expidition impossible

deacon · Jul 17, 2011

So this morning Cannonball 2 two and I have begun kicking around a meet up on the east coast of the usa. I think it might be interesting to discuss the planning as well as the misadventures along the way. What we really need it for the discovery channel to send along a tv crew lol. All we know now is we are going to make a plan, whether it happens or not is up in the air now.

But like the man said "How you going to make it to the moon, if you don't even try for first base." From an old cartoon in the papers when I was a kid.

I will probably be riding an underpowered bike, so my priority one is the geography of the ride. Get our of the hills as soon as possible and onto the flat coastal plane.

I just had a thought, my wife will never come along on this thing, but I could get her to drive me out of the hills and drop me in a place from which I can ride from without doing damage to my poor old body with the ride. A couple of hours in the car will save me a lot of grief.

cannonball2 · Jul 17, 2011

OK deacon refresh my memory as to where in NC you live. This idea in not all that far fetched. At the minium 3 days, 2 to travel one to recover and hang out. If enough people would want to do this and if the fuel cost is shared we could use my truck as a chase vehicle. The other option would be to transport our bikes to a central departure point and have a X# of days ride out. I had in the back of my mind a long camping trip on my MB anyway, this is right along those lines. My bike will average 20mph factoring in hills. I generally ride an hour at a time and take a short break, so Im thinking I could probably make 140mi in a day of dedicated riding.

ferball · Jul 17, 2011

Might I suggest using routes of historical significance. Like the old Cumberland Road would offer a decent route and I believe much of it is a lot less traveled than it used to be so you would get a great scenic and historical trip. You have parts of the Oregon Trail and even the Mormon Trail that offer some decent traveling, and many of these routes would have tried to avoid hills and what not as the original roads were made with wagons and horses.

It would even be easier to sell to the Discovery Channel. Or better yet get three bikes for Clarkson, Hammond, and Captain Slow and realy have a good time.

Fulltimer · Jul 17, 2011

US-1 from Maine to the Florida Keys. Now that would be a ride! http://wikitravel.org/en/U.S._Highway_1

Terry

deacon · Jul 17, 2011

My wife said no way. Nothing you build would make such a ride, so I set out to prove her wrong. Boy did I show her my drive wheel flew apart after five miles. RofL

Im going to be working on a bike to do errands but in the back of my mind I'm thinking long distance bike.

Im in High Point NC central NC. If I do this I want to get out of the hills before I start the ride i think. I can impose on my family to drive me a few miles east and start from say let me check some maps

cannonball2 · Jul 17, 2011

Build you a twin engine bike Deek. You can use both for hills, and when we get into the flats run only one. If one breaks the other is already mounted. We need to do this. I will check the map to see how we can go.

deacon · Jul 17, 2011

I talked to my daughter and son in law he is about ready to build one and go for it. Only he said he is going to be staying in motels lol.

I think I'm going to go with the Ilfan you have. I saw your comments on the home depot site. I wonder where I can find a 15mm bore anything to mount a drive wheel to. A sprocket or collar anything at all. While I plan this one, I'm going to be building that blower bike.

daRog · Jul 17, 2011

Something about the term "blower bike" made me snicker uncontrollably.

cannonball2 · Jul 17, 2011

deacon said:
I talked to my daughter and son in law he is about ready to build one and go for it. Only he said he is going to be staying in motels lol.

I think I'm going to go with the Ilfan you have. I saw your comments on the home depot site. I wonder where I can find a 15mm bore anything to mount a drive wheel to. A sprocket or collar anything at all. While I plan this one, I'm going to be building that blower bike.

Deacon, use the rubber roller, a 5/8 hole fits the 15mm shaft perfectly as the drill leaves it undersized. I have rubber mat left, but its going fast.

deacon · Jul 18, 2011

Im thinking bike trailer for the tarp, sleeping bag, extra premix an water. Also a back pack. I don't build bikes that I can't just walk away from. If it breaks down. just pack up the back pack and start walking to the nearest telephone to call home. No I dont own a cell phone. My daughter is raising the devil for me to get one if I do this.

Cash and the credit card of course.

cannonball2 · Jul 18, 2011

With you on the trailer, figure all the camping gear and tools in the trailer. Then on top an extra tire or two. My bike can carry a gallon of gas over the front wheel, so I dont have to get into the trailer to refuel. Figuring on the conserative side at 120mi/gal, with a full tank and gas can(6quarts) I should have a 180mi range before fillup. Of course you never know, but about the only problem I would expect is tires. The Lifan has never so much as missed in the nearly 1K mi. I have run it. Thats the cool thing about FDs far as the bike is concerned, the only thigs getting used are the tires and wheel bearings.

daRog · Jul 18, 2011

deacon said:
No I dont own a cell phone. My daughter is raising the devil for me to get one if I do this.

I'd suggest you look into getting a Tracfone. The low-end ones are so cheap they're practically disposable. I carry one for emergency calls and the cost averages $7.00 a month to keep it activated.

cannonball2 · Jul 18, 2011

Good sugestion daRog. I have one and have had excellent service, never found in my travels around the SE any area with out service.

deacon · Jul 18, 2011

The service area was what I was going to ask about. I have thought that if I get one it would be the tracfone. I can not hear very well, so it would only be for emergencies and no sense spending a lot for that.

Yeah the lifan engine four stroke looks good for a bike engine. My design I am happy with and I plan to ride the back roads so not too worried bout cops and the size of the bore.

One thing I will do is to disassemble the trailers and clean & repack the bearings. There isn't alot of weight, but they are going to be spinning a lot.

The guy at the bike shop has about convinced me that the wheels and brakes on cheap wally world bikes are the problems nothing else is a problem. I'm thinking 24" dual suspension from wallymart and maybe swap out the wheels. side pull brakes seem to work pretty well no matter whose bike they are on.

Use the front gear cable as a throttle. I have plenty of sheath and I just bought ten new cables so extending it won't be a problem. The only problem i have with the Lifan is weight. When I am running an egine that weights under then pounds it is hard to move up to one over twenty five.

daRog · Jul 18, 2011

That's the cool thing about cell phones, deacon. Good hearing isn't necessary. JST SND TXTS LOL.

cannonball2 · Jul 18, 2011

The weight is not to noticible, and its closer to 20lbs. You will notice its back there when you come to a hill and it just climbs right up it. I prefer mine governed for a road traveling bike. It uses a shifter as a throttle and once under way it is a "set it and forget it" situation. Come to a hill and the governor just handles it for you. No constant throttle monitoring. Very relaxing ride. If you use the cheap & easy roller you can change em out in a minute depending on riding conditions. I trailer pull on a 1.875, and cruise on a 2.125, got the rain roller too all in the bike bag.

deacon · Jul 18, 2011

I remember the grayhound when it worked for a week. The hills just flattened out for me. I love the weed whacker but I'm way leery of it for a long ride.

Well I have a hard enough time with voice, and hitting the wrong buttons. I think i can get the house and say send help. That's about all I need it for I think.

IamTheBear · Jul 19, 2011

i say a trip down 17 would be a nice drive. plus plenty of beach side place to stop and camp.!

cannonball2 · Jul 19, 2011

You are right on about that! I have run 17(on a motorcycle)from apoint south of Savannah, just beautiful!

deacon · Jul 19, 2011

I used to live in Wilmington and it was great. It is my favorite road. Now I have to wonder if they have bike racks on greyhounds. Would love to start at the beach and go from there. Not have to do the ride down there.

expidition impossible

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