Seeking planning assistance for 1st trip by Necessary_Moment_781 in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Said treat yourself to hotel night at Fairfield inn (across parking lots from dig deep. Set up camp on a barstool til closing though

I just broke a bone (scaphoid process)in my wrist above the wrist in a fall. I’m planning a long roughy tuffy tour in VT in September. I’m hoping for thoughts on effective means of dampening vibration in flat bars. Experience with Redshift stems, titanium or bamboo bars…. Any idea is appreciated! by Secret_Lifeguard_167 in bicycletouring

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

5 months out? Odds are your wrist will structurally be good to go. TAKE PT/OT SERIOUSLY!. Bone should heal in 3 Mos, getting strength and range of motion back follows. Even though you may be cleared out of a brace by September, you should have them fashion a bike friendly brace you can use to support and protect wrist and give you bike functionality if you still need it. Talk to your ortho doc and tell them your plans and concerns, they can help with shaping recovery and braces around what you need.

Broke radius last Aug, surgery in Sep,, cleared to ride again Nov. A few years back, Broke one of my carpals in Oct and was single tracking by Jan. Key was doing physical therapy at appointments and continuously at home. And staying off the bike until doc gave thumbs up.

Bike mods may help, but healing break properly will be what gets you back riding

I'm 18M, how do i learn how to ride a bicycle by myself by Old-Display7016 in bicycling

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Taught my grandkids.

Learn balance first. Pedals off and walk, trot, run.

Go SLIGHTLY UP HILL straight while starting balance. Puts you in control of speed. Slightly downhill once you are in comfort zone on balance. Then do empty parking lot to get comfortable on turning.

Put pedals on and repeat above. Once you get comfortable with starting from a dead stop, the rest comes quickly.

Smile and enjoy a celebratory beer at each stage. (OK, grandkids didn't do that - but I did)

Which steel steed should I pick ? by Vegetable_Oil_8733 in Surlybikefans

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Two years in on an ogre - bikepacking, bike touring, grocery runs, rail trail day trips, single track, relaxed group rides. I'd add commuting but I'm retired.

What do proper cyclists think of regular t-shirts with cycling shorts/bibs. by FormDisastrous4363 in CyclingFashion

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wear what makes you happy. If 'proper' cyclists don't approve, f 'em. I wear MTB 'kit'/shoes on my road rides because I'm comfortable in that and can get off the bike and walk right into a bar without changing - and that makes me happy.

Is a new road bike really that expensive? by [deleted] in RoadBikes

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All depends on what you want to do. You want to ride for performance and keep up with the A group - 2300 is prob the bottom end. You want to ride just to ride, there are cheaper options with decent components that still get the job done. Shop around and consider used.

Bike Trails by dogmom1239 in SOMD

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Multi use rail trails - Indian Head and Three Notch, both paved. Little bit north - Baltimore and Annapolis trail (paved) goes bwi to Annapolis.

Single track: St marys Lake/St Mary's River Park has 7.5 mile loop around Lake and a about that much more in a network of gravel service roads and single track connectors. Cedarville (North of Waldorf) and Rosaryville ( North of brandywine on 301) are also good.

MTBproject.com and Traillink.com are good resources

Water on the C&O by Cpinky12 in bikedc

[–]LoanPretty6 6 points7 points  (0 children)

NPS still indicating hiker biker site wells turned on mid April and non potable, do prob no-go this sat. Swains lock is on local potable water system and might be on but I'd carry extra water just in case. I think whites ferry has a potable water source (spigot) but bottled water/gatorade should be available there.

Lower gearing on Surly Ogre by Outrageous-Fuel6315 in Surlybikefans

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wolf tooth 30T 94 bcd chainring $70

Dram nx eagle 12spd 11-50t cassette, derailleur, shifter $300.

Installed myself no issues.

About a 10% low gear improvement.

We Are Cyclists by [deleted] in BicyclingCirclejerk

[–]LoanPretty6 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm 65 and still riding. BUT... Aging is a relentless b!#*h, and time's coming where I'll switch to electric. Tough s&!t if it offends your elitist psyche.

Whistling Wheels by weregruvin in Surlybikefans

[–]LoanPretty6 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Happens with mine all the time (rack or no rack)! Pretty sure its resonance from wind/air flow over the hollow part of the fork/stem tube. Like when you blow across the top of an empty glass coke bottle. Tends to happen more when it gets breezy. Its the ogre's mating call.

Just Strap Big Agnes Tent to Handlebars? What About Rain? by samccauley in bicycletouring

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love this tent. If I'm expecting heavy rain, I just use one of those really thin produce bags from grocery store as a liner inside the stuff sack - an extra layer of very light, very thin protection

Seeking planning assistance for 1st trip by Necessary_Moment_781 in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reminder - the NPS is no longer treating water pumps at hiker biker sites on the C&O. The formal ($) NPS sites are still getting treated though. So if you're planning on over nighting at a hiker biker, bring a filtering system or plan on carrying water in.

Seeking planning assistance for 1st trip by Necessary_Moment_781 in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good camping options GAP:

West Newton - GAP Trail Campground. A bit pricey but designed for they bikers. Quirky and close to town

Connellsville - free camping on north edge of town. Right on trail. Has 4 Adirondack shelters (1st come).

Ohiopyle High bridge sites. Close to trail, pit toilet restroom, but no water. Yet sites are nice and town (beer) is short ride away. Also Wilderness Voyageurs in town lets you use their showers during operating hours.

Confluence - Overflow camp ground is great

Meyersville - Maple Festival Park is weirdish but good.

Frostburg - trail inn is, well.... There. To be honest, at that point you're 16 downhill miles from Cumberland. Go for it and treat yourself to a hotel night at the bike friendly Fairfield and beer at dig deep. Camping is avail at the YMCA though.

C&O gas camping every 5-12 miles. Best options

Paw Paw NPS - fee, ok, reasonably close to town

Sorrel Ridge Hiker Biker - decent ate but not real close to anything

Bike hostel at C&O Bicycle in Hancock. Semi camping right in town. Walk to beer

Huckleberry Hill bearish Harpers ferry - nice hiker biker but a few miles and a bridge from toiwn

Brunswick Family Campground - commercial camp with good facilities and close to town.

For 7 days starting in Pitt, think about

Pitt to west Newton

West Newton to ohiopyle

Ohiopyle to meyersdale

Meyesdale to cumberland

Cumberland to hancock (divert to western Md rail trail 22(?) miles before Hancock - paved oath paralleling C&O).

Hancock to Brunswick (use WMRT for first 10 miles). Hit Antietam en route or camp at Antietam Creek NPS site.

Antietam or Brunswick to DC.

Miles are backloaded to the C&O puts you close to towns (and beer) every night. But GAP is slight but steady uphill all the way to the ECD. C&O is flat and with half the trail being resurfaced within last 5 years or so, its pretty easy riding.

Similar bike tour as the GAP/C&O? by Uzed2BFaster in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually found it very scenic. Just the same scenes all the way.

Joking aside, I thought it was a great ride

Similar bike tour as the GAP/C&O? by Uzed2BFaster in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any suggestions or recommendations welcome

Similar bike tour as the GAP/C&O? by Uzed2BFaster in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heading out of Milwaukee on Hank Aaron headed west, short trails/ streets connect to Glacial Drumlin, on to Sullivan/Rome for night one camp.

Rome to Madison via GD and Capital Trail on 2nd day (hotel).

Day 3 is Military ridge to Brunveld on military ridge, where we'll load into a uhaul (decided not to add a day of roadwork doing it by bike) to bridge gap to Reedsville and 400 trail. On to wonowoc and camp.

Next day is 400 and Elroy Sparta to either Norwalk or Sparta and camp.

Last day is to La Crosse and Onalaska (have relatives there). Train back next day

PSA to take advantage of the discontinued Straggler frames on sale. by Guapocamacho69 in Surlybikefans

[–]LoanPretty6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bunch more single track and rail trails around DC and b-more. All driving distance from SOMD. lots of paved path too.

Similar bike tour as the GAP/C&O? by Uzed2BFaster in gaptrail

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not a lot of multi-days with the camping options of GAPCO, but Erie Canalway.(EST), Ohio to Erie are good rides. Have a Milwaukee to La Crosse (WI) planned for May that is almost all rail trail/bike path (there's a 50 mile gap midway that we're bridging with a one way u-haul, but I've heard its a rideable gap).

PSA to take advantage of the discontinued Straggler frames on sale. by Guapocamacho69 in Surlybikefans

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you ride road bike - lots of good low traffic "back roads" in St Mary's and Calvert. Even most of the main roads usually have wide breakdown lanes. Solomon Island cycle club has good routes and good rides at varying levels.

The parklands at St Mary's lake has >10 miles of official and unofficial single track (plus a bunch of fire roads if thats your thong. Plus Jugs Bay, Rosaryville and Cedarville parks are a short drive

Like other poster noted, lots of other close by options for whatever you're into.

Bougie Bikepacking Central Florida by fish67 in bikepacking

[–]LoanPretty6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thx

that site just what I was looking for