No luck with the broken stove part. I glanced over and saw a fine old RV park called Ancient Oaks that advertised spectacular spot for “tent-ers”. So I whipped in and took one, and laid everything back out to dry. The very heavy dew this morning was really wet. I went to a local diner for double cheese burger with onion rings and then spent the rest of the day repacking EVERYTHING so that I would know where it was. Tossed some stuff, too. Beautiful day, in the low 60’s. I will ride on to Padre Island tomorrow, taking stuff for cold dinner. PB &J on deli rolls? Mmm. Thanks for writing folks, I really like to get mail out here. PG

Turkey Trot day 5

November 23nd, 2005

Last day and now it is done. All in a very satisfying ride. I learned a lot about the new bike and my old body. Still having some knee pain but after three hundred miles I guess that is ok. Got up early in Rockport and packed while sipping really good coffee from one of the RV folks nearby. He offered me a cup as we were the only two about. Said he was always gonna' ride himself a camel but waited too long. Now he rides a wheel chair and takes in strays. The wind was sideways until I got to Aransas Pass. had breakfast at a Cafe that has been there since 1937. Some of the food was obviously original too! Rode on out to the small ferryboat that takes you out to Port Aransasa and then on down the Island. Same piece of land but at some point it goes from Mustang Island to Padre Island. Wind diectly head on now. Young couple in jeep just stop in the middle of the road, then pull over. He rode around the US on a bicycle, finishing last year. Did it with support, was amazed at the amount of stuff I carry. Left turn puts me on the road out to Malaquite Beach National Seashore.  Lots of wind. 10 miles or so. Into the camping area and with the assurance of borrowed fire I am good to go. Thanks for riding with me. I will let you know when next I ride away. I will post a longer version of this on web page, once I get back to a computer.

Here are the numbers:  49 miles today, 9.9 average.

All for now, Philip

 After the ride!

 Well it sure was fun but since it was the first tour on the new bike I thought I needed to sum up a bit.

 The bike was fine. I had a bit of trouble with the Indexing at first but a call to the local bike shop cleaned  
 that up. Remember, I bought this used and it hadn’t been ridden lately. I will take it in ASAP for a post
 ride check up and see if anything else is in need of a tune up.

 I did not like … read more of Turkey Trot 2005

Since, granddaughter Kara wasn't ready for a 65 mile ride the first day of the Trot, we rode today down the bike path in Houston. We covered 15 miles and Kara is a PRO! She was able to handle some very stiff headwinds all the way back, and seems to have the donut eating thing down pat. The picture of her standing in front of big round thing is the halfway mark, 7.5 miles in to the ride. Luckily after the ride we were able to make it a James Coney Island AND to Hank's for banana pudding ice cream. A great day!