I just wanted to let you know that it was bama bike guy that inspired
Me a long time ago.lwas following along the whole way,back in the day's
of forums only lnterweb.
I'm not to sure how long each post should be so I will continue.
So in late 2017 I decided to do a little trip to see my little brother in
California. But frist I should tell you I only made it to Las Cruces NM from
Fort Walton Beach Florida.
Well I will be going again on March 1st!!! And wanted to tell you guy's about the last trip and what I took.
The riders
First about the Riders there were two of us at the start which is how all good story start off. about me my name is jarrod I am a 46 year old man 6ft 220 lb with a tiny fridge in the front from growing big and strong (bacon). I have been with my girl
Who I loved along time (28yrs). That's my best brag that I
Have, but the bike story is pretty good though.
Second their was Tony. A 60 year old man father of 3.
At a165 pounds 5'10 but says 6' with a touch of tie dye
In him.
The background
Tony is a life long mechanic and has only drove two trucks most of his life,and one was his dad's before he
Passed. Maybe something about a Chevy for him.
But I think it's because he's a little bit of a tight***.
Me I own a small upholstery shop. No kids two dogs and three cats
With cool hobbies and glad to live in a trailer. I had the same Isuzu pickup for 17 year's and now I just use them & abuse then now.
The steads
Tony went with a used 80's trek 830 . which he bought from his neighbor Dean for $80 bucks. All there good enough. I went with a big red 97 giant Yukon . isaw on cregslist for 100 dollars and offered him $60 bucks.
All there good enough.
The powerplant
Well guys you know I didn't do it with the China girl.
We took the bikeberry 38cc lock&load out on the road.
A 4 stroke friction drive with a 1.5" spindle on wall mart tires. The only difference in the two was the mounting of
The motor bracket. Tony went with out of the box,and my
Frame needed my touch put on it.because I have a shop,and everything I play with gets mods.
The plan
The plan was to ride a motorized Bicycle across the southern tier, from Florida to California in 30 days.
We would go unsupported and stealth camp. utilizing the adventure cycling Southern Tier route. I saved the route as green dots across my google map's . I went to their site and took all of the towns from their preview maps some 60 towns. I was inspired by and old MBer by the name of Bama bike guy long a go, and my need to do something out of the box. Bama passed before I had a chance to get out there,and I had to get out there before I passed.
The Money
Did I mention that I live in a trailer. So the right kind of budget was not to hard to come by.I brought 200
dollars cash and 200 in the bank,so not enough for some but plenty for others. Tony brought an unknow amount but he could not go into a chicken store with out leaving with something in his hands.
The totall amount for the stuff I brought including the motor $454 motor $229 was almost half the money.
The setups
We both left with front and rear racks. I made two sets of roll top panners,and a kitty litter bucket on the opposit side of the motor.The buckets were cleaned and painted black.Two rocket lauchers where fixed to the back of the bucket to carry a telesopic cane pole so we could fly a flag.We both took our own lives in our hands and installed Front fenders,eveven though I had already been over the handle bars befor.Both bikes got Bmx bars for comfort,and a upright riding postion.The bikes used the cantaleaver breaks that they came with.I used three water bottle cages,and made an anything cage from pvc for under the down tube.Tony had three water bottle cages and a front basket on his handlebars.Rear racks where added to the top of the motor bracket by choping the racks and screwing them down to the bracket.Cheap front and rear lights where added.A small bag was hung on the bars to carry cigs,phone,and sunglasses.Both of the bikes had a mirror .The two bikes got two old cable locks,one combination and one keyed.The wheels where 36 spoke single wall aluminum rims with cup and cone bearing.The rubber on my bike was the bell 1.75 comfort cruiser and Tony used 2.00 cruiser on the back and 2.00 nobby on the front.I had a 3x7 drive train and Tony had a 3x8 gear set.All four wheels where quick release hubs.I should say that Tony's bike was steel {cromoly}and mine was aluminum.
The tools
Well guys for a life long mecanic and a guy who owns his own auto upholstery shop we took nearly no tools. We both just brought the minimum,a pair of small vise grips and some allenkeys.The both of us carried old frame pumps and knowlege.I hear thier might have been a leatherman, not likely Tony left without it.
the extra parts
So we took almost no tools and even fewer parts.There where 4 extra spokes for each bike and one extra shift cable.We both brought two tubes and a patch kit.I think we had about 10 zipties.Tony and I both figured we could just pick them up as we went across Amerrica.
the camping gear
So keeping with the KISS theme my camping gear was quite paired down.We both broght about the same gear.Mostly focused on a sleep system,kitchen,and clothes.For a sleep system we took hammocks,tarps,and quilts.There where no guns,survival knives,saws or axe's brought.Dew to the regular and frequent safety meetings.
the hammocks
Allright the hammocks where both the $29 netted gatherd end hammock .Hammock straps where 12' of orange 1" nylon lummber tie downs that you see on the side of the rode everywhere.Hoops where sewn on the ends and prusiks where used to tension the straps.I used a ridge line through both ends of the netting of the same nylon tape 9'6". Ropes where removed from the gatherd ends and replaced with tape sewn in.Tie downs where sewn to the side seams.So it could be staked out as a bivy.Netted bag was also hung on the inside for emtying pockets.Speader poles where disgarded.Two aluminum carabeiner from walmart where used. The stainles ones where tossed.
the tarps
About the tarp,it is a black 6'x10' first up shade wall $14 at walmart.Each tarp got tie outs sewn to the corners,ridgeline,and edeges.It was used as a A frame over the hommock.Attached to one of prusiks at one end and to a bunge to the strap at the tree.It was also used as a plowpoint on the ground,including
6 steel stakes and one bunge with hooks.There where 4, aproxamently 5' long blaze orange para cords tied to the corners and fixed with bowlens at both ends.Alot about sthelth camping for me, is speed of the setup and forced teardown.So if your not quick I just camped in your yard.So Sleep with one eye open...
the quilts
So not your grandmoters style of quilt.This is far cheaper and lighter.These are grey nylon quilt from the campping section at walmart.They are $14 dollars with stuff sack.At one end of the quilt a paracord was threded through the binding with a peice of stiff wire.The quilt was sled down the string to form a foot box.For a under quilt.I used $8 dollar black and red sleeping bag cut down to 40"x60".It was then hemed on the cut lines so para could be slid down both ends to gather them both slightly.Attached to the staps at the gatherd ends with small D rings.I am a side sleeper so when i curlup it is plenty.I use a stuff sack with stuff, stuffed in it for a pillow.Tony was a little less set on his sleep system owning to the fact he's more of a famliy camper,and wanted to use a pad. He didn't bring a pad and didn't use a under quilt and frose.He did pick a closed faom one up one the fourth night.
{burr..north of I-10}.
the kitchen
Well you probaly already know we both carried the $14 stanly cook cup #greencupclub and tossed the green cups.The cups where replaced with a smaller metal mug with folding handles $6 at walmart.Two plastic plates,two table spoons.Because when your hungry you want a shovel.Two stoves where taken as well.
the stoves
I am here to tell you, that the type of stove I take and how I use them matter when you sthealth camp alot.Tony brought a realy old multi fuel stove.That never worked once and burst into flames when tried.Not just the pan either but crawling out of the hose for the bottle.I broght a 3$ stainles perforated utinsile holder as a stick stove.With a can of sterno for stheath when needed.About 8min to boil cup quietly and no light.
the clothes
I only had one rule no spandex on the out side,because it draws the wrong kind of rifraf and vegans.
1 dollar general camo puffy jacket 5$
1 set of synthetic thermal under wear 12$ wore the hole time for sun block
1 fleece pullover and pants ditched in the desert 14$
1 pair of wool socks
1 pair of flip flops
1 pair of screen vented sneakers 18$
2 pair of boxxer briefs 1 pair ditched for pair of gently used padded shorts
1 bandana
1 camo buff
1 pair of synthetic shorts 4$
1 camo ball cap
Don't forget that people only see you once.
Wanted to start a thread about going cross country.
Jarrod it’s not hard, first download the picture or pictures to the device you are posting from, Next you click the upload a file tab next to the post reply tab, search for the picture and upload it. Wait till it completely uploads then hit the post tab, you can post pictures as thumbnails or full size.
