Day 1 down, Day 2 beginning:

Good morning.

Up and just about on my way from a great evening spent in Stewartsville, NJ, at the home of NJ State Parks employee, Mrs. Kim Russ, and her husband Richard Russ, who just goes by "Russ." Upon being received safely into town, we sat down to a beautiful and bountiful meal of shrimp and squash, stuffed peppers, fresh corn on the cob, salad and wine. Having heard of my penchant for 'amateur gourmet cookery,' Mrs. Russ invited me to attend to the scampi, which went well. After stuffing ourselves to the gills, we retired to the patio for an evening coffee by the fire.

The Russ home sits upon 2 acres of beautiful rolling country, alongside a corn field and speckled with wildlife, which Russ is constantly photographing, and so the home is abundantly stuffed with photos of deer, wild turkeys, snow geese and foxes, all of whom have come to nestle into the blurred boundaries of human and animal habitat.

After fixing breakfast with tomatoes and peppers from the garden to show my gratitude for such wonderful lodgings, I sat down with Russ who re-directed my Google Map directions onto a more favorable route out of town. Now off to Kutztown, PA, a moderate 41 miles down the road. The lesser distance will be a welcome rest after the initial day of the tour. On Day 1, the NJ countryside, presented me with far more hills than I had ever thought to imagine. For my next tour, I have already decided upon the following:

• Learn to read a topographical map
• leave myself more time to pause and enjoy the countryside
• train more on monster hills.

All that aside, though, the ride from Newark to Stewartsville was a wondrous exposure to the breadth of terrain and architecture along the way. From the busted grit of Newark, past Rutgers and Seton Hall, into the palatial estates in Millburn and Chatham, on through the townships of Mendham and Chester and the downtown strip of Washington, NJ with its pubs and movie theatres, and all the vast areas in between which ranged from marsh and grasslands to wooded mountains. More on that later, as I've got to be out on my way. All thanks again to Kim and Russ for their warm welcome and hospitality.

Cheers,

--rz

4 Days 'til Departure

morning training: 11mi. through Qns and Bkln. I seemed to average 12-14 mi/hr, though I've yet to attach my rack and panniers, which should arrive in the next day or so. Breakfast at the Greenpoint Coffee House: Egg, bacon and cheese on a roll, and coffee: $8.00 w/tip.

Meeting tomorrow in Brooklyn with Ms. Nora Dye of Wanderlust: a ride for Reproductive Justice, for one of my final training rides and a consultation on DIY bike repair. Ms. Dye is graciously donating the temporary loan of:

• a spare tube
• a multi-tool
• a 15mm or adjustable wrench
• a mini-pump
• rain clothes
• a set of 3 tire irons
  
• a Spokes and spoke wrench

As well, she graces me with her copious knowledge of cycle touring, having ridden from Princeton, NJ to Portland, OR, and from New Orleans to New York.

Later in the evening, I met with Robert Burke and a gang of about 10 instructors at NYC Outward Bound at their main hub in Long Island City. Mr. Burke, Director of Staff Training at NYC OB, is a solid and serene man, quietly radiant from a healthy diet of fresh air, challenge, exercise, and endorphins. The entire group, in fact, was saturate with a palpable buzz of energy for their evening recreation on the 60' back-yard rock-climbing wall, neatly tucked away from the building's adjacent alley, just a stone's throw from the N/W trains and the Queensboro Bridge. Upon receiving me into their enclosed yard and climbing area, everyone shook my hand and introduced themselves by name. I quickly got the sense that to be invited into this inner sanctum is a privilege reserved for a select few. After graciously outfitting me with a sleeping pad and a "shell" rain-coat (light-weight and stretchy with a hood) for my bike trip, I was invited to climb on their wall.

After filling out a brief medical form and signing a waiver, I was outfitted with a helmet, a harness, and a pair of climbing shoes. I climbed with OB once in my youth, about 12 years ago, and remembered some of the basics. I was reminded to move just one limb at a time, maintaining three points of contact at all times, and to trust in the strength of my legs, as they possess the largest muscle groups in the body. And so, with two people on the ground below me to belay and anchor-belay my safety rope, I proceeded to climb about 45-50' up this wall until my fingers and fore-arms trembled to cling to the 'overhang' segment of the wall. Upon my resignation, the staff below of course encouraged me to go just a little bit farther up, and once there, allowed me to call out "ready to lower." Letting go of the wall, I fell into the suspended safety of the rope, and spun slowly around to see the sun-painted horizon of Industrial Queens from 4 stories high. Upon landing and after massaging my throbbing forearms, I consulted with Mr. Burke and Ms. Diana Belknap, a North Carolina-based instructor of 20 years. During our interview, I learned how to make a fire in the rain, and the most important multi-tool to bring on an outdoor expedition: The Frisbee. Ms. Belknap detailed "The 9 uses for a Frisbee," as outlined here:

1. A fan to coax a campfire
2. a plate
3. a cutting board
4. a clean, flat surface [for Ms. Belknap, for her contact lens routine]
5. a dry seat on damp ground
6. an actual-factual Frisbee
7. a sled
8. ???
9. and finally, as a discreet commode for use in choppy water in a canoe.

While #8 eluded her at the moment, [Ms. Belknap will get back to me on that,] I'm thoroughly convinced, and will have my Hot Wheels™ Frisbee in tow. A big thanks to Robert, Diana, and everyone at NYC OB for their counsel and support, and an extra special thanks to Ryan and Sally who anchored me during my climb and lowered me safely back to Earth.

5 Days 'til Departure

The good folks at NYC Outward Bound are lending me a sleeping pad for the trip, and Mr. Robert Burke, the Director of Safety, Staffing, and Training, is meeting with me tomorrow evening to consult on the basics of solo outdoor survival, just in case.

Panniers and a handlebar bag are on their way from Arkel®, a company based in Canada that deals only in the manufacture of panniers that last a lifetime.

Paul Fleming, our man at Polarpak, is working to stitch this logo
onto one of their patented Promopaks for added visibility of the story during the trip. Ideally, it'll be a conversation starter with folks I'll meet along the way.

Training this evening will be 20 miles. I'm still working to procure two pairs of cycling shorts and 2 jerseys for the ride, so any and all leads are welcome.

-rz

Eight Days 'til Departure

I had a great morning today, riding to meet with Aaron Hillebrand at Signature Cycles in Manhattan. Mr. Hillebrand, 28, is an expert at fitting a cycle to a rider, and as we found, a classmate of mine from 6th grade in East Grand Rapids, MI where I lived for a speck of my childhood. Located on 64th and West End, Signature Cycles caters to an exclusive set of precision cyclists, and gears their machines to the utmost in efficiency. As we re-united, having not seen each other for some seventeen years, Hillebrand graciously donated his time to fit me to my rig and parlayed his substantial experience in touring, having ridden from Michigan to Montana, and South Carolina to Maine, to name just a couple of trips.

During our discourse, I re-visited certain 'common sense' items of cycling and camping basics [no food in the tent,] and now that I've been properly fitted, I'm simply amazed at how much more power I get out of each pedal stroke. Hillebrand also donated a sundried collection of items [water bottle cage, sample packets of chamois cream, and a pair of clipless pedals] which will undoubtedly expedite and ease my travel. All thanks and praise to him and Signature Cycles. The ride there and back also doubled as my morning training.

Cheers,
--rz

SPONSORS:

Given the humanitarian nature of the ride [helping a friend] and the publicity of the story being pitched to local and national news media outlets, I've garnered the support of a number of sponsors to provide me with the food, clothing, shelter, and equipment I'll require for the trip.

Elete Water-- No colors, no sugars. Just good, clean hydration that tastes like, well-- water. Elete is donating electrolyte supplements.

Polarpak-- The next level in hydration pack technology. Polarpak is donating a "Moflow" hydration pack, plus a 'promopak'-- a backpack with an embroidered logo for my trip. Added bonus: The pack also doubles as a camp shower, and a pillow.]

Bike Stop Astoria-- Gus, the owner of my local bike shop, donated his time to teach me the basics of maintaining my rig on the road, and donated a wrench, a tube, and a patch kit to see me safely down the road.

GU Energy-- Nutrition concentrate. GU [pronounced "goo"] creates nutritional gels in wee packets that you squirt into your mouth and follow with a few mouthfuls of water. Ten minutes down the road, and your legs are moving like painless pistons.

Gear For Good-- An activist equipment lending library. Ingrid Gordon at Gear for Good is helping me to gather a sundried assortment of the missing pieces.

*EUREKA-- Eureka Tents has donated a 1p tent for the trip.

Speaking of which, I'm still seeking sponsorship, donations, or a temporary loan for:

• a rear bike rack and panniers
  
• a one-man tent [got it!]
  
• a sleeping pad
• light-weight rain gear, top and bottom
  
• a 15mm bike wrench
• a set of metal tire irons
• a couple of short bungee cords
• a pocket-knife or Leatherman-type device
  
• a 6' square tarp for good measure

And the ultimate donation wish-list item: the Xtracycle Free Radical converter kit. Turns any bike into an S.U.B.

My thanks and praise to everyone who has contributed to make this trip all the more possible.

Cheers,
-rz