Tag Archives: cycling

On the road to fight obesity

Tom and Chuck overlooking Lake Geneva

Sunday September 25 Update from Chuck and Tom

We left CAK Saturday afternoon to catch our flight. Chuck had just finished the Akron Marathon, his third. He was looking forward to a quiet flight to Atlanta where we boarded our international flight to Munich. From Munich, we caught a short flight to St. Moritz. Today, we crossed the Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express to Zermatt through many mountain passes and tunnels. Late this afternoon we arrived in Geneva after a long day of travel.

Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo

Tom and Chuck on the Glacier Express

High on a hill was a lonely goatherd… Those words from the Sound of Music echo in our heads as we pass through the Alps on our way to Geneva. It’s Tom and Chuck coming to you from our totally fabricated trip across Switzerland. Over the next week you can follow us on what we hope is a believable Tour der Alps.

Cycle Clinic

Tom emailed me about a cycling clinic where the main topic is touring. This falls right in line with one of the main reasons I got back into biking aside from the benefits of getting out.  Also since we have this trip in the planning stages I thought it will be good to go and get some extra information from folks that have been into touring for some time.  Unfortunately Tom will be in New York when the clinic is so he won’t be able to attend.

I wrote to the organizer of the clinic and asked if their may be any spots left as it is being limited to 35 places.  I also explained how a friend and myself were in the planning stages of doing a tour along the C&O Canal Way and the GAP and going from Pittsburgh to Washington DC and hopefully beyond. 

The organizer wrote back and told me that one of the speakers actually as well as himself have done the same tour only starting from DC and heading west instead of east. He also gave me a coveted spot in the clinic witch I am certainly grateful. It is pretty awesome I will get to meet and speak to a couple folks that have recently done this trip as well. I can’t think of a better clinic to have been able to attend. Looking forward to April 30th.  

Chuck

New front rack installed

After considering different options and going back and forth on if I wanted to user a trailer for the trip of just load everything up with Panniers I deiced on  panniers. I always kind of leaned that way anyway as think it will give me more choices and will enable me to balance the weight out better. Also in a few cases we may be in some spots where being longer by pulling a trailer may not allow for easy turns and manipulations around  some objects. 

Anyway I went ahead and ordered a ‘Surly Front Nice Rack’.  I wanted one that I can mount low panniers on and at the same time one that had a shelf on top to load my sleeping bag or tent.   I ordered it last week at Blimp City Bike and Hike.  Andy gave me a call mid week to let me know it was in. I was going to have Andy install it but decided that I would just pick it up and do it myself so that I knew how it went on and everything. I have a tendency to do things myself most of the time so I know how to do it in the future should something need tweaked or fixed. Plus I enjoy doing things like this. Anyway I decided today to install it.

MS Pedal to the Point 2011

Pedal to the Point 2010

This is one fun ride! I rode in it last summer and look forward to a return appearance. The MS folks have great sAG support and want to make every rider a success. I highly recommed that you sign-up. You will not regret it. It will be an experience that you will remember for years. Plus, you will be helping a great charity.