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After the crash in Minnesota, the American Automobile Association, AAA, contacted me about doing a piece about my crash and how they helped out. It was just published in the July/August issue of the AAA Magazine. I’m not certain it is nationwide, it may be in just the Southern AAA Magazine.

Here is a copy of the article:

MC_Spotlight

This is just a quick update. I now have a new mount for my attack on finishing my ride from coast-to-coast, a Surly, Long Haul Trucker (LHT). I purchased it used from a hiking friend and it is a perfect fit.

The LHT is the perfect touring machine, especially in my case. All of my previous bicycles have never had sufficient foot room. When pedaling, my heels would always hit against the panniers shown in the photo above. On my ride coast-to-coast last summer I had to use front panniers on the back of the bicycle. They are smaller and allowed room for my size 15 (EU 50) feet. The LHT has plenty of room and now I will be able to pack even more gear next summer.

As yet, there are no firm plans for a date, but I will complete the ride next summer. I will start back in Stacy, Minnesota, where I crashed and continue on through Wisconsin, take a ferry across Lake Michigan, Michigan, Canada, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and then finish in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Yes, I will once again be carrying my amateur radio equipment and will be on the air along the way. The equipment was undamaged in the crash, I wasn’t so lucky.

I look forward to all of you following along and hope to talk to many of my ham radio friends along the way. Hopefully, the northern winter will be short and sweet…

Dennis “K1YPP” Blanchard

Going through photos of my trip this morning, I realized that I had stopped shortly before the crash to photograph the trail surface. The constant pounding of the bicycle wheels on those seams had been on my mind since Oregon. I kept thinking they would eventually fatigue a spoke or two and I would have to repair a wheel. I had forgotten about my front pannier rack and that I wanted to safety wire it because I was concerned that if the mounting bracket broke, it would stop my front wheel. Guess what I forgot to safety wire. I really hate being correct sometimes.

It has been just over two weeks since my crash. I’m healing well and the pain is finally subsiding. The worst pain was in the wrists. I must have really been hanging onto the handlebars.

The search for a replacement bike goes on. I’ve narrowed my choices down to a Cannondale, CoMotion, or Surly.

I’ve been very happy with my Cannondales over the years, both for road touring and mountain bike racing. All of their bikes that I have owned were made in the USA. Now, they seem to be making most of their bikes in Taiwan, so I’m not as enamored with them any longer. Still, the touring bike they offer does meet my needs.

The CoMotion machines are made in Oregon. They’re really well made and have a great reputation, but I just may not be able to afford one, they are twice the cost of the others. When the Cannondales were made here, they did cost more than the Asian versions, but not twice as much. I suppose they would be now, as are the CoMotion machines. Still, I can dream, can’t I?

Then there is the Surly. They have a long standing reputation for being one of the best touring machines. I don’t know where they were originally manufactured, but they too are now from Asia. I’m leaning towards the Surly. A friend has one for sale that might fit me, if it does, I would seriously consider it. We’ll see. The friend’s bike has already completed one coast-to-coast ride.

As for me, I’m feeling well. I’m still stiff and walk like an old man, but then I am, so nobody notices. Since I don’t have a bike here in Florida at the moment I have been riding Jane’s. It is small for me but at least I get to exercise the muscles. I had lost ten pounds on the coast-to-coast ride and lost another two pounds upon my return, but now I have put a few pounds back on. Time to get back on a bike and keep the weight in check.

Jane and I have plans for next summer, but, if I can find a month there somewhere I may just go back and finish Wisconsin to Massachusetts. My daughter, Áine, pointed out that I seem to do most of my epic journeys in two parts (The Appalachian Trail, The Vermont Trail) so why should this be any different? Good point.

We’ll see.

This is just a quick note to all that are following along. I’m near the St. Paul airport and am picking up a rental car and driving back to Sarasota. I have had a quick look at your comments, but just don’t have time to answer them all, I have to pick up the car.

Thanks to all for so much concern and I’ll post when I have time from home. You’re a great bunch and it is nice to know the team is cheering for me.

Too bad you didn’t see me vault off of the bike, the German judges gave me a 9.7.

Yesterday afternoon, I returned to (ACA) Adventure Cycling Assoc. for the photo session with Greg. He is a great guy and makes one feel very comfortable in an uncomfortable setting. Being a “model” is not something I do well. His “studio” is a drop sheet at the shipping dock and a hanging scale to weigh the bike. It escapes me now, but I think I guessed the bike weighed 72 pounds (32.6 kg) and if I recall correctly, it was 85 pounds (38.5 kg). Have I added a few things along the way? Maybe. The good news is, there are many that are heavier.

I spent most of the day trying to find a place to stay in Missoula that wouldn’t break the bank. I had a promise from Julie, who works at ACA, that she would have room for me in their basement, should I find nothing. That is eventually where I ended up.

It was my intention to spend the afternoon in the Rose Memorial Park with my ham radio but the weather had other ideas. There were thunder storms rolling through the area and I really hated to put up an antenna to attract lightning, not to mention having to set up the equipment and then quickly tear down as rain approached. I gave up the idea and just hung around having tea, donuts, and an evening meal at a Chinese restaurant.

Julie takes a group of women out on a long ride after work, but told me I could go to her place, her spouse would be there to let me in, and he was. I met the cat and was shown a bed in the basement and almost immediately was unconscious in a deep sleep by around 8:30 pm. Even though I had hardly ridden all day, I needed sleep.