Father-Daughter Q & A

At the prompting of my dad - a freelance writer, former blogger, and occasional biker - I have a handful of questions to answer. Seeing as my dad probably makes up 99% of my readership, I need to keep my audience satisfied. 

As the start time gets closer, how are you training?

Well, tomorrow I launch off for a 5-day trip on the Smith River, during which I’ll be nowhere near a bike, a gym, or civilization in general. I’ll do some fly fishing, drink beer, and stuff myself with elk steak fajitas and Dutch oven pineapple upside-down cake after a hard day’s work. I guess that’s one way to train. On the other hand, when I’m not booze cruising down a Montana river, I’ve been biking an average of 80 miles a week. That generally includes 2-3 rides of 15-25 miles during the week and a longer ride on the weekend. It turns out, long-distance bike training takes a lot of time, so I try to squeeze in rides before work, after work, or on the way to and from work when that’s the best my schedule will allow. I’m also training myself to properly eat and hydrate after my rides by voraciously packing in post-ride calories and keeping a fridge stocked with Doublehaul and Coldsmoke.

What are you thinking will be the hardest part of the ride?

We have a 119 mile day from Parker, AZ to Twentynine Palms, CA at the end of August. That many miles through the desert in August sounds hard, to say the least. I’ve also heard that there’s some wicked (note the New England lingo) hill climbs in the first week or two in the northeast where they apparently don’t believe in switchbacks. That could be tough. I think the most challenging days will be the most rewarding in the end, so I’m sadistically looking forward to it. Mentally, I think the hardest part of the trip will be after the ride when I’ll just want to shower, eat, and go to sleep but instead will have leader responsibilities to fulfill. Being away from close friends and family will be hard emotionally - all the more reason for you to write/text/follow me when I'm on the road!

What inspired you to do this?

The idea to cross the country by bike first entered my mind when my high school boyfriend did it one summer. It sounded impossible but oddly intriguing. Then I found myself with this opportunity in between jobs and homes to just do it. I found Bike & Build at the suggestion of a friend and loved the idea of biking cross-country for a cause. Now here I am a month away from it actually happening. I think this will be the first of many bike tours to come.

Were any books or stories or personal experiences especially motivational?

The most motivational personal experience by far was a weekend bike trip I took through central Italy with two friends when studying abroad there in 2007. None of us had much riding experience or knew the language, but we just took off one weekend and biked from Perugia to Foligno, stayed the night in a hostel, and biked back via Assisi. It was across the winding back roads, quiet vineyards, and shimmering olive groves of the Umbrian countryside that I had my first tantalizing taste of adventure cycling. I remember flying down a hill into the town of Spello, singing opera at the top of my lungs and feeling more alive than ever. That had me hooked.

How do you pump yourself up when you get tired and want to rest (or quit)?

When I get tired and want to rest, I usually stop and take a rest. I love to get into a rhythm and bike 15-25 miles before taking a break, but I think resting is key to not getting bored or burnt out on long rides. When I want to quit on a hill, I usually get out of the saddle for a while to boost my speed and reenergize my legs. Sometimes I just sing a few lines of a song or nursery rhyme over and over again, or I start counting pedal strokes until I reach 100 and then start over. That’s when I know I’m really desperate.

On long rides do you watch mile markers (if there are any) or try to ignore them?

Ignore them. Always. I’ll even divert my eyes when I see a little green mile marker on the horizon.

Will you and other riders wear headphones or is it best to have your ears wide open?

We will not wear headphones or have portable speakers of any kind. This is a Bike & Build policy and a pretty solid rule of thumb when biking or even just walking on the sidewalk. I will admit to busting out my Jammypack (fanny pack with portable speakers) when I’m going for long rides, but only if I am on a bike path, never on the road.

Is it easier to ride with a big group like this?

There are pros and cons. Even within our group of 35, we will only ride in groups of about 2-6 and keep a safe distance between ourselves until we're more comfortable with pacelining to draft off each other. I like group riding because it gives you someone to talk with and share the experience. Fellow riders can serve as a support and distraction from the mileage and soreness the ride may entail. Group energy also fuels my sense of camaraderie (and competition), pushing me to ride faster and farther than I might on my own.
 On the other hand, group riding can have its setbacks. It adds more hazards, with people in front of, behind, and sometimes next to you. Group riding definitely requires more awareness of those around you to avoid any sudden stops, swerves or collisions. It requires good communication, like pointing to and calling out any obstacles in the road, changes in direction or speed. This is why our group will have a practice "shakedown" ride and intensive bike skills/safety training before hitting the road together. 

Thanks for the questions, Dad. If the other 1% of you reading this have similar prompts or content ideas you'd like to see, don't hesitate to share them with me in a comment or an email. 

Biking with pops on the Greenline