Holding up traffic

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've not caused a traffice hold up like that.... yet!
Next summer we're planning on riding the old Route 66 across the state of Oklahoma. There is a section that is under construction, and will be well into next year. I was thinking the same thing as we drove through it the other day. How long will I be holding up traffic while it takes me forever to get through the 2-3 miles that they're working on? Glad to know they waited for you!

Depends on whether there is a shoulder and whether it's a long hill or not. If there's a good shoulder throughout, you might want to talk to the flagman at the beginning and figure out if the cars can just go past you in either direction while you stay on the shoulder. If you wind up with a bunch of cars directly behind you getting antsy you can always get off your bike, wave a bunch of them past you, then continue.

Scarlet- I was not heroic, really. -There was no choice to "stop and give in to the cars". By the time I was well into the situation- there WERE no cars, and no humans either- just me all alone on an empty highway pedaling uphill. The cars were being held up at both ends, far from me and completely out of sight. If I had stopped, I would have just been standing there all alone with no one around, making the situation worse because they were all waiting for me! Wouldn't have accomplished too much.

It wasn't the hardest hill I've ever climbed- it's just that it was so long and it was like forever that I was holding everything up in both directions. I'm sure the construction guys were amused by it all. Looking back on it now it was funny.

[short cut sally]

I've had a couple experiences, all this year. I had a small little section where they were doing the construction on one lane. I had stopped as the flagman was holding the stop sign, said hi to him, I was the only one around. He said, why don't you just go on thru the sign, all the other bikers usually do. I replied, sign says stop, we have to obey the signs. He laughed, and said go on, we'll wait for you. And the traffic at the other end did wait, and I could just imagine what the drivers were muttering. One time, they were sealing cracks in the road, as I was waiting my turn to go, one worker jumped out right past the sealing machine and said, ride over here in this lane, it'll be nicer for you and you and you won't have to get all sticky from the hot tar. The best was I had to stop on a small hill. I had shifted down and came to a stop. Of course, trying to start up again on a hill and the gears being so easy, I was having a hard time getting enough of a stroke to get going and clipping, etc. I was about to get off again and do a down hill start up the hill when a worker said, "here, I'lll help you", and he grabbed by seat post and pushed me up the hill until I got both feet clipped and a momentum going. I've had pleasant experiences with the road workers this year. I did feel guilty a little for holding up the traffic but it passed quickly. I think if I was the one going up the hill like Lisa, I think the stopped cars should've had a cheering section for you..would've broke the sputters and eased their tension. Flagmen should've handed out water bottles too...okay, maybe my mind is warped but hey, gotta have fun don't we???