Tag Archives: Photographs

These are my photographs

Bangor, ME Bike Pol0 was a Blast

I was about ten miles further than I wanted to be on the morning of the day I was to meet the Bangor pol0 crew. And it was raining. I rode over 60 miles between 1pm and just after 7, the stated start time. It was slow, hilly, wet and very pretty ride from Rockport, or -land? To Bangor up the 1 and 1A. Didn’t stop for many photos or even food and water much. I wanted to get there. Even if it was rained out. I wanted to say I was there. Even if they weren’t.
I got to town and asked a few pedestrians where they play. The fourth try pointed me in the right direction. Not two turns later a dark haired girl in a car behind me yelled out “pol0”. From then on my night kept getting better and better. Pol0 in Maine for one, so fun only 5 of us all together but 2v2 is still good pol0. We had mutual friends because she and her boyfriend Gabe had lived in NYC a couple years ago. One of the other players shared his vege soup. Another was playing music. We mixed up games. And I had a very good time. Good like 2005 bike pol0 good. After, we relaxed at a bar for a bit but they closed early. Fine bc I was hungry. Kierie and Gabe offered a spare room. They also fed me and let me shower. We talked about travel, NYC, and pol0. It was good.

20110810-8898

And I’m on One

20110811-090154.jpg

I’ve been happily married to this road for days now. I have been bouncing around a bit but that’s ok too. My only regret is that I was just a handful of miles from a town named Dayton and I failed to realize until I was two days ride past. Oops. That’s one Dayton out out of the 20+ in the states I might not see.

Portland, ME Bike Pol0 was a Bust

Tried to link up with pol0 in Portland. A week ago I got a response confirming game time. I was there, they were not. Bummed
Up next is Bangor, ME and so far the email response has been positive. I really want to play pol0 in Maine. Even just one game and I’ll be a happy man. And to meet pol0 players up here. Seems so cool. I’ll be glad if I can take a few portraits.
Can say the weather in Portland was at worst, threatening. But it was dry all night. And their court had lights NYC would kill for.
The weather for tomorrow looks good. Can’t see why Bangor won’t be out hitting the ball around tomorrow evening. Looking forward to it.

20110807-8789

Internet and me

Finding web time is not as hard as keeping this old iPhone charged. Need some solar charger but don’t want it bad enough to research, find, or buy one. Mainly because being on the Internet slows me down and sucks the life out of my time.
I’m exaggerating. I did drink a huge coffee at Bard Coffee in Portland, Maine while sending some tweets to let friend know I’m alive. Look at emails and try to contact portland bike pol0. Waiting on a response. Also look at 36 hour weather. Dry now but says all rain coming up. Rained all last night. Luck that it started 30 min after I was in my tent.
Also got this thing fully charged while waiting. Still no reply. Getting super hungry. Fingers crossed they play when and where their site says.

Also I met another touring cyclist.

20110922-27990017

August 3, 2011

Was on a schedule to get to Boston by 6pm to play pol0 w friends.
On the road by 9am.
Had a crash 4 miles out. Some sand in the corner of a turn. Recovered it but hit deeper sand beyond. Fell. Alls good.
No real damage.
On the 6 east to 198 north to 244 east. Into RI. Was in RI for exactly 2 hours. Just 17 miles. That was that. Oh in a town Chepachet you can’t drink the water on one side of town because of dirty wells. I asked a newspaper delivery guy for directions to good water as I ate some pb and j. He pointed me in the right direction. A min later he came out of the EZ Mart w a large bottled water. “by donation. Have a good trip”.
Rode more miles than I wanted today. Made me think of my last tour/ride. On a schedule. Not the best. But today it’s worth it.
Made it to pol0 in time. Subway for dinner. Jav loaned me his bike for a couple games. Gus gave me place to stay. First shower since NYC. Gus took a good photo and made me tea. And I’m on his Internet right now.

20110803-8529

August 2, 2011

Rain still on tent in morn. But clear skies.
Got simple stuff to eat at a close store. Yogurt. Granola.
Stopped at a shady bench near pond to have lunch. Watched one little turtle try to climb onto a floating board. The 4 others already sunbathing did nothing to help. After 5 tries the little guy made it on his own.
Had a biker offer a place to stay. It was later but I needed to ride east more to get to Boston in good time. And he lived west of where we were. Did another 14 miles before I stopped.
Smooth roads 90% of the day.
Taco bell for dinner.
Slept behind a long row of bailed cardboard stacked on skids behind a Walmart. In the grass. Quiet dark.

105 miles to Willimamtic, CT

In the night at 4:40am a forklift driver found me. Called out. But I stayed quiet. No problems.

20110803-8504

August 1, 2011

Day one. Condensed.
Rolled fully loaded for the first time w this set up out of Crown Heights to meet Andy at Pies n Thighs. Had pancakes. Talked about climbing. Went to Outlier to say bye. Jesse gave me a paper swan and a patch I wanted. Rachel took my picture. Went to mid town said bye to my roommate. Rode to central park. Said bye to Crihs. Rode out of the park together. He also took a picture. After that alone.
Was nervous but felt good. No phone but was hearing phantom rings.
Writing in a notebook 20 years older than me.
Rode on Bronx River Road and 22. Lots of stone walls at the road on 22. Pretty, shady.
It rained twice. And those were the only times I talked to anyone. Both time guys asking about my trip.
Had the song by sting or police in my head for hours. I can’t stand losing you.

Camped for free. Rained more at night. Nervous but slept well

rode 79 miles to Danbury, CT.

20110801-8439

20110801-8470

20110801-8475

20110801-8481

Saturday

Today I made progress. Woke up and was out of the house by noon. wanted to go to the library and p/u some French language CD’s for my ipod. Also wanted to get a juice, last night I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. about a guy who gets healthy by drinking just juice. Might be my last Netflix instant. I turned in $67 in coins at the bank, looked at maps at Barnes and Noble, that place sucks for maps. I went to EMS and bought a bunch of crap. and then I was back home by 2pm to do some moving. It’ll all fit and I’ve got a few last things to move but had to stop at 7pm because of the hours of operation.
At home I packed up the bike a little.
Tonight going to the bowling alley for a b-day party.

Tomorrow? move the rest before 4pm. maybe pol0. eat. still need a UV filter and soap, cancel Netflix, return French CD’s and whatever else..

The Front Door to My Apartment


Every day I go out this door.

I have been looking at writings about preparing for a bike tour. One part of these articles that has absolutely nothing to do with me is the part about how to ship your bike before a tour. I have never started a tour that did not begin where I lived. Both of my solo tours started in my home state of Ohio. The first was riding West to the Pacific Ocean and the second was to the East and then South along the Atlantic Coast. A few years later I was selected from applicants all over the world to ride a promotional tour that was to start in NYC, and it just so happened I lived in Brooklyn at the time. So in all my experience I’ve never had to ship my bike and gear to my start point.

What I have done is arrange transportation for my bike and self after the tour ended. Once by bus, once by car, and once by plane. In that order. I can say that shipping a bike that has already done its duty is not stressful or needs any articles written. Put it in a box, send it, deal with it later.

I want to do another tour through an area in North America that I’ve never been. The East coast north of Boston. Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. Right now I still live in Brooklyn so I am already on the East coast and it happens to be that my lease is up on August first. I think August and September would be a fine time to travel north.

The thing about this trip idea is that I’ll be doing a big loop. All of my transportation will be by bike. I’ll depart by bike and return by bike. I wonder why I never did it this way before? It’s got me thinking, who are these people who ship their bikes and fly to some start point? Why not just ride there?

I can guess who, I can guess why.

For me, if all goes as best as I can imagine it then very soon I’ll walk out this door for the last time. With my bike all loaded and ready to go and will see the first day and first miles of a long tour. It will also be the last day I lived in this building.

On the other hand, if this trip gets put on hold, for some reason, I’ll still be moving out. The rent went up and my roommate and I are not that attached to this area. Either way, so long 1400.

 

EBoost

EBoost gave a bunch of these to the promotional ride I was on a couple years ago. I liked them, mixed them in my water every day, sometimes a couple few times a day. Looking through some of the photos from that ride I found this.

I never see this product in stores, but on the other hand there are stores I don’t go into. If I find some I might buy more, til then I’ll just remember the good old days of Boosting E’s for free.

It’s been so long since I’ve had one in my hand I can’t remember where they are made.

eboost.com

Edit: Seems Eboost is another one of those companies who do not respond/answer emailed questions. Bums.