# Prep for TransAm 2009



## Gus Riley

We have zeroed into our start date for the TransAm trip. We will ride from Yorktown, Va to Florence, OR starting about the 3rd week of May 2009. 

Planning for this trip has been in progress for a long time...7 years! After I retired from the USAF in Sept 2000, I planned to solo the TransAm. I purchased maps from Adventure Cycling and was making plans to ride starting the following May. I purchased things like a small light weight tent, a B.O.B. trailer, some cooking ware, and some other stuff I thought necessary for the trip. I was trained and set to go, I just had to wait for May 2001 to arrive.

Then my better half retired, then she said she wanted to ride too, and she wanted to ride it on the tandem. Okay. But she said she needed more time to train. Okay. Then her father passed away and we took in her mother who was suffering from early signs of Alzheimer’s. Then my mom passed away and we took in my 5 year old niece (mom was raising her). Okay.

Here is is eight years later and we're almost (finally) ready to go. Last year we purchased a triplet. We had previously thought we could take our tandem with a Piccollo attached. This planned worked really well except Jessie (niece) is now nine and growing like a weed! She has outgrown any chance at riding the Piccollo. 

So a triplet it had to be. We looked high and low for an acceptable used triplet. New triplets are too expensive! We lucked out and were able to purchase a Santana from a family who had just finished a 9,000 mile ride. See their adventure at:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3Tzut&doc_id=1495&v=1lQ

Upon arrival I went pretty much bearing by bearing over this new (new to us) machine. It is a great bike! But I don't appreciate black too much so, it's getting repainted. We're going with a burnt orange. We have stripped it down to the frame and will bring it in Thursday for its new colors! Here are some "before" pictures. We'll post some "after" pix when they get done!

As we get closer to May 2009, we will open a journal in Crazy guy on a bike .com and keep it up to date with our progress to include daily pix of our trip. I will also post here. 

We’re getting excited now!!


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## MB1

Great!

I'm looking forward to your reports.


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## Gus Riley

Sometime between now and lift off we hope to add a Garmin 705 Edge. The mapping is appealing to me. Kinda expensive though.


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## rodar y rodar

Wow, after so long "on hold", I bet you`re really chomping at the bit! Cool deal to wind up with that triplet too- It`s kind of historic in its own right. Good luck with your trip, it has to work out this time.


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## JohnnyTooBad

Gus Riley said:


> Sometime between now and lift off we hope to add a Garmin 705 Edge. The mapping is appealing to me. Kinda expensive though.


Considering the time, expense and effort involved in doing a TransAm, the 705 will be money well spent.


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## T-shirt

:2: Awesome! Congratulations and have fun.

:8: We look forward to hearing about your travels.


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## Kerry Irons

*New maps*



Gus Riley said:


> I purchased maps from Adventure Cycling and was making plans to ride starting the following May.


Be sure to get a new map set, or at least download all the addenda for your map set. There are constant route changes and updates of information, so a new map set is a worthwhile investment. Have a great trip.


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## Mr. Versatile

What a great adventure trip. I can't wait to read your reports.


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## zeytin

Wow, that sounds great. Another teacher at my school did it with her husband (also a teacher) a few years ago. It sounds wonderful, can wait to read and view updates on your progress.
Cheers,
Z


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## Gus Riley

Kerry Irons said:


> Be sure to get a new map set, or at least download all the addenda for your map set. There are constant route changes and updates of information, so a new map set is a worthwhile investment. Have a great trip.


Great advice. We have been watching the changes/additions to the route from adventure cycling through the years. There are a bunch. I think we'll have to get a new set anyway.

We have routed each day on gmaps pedometer, and we plan to include each of those files with our daily reports. An example is our first day: 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1499349

Our first day is around 56 miles. Yorktown to Glendale (Church). Our plans are mapped out, yet we remain flexible in that we don't feel restricted to them. We are also working on each days alternatives for camping/lodging ETC. This we have on an excel product and is about half finished. It really is surprising the number of possible overnight stays that are free.


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## Gus Riley

An update to the triplet:

We dropped it off last Thursday for its powder coating. We chose pumpkin orange. We called today and it is no longer black...it has been sandblasted. They estimate it being ready sometime later this week. Cool 

We ordered new cables from Tandems East and new decals from Santana.


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## thebadger

That should be quite an experience. Have you had any experience yet in turning a bike that long? Just curious what it is like. Seems like it would require W I D E turns.


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## Gus Riley

thebadger said:


> ... Have you had any experience yet in turning a bike that long? Just curious what it is like. Seems like it would require W I D E turns.


Of course! We ride it often. I can tell you the first time I jumped on it, I did so without stokers. As I rode out of my driveway and began my turn onto the road, it was so different that I promptly rode the triplet into the ditch (shallow) on the other side of the street! It was definitely a sensation I had not encountered previously. 

My neighbor who is also an avid cyclist came over to see the new bike. I invited him to take it out for a test ride. He snapped up the offer and out he went. He repeated the same adventure to the ditch that I experienced. 

It wasn't so much a feeling of wide turn as it was a sense of the thing "crabbing" while turning. Our cycling skills up to that point had no experience in dealing with the strange turn sensation. Once learned it never occurred again.


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## Gus Riley

Update:

We got our frame back from powder coating! We installed the decals purchased from Santana. Then I remembered I should take some pictures and get them on the board here before I got too far along...we are excited to see the whole bike put back together complete with its new color!! We love it!!!!


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## FatTireFred

how long is that thing? is it bigger than a car? granted it's in the background, but that tandem looks puny in comparison


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## buck-50

Good luck! that orange is a beautiful color. 

Can't wait to read your updates- your patience is quite inspiring.


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## Fixed

*recharge?*



Gus Riley said:


> Sometime between now and lift off we hope to add a Garmin 705 Edge. The mapping is appealing to me. Kinda expensive though.


I thought the batteries in these things only lasted around 10 hours. How will you recharge?


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## FatTireFred

Fixed said:


> I thought the batteries in these things only lasted around 10 hours. How will you recharge?




you can get a solar charger... or maybe they will plug it in somewhere. I'd be more concerned about maxing out the memory. can't remember if that one has an sd card, but even with a plain old gps with aa batteries you can only store so many tracks


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## T-shirt

Gus Riley said:


> Update:
> 
> We got our frame back from powder coating! We installed the decals purchased from Santana. Then I remembered I should take some pictures and get them on the board here before I got too far along...we are excited to see the whole bike put back together complete with its new color!! We love it!!!!


*Looks great. One step closer!*


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## Gus Riley

Fixed said:


> I thought the batteries in these things only lasted around 10 hours. How will you recharge?


Good point. We'll have a charger and will charge as best we can. If we have SAG support we will charge with an inverter/van mix. If no support, well a Garmin might not be feasible. 

I do believe the Garmin Edge 705 with bundle kit has an SD card with all of North America mapped on it.


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## Gus Riley

T-shirt said:


> *Looks great. One step closer!*


Yes, another step in the right direction. We have all of this summer to train and the winter to maintain best we can. We have trainers for our singles so we can try to minimize fitness loss.


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## Gus Riley

FatTireFred said:


> how long is that thing? is it bigger than a car? granted it's in the background, but that tandem looks puny in comparison


The tandem handles like a sports car compared to the triplet. Here's a picture with the triplet next to a VW Jetta. You can see that with a trailer it is as long as a car, and longer with the Piccollo and trailer combo. 

I'll post more finished bike pictures tomorrow when the sun comes back out. We went for a ride almost as soon as I had the wheels back on it this afternoon!


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## superjohnny

Madness... sheer madness.


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## Fixed

*backup batteries*



Gus Riley said:


> Good point. We'll have a charger and will charge as best we can. If we have SAG support we will charge with an inverter/van mix. If no support, well a Garmin might not be feasible.
> 
> I do believe the Garmin Edge 705 with bundle kit has an SD card with all of North America mapped on it.


They should design those things so that you can hook up an external battery, like a good headlight, then be able to carry several or swap out using one while another is charging. Or, just use replaceable / rechargeale batteries. That has been the fundamental limitation that has kept me from buying one.


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## Gus Riley

The Bike is *DONE*! Now we start catching up on our long lost training and fitness. Maintain best we can during the winter, continue to hone the plans, logistics, choices, and alternatives. When the third week of May 2009 arrives we should be on our way!! :thumbsup: 

The triplet turned out way better than we hoped!


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## FatTireFred

looks like the wheelbase is about as long as the car's


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## Fixed

*cool*



Gus Riley said:


> The Bike is *DONE*! Now we start catching up on our long lost training and fitness. Maintain best we can during the winter, continue to hone the plans, logistics, choices, and alternatives. When the third week of May 2009 arrives we should be on our way!! :thumbsup:
> 
> The triplet turned out way better than we hoped!


Great looking bike. Would love to have one for my 2 boys and me.

How do you decide on the phasing of your cranks? Ever stand while pedaling that bike?


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## Chris H

Gus Riley said:


> Good point. We'll have a charger and will charge as best we can. If we have SAG support we will charge with an inverter/van mix. If no support, well a Garmin might not be feasible.
> 
> I do believe the Garmin Edge 705 with bundle kit has an SD card with all of North America mapped on it.


Ever think about the Solio charger? www.solio.com 

It comes with a USB interface so it should be able to charge that. At least I think it would.


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## wipeout

That is AMAZING! I wish you luck in '09! Was wondering, wouldn't it make more sense to put the smallest rider in the middle? Not that I know anything about triples, but it seems like you'd have more room and the weight would be distributed better.


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## Gus Riley

wipeout said:


> That is AMAZING! I wish you luck in '09! Was wondering, wouldn't it make more sense to put the smallest rider in the middle? Not that I know anything about triples, but it seems like you'd have more room and the weight would be distributed better.


Yes probably. However, the handling is quite easy with our current setup. Plus, Jess barely fits the shortest station (most aft) now, and finally as Captain (dictator of sorts) I don't want to listen to her gabbing all day long right behind me.  .


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## Gus Riley

Fixed said:


> Great looking bike. Would love to have one for my 2 boys and me.
> 
> How do you decide on the phasing of your cranks? Ever stand while pedaling that bike?


Haven't stood up yet. The cranks out of phase is done a lot on tandems. We tried out of sync on our tandem for a few hundred miles and figured out that we really didn't like it. It is supposed to be easier on the drive train and somewhat more efficient. 

On the Triplet we decided we will be harder on the drivetrain by being in-sync, so we offset the phasing by 45 degrees. We have found the important thing about it is: one, the captain's postion must lead the phase and the others must follow. It does make adifference because we had it reversed and it was no where near as efficient. Two, the inside pedals during a turn must be up with the outsides being down.


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## superjohnny

Are you going to use a tag-along with that?


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## Gus Riley

Chris H said:


> Ever think about the Solio charger? www.solio.com
> 
> It comes with a USB interface so it should be able to charge that. At least I think it would.


Interesting! I wonder how long it takes to charge things. Even plugged in while on the bike it would supplement the batteries of just about any device. They don't look too expensive either. 

I saved the link for more thought on the subject. Thanks!


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## Gus Riley

superjohnny said:


> Are you going to use a tag-along with that?


If we go with a support vehical we will bring the Piccollo with us. It won't be used every day but will get used on some parts of the trip. If we have to go unsupported the Piccollo will stay home.


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## Gus Riley

So here we are in person! Gus (Dale), Charlie, Jessie, and Alexander.


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## Chris H

I've got one. It works as advertised.

I haven't tried yet, but I don't think it charges itself and devices at the same time. More of a charge during the day, plug in your device at night. At least that's how I've always used it.


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## Gus Riley

One more step closer...we have decided to start pedaling from Yorktown on 20 May 2009. + or - one day. Start on 20 May, projected finish is 17 August 2009. Our average milage per day is right around 45. Not too tough, especially if we are supported by a vehicle. So there will be time most days to smell the roses. 

We'll pull Jess out of school close to a week before school gets out for the summer. When we finish and get back to Illinois, she'll go right back to school. A whole summer on the bike, seeing the country up close and slow!


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## rodar y rodar

Cool! I can`t imagine a better summer school.


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## ispoke

Crossing the country with 2 kids in tow? Really? I guess a chase vehicle will allow them time to blow off steam when they don't feel like riding.


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## Gus Riley

ispoke said:


> Crossing the country with 2 kids in tow? Really? I guess a chase vehicle will allow them time to blow off steam when they don't feel like riding.


Which might also be a downside of a support vehicle. We're thinking about throwing our tandem on top of the SAG in case the kid(s) poop out.


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## abiciriderback

*Wow my Inlaws Live in Florence*

Wow small world my In-laws live in Florence right on the Golf Course. Awesome retirement town very hilly windy area.
As it gets closer let me know if I can help out in anyway. Feel free to PM me or if you need any assistance once in the OR area. I live in Seattle area but we are in Florence and Oregon all the time.

Ray Still


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## MTT

Wow. I am impressed. You might consider one of the blog sites for your reports. They make it easy to format and load up pictures, and when you are done, they will all be in the same place. I imagine you thought of it, but just thought I would suggest it anyway. 

Which mountain passes are you going through? Sounds like you are all looking forward to it, and the color came out great....................MTT :thumbsup:


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## Gus Riley

MTT said:


> Wow. I am impressed. You might consider one of the blog sites for your reports. They make it easy to format and load up pictures, and when you are done, they will all be in the same place. I imagine you thought of it, but just thought I would suggest it anyway.
> 
> Which mountain passes are you going through? Sounds like you are all looking forward to it, and the color came out great....................MTT :thumbsup:


We'll be posting daily updates to our online journal at crazyguyonabike.com. We have not installed a journal there yet, but there will be one there when we get closer to leaving. 

As far as passes, they are numerous. Hoosier in Colorado is probably the most widely know. Virginia and Kentucky have some whoppers...like Clinch Mtn, or the approach to the Cookie Lady's house in Afton. Almost all of Missouri is up and down climbs. Actually the Rockies are the highest climbs but not the toughest, or so our studies of others' journals reveal to us. Toward the end of our journey, the route through Oregon has pass after pass almost all the way across it. 

We are so looking forward to getting going!


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## MTT

Well you are an inspiration. When I retire I hope to do something like that.....MTT


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## Gus Riley

Update:

We "pulled-the-trigger" on an ATOC (from Tandems East) for the triplet. Very pricey! We could have gone with a less expensive straight bar affair, but getting the triplet on top of our van would have been a real chore...possibly a bit dangerous for us as well as the bike and van/car. Putting our tandem up onto its straight bar rack is just doable. 

The ATOC incorporates a swivel at the fork lock location. It also can be shortened when not being used while on top of a vehicle. This way we can open the trunk or back door of the car/van.

Reason for purchase? We have to have a way to transport the triplet to Yorktown, VA in May 2009, and back from Florence, OR the following August. We purchased early so as to get this expense out of the way. We also plan to bring the triplet to our Sanibel Island vacation beginning next week. Training. training. training.

It has been shipped and should arrive most skosh!


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## Gus Riley

A training update:

Like the tandem the triplet kicks my butt far worse than my single. I work so much harder on our multi-bikes compared to my single ride. I also get butt sore much sooner on the multis. Why is this? Train train train is the key now. 

Today we went on our hilly route. 33 miles of heat, wind, and hills. We made 25 miles of it. We could have gone further but we decided that it would be torture. We'll get this route down eventually...we really are out of shape!! What hurts is good! 

Tomorrow we take the day off, Monday will see us on a 20 miler, moderate toughness.


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## Gus Riley

Here's the new Atoc. It works!! We're on our way to Sanibel Island, Fl for a few weeks of vacation. We'll be pulling the Piccolo, and a trailer while down there. With gas prices as bad as they are we are going to park the van for the entire time we are there. Grocery shopping will be done with triplet, piccolo, and trailer combo! It is quite the convoy!

The other bike is my single.


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## rodar y rodar

I just noticed the derailer on the tail end (fourth seat?) (Piccolo?). I`ve never seen one like that before- was it custom or special order? Looks like a good idea. I remember a post a few months ago when somebody was asking about cadence for a kid pedaling a single speed version (Fixxalo?) and it gave me the mental image of some poor little kid trying to spin at about 200 RPM down a grade. And you hook up a trailer behind that or in place of it? Maybe you need a Union Pacific sticker.


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## Gus Riley

rodar y rodar said:


> I just noticed the derailer on the tail end (fourth seat?) (Piccolo?). I`ve never seen one like that before- was it custom or special order? Looks like a good idea. I remember a post a few months ago when somebody was asking about cadence for a kid pedaling a single speed version (Fixxalo?) and it gave me the mental image of some poor little kid trying to spin at about 200 RPM down a grade. And you hook up a trailer behind that or in place of it? Maybe you need a Union Pacific sticker.


A Union Pacific sticker is a Great Idea!!! If we run acoss one we'll probably grab it!!

The Piccolo is made by Burley, it comes with gears! The child changes gears to keep up. During training a child may have to be prompted to change up or down until he/she learns how gears are used. 

Yes we hook a trailer up to the Piccolo for grocery shopping or transport of a smaller child.


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## Gus Riley

Update: We arrived at Sanibel, FL and got situated on Saturday. On Sunday we went for a little ride of 10 miles or so to do some shopping. We're towing the Piccolo, and trailer on the bike paths here on the island. 

We are amazed at some of the attention this little train of ours is getting! This is a glimpse of what we can expect on the TansAm! People are really interested and aren't bashful about voicing it. Everyone is super supportive when we elaborate about our plans for next year. We even had people slowing in their cars beside us to take pictures! This is different! Will we be attracting this much attention on our Big Ride? WOW! Maybe it will serve in receiving more room on the road. 

We're going for breakfast in the morning, and then a ride through the Ding Darling Natural preserve. We'll get 20 or so miles...all flat but hot and muggy. Good for those hot and muggy TansAm days!


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