Wheel of Fortune

All of this discussion about equipment and training is great, but I don't want to lose sight of the main reason I'm making this trek to Canada - to raise much needed money to support your favorite programs on WUWF. Contributions from listeners like you account for nearly half the annual operating budget of the station and more importantly, nearly all of the acquisition costs of the programs from National Public Radio, Public Radio International, American Public Media, and others.

I am making this trip because I love public radio, and not just because I have been blessed to have been able to be a part of it since the beginnings of NPR in the early 70s. I am not being paid to do this (it's on my own time) and I am covering all of my expenses (food, equipment, lodging - that's why I plan to mostly camp), so 100% of your contribution goes directly to support those programs you enjoy every day.

I am asking you to support this adventure now. Click on the link Sponsor Pat's Adventure and make your pledge online or call us at (850)474-2787. This is a critical year for your public radio station. We're counting on you. While you're at it, call or drop a line to the corporate sponsors whose logos appear in the column to the right and tell them how much you appreciate their support of your station. Together we can keep this great national treasure alive and well. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.

What Do You Think?
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The Bike

After a great deal of research, I chose the Trek 520 for this adventure. It is a pretty basic Road bike, certainly not the most expensive or the sexiest. What sold me on it was the description of it as “the only choice for an unsupported
transcontinental tour through a third world country”. I figured that would do the trick. Having now logged about 2,000 miles on it, I am convinced that it is indeed the best choice. The only thing I have changed is the seat (see my previous blog entry) – all the other components seem to do exactly what they were designed to do. The more I ride, the more I appreciate its dependability. If I could find indestructible tires, I would really be ecstatic.


Here it is fully loaded with a complete set of Arkel panniers. These Canadian bags are virtually indestructible and offer plenty of space for stashing all the gear and other “stuff” that I will need for the trip. I am traveling “unsupported”, which means exactly that – no one following along in a van – everything I need I have to carry myself.

Just like I did on my walk to Washington, I have no real game plan other than to keep moving and see where I end up at the end of each day. The route this time is much more rural and the terrain definitely more challenging. The mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee should provide more than enough hill climbing experiences!

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Let's Talk Saddles

This is the Selle Italia Flite, recommended to me by a well seasoned cyclist. It was my third attempt at finding the perfect fit and I think this one is it. I have logged more than 1500 miles on it. I can’t say that I’m pain free after a 100+ mile ride, but it is pretty close. I know it looks awfully thin and not particularly cushy, but that is what makes it work so well. To the uninitiated (which I definitely was a year ago), a nice cushy wide seat seemed like a logical choice for comfort. NO WAY.

All that cushioning and width will rub you raw! You want as little of you to come in contact with the saddle as possible – just your “sit bones” and that’s it. Also, I learned to move around a lot while riding and to stay off the saddle as much as possible. Standing on the pedals when taking off from dead stops and climbing elevations saves your booty a lot of wear and tear. Okay, you’ve probably learned more than you wanted to know. Just thought I would share some of the things I’ve learned while getting ready for the trek.

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Double Bridge Run

Saturday was a great day for the Double Bridge 15K Run – perfect weather and good friends to run with. Thanks to Bob Turner and Wade Peters who set a good pace, I did better than when I ran it in 2007. It was a lot warmer this time around too. Although I tied Bob for second place in the octogenarian category, I don’t think I was even on the radar in my own age division. All in all it was a great day and a nice break from all the cycling I’ve been doing.


This week I need to get back on the bike, but I’m going to take it easy the latter part of the week to rest up for the Pensacola Half Marathon on Sunday.

I have been studying my maps in preparation. Honestly, not getting lost on this trip will be my greatest challenge. I have virtually no sense of direction and this route is vastly more complex than the one I took when I walked to DC. At least I will have a GPS device with me this time around to provide some guidance. Oh well, it just makes the journey more of an adventure when you really don’t know where you are going. It is nearly impossible for me to predict how far I will ride each day – I know how well I can do on a good day on relatively flat terrain, but the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky are truly wild cards – I won’t get a feel for the daily mileage there until I actually do it. I still feel like 60 days is a reasonable time frame to complete the whole trek – we’ll see!

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59 Days and Counting

Today seems like a good time to begin my Bike Blog in anticipation of my departure from Pensacola on Monday, April 6. I have been training really hard for this adventure, hitting the gym three times a week to build up my strength and endurance and riding my bike as often and as far as possible. With the shorter winter days, I haven’t been able to get many rides in during the week, but I am taking at least one 100-mile ride each weekend.


This past Saturday, the weather was perfect for a ride to Atmore. There was a bit of a head wind heading out, but the tail wind coming back cut my time in half. I was able to complete the 101 mile round trip in 6 ½ hours. I am convinced that I have finally found the perfect saddle for me (a Selle Italia Flite). Even after these long rides, I am not terribly uncomfortable and by the next day I am ready to ride again.

As a part of my training I am running the Double Bridge Run this weekend, the Pensacola Half Marathon next weekend, and the Seaside Half Marathon on March 1. All this training in advance will hopefully pay off on the trek to Canada – I want to be able to enjoy the ride without worrying about aches and pains.

You will notice that this is a true blog, with a comments section for you to post your own thoughts about this adventure. Between now and April 6, I will be posting a few times a week. During the actual trek, I will be posting daily commentaries as well as regularly uploading photos of the places I will be visiting. I have a smart phone and a solar charger for it, so communicating should be a breeze.

Remember that this adventure is another experiment in extreme fundraising. We hope to duplicate the success of Walking the Blue Highways. You can make that happen by pledging on line. I am using my own time and resources to cover all of the expenses of the trip, so 100% of your contribution will go toward supporting your favorite programs on WUWF. Thanks in advance for your support.

What Do You Think?
As always we want your thoughts, opinions and feedback. Please use the links below to make a comment or suggestion and to see what others are saying about this subject.

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