Tour de USA: Final Thoughts

As promised, I have assembled a number of final comments and observations about the Tour.  I will list these in no particular order. 

I have also published a post earlier today covering the final day ("Bound For Boston: Victory"), if you haven't already seen it.

If you have any questions or comments about the Tour, please "comment" or email me and I will do my best to respond.

 

Total Miles:    3415

Total Number of States:   15

Total Vertical Climb:   106,400 ft.



Flats
Total: 6    1 road flat; 5 slow leaks


Favorite States
Arizona, New Mexico and New York.

Least Favorite States
Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois

Most Scenic Rides
Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ
Erie, PA to Hamburg, NY
Las Vegas, NM to Tucumcari, NM

Hardest Rides
Tucumcari, NM to Dalhart, TX
Indio, CA to Blythe, CA
Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ

Most Climbing Day
Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ:  7300 ft.

Longest Mileage Day
Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, CA:  116

Best Massage
Erie, PA

Most Courteous Drivers
Kansas

Least Courteous Drivers
Ohio

Key Clothing / Accessories
Camelbak (hydration pack): used it every day
Arm Coolers: wore them 70% of the time
Headsweat: wore it every day
DualEyewear Sunglasses: wore them every minute
Bandana: wore it through Southwest; loaded it with ice

Key Bike Accessories
Mirror
Taillight
Tire changing kit: tubes, CO2, inflator, levers, tweezers
Map/Cue Sheet holder
Cycling Computer (wireless)

Liquid Consumption (based upon reasonably accurate estimate)
Water:          2700 ounces
Gatordade:   2000 ounces  

Most Popular Bikes on Tour
Cannondale  (6)
Trek  (3)
Specialized  (3)

Rider Demographics
Males:   16
Females:  5
Married Couples:  3
Tandem Bikes:  1
Recumbents:     0

Dog Experiences

I was chased by one medium sized dog which I was able to shout off.  On another occasion, two German Shepherds just started to give chase (in earnest) when, at that precise moment, their owner yelled from an open garage door and they broke off the chase.  A couple of other dogs made half-hearted runs at me but changed their minds (if that's the right word).

Locking Bikes
Nobody locked their bike and no bikes were disturbed.  According to Tracy, no bike has ever been stolen during the tours.

Competitive Angle

Early on, I reported that there was no competition among the riders.  Well, that's not completely accurate.  When you combine speed, power, and  endurance and throw in a bunch of Alpha Dogs, there will inevitably be some process to establish a hierarchy.  It was interesting, though, how this played out.  In the early going, riders were kind of feeling each other out.  Also, we were all struggling with the Mojave so some things had to wait. 

The first major cut came with the creation of the 'A' and 'B' teams.  That narrowed things down and set the stage for settling the question of the order of the riders.  Once the order was established, though, the only competitiveness that continued was actually of a playful nature. 

Closest Call

Without question, my closest call occurred in a construction zone on I-40 during the ride to Albuquerque.  Only three of us chose to ride the re-routed Interstate, with an 18" shoulder, while the remainder rode in the closed area that was under construction.  The total distance was five miles and it seemed like an eternity.  The moment of truth came when an 18-wheeler passed within two feet of me, at freeway speed, and airhorn blasting at the precise moment that he was passing me.  I had to fight the vacuum effect that wanted to suck me into the truck.  The trucker was sending a message and I was receiving it. 

Weather
Extremes (while riding):
   Heat:  111 degrees  (Garmins were all showing +120 road temps)
   Cold:    45 degrees
   Wind:   35 mph
   Rain:   3 occasions for a total of 4 hours (Tracy said this was the 2nd lowest ever)


Level of Exhaustion
While I was quite exhausted on some days, I never felt as drained as after a marathon or summit day on any of the major mountains.  Tough days, particularly those with climbing and high heat, resulted in a bone weariness rather than a total depletion.


Advice To Those Considering a Cross Country Ride
Train long and train hard.  Just logging miles alone won't prepare you sufficiently.  Ride the hills or, if that's not possible, do high intensity repeats, sprints, anything to sufficiently stress your legs and cardio.  Train in high heat and humidity conditions.  Finally, consider doing it sooner rather than later.  It's a real challenge and age is not your friend.


Trip Insurance
I didn't purchase trip insurance because I thought I could cover the risk if I had to.  What I did not fully realize was the level of risk that exists.  Many events can interrupt a trip of this intensity and duration.


The Bike
My Cannondale 613 performed flawlessly (thanks, Bikes Blades & Boards).  It endured conditions and extremes, from heat, blowing sand, road debris, countless shifts through the mountains, and dumping it once in Santa Fe.  As the ad says, it took a licking and kept on ticking.  If there's ever been an inanimate object that I've become attached to, this is it.  It's been with me virtually every minute of the Tour (I'm talking 24/7).


The Man
I am grateful to report that I have been without any injury or sickness during the Tour.  Nor did I lose or forget anything at any of the 47 hotel rooms that I occupied.  (This may very well be a more impressive accomplishment than riding across the country).


Would I Do It Again?
Probably too soon to answer this question, but if I had to, the answer would likely be no, and in any case, never the same route.  There are too many other things out there to see and do.  It takes tremendous time and energy to do a ride like this and all the moons need to align.  What I can see happening is participating in other bike tours for a shorter duration and to different places. 


The formation of what I believe will be lasting friendships, I think, will prove to be one of the biggest personal dividends for me.  There are a few people with whom I fully expect to cross paths in the future.


Thanks again to all of you for joining me on this fantastic journey.  I have really appreciated your encouragement and support.

Tailwinds,

Mike