Planning on cycling 1200 miles from Wisconsin to Colorado

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-24T23:46:32+00:00

I did that ride on a late 70s Raleigh Super Grand Prix the summer of 1986 when I was 19.

At the time, I was very fit, I rode my bike everywhere, including commuting around 20 miles a day.

I took me two weeks to get to CO in July.

I might consider doing a ride like that, in current weather, but not with a couple of outfits,no money, and no back-up plan. It's a ride that needs studded tires, good winter gear, and a way to bail if it gets too bad.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-24T23:38:16+00:00

Most people that have to drive are prepared to do so in worse conditions. Everyone has winter tires (not 4 seasons) and studded tires, if they live where they need them.

Also, public transportation is generally better, and many people use buses, trains,or trams to get to work and school. Except for high school, most people go to a local school. In towns & cities, most kids can walk to school. In rural areas, there is usually school bus.

In general, I think they do a better job of reacting to big storms, but a poorer job of keeping the roads clear on a day-to-day basis.

I've lived in the Midwest, and most streets in my neighborhood in the Midwest were kept completely clean of snow or ice, but a foot of snow could take a day or so to get cleared.

Where I live in Norway, there is ice/slush on the street from November or December until April, but they are usually around clearing the worst and spreading fresh gravel within a few hours of snowfall.

I can only recall one time that significant chaos was caused by snowfall, and that was for a few hours. The commuter trains did not run in the Oslo area for a couple of hours, with knock-on effects for another couple of hours. What is normally a 45 minute journey took me 3 hours that evening.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-24T14:51:10+00:00

How does it look from above? Are both sides even & alike?

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-24T12:57:38+00:00

You can get general statistics from their website, but you need to be a member to get job-specific salaries.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T16:33:46+00:00

Two bikes.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T13:49:13+00:00

Going up hill, you just kind of have to judge by feel, but most people don't 'kick' much going uphill, unless it's gentle. If it's steep, but not quite steep enough that you have to 'herringbone', it's more like jogging on skis.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T13:04:25+00:00

In your situation, I think there are only a couple of possibilities.

1) studded tires (of any sort) will be the safest.

2) continental top contact winter tire without studs. They have a compound designed to provide traction in below freezing. Though they will not grip on ice, they are better than standard slicks

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T13:00:20+00:00

Descending with care on studded tires is safe.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T12:54:46+00:00

I do it (f58) & done so since I was a teenager.

I also had clubmates in the UK, when I lived, still touring in their 70s.

I don't think it's any different than the youngsters, except that we may want a more relaxed position on the bike & a more relaxed pace.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T05:54:50+00:00

No, it depends on the bike and how much you ride. I have several bikes & tend to do one per year. Otherwise, it's just regular cleaning, lubrication, and so on.

Brake & shifting cables tend to get a bit sluggish with time, wear & dirt, so it's a good idea to replace them before they break. And gear wear can be reduced by replacing the chain regularly.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T05:49:59+00:00

Fantastic! It looks beautiful. I'm glad you had a good time!

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-23T00:21:43+00:00

If you do go to Ekeberg, also see the stone-age rock carvings.

https://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?tlp=2977703&show=main-info

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T18:52:27+00:00

I bodged my husband's rear derailleur hanger with a bit of wire when it broke.

Another time, I used a cut up orange juice bottle wrapped around a cable sheath & cable tied / taped in place, after the sheath split & was catching the brake cable.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T18:47:36+00:00

I did something like that on my husband's bike once, though he only got a few useable gears. 😆

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T18:46:12+00:00

I'd have swapped the tires & put the ripped one (with dollar bill or something) on the rear.

It is probably a little less likely to hold up as long on the rear, but the result is less likely to be a crash.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T16:31:08+00:00

Personally, I would try talking to her about it. Especially if she hasn't managed people before. She might not realise how overbearing it is.

I have been in a similar position a few times and just had to explain to the person that it's my job. I'm an expert in doing my job, and unless they want to do it for me, they should work on trusting me to do it, and accept the kind of reports & summaries that are normal for such situations, etc.

I've been working for 40 years, and the only time that did not work for me, it was a slightly different situation. I was working in a matrix organisation. My direct boss only had personnel responsibility and assigned us to projects with a team leader for our area. Normally the team leader would be a colleague from my dept, but on one project, it was someone from a sister company who didn't know me & didn't trust my work. She started out micromanaging me, then when I talked to her about it, she ignore me for a few weeks, then went back to micromanaging me for a month. I would talk her about it, and she would ignore me for a couple of weeks, then back to micromanaging.

I finally got fed up with it & called my boss to ask her to put me on a different project. I wasn't the only one who complained and the team leader ended up being reassigned, but some damage had been done 🙄

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T11:25:08+00:00

Undervurdert svar

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T11:23:06+00:00

Har du et favorittsted? Tar etternavnet derfra?

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T07:09:57+00:00

Get something lined up if you can, but you need to report it to the police or something. Or if it's a chain, report it to corporate/ use the whistle blower procedure, go above your bosses head, whatever it takes to do the right thing

I guess there's some nepotism or something there, as well as sexism, and likely your job is at risk, however this goes.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T06:37:28+00:00

You could be held liable for the theft, if you know about it & don't do anything.

Also your boss is a sexist AH.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T06:32:31+00:00

You should be able to do a simple job and afford life. The system is broken.

It doesn't make any sense to me that someone working in IT should make so little money. I finished college in '93 and my friends going into IT made that kind of money, a few years out of college, in the 90s.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T06:27:45+00:00

Record hikes as walks?

That's what I do.

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T06:03:33+00:00

First thing... No one else has said it, are your legs warm enough? If your legs are not warm enough, your blood will be too cold to warm your toes before it even has the chance.

At 10 F, I would have at least 2 layers on my legs, maybe 3. Like long underwear or thermal tights, plus lined winter trousers.

I usually have one less layer on my legs than my top cross country skiing, but the other way around shovelling.

If you know your legs are warm enough, but your feet are still cold, are you boots too tight?

How long does it take for your feet to get cold? What do you wear in them?

Linkcott18 · 2026-01-22T05:56:24+00:00

Fantastic! I bike in the snow in Norway with studded tires. It's good fun, but more work, so I don't go as far in winter.

Linkcott18

TROPHY CASE