l’Etape du Tour: Mission Accomplished!

l’Etape du Tour: Mission Accomplished!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

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This is the final posting by guest blogger, Michael Lowe. On Monday of this week, during one of the Tour de France rest days, Michael had an opportunity to ride in the Étape Du Tour, an epic cycling event that takes riders from the town of Modane to the famous and storied climb of L'Alpe D'Huez. Below is his story and some of the photos he took along the way. Major kudos and congratulations for conquering the mountains of France!

Made it! Exciting, difficult, hot, beautiful, rewarding, memorable ... all of these words and more would apply. I've had some long tough rides in my career, but this was one of the hardest overall, and DEFINITELY the hardest back to back to back set of climbs I have ever done. Hats off - or "Chapeau!" - to the Tour riders who do this near the end of this year's Tour. They will do it with 18 stages already in their legs. It will be a real challenge!


Climbing the Col du Telegraphe:

The Col du Telegraphe was a long steady climb in the cool of mid-morning and under the shade of many trees. It was not that difficult, though it did exact a cost. The Col du Galibier on the other hand was a real challenge. The sun was high, the heat was in the 80's, and there was no shade and no wind. But the views were spectacular - especially against the clear blue sky. From many of the tight curves one could look back down and see thousands of riders stretched out over miles of roads - like a long, long line of ants.



One thing of note for you hikers. As you climb a ridge in the Smokies there are no signs saying 10 km to the top AND the grade is 12%. I kinda liked the distance alert. But I could have done without the gradient info! My legs were already telling me about that aspect.

At the top of the Galibier I felt great! My body and legs were good. I celebrated with a photo of the descent behind me. Looking at it I realized I would not be taking photos while riding down at 40 mph. (By the way, hiking downhill is irksome as your feet slide forward in your boots. Riding a bike down a steep slope really gets to the hands. Squeezing those brake handles gets pretty old!)

Atop the Col du Galibier:

After the long 20 plus mile descent there was a quick flat stretch and then we hit the bottom of Alpe d'Huez. It surprised me. I was quickly in my lowest gear as the first 2 km average 10%, with little ramparts much higher than that. No wonder the strong climbers launch their attacks right at the start. I settled into a rhythm, stopped taking many photos and concentrated. It was hot. My legs were tired. The big sport was watching the signs counting down the corners - 21 , 20 , 19 , 18 ... I learned on some of the very steep parts that I can ride 3 mph and not fall over!

At the bottom of l'Alpe d’Huez:


In short, it was a sufferfest of the first magnitude, but I made it to the finish. Out of the 9500 riders who started, I understand that 3000 did not. Including my roommate. His hamstring gave out at turn 15, so he walked the remaining 5 miles, pushing his bike. The official results will say DNF by his name but he hiked over the finish line at 5:15 pm, took a photo of himself, and coasted the five blocks to the hotel. No medal, but he DID finish!


Michael - what ever happened to that red polka dot jersey and those podium girls you were telling me about???

I finished in just under seven hours. I only averaged 10 mph! But while it was tough, it was also a memorable ride. If you would like to see the ride, tune in to the Tour on the Versus Channel next Friday, July 22nd.

Thanks for reading my blog entries! I hope they were a pleasant diversion. Keep up your support of this website, and I will be looking for you out on the foot trails!!

Michael Lowe splits his time between Louisville, KY (his home) and Bristol, VA (his workplace). He's an avid cyclist, and also enjoys writing, photography, gardening, travel and hiking. He's hiked portions of the AT inside GSMNP, but completing a thru hike of the entire AT remains on his bucket list. His notes on l'Etape were written as a friend in support of this site, and we'd like to say thanks by pointing out that if you're a fan of adventure fantasy, we recommend Michael's books Wizardmont and Bryunzet, the first two parts of his Promise of the Stones series. If you're a fan of history, check out Charlotte's Story, the true story of how Michael's mother survived as a young girl in Berlin, Germany between 1943 and 1951.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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l’Etape du Tour: Final Preparations

l’Etape du Tour: Final Preparations

Thursday, July 7, 2011

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This is the fourth in a weekly series by guest blogger, Michael Lowe, leading up to his Étape Du Tour ride on July 11th:

I’m all packed up and ready to go. My bike is in its box. I have my fingers crossed that Delta (i) accepts it without any hassle, (ii) gets it to Paris without a hitch, and (iii) it arrives in one piece – or at least not broken, since I already took it apart to get it into the box.

I’m about as excited as I can be. I drove back from Bristol to my main home in Louisville, just around the corner from Jeff and Kathy – who operate this great site. I’m supposed to get a good night’s sleep since it’s hard to sleep on the plane, but there’s too much adrenaline pumping through my system!

I’d love to take a ride, just to get tired so I can sleep, but I needed to get the bike securely in the box in advance of tonight. I last rode on Tuesday evening and won’t ride again until Saturday or maybe Sunday. Not the best of last minute preparation, but it will have to do!

There is one thing I have not detailed, and that’s the cameras I will use on the ride. I usually carry a small Canon Elph in my jersey pocket. I can pull it out, turn it on, point and shoot, all with one hand, while riding my bike. I use the photos to create mini-travelogues and post them on Facebook for my family and close friends to see where I’ve been riding. I will be carrying it in my jersey pocket during l’Etape and taking lots of still shots.

I thought about using a “Helmet Cam”. So I ordered a Contour HD video camera that attached to my helmet. It had a 140 degree fixed wide angle lens and filmed at 720 dpi (HD). I was hoping to turn it on at the start, film the beginning of l’Etape, and then record as much of the ride as I could. However, after the initial excitement of its arrival and several training rides, I learned that without anti-vibration the picture quality was just not acceptable. So then it started to look like one of those pieces of equipment that looks good in a catalogue (think “collapsible LED backpacking lamp”) but do you really need it … and the weight … and … so I packed it up and sent it back. My little Elph will need to do the job!

All right. Time to sleep! (If I can.)


Michael Lowe splits his time between Louisville, KY (his home) and Bristol, VA (his workplace). He's an avid cyclist, and also enjoys writing, photography, gardening, travel and hiking. He's hiked portions of the AT inside GSMNP, but completing a thru hike of the entire AT remains on his bucket list. His notes on l'Etape were written as a friend in support of this site, and we'd like to say thanks by pointing out that if you're a fan of adventure fantasy, we recommend Michael's books Wizardmont and Bryunzet, the first two parts of his Promise of the Stones series. If you're a fan of history, check out Charlotte's Story, the true story of how Michael's mother survived as a young girl in Berlin, Germany between 1943 and 1951.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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l’Etape du Tour: The Cherohala Challenge

l’Etape du Tour: The Cherohala Challenge

Thursday, June 30, 2011

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This is the third in a weekly series by guest blogger, Michael Lowe, leading up to his Étape Du Tour ride on July 11th:

The l’Etape ride is only 67 miles and arguably one could train at that distance or even a little less and then do the ride. I believe, however, that it helps to train at a further distance, prove I can do it, and then tackle the shorter distance with more speed than I might otherwise have attempted. It’s all about the mental aspect. “It’s only 67 miles. You’ve done much more.”

With that in mind, I tackled my first century (100 mile ride) on May 28. A local ride, it started just north of Louisville at the entrance to the Clark State Forest near Henryville, IN. My goal, since I expected the ride to be mostly flat or rolling, was to average 16 mph or better. The first 50 went just fine. In fact, I ripped off the first 15 at about 20 mph. From there, as the day heated up, and the fact that I had not slept much the previous two nights started to catch up to me. By mile 80 I was toast. But just like a hike on a loop trail, there’s only one way back to your car … you gotta ride. At the finish I clocked out at 6 hours and within my 16 mph goal. Not the best century, but it did remind me of the importance of sleep, good food on the ride, and the need to KEEP TRAINING!

Ergo – three weeks later – the Cherohala Challenge. 113 miles, 7200 feet of climbing, several steep two and three mile climbs and one long climb of 12 miles at an average grade of 5.5% (but with several much steeper ramps. Not quite l’Etape, but as close to it as is available in the Appalachians. In fact, the Challenge starts in Tellico Plains, just below the Smokey Mountains, at the western terminus of the Cherohala Skyway. It heads north towards the Smokey’s, then cuts east on 129. It does the complete “Tail of the Dragon” (motorcycle heaven) and then climbs up the eastern side of the Skyway, topping out at 5,341 feet, before dropping the 32 miles back to Tellico Plains. If you’re visiting the Smokey’s, it’s a nice ride just to the south of the park.

So, how did it go? Well, it was certainly a “challenge”. The day started out bright and beautiful and cool. It stayed that way until about 1 pm, when a thunderstorm appeared over the Skyway, just as I reached mile 65 and started up the climb. Rain, thunder, lightning – and some ramps that were 8 – 10% in grade. As all you hikers can appreciate, it takes a long time to go 8 miles at 5 miles per hour. At the very top (5,390 feet) it was foggy, windy and wet. Standing around made me cold. So I started down with a sheet of cardboard under my jersey to reduce the wind chill. Brrrr. But I made it, notwithstanding two more bursts of rain. 113 miles in 8 hours. Proving I was ready – which was the whole point!


Michael Lowe splits his time between Louisville, KY (his home) and Bristol, VA (his workplace). He's an avid cyclist, and also enjoys writing, photography, gardening, travel and hiking. He's hiked portions of the AT inside GSMNP, but completing a thru hike of the entire AT remains on his bucket list. His notes on l'Etape were written as a friend in support of this site, and we'd like to say thanks by pointing out that if you're a fan of adventure fantasy, we recommend Michael's books Wizardmont and Bryunzet, the first two parts of his Promise of the Stones series. If you're a fan of history, check out Charlotte's Story, the true story of how Michael's mother survived as a young girl in Berlin, Germany between 1943 and 1951.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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l’Etape du Tour: Training for the Mountains of France

l’Etape du Tour: Training for the Mountains of France

Thursday, June 23, 2011

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This is the second in a weekly series by guest blogger, Michael Lowe, leading up to his Étape Du Tour ride on July 11th:

Only eighteen days to go before I tackle l’Etape.

When I closed the introduction, I had deferred a description of Alpe d’Huez to this installment. That’s because it is probably the most celebrated modern finish in the French Alps. A relatively new addition to the Tour, it arrived in 1952, but it arrived with a huge splash. 1952 was the first year with televisions mounted on motorcycles. It was also the first time a stage had ever finished on a mountaintop. And the winner was Fausto Coppi, 5 time winner of the Tour of Italy and 2 time winner of the Tour de France. With 21 hairpin turns on its 13.8 km (8.6 miles) to a ski resort (avg gradient 7.9%), it is a climb made for television and movies. Add as many as one million fans (the number who were there when Lance Armstrong won in 2004), and you can see why it is such a success – and such an icon.

I’m looking forward to riding the same roads as many of my cycling heroes have ridden - Andy Hampsten, Bobby Julich, Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, and Joop Zoetemelk. Who? A Dutch rider who won in 1979. Out of the first nine times Alpe d’Huez was included, the winner six of those years was from the Netherlands – which has no mountains. Thinking of Joop gives me confidence that if he could do it, with no mountains upon which to train, I can make it!

Training. When you ready yourself for a hike do you train? Stairstepper at the gym? Up and down the library steps like Rocky? Through the neighborhood park with your pack on your back and everyone staring at you? (“Call 911 dear, it’s a homeless man in our park!)

My training started last fall. Instead of getting off the bike on November 1, I kept riding, trying to maintain as much of my base from the 2010 season as possible. Whenever the weather allowed, I was out on the road. In early February, tired of riding the trainer in my living room while watching old Tour video tapes on the television, I started looking for outdoor rides in North Carolina. My first was in Winston Salem, followed by one in Greensboro, and then Statesboro. One of the benefits of these rides is getting to see terrain and towns and roads I would never otherwise see. With fellow riders on the roads and a set course to follow, these “tours” proved to be great motivators for early season training.

By early April I was ready for some long rides and I signed up for Cycle NC – this year held in Oriental, on the Atlantic coast. 50 miles the first day and 70 miles the second, with the first half of the 70 head on into a 15 mph wind. My ability to finish both days in good shape gave me confidence that my early training was on target.

The rest of April and most of May was spent doing 40’s and 50’s as often as possible, keeping the speed in the 16 – 18 mph range, building endurance. However, most of my rides up to this point were flat or rolling. It was time for some mountains, and there are mountains all around where I work in Bristol, Virginia. On May 21 I set off from Bristol to Elizabethton, TN, and then turned north on US 19, slowly climbing up the 5.5% grade to Shady Valley, then hanging a left and climbing over the top of Holston Mountain. 70 miles with 4,000 feet of climbing in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Not too bad.

Next up – my first century of the season, followed by the big test – the Cherohala Challenge. But I’ll tell you about those next time.


Michael Lowe splits his time between Louisville, KY (his home) and Bristol, VA (his workplace). He's an avid cyclist, and also enjoys writing, photography, gardening, travel and hiking. He's hiked portions of the AT inside GSMNP, but completing a thru hike of the entire AT remains on his bucket list. His notes on l'Etape were written as a friend in support of this site, and we'd like to say thanks by pointing out that if you're a fan of adventure fantasy, we recommend Michael's books Wizardmont and Bryunzet, the first two parts of his Promise of the Stones series. If you're a fan of history, check out Charlotte's Story, the true story of how Michael's mother survived as a young girl in Berlin, Germany between 1943 and 1951.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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l’Etape du Tour: “An Introduction”

l’Etape du Tour: “An Introduction”

Thursday, June 16, 2011

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The following begins a series of articles written by a good friend of mine, Michael Lowe. He probably doesn’t remember this, but after moving to Louisville in 1994, Michael was the first person in the local cycling club to chat with me during one of my first rides. In less than four weeks he’ll be riding in L’Etape Du Tour, a cycling event that will take riders from Modane, France to the famous and storied climb of L'Alpe D'Huez. The 68-mile ride replicates this years’ Stage 19 of the Tour de France. Leading up to the event Michael will be providing weekly dispatches about L’Etape Du Tour, some historical background, his training, and of course the event itself. I can’t tell you how jealous I am of Michael to be able to ride this incredibly legendary route!


Climbing mountains – on foot or by bicycle – has always been an enjoyable challenge for me. There’s something about the reward at the top that makes the sweat and the effort worth it. A tough mountain always brings a smile to my face – at the top anyways!

Hello, I’m Michael Lowe, and while I share the interest of most visitors to this site in hiking up and down mountains, particularly the Smokey Mountains, I’d like to share with you my challenge this summer – l’Etape du Tour.

l’Etape is an amateur cycling challenge held each summer in the middle of the Tour de France. On July 11, 2011, while the pros kick back on one of their rest days, I will tackle one of the toughest stages of this year’s Tour along with 4,999 of my newest friends from around the world. We’ll be starting in the French Alps and riding this year’s 19th stage: 109 km – three mountains – 3,500 meters of climbing. Those three mountains are the Col du Telegraphe, the Col du Galibier, and Alpe d’Huez, three of the most storied climbs in the colorful history of the Tour.

This year the Tour de France celebrates the 100th anniversary of the inclusion of the Alps in its course. The Col du Telegraphe was first included in the Tour in 1911. It’s been included 27 times since then, usually as a warm-up for the Col du Galibier, which again is its role this year. The climb is 11.8 km (7.3 miles) long, gaining 856 m. (2808 feet) in height (an average of 7.3%). The maximum gradient is 9.8% at the summit.

The Col du Galibier was also first used in the Tour in 1911. Only three riders were able to ride over the summit that year. Everyone else walked. I don’t intend to walk, but the climb is 18 km (11.2 miles) long, climbing 1245 m. (4085 feet) to a peak at 2556 meter (8200 feet), with an average gradient of 7%, most of the second half at 8% or better, and the last km at 10%. Whew! Good thing that the descent that follows is more or less 46 km long. If I survive the 45 degree temps expected at the top, the expected 85 degrees back at the bottom will feel good!

That leaves Alpe d’Huez, but I think I’ll save its description for next time.

Time for some last minute training!

Michael Lowe splits his time between Louisville, KY (his home) and Bristol, VA (his workplace). He's an avid cyclist, and also enjoys writing, photography, gardening, travel and hiking. He's hiked portions of the AT inside GSMNP, but completing a thru hike of the entire AT remains on his bucket list. His notes on l'Etape were written as a friend in support of this site, and we'd like to say thanks by pointing out that if you're a fan of adventure fantasy, we recommend Michael's books Wizardmont and Bryunzet,the first two parts of his Promise of the Stones series. If you're a fan of history, check out Charlotte's Story, the true story of how Michael's mother survived as a young girl in Berlin, Germany between 1943 and 1951.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Cycling season in Cades Cove is winding down

Cycling season in Cades Cove is winding down

Friday, September 10, 2010

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In case you wanted to get one last bike ride around the Cades Cove Loop Road without having to fight automobile traffic, you better hurry. The last day for the road being closed to motor vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings is September 22.

In other words, there are only four more opportunities left this year.

On each Wednesday and Saturday mornings throughout the summer, the Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles until 10:00 a.m. to allow pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the cove.

As I mentioned in a post earlier this summer, other than walking it, biking the loop is the absolute best way of seeing Cades Cove - especially since the road has been repaved.

For more information on bicycling in Cades Cove, and other areas in and just outside of the park, please click here.




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

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Cades Cove Loop Road reopening details

Cades Cove Loop Road reopening details

Thursday, April 22, 2010

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced details for the reopening of the Cades Cove Loop Road during two celebratory events on Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25. The park has implemented temporary measures and organized personnel to direct traffic and parking to make these events run as smoothly as possible.

On Saturday, the Loop Road will reopen only to bicyclists and pedestrians from sunrise (expected at 6:50 a.m.) to noon. Motor vehicles then will be permitted to travel the road starting at noon to sunset. They will not be allowed to arrive any earlier than noon.

During the morning hours, Park personnel will be stationed at the Townsend Wye to control traffic to the Cove. They will only allow those who will be recreating in and near the Cove, i.e., walkers, and campers/picnickers, and Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont participants, and will be turning away motorists who plan to tour the Loop Road to help alleviate traffic jams. Motorists will be directed to return at noon.

Visitors who plan to explore the Cove in the morning can expect to park in a field as a large number of people is expected. To accommodate visitors who would like to rent bicycles for the day, the Cades Cove Campground Store will open for business at 7 a.m. and will have available for rent multi-speed comfort or mountain bikes, in addition to single speed cruisers.

Several safety cautions and regulations should be noted while biking the Cove. Following these standard cautionary practices will make for a pleasant riding experience. Under Tennessee law, helmets are required for persons under 16 years of age, and it is recommended that all other riders wear helmets. Cyclists, particularly those with children, should maintain safe speeds especially on steep grades and around blind curves. Speed is the number one cause of bicycle accidents. Visitors should be aware that there are potentially hazardous situations along what appears to be mostly level land and with the newly paved smooth surface, it will be important to practice safe riding skills, especially if the road surface is wet from rain. Be prepared for changing weather conditions.

Park officials also expect traffic to be heavy when the road opens to motorists at 12 p.m. so people should be patient. With the opening of Cades Cove Loop Road, the one way Parson Branch Road will also be open. However, travelers who plan to exit the Cove onto Parson Branch Road must be aware that at its intersection with Route 129 they will only be allowed to travel south into North Carolina because a rockslide on Route 129 prevents travelers from heading north into Tennessee. Signage will be in place at the beginning of Parson Branch Road warning travelers of this change.

On Sunday, access to the cove will be restricted and limited to preregistered runners for the special Cades Cove Loop Lope event sponsored by the Friends of the Smokies. The Park expects about 380 runners to participate in this run. Registration for the run is now closed as all available parking has been taken up. Park officials, in partnership with the Friends and the Knoxville Track Club, is organizing this one-time event in recognition of the accomplishment of the long overdue road rehabilitation project. Park personnel will be staged at the Townsend Wye to facilitate traffic flow and allow only those participating in the run, as well as registered campers.

Right now, the forecast for Townsend calls for thunderstorms on Saturday, and partly cloudy skies on Sunday.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

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Google Maps adds "bicycle route finder"

Google Maps adds "bicycle route finder"

Monday, March 15, 2010

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Last week, in conjuction with the opening day of the National Bike Summit in Washington DC, Google maps launched a Beta version of its new direction finder for bicycle routes.

The new map tool will help cyclists find the quickest, safest way from Point A to Point B.

Apparently cyclists have been advocating for Google to add a layer for bicycles to its "Get Directions" function for some time now.

A petition started by Peter Smith at Google Maps 'BikeThere' received more than 50,000 signatures from bicyclists who wanted the service.

The bicycle route finder uses data gathered on bike paths, bike lanes and low-traffic streets to arrive at the suggested route. Google staffers are emphasizing that this project is in Beta, and have built in ways that users can inject their feedback into the results at the "Report a Problem" area.

The results may not show the most direct route in some cases. Not only safety, but topography is also factored into the route-finding formula so that cyclists can avoid steep hills, etc.

Google has produced a "how to" video explaining how to use the new service:




> Please click here to give the new map tool a "test drive."

> Click here for information on bicycling in and around the Great Smokies.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

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Mountain Biking Down the World's Most Dangerous Road

Mountain Biking Down the World's Most Dangerous Road

Sunday, January 10, 2010

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Check out the video below of Bolivia's "Death Road". This is from a segment of ABC's Nightline that shows off the thrills of biking down Bolivia's "World's Most Dangerous Road", one of the most popular adventure travel activities in all of Latin America.

The Yungas Road, also known as "Death Road" and the "World's Most Dangerous Road", earned these nicknames because it has more deaths per mile than any other road in the world.

The bike ride starts out at roughly 16,000 feet elevation and descends to 4,000 feet in roughly 40 miles. The bike ride takes nearly 7 hours, as the road snakes its way through the high mountains of the Andes to the subtropical jungles that lead to the Amazon basin in Corocio, Bolivia.



Think you want to do this?


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

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Cycling Cades Cove: season is winding down

Cycling Cades Cove: season is winding down

Friday, September 11, 2009

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In case you wanted to get in one last bike ride around the Cades Cove Loop Road without having to fight automobile traffic, you better hurry. The last day for the road being closed to motor vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings is September 23.

On each Wednesday and Saturday mornings throughout the summer, the Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles until 10:00 a.m. to allow pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the cove.

Also, one other thing to consider, the loop may not reopen to bicycle traffic next May as normally scheduled. The loop road will be repaved next spring and could possibly last through early summer, so cyclists may not have access to the road until later than normal next year.

Another good reason to get your cycling fix in while you still can!

For more information on bicycling in Cades Cove, and other areas in and just outside of the Park, please click here.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Smoky Mountain Day Hikers Store Quality gear and apparel from some of the best outdoor brands.

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Cyclists throw off chains with new belt-drive

Cyclists throw off chains with new belt-drive

Monday, December 1, 2008

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If you've ever been riding down the street and had the cuff of your pants ripped by your old bike chain, there may be a revolution at hand.

The Trek Bicycle Company is part of a movement to bury the finger-pinching, pants-munching, grease-laden, rust-prone sprocket and chain, and usher in the era of belt-driven bikes.

Wisconsin-based Trek is introducing two models this holiday season that use technology most often found in vehicles like motorcycles and snowmobiles. While some smaller custom bike makers have used them before, Trek will be the first to use the technology in mass-produced bicycles.

The nation's largest domestic bike manufacturer is hoping to capitalize on a new group of urban cyclists who are trading their cars for a more low-tech way to get around because of volatile gasoline prices as well as health and environmental concerns.

"People are really finding bicycles to be a very simple solution to some very complex problems that they face every day," said Eric Bjorling, Trek's lifestyle brand manager. "Anything we can do in our design to really help them and help them live that lifestyle is probably better for" the consumers and Trek. He said a belt is a low-maintenance solution to a chain, which has roughly 3,000 parts, including links and connectors.

Aside from the whisper-quiet ride, the lighter and longer-lasting carbon-fiber composite belts won't rust, can't be cut, won't stretch or slip, and won't leave grease marks around your ankles. A guard over the belt-drive and the construction of the system makes getting your pants stuck an unlikely scenario, Bjorling said.

One version of the chainless bike, the District ($930), is a single-speed, complete with a silver body, orange accents and brown leather seat and handles. The other, the Soho ($990), is an eight-speed bike that uses an internal hub to adjust the speed rather than gears.

Bjorling admits chain-driven bikes are still more efficient, but said an urban rider won't have to worry about greasing or cleaning the chain. The belt can be cleaned with a normal cleaning agent and rag, and the bike sprocket is designed to push through any snow, dirt or grime. And one belt will typically last three years -- the life span of three chains.

It will be interesting to see if Trek or Cannondale will be able to develop this technology for racing bikes. That would be the greatest revolution in bicycle technology since the invention of index shifting.

Welcome to Cyber Monday, the kickoff to the online shopping season. Although Black Friday is over, Amazon.com has extended the best deals of the season through Monday to help you get your holiday shopping done for much less.

Please help support HikingintheSmokys.com and keep the most comprehensive source of trail information in the Smoky Mountains free by shopping from this link:

http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=384082011&tag=hikinginthcom-20


Thank you.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

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Riding the Spine: From Alaska to Argentina

Riding the Spine: From Alaska to Argentina

Thursday, November 13, 2008

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If you’re a cyclist, which I happen to be, “riding the spine” would probably have to be one of the ultimate cycling adventures. In fact, I’ve often wandered if anybody else has ever done the trip, or even considered it.

The ultimate trip I’m referring to takes you from the Alaskan Arctic Coast to the tip of South America.

Just the other day I found out about three cyclists who are currently attempting this epic ride.

Jacob Thompson, Sean Monterastelli and Goat (yes, Goat is his real name according to their website) began their trip in July of 2006 from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Primarily using off-road trails, the three Santa Cruz, California natives are riding along the Continental Divide spanning the entire length of the Americas. Their ultimate destination is Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, which is at the southern tip of South America.

With roughly 100 pounds of gear loaded on their Xtracycle “sport utility bicycles”, the trio averages about 15 miles a day. They spend about $12 a day, making their money stretch by camping 99% of the time.

After more than two years and 12,000 miles, the adventurers recently arrived in Colombia, South America.

As you might expect, the trip has not been without incident.

During the first week of their journey, Jacob was chased by a wolf along the Haul Road near the Arctic Circle. He describes the encounter in his blog:

"It was clear to me that the wolf was going to catch me, and I began fumbling for the bear repellent in my handlebar bag, riding as hard as I could, all the while so as to buy some time. ... Eventually, I managed to get it out, but saw that the wolf was now within 10-15 feet and I haven't taken off the safety. I imagined if I stopped, the wolf would complete the chase with a flying leap to grab my throat. I finished taking off the safety and saw the trucker driving behind me swerve and hit the wolf, and quickly pulling to the left to avoid hitting a very appreciative me. I waved a thankful wave, a couple of them as if I was honoring this trucker who seemed to step in as my guardian angel. He did not slow down a bit, just kept on going.”

In Canada and Montana they had to deal with snow, subzero temperatures, and trails covered with black ice. There were constant snow-related bike failures. One night Goat suffered hypothermia and frostbite, and, were it not for a cabin stocked with plenty of firewood out in the middle of nowhere, things could’ve been a lot worse.

In Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, they camped at a river next to a drug smuggling operation. That night the Mexican military surrounded their campsite, machine guns cocked and aimed at their heads. After a few tense moments, the Federales sorted things out and realized the cyclists weren’t smugglers.

Their most recent adventure occurred just the other day. In order to get across the Darien Gap, a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest separating Panama and Colombia, the trio was forced to hit the water. Strapping their bikes on top of kayaks, the group spent the next two weeks island hopping and paddling almost 500 nautical miles.

The indigenous Kuna people of this region didn´t quite know what to make of the trio paddling bikes across their territory. One morning they were ambushed by Kuna police wearing masks. They held the cyclists at gunpoint until they confirmed that the American adventurer’s weren´t actually a threat to their independent nation.

You can follow their journey as they make their way to Tierra del Fuego by following the journals and videos on their website.


Jeff
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