Crack….Thump….Whoomp
I’m flat on my back on the ground.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m OK…….are you OK?”
“Yeah”
For all of the trees around here, most of them are massive cedars and they are too big to tie the hammock straps. Earlier, I had tied one end of each hammock to what turned out to be a rotten stump of a tree, with the other ends going to separate trees. The weight of both of us in our hammocks was too much for the remaining roots and the whole thing pulled out at ground level and fell neatly in between us. Sky King had retired before I did and I tried not to think about what might have happened if her weight alone had been enough to pull the tree over, because I imagine it would have fallen on top of her. A rude awakening to say the least.
We scuttled around with the headlamps on to retrieve our sleeping bags from the wreckage and we spent the rest of the night under the stars. I felt dumb, but I don’t think that will happen again!
It’s less than 20 miles to the Clinton ferry from South Whidbey Island state Park, and US 525 has a nice shoulder. A short diversion on Newman Road from Freeland provided a quite ride until the junction with 525.
A few miles outside of Clinton a parking lane appears which is meant for vehicles waiting for the ferry and we coast past a long line of cars which, according to the signs, will still not be on the ferry for another hour. And when we get in line to buy our passes the woman in the car behind us tells us it is free for bicycles going back to the mainland. So we roll right to the front, rejoicing in one of the very few moments when a bicycle has more rights than a car.
In Texas they call them courtesy lanes. I don't think they had cyclists in mind but they are nice riding.
I would give directions to the multi use path, or MUP, system from Mukilteo, but I’m still not sure how we found it. I had directions printed off of Google Maps but after talking to a driver at the fruit stand where we stopped who said, “I’ve been delivering here for 15 years and I’ve never heard of Natures Path Road” we abandoned those and used the Droid to find another route. But after getting well and truly lost again we stopped at a fishing tackle store where we were told how to get to the Burke-Gilman trail. We got a few miles closer using his directions but still had to rely on the Droid for the last few miles.
We finally crossed Bothell Drive and were on the trail. A chatty Seattle cyclist lady gave us directions to the Sammamish Trail, but by thus time I was having none of it and decided to trust the Droid from here to Bellevue.
Finally, we are on the Burke-Gilman Trailmaking up some time......Please, Seattle, if it's not asking too much, more signs!The shiny, happy town of Bellevue
I have to give kudos to Seattle for their MUP system but I wonder if they could scrounge a few dollars more for some signage. Once we got on the Burke-Gilman we still were confused and took a number of wrong turns before we got to the Sammamish Trail and ultimately to the 520 Trail. But not before a detour over the Bridal Crest Trail, which is dirt and very steep. And then we literally were ejected onto a suburban neighborhood street with no idea where the trail went until we saw a bike rider appear from a barricaded abandoned road which was the access to the 520 Trail continuing toward Bellevue.
Once back to our starting point in Bellevue we both had to agree that this tour was a success. No mechanical failures and no major physical problems presented themselves. This is a spectacular part of the country. I really didn’t realize the extent of the rugged mountains and wilderness which exist so close to Seattle and which we could see in the distance every day of our ride. We plan to do some more bike touring here in the near future.
On the 28th of July we drove to Bellevue, WA to attend a relative’s wedding. On the 4th we are going to Sky King’s family reunion on Snoqualmie Pass. In the intervening days we are bike touring. Originally I was going to post a journal on crazyguyonabike, but that site has been down today while I’m updating so I decided to post the tour journal here too.
Once we are in the bike touring mode and all our gear is readily accessible and we’re mentally and physically ready, it is easy to sandwich in a 3 or 4 day tour. It doesn’t take a huge amount of planning and we were going to be in Seattle anyway. It’s not as if a person has to quit their job or even take major time off in order to go touring.
On the 31st we rode to the Seattle ferry terminal and took the Bainbridge ferry. From there we started riding towards Port Townsend via Fay Bainbridge State Park where we spent the night. Getting to the ferry terminal from Bellevue was a piece of cake on the I90 Trail and the Mountains to Sound Trail. The 305 out of the town of Bainbridge Island has a beautiful, wide shoulder with a nice surface but the amount of automobile traffic is astounding. It was only about 4 miles to the turn off on Day Road but the relative silence was immediately apparent as soon as we got off 305. Then it was a couple more bucolic miles to the state park.
Fay Bainbridge State Park is a wedge of land opening to Puget Sound and holding back housing developments on both sides. Weathered, beam straight cedar logs are spread out on the black volcanic sand, but not in a jumble, rather aligned with the shoreline up to the high tide water’s edge. The view of the sound and Mt Rainier and the Seattle Skyline and the North/Canadian Cascades is nothing short of breathtaking.
While in Bainbridge Island we hit the Safeway and bought beer and vegetables so we were able to make past primavera for dinner. This park only charges $5.00 per bicycle because they want to encourage that type of behavior and the showers are 25 cents for a minute and a half. Good place to stay!
Preparing to leave Bellevue.One of the best things about bike touring is these short breaks with nothing to do but relax.Almost to the end of the first 18 mile day!
Every bicycle related, or outside related magazine or advertisement assures me I can improve on my personal best performance by closely following the training advice offered therein. Alright, I think, I want to do my best. Even if doing better than myself feels like a lot of pressure I decide I will have a go.
I’ve decided to train for the Java Man Triple Brew Pub Extreme Moderation Tour. My success in defeating my self will be judged loosely by these criteria:
– Moderation and balance.
– Being non-judgmental and humble.
– Living in the moment.
– Wattage, heart rate, miles and time don’t matter.
– Speed doesn’t matter either.
– People in automobiles waving at me in a friendly manner matters.
– Other people on bicycles and pedestrians acknowledging me in a friendly manner matters too.
Athletes generally attribute a large percentage of a successful performance to mental attitude. Actually, this could be one of my biggest challenges in this event. Smiling while riding(in moderation of course) moves me toward my goal, and saying hello to the faster rider who is overtaking me, whether they say hello or not, moves me toward my goal. Refraining from the urge to take that rider’s wheel to show that I can go faster too takes constant practice. Or is this just the recovering racer rationalizing the fact that he is now old and weak?
I give myself permission to go slow sometimes, but it feels good once in a while to breathe hard and feel the lungs working to bring air to the blood, and to feel the blood pumping and carrying that oxygen and some fuel to be consumed by my muscles in the magical process of making the pedals go around . And it’s neat to see my body get more efficient at doing those things, so that every ride seems a little easier. So I give myself permission to go fast sometimes too.
A baggedy shirt or a plain wool jersey keeps me cool and allows air to flow through the interstices of the brain, not constricting my thoughts and actions with the pretense of needing to be something I’m not. By the way, that person driving the car? They seem to be a little more agreeable to sharing the road when they see me dressed that way on a bike with fenders and lights and racks.
As Leo Woodland says “People talk to you if you’re on a bike and you give them time. You’re not threatening. You arrived by humble means and you have humble needs, like food and drink and a moment’s rest”
I am training myself to stop and, really, to look for reasons to stop.
I am training myself to ride a bicycle in a way that makes it look easy. No hammering, thank you.
Actually, now that I’ve created this event I realize that every time I go out on the bike I am a participant in it.
The current ride is all there is.
There was no ride before this and there will be no ride after it.
In March of 2011 I rode across East Texas and Louisiana. I wanted to ride through south Louisiana into New Orleans but it was difficult to find information about cycling routes and the possibilities of getting stuck and lost in the swamps was a little too daunting and so I stuck with the Adventure Cycling maps of the Southern Tier. Since then I came across this guide originally posted on crazyguyonabike by Don Weinell and he kindly gave me permission to reprint it here. I really appreciate Don’s well researched and documented article. Sounds as though this could be a nice little adventure. So without further ado:
Note – 25 Apr 2011: I made a correction regarding the Wisner Boulevard Bike Path in New Orleans. It stops before the I-610 bridge, not the I-10 Bridge.
Note – 22 Feb 2011: I’ve changed the name of this article so that it will be more easily found by non-CGOABers doing a Google or Bing search.
I recently posted a link to Google Maps for an alternate route across south Louisiana. Unfortunately sometimes this link worked, sometimes it didn’t. So I’ve decided to embed the maps here and add more detailed explanations of the route. I’ve also deleted the other posting.
First, a few general comments about riding in south Louisiana:
While most of our federal highways have shoulders, very few state and parish highways do. If shoulders are present, they are usually poorly maintained.
Riding on the Interstates is illegal. The other main US highways across south Louisiana are US 190 and US 90. Both are busy roadways and should be avoided as much as possible by cyclists. East of New Orleans, however, US 90 is your only option.
Unless you are riding on the Southern Tier, chances are you will the first bicycle tourist most drivers here have ever seen. As a whole, our drivers are no less courteous than drivers elsewhere; they’re just not used to watching for cyclists. This means you have to be extra cautious around traffic.
Free roaming dogs are not nearly as common as they used to be, but in rural areas you still might get chased from time to time.
This may sound like a cliche’, but in south Louisiana, especially in southwest Louisiana, alligators really do cross the road (to get to the other side, of course). I can’t even remember the last time someone was actually attacked by a gator. Like all wild animals though, you should not provoke them. They are quite fast over short distances. Don’t try to get close to take a picture. Just let them cross and then you can be on your way.
Mosquitos, on the other hand, will chase you mercilessly. DEET is your best friend.
In southwest Louisiana there are still areas where cell phone service is not available.
I’ve divided the route into two separate maps; one for southeast Louisiana and one for the southwestern section. My comments are arranged as you ride from east to west. In downtown New Orleans, and in a couple of smaller towns, many of the streets are one-way. If you’re travelling from west to east, you may have to deviate one block to either side of the mapped route to accommodate the one-way traffic patterns.
Southeast Louisiana
Mississippi State Line westward to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park
Pearl River: The Pearl River forms the eastern boundary of this part of Louisiana. The US 90 bridge is located just west of Pearlington, Mississippi. The bridge doesn’t have shoulders, but luckily it’s flat, not very long, and usually doesn’t have much traffic.
The Rigolets: The Rigolets is the main water connection between Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico. Google Maps’ Street View still shows the old (and dangerous) drawbridge that was replaced after Hurricane Katrina. The new bridge is taller, but has nice wide shoulders and is much safer for cyclists.
Fort Pike: Built in the 1820s, Fort Pike protected New Orleans from potential invasions through Lake Pontchartrain. It is now a State Historic Site. Recent budget cuts have forced the closure of the park to visitors except by appointment, but you can get a good view of it from the highway.
New Orleans: Like any large city, there are good areas and not-so-good areas of town. My route through New Orleans will keep you out of the rougher neighborhoods, and still let you experience the flavor of the city that is uniquely New Orleans. The only way to enter the city by bicycle from the east is along US 90. This highway is really not too bad until you get into the city. The closer you get to New Orleans, the more congested it gets and the more seedier the surroundings become. The east side of New Orleans was flooded during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the scars (more like open wounds) are still very visible.
Bullard Avenue: There are several main roads that turn north from US 90. Bullard Avenue is busy, but it’s much better than Read, Crowder, or Downman. A couple of new chain hotels (Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta, and Comfort Suites) are located where Bullard crosses under Interstate 10.
Morrison Road: As your bones get jarred by the poor pavement of Morrison Road, you’re bound to think “There’s gotta be a better way!” Trust me, there isn’t. All of the roads in this area are bad. They were never great, but being under water for a week or two made them even worse. Also, for some unknown reason that defies logic, Morrison Road between Read and Bullard is one way (west) on the north side of the canal, but two-way on the south side of the canal.
New Orleans Industrial Canal: Three bridges cross the New Orleans Industrial Canal. One is the I-10 bridge, so that won’t do you any good. The second is the US 90 bridge. It has a pedestrian walkway, but the risks involved with just getting to the bridge far outweigh the benefits of the walkway. Your safest choice is the bridge on Leon C. Simon Drive, the one I’ve plotted on the map. It doesn’t have shoulders or a walkway, but it has less traffic and is in a somewhat safer part of town.
Leon C. Simon Drive: Normally I would have recommended you ride along Lakeshore Drive after crossing the Leon C. Simon bridge. Currently, however, there is so much construction around the University of New Orleans and Southern University that it’s impossible to get to Lakeshore Drive. So, for the time being, it’s better just to stay on Leon C. Simon Drive until you get to Robert E. Lee Boulevard. Continue west for a short distance on Robert E. Lee Boulevard until you get to Beauregard Avenue.
Wisner Boulevard Bike Trail: As you turn south onto Bearegard Avenue from Robert E. Lee Boulevard, the road changes names to Wisner Boulevard. You’ll see a well-marked, paved bike trail that runs between Wisner Boulevard and the canal. It ends right before the Wisner Boulevard bridge over I-610.
City Park: One of the great urban parks in the country. It was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but private contributions are helping it to recover. The New Orleans Museum of Art is located within the park.
Esplanade Avenue: As you leave City Park and head towards the French Quarter, you’ll ride along Espanade Avenue. This road, like most of the roads you’ve been on so far, has two lanes in each direction separated by a median. On Esplanade, however, the outermost lane in each direction is pretty narrow. Most vehicles stay in the left lanes. Cars park along the street, so your biggest danger is probably from doors opening. There are sidewalks on both sides, but given the amount of pedestrians, it’s usually safer and faster to stay on the road.
French Quarter: What can I say about the French Quarter that hasn’t already be said by many others? As you ride through this part of the city, make sure you visit the French Market. You may also enjoy seeing the rare white alligators at the Aquarium of the Americas.
St.Charles Avenue: This is likely the second most well-known street in New Orleans (behind Bourbon Street). Downtown, St. Charles is one-way, but after a traffic circle it becomes two-way. Like Esplanade, St. Charles Avenue west of the circle has two lanes going in each direction separated by a median. In this median you’ll see the famous New Orleans streetcars travelling down the tracks. St. Charles Avenue is lined with restaurants, shops, and old homes. A lot of joggers use the median, dodging the streetcars occasionally, so most of the drivers are on alert.
Audubon Park: Another great greenspace of the city. It is home to the Audubon Zoo and Insectarium.
Mississippi River Levee Trail: This is the longest true bike path in the city, and the easiest way to leave New Orleans heading west. It begins at the south edge of Audubon Park, is paved, and extends 20 miles to Ormand Boulevard in Destrehan. As you leave Audubon Park on West Drive, it becomes one-way out of the park. Immediately after you cross the railroad tracks, you’ll see the start of the bike trail on your right. Pay attention; it’s not marked and if you’re watching other traffic you might miss it.
Bonnet Carre Spillway: While riding on River Road, you’ll pass to the north of the Bonnet Carre Spillway floodgates. During times of exceptionally high water levels on the Mississippi River, the floodgates are opened to divert water to Lake Pontchartrain. The idea is to reduce pressure on the levees of New Orleans. During dry periods, motorcyclists, ATVers, and mountain bikers enjoy riding on numerous trails within the spillway.
Reserve-Edgard Ferry: The Reserve-Edgard Ferry is the easiest and safest way to cross the Mississippi River. Unfortunately it only operates on weekdays from 5:15 AM to 8:00 PM. The ferry is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and sometimes due to weather or mechanical issues.
Gramercy Bridge: Heading east to west, the Gramercy Bridge should be your second choice for a river crossing. It is tall and long, but it does have wide shoulders. The shoulders, however, have diagonally placed reflectors on the pavement (obviously designed to force cyclists to play in the traffic). I would definitely consider walking my bike over this bridge. If, on the other hand, you are travelling west to east, do not pass this bridge by without first checking the status of the Reserve-Edgard Ferry. To get the latest ferry status, call 1-888-613-3779 for recorded information. Also, don’t get suckered into trying to cross the Sunshine Bridge at Donaldsonville; it’s a much more dangerous bridge for cyclists!
Oak Alley Plantation: Oak Alley is perhaps the most photographed plantation home in Louisiana. As you ride by, you’ll understand why. They have an inn on-site, and I’ve heard that they occasionally allow cyclists to pitch a tent on the grounds.
Cane Row RV Park and Truck Stop: Located west of the intersection of LA 70 and LA 3127, I normally wouldn’t consider camping at this spot. If you’re running short on daylight, though, this is the only campground anywhere nearby. Most of the campers appear to be semi-permanent residents or snowbirds. On the plus side, there is a restaurant and convenience store on-site.
Cajun Cabins: These cabins are on LA 70 at Bayou Corne (east of Pierre Part). They are mainly used by fishermen, but they have a few RV spots next to them. I’m sure tent campers would also be welcomed. The cabins are clean, and there’s a fishing pier that makes a nice place to relax after a hard day’s ride.
Pierre Part Store: This is one of the few small town general hardware stores that hasn’t been crushed under the heels of you-know-who. That in itself is worth a visit to buy something.
Lake End Park: A small, privately owned, well established campground on the west side of Lake Palourde. It might seem a little expensive (around 25 dollars I think), but it’s the only such campground near Morgan City.
International Petroleum Museum: If you’ve ever wanted to see an offshore drilling rig up close and personal, this is the place to do it. The musuem is located on the east bank of the Atchafalaya River in downtown Morgan City.
Lake Fausse Point State Park: This state park is located within the Atchafalaya River basin (the largest freshwater river swamp in the US). In addition to camping, they have excellent waterfront cabins. You can also rent a canoe and follow well-marked paddling trails in the swamp.
Southwest Louisiana
Lake Fausse Pointe State Park to Deweyville, Texas St. Martinville: This is the legendary home of Longfellow’s fictional heroine Evangeline. A monument and museum on the banks of Bayou Teche tell her story. Just north of town on LA 31 is the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Park. Here you can learn about the origins of Louisiana’s Acadian culture.
Avery Island: When you think of hot sauce, you think of Tabasco. And when you think of Tabasco, you think of Louisiana. Avery Island is the home of Tabasco. Here you can visit the actual factory and, depending on the time of year, watch the various stages of production. Across from the Tabasco factory is Jungle Gardens. The gardens are a great place to bird watch and see alligators. A 900 year old statue of Buddha forms the centerpiece of the gardens.
Delcambre: At Delcambre, you can go straight west on LA 14 to Abbeville, or you can follow my route south and back around to Abbeville. LA 14 is a four-lane highway with lots of traffic and a 65 mph speed limit.
Palmetto Island State Park: Louisiana’s newest state park, Palmetto Island is also slated to close in June, 2011, due to state budget cuts. Hopefully additional funds will be found to keep it open. Until then, camping, hiking, and cabins are available in the park.
Intracoastal Waterway: This man-made canal allows ocean going vessels to sail between New Orleans and Houston without actually getting into the unprotected water of the Gulf of Mexico. The bridge over the ICWW is long and tall, but a wide shoulder is present.
Pecan Island: Even though it looks like a town on maps, Pecan Island is actually just a concentration of homes and hunting/fishing camps that extends five or so miles along LA 82. One convenience store and several small RV parks are located in this area. Even though they are called RV parks, some are well suited for tents due to the parking spots being grassy.
Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge: I’ve been visiting Rockefeller Refuge off and on for over 30 years. It is a remarkable place. Hurricane Rita (the other hurricane) in 2005 severely damaged most of the buildings. A few have been repaired, but many are still awaiting renovation or demolition. The refuge normally doesn’t allow camping, but if you visit the headquarters near the western boundary, and ask nicely, they will probably let you to pitch a tent overnight. Just remember that there are no amenities available. Also, if you get permission, try to ride out to the end of Price Lake Road. Depending on the season, numerous species of waterfowl may be seen.
Rutherford Beach: Where LA 82 turns sharply to the north towards Creole, you can cross the canal and continue west for one mile. Turn south onto Rutherford Beach Road and follow it around for 2.5 miles to the beach. Not much is left here since Hurricane Rita, but you have access to the beach. All beaches in Louisiana are considered public, so if you’re looking for a free place to camp, this is as good as any.
T-Boy’s Cajun Grill: Return back to LA 82 and head north to Creole. Located at the intersection of LA 82 and LA 27, this restaurant is very popular with the locals for two reasons. First, it’s the only place to eat for miles around, and secondly, the food is really good. My recommendation is the chicken and sausage gumbo. It’s among the best I’ve ever had.
Cameron: Cameron is the closest thing to an actual town in this area. It was almost wiped away by Hurricane Rita. A number of new buildings have been constructed, but the population is still far less than before the storm. Many empty foundations are visible. There is one motel in Cameron, appropriately named the Cameron Motel. There are no other motels within possibly 40 miles. I have heard, but I’m not personally familiar with this, that free camping is allowed south of Cameron near the jetties.
Cameron Ferry: This ferry is the only way to cross the Calcasieu River south of Lake Charles. North of Lake Charles there are two bridges along US 171, but neither have shoulders. The Cameron Ferry runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Holly Beach: At Holly Beach you have another major choice to make. You can continue riding west on LA 82 for another 26 miles to the Texas state line. This route through Louisiana is fine, but you run into a problem eight miles into Texas. The bridge over the Port Arthur ship channel is old, tall, long, and dangerous for cyclists. There is no shoulder at all, and the ramps are steep. This bridge is the only way to cross the channel. Unless you have a real reason to enter Texas here, you should definitely avoid this route. My recommendation is to turn north onto LA 27 at Holly Beach and cross into Texas further up at Deweyville. At Holly Beach, there is a small RV park, but no stores.
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge: Assuming that you chose to follow my advice, as you head north from Holly Beach you will soon enter the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. About 2.5 miles into the refuge from the south, you will find a paved nature trail that leads westward into the marsh to an observation tower. Along this trail I’ve seen all sorts of snakes, alligators, nutria, rabbits, and a variety of birds. Again, make sure you have plenty of bug spray.
Hackberry: I’m not aware of any camping near here, but there are several small hotels in Hackberry that cater to hunters and fishermen. Some are nicer than others.
Delta Downs: This is a horse racetrack and casino, and not someplace you would normally think about staying. They do, however, have a nice hotel on-site. Delta Downs is located on LA 3063, about 2.5 miles west of Vinton.
Niblett Bluff Park: Niblett Bluff Park is the last good camping area before you leave Louisiana. It is a small community owned and maintained park located on Niblett Bluff Road, about 2.5 miles west of the intersection of LA 3063 and LA 109.
Sabine River: As you cross the Sabine River, you’ll leave Louisiana and enter Texas at Deweyville. The LA 12 bridge over the river has no shoulders, but it’s short, flat, and has only minimal traffic. If you continue west from Deweyville on TX 12 for three miles, then turn north on TX 87 and ride 31 miles, you’ll connect with the Southern Tier just east of Kirbyville, Texas.
So, that’s the grand tour of south Louisiana. I hope you enjoy your ride through some of the most ecologically and culturally unique areas of our state. From New Orleans in the east, to the marsh prairies of the west, south Louisiana has a lot to offer if you take the time to look. If you have any questions, post them in the guestbook and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Since this blog is ostensibly about bike touring news, here is a newsy sort of a post.
May 5, 2011
Due to the rising Mississippi River causing the closure of the New Roads/St. Francisville ferry, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has opened the John James Audubon Bridge. This emergency opening will accommodate traffic that has lost river-crossing access when the ferry closed. The ferry, which carried approximately 720 vehicles per day according to 2009-2010 DOTD statistics, is permanently closed with the opening of the Audubon Bridge.
The new bridge at New Roads/St. Francisville, LA
So the ferry from New Roads to St. Francisville is permanently closed. The new bridge has been under construction since 2006 and is still not 100% complete, but the Louisiana D.O.T. has determined it is safe to use…at least for cars, it doesn’t say anything about bike lanes. It used to be that if the ferry was not running, which apparently was not infrequently, it meant a 56 mile detour down to Baton Rouge, across a very dangerous bridge, and back up to New Roads or St. Francisville (depending on the travelers direction). So, in a way, the bridge may be a welcome update to the Southern Tier route, although taking the ferry was sort of funky and the dearth of traffic in St Francisville was pretty nice.
Taking the ferry from New Roads, LA to St. Francisville
The new bridge is south of the ferry crossing location and the bicycle tourist should take SR 10 south instead of north at the junction with SR 420 to the new approach road (eastbound) and they will want to take the Baton Rouge Spur south on US 61 to the new approach road just past the junction of SR 966 (westbound). I don’t know if the Adventure Cycling Association is in the process of revamping these maps, but I’m pretty sure they are on it.
The so-called paleo diet or caveman diet is a low carb high protein diet claimed by some to be a good way to lose weight. It has some proponents in the bicycling world too. One needs to be careful when considering extreme changes in their diet or just extremes in general. Bike touring is very demanding and your body is another piece of equipment you need to depend on. I was reading this thread on Bike Forums this morning. Try to ignore the name calling from the original poster and read the rest of the posts. Interesting stuff.
Gary Taubes is the latest proponent of a high protein low carb diet. From his blog: “My message and the message of Why We Get Fat was not that we should all be eating nothing but animal products–…… but that carbohydrate-rich foods are inherently fattening, some more so than others, and that those of us predisposed to put on fat do so because of the carbs in the diet“. (emphasis added). Mostly he is talking to obese or overweight people or people with that metabolic tendency and it might be easy to see him as a person feeding on people’s desire for a quick and easy way to lose weight.
I wonder if anyone has personal experience with a high protein low carb diet and bike touring? We’d love to hear about it!
Every person has different specific nutritional needs. Some basic ideas about fuel for muscles during and after exercise cannot be easily disregarded. There is some noise being made in the cycling world about the so called paleo diet which poo poos the need for carbohydrates in the form of grains and potatoes. This may be OK for the relatively sedentary person whose physiology makes it easy for them to put on pounds. But for the person pedaling a loaded touring bike for several hours each day complex and simple carbohydrates are essential. Carbohydrates provide the fuel your muscles will need in order to fire hour after hour. No carbohydrates, no fuel and no pedals going round. The purpose of protein is to rebuild the muscle tissue being torn down by the exercise. This happens after you stop exercising. The body human is amazingly adaptive to training, and the muscles will be rebuilt stronger than before and with a greater ability to use oxygen and thus greater endurance. I’m no expert or professional in medicine or nutrition but I suggest being careful with fads. Watch this series of videos if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdBDQdOKbJQ
When I’m touring I like to carry enough food to last for about 36 hours. Because you never know when you might be able to buy groceries again. And I have a fear of getting stranded in the middle of nowhere without enough fuel to get to the next store or restaurant. Even in what one might think are relatively populated areas there might not be anyplace to get decent food. If you are lucky, maybe you can survive and thrive on hot dogs and chocolate milk and cupcakes from convenience stores, and there never seems to be a shortage of those.
Cheese, dense bread, and peanut butter (without hydrogenated oil) = Fat, protein and complex carbohydrates. Your body needs all of those.This doesn't look too good in the photo, but at 3 PM with 30 miles to go on the day, cheese and tomato on a piece of bread is heaven.A nut, dried fruit and seed mix with dark chocolate. This will make a new person out of you at the end of a long day!
I will also take pasta in the form of quick cooking thin spaghetti. Throw in a few veggies when it is almost cooked and voila, pasta primavera. That works out most of the time, unless there happen to be some ghosts who don’t appreciate your presence as happened to me recently in Merryville, LA. With this result:
This had nothing to do with my own clumsiness. It was ghosts.
I also take powdered milk and muesli. Great for breakfast or emergency meals. Dried soup (I like the Nile Spice brand) can be taken out of the container and carried in zip lock bags. Light, easy to pack, carry and to cook. Lastly, at least one emergency ration of a freeze dried meal or a meal in a boil and eat package.
Basically, I try to bring food that packs the most punch for the pound and that is easy to prepare. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a bonus but they’re hard to carry, so when I find them I buy what I can eat on the spot, or if I am at the day’s stop, what I need for dinner.
At the Winn-Dixie in New Orleans. It was a long ride through Louisiana without fruits and vegetables. I got a little carried away.
While much of our time in Austin was spent inside at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, we did get out and about a bit. Most of these photo’s were taken with my phone but thought it would be fun to give you a little view of some of the things we saw.
I must confess, on day one, we observed a gentleman riding his bicycle wearing nothing but a G-string, way too much information for us. Needless to say we decided no one else needed to be exposed to that either.
Ironwork Arch in East Austin
As a bit of a history nut, I imagine this Arch as an entrance to East Austin that the community installed to declare a neighborhood existence beyond downtown Austin. Now somewhat drawfed by I35 it still stands with pride.
Also in East Austin was this funky neighbor music venue and some interesting tiled mosaic murals.
Neighborhood music venuetile mosaic mural
Eating at Scholz Garten, was a treat, Only a few blocks from the stadium where the Texas Longhorns play basketball, the place was packed with people wearing orange t-shirts with longhorns but cleared out quickly once the game commenced. Scholz was established in 1866 and prides itself in serving German Food but they also make a pretty decent pulled pork sandwich!
iThe Bar At Scholz Garten, serving beer and German Food since 1866
Our “go to” beer in Austin quickly became the Live Oak Big Bark, interesting taste, not real hoppy and a bit of blend between a black IPA and a Red Ale. Of course Jim could probably go into way more detail, but I just drink them.
The Live Oak Big Bark quickly became our beer of choice (sorry Lone Star)
Mellow Johnny’s was a big supported of the North American Handmade Bicycle show. They hosted a huge party Friday night but didn’t have honky tonk so we cruised the shop and then departed. We are happy to say they are a dealer for Zimbale North America and had the bags displayed beautifully. To bad this photo doesn’t do justice to this bike. Similar to the Surly Big Dummy and Mellow Johnny’s decked it out with propane hot plate and mixing bowls – was pretty entertaining. The panniers are Giant – could probably stuff two kids, all the groceries and the kitchen sink.
Treks extended bicycle
The Bike Hermit has the highest metabolism of anyone I know so finding Whole Foods was on the top of the list. The Austin store is the flag ship and a must visit for anyone who goes to Austin. I thought this “desert” stream in their landscaping was quite pleasant and deserving of a photo.
When at the Austin Whole Foods, be sure to admire the desert stream.
As I failed to do much research prior to our trip regarding bike rental options, I was the queen of walking. BUT just so you know, Austin Bike Tours and Rentals not only rents bikes they deliver and pick them up when you are done – DANG
I walked past this very clever bike rack, if you have any old frames in your garage, just weld them together!
While the Bike Hermit is exploring Texas and Louisiana, he is journaling on Crazy Guy on A Bike. Here are a few photos and the link to his Journal
Chief - aka A. Homer Hilson loaded and ready to rollthe Bike Hermit, happy to be wearing his new jersey by Club RideThree nice pockets and comfortable pleating on this Club Ride JerseyThe Bike Hermit rolling out of the Sheraton Hotel, Downtown AustinThe first of many routes to New Orleans
They are in the middle of an “open ended journey” and they are doing it on bicycles. When we saw them they had their Brompton folding bikes with them preparing to ride the Adventure Cycling Northern Tier route. I wish them luck and will be following their adventures.
