The overnight bike camping trip tried to happen, but didn't

[Tri Girl]

the title should read:
The overnight bike camping trip that tried to happen, but didn't. I wish I could change that.

A friend and I had planned an overnight mini-tour this weekend. We were going to ride 45 miles to a state park, camp out, then ride back home. We knew a couple things: there was going to be a 25 mph headwind on the way down, but a 35 mph tailwind on the way back home and everytime we get together for an adventure, we always wind up with more than we asked for (and that was especially true today).
Here's a (not so) brief run-down of what went right and wrong today:

difficult headwind
beautiful sunshine
great roads
even better trails
found a quarter
rear brake rubbing on friend's bike- fixed
rear rack rubbing on friend's back wheel (rubbed so bad it wore the metal smooth but didn't harm the tire
fixed the rack/rigged it as best we could- thought we could make it 17 more miles
made it to our lunch stop and ate lunch
more brutal headwind
more beautiful sunshine
got to police blocking road because of a grass fire
7 mile hilly detour (part of it walking 1/4 mile on a gravel road)
brutal headwind
heavy traffic
rear rack rubbing again
miles clicking by- feeling good
within 11 miles of the state park- woo hoo
rear rack breaks, bolts fall off, irreparable
duct tape rack so back wheel will spin freely
load all bags on my bike
within 3 miles of another campground
walk 3 miles on a gravel road uphill to campground
get to campground and it's on fire (the fire from before spread)
fire trucks everywhere- no camping
bike can't be ridden, campground on fire, tired ladies
called husband and he drove the 30 min. to come get us

Despite the difficulty we kept laughing and "bright side-ing" it. We had a blast, and even tho we were disappointed we didn't make it, we had a blast anyway. Plus, we think of it as a good training day: riding 50 miles in a tough headwind the whole way with a 60 lb bike (bike + load).

Here's a couple pictures from the day:
1. starting the day optimistically
2. ZOO! I love our city's zoo
3. riding one of our city trails- one I hadn't ridden before
4. the fire that caused the detour and was burning in the campground
5. my bike and the fire trucks in the background

[Melalvai]

It just wasn't meant to be, was it? What a story!

[Chicken Little]

Hey, nice try. You learned a bunch, and it will be a smooth adventure next time. Wind in New Mexico yesterday was enough to make you cry, and we had a big canyon grass fire, also. Must be the season for it.

[redrhodie]

Glad you made it out of that one! Sounds like those fires were moving fast.

[Tri Girl]

Thanks! The wind was demoralizing. I mean, we have wind all the time in OK, but 50 miles of it just sucked the life force out of me. Such is spring in OK. At some points we were pedaling as hard as we could and were only doing 6 mph on a FLAT road.

We were glad we weren't in any danger from the fires. My friend had tried putting a rack on her nice road bike for this trip- and since her bike doesn't have any braze-ons, she had to put the rack on with padded p-clamps. She found online directions and did it. The rack she bought on eBay was a piece of junk. The metal bent and it broke under the weight. If she'd gone with a better rack, I think it would have been fine. The p-clamps worked well, except that one rubbed the paint off her seatstay. She was cursing herself and wishing she'd just bought a child trailer instead (or a better rack). It was her first attempt at touring and she liked it, despite the mechanical issues. Live and learn.

OTOH- my Bianchi Eros that I built up a few months ago performed FLAWLESSLY while fully loaded. That thing is a tank and handled like a dream. I was very pleased in the gearing I chose and the components I put on it. I can't wait to take it out for a tour again! I found out my front tire has a huge gash in it, I'm assuming from walking on the gravel for 3 miles.
My DH frowns upon me traveling alone (he worries about my safety/vulnerability- much more than me) so I have to have someone to do things with. Otherwise I'd be out doing sub24 hour tours every other weekend.

[lph]

The campground was on FIRE? Helluva'n excuse to get picked up

I love zoos too..

[redrhodie]

The rack she bought on eBay was a piece of junk. The metal bent and it broke under the weight. If she'd gone with a better rack, I think it would have been fine.

When I got my rack, I asked my lbs guy how much weight it could take, and he said a basic rule of thumb is one dollar per lb.

I have a habit of thinking up bike movie plots, and a fire in the campground could be good.

[Tri Girl]

When I got my rack, I asked my lbs guy how much weight it could take, and he said a basic rule of thumb is one dollar per lb.

Then her rack could only hold about 11 lbs. No wonder it bent.

Fire in the campground. Stupid people. The news said it was someone who started a campfire. Even tho we are in the most severe drought we've had since the Dust Bowl of the 20's, there is a burn ban in 70 counties in the state, and there are signs all over the campground warning of no fires.
Again: stupid people!!!!

[oz rider]

Good try! Trips like that are the stuff of memories.

[Catrin]

I think you and your friend did an awesome job! 50 miles with that kind of wind!?! Both of you rock!

Glad you weren't in danger from the fires, and hope there isn't any real damage to your friend's bike...

[Desert Tortoise]

Great adventures make the best stories

[Dog]

Sounds like you have found a good friend to "tour" with considering she said she had fun despite the wind, mechanical problems and a fire. My husband feels the same as yours - he doesn't like me out there by myself either.

[celticgarden]

Great fun and workout! Thanks for sharing. I'm like you, hate having to cry uncle but you had reason to! Touring/camping is something I'm thinking about doing with my son.

[Tri Girl]

Thanks, everyone! We did have a good time- despite the challenges!!!

I talked to my friend last night.
She went ahead and bought a $150 Tubus rear rack that has a carrying capacity of 80 lbs, fits on her rear skewer (since she has no eyelets) and will NOT break down. She said a month ago she would NEVER have spent that much, but after breaking down in the middle of nowhere, she doesn't mind spending the money and has learned her lesson- you get what you pay for.
Her last rack was aluminum, cost $11 and was held onto the frame with padded p-clamps (which was a good idea, but it just couldn't handle the weight- and one of the rubber deals fell out and scratched her beautiful racing frame to the bare metal).

The fact that she's still comitted after that fateful introduction to touring has me psyched!!! I can't wait to do it again!!!

[moderncyclista]

Thanks, everyone! We did have a good time- despite the challenges!!!

I talked to my friend last night.
She went ahead and bought a $150 Tubus rear rack that has a carrying capacity of 80 lbs, fits on her rear skewer (since she has no eyelets) and will NOT break down. She said a month ago she would NEVER have spent that much, but after breaking down in the middle of nowhere, she doesn't mind spending the money and has learned her lesson- you get what you pay for.
Her last rack was aluminum, cost $11 and was held onto the frame with padded p-clamps (which was a good idea, but it just couldn't handle the weight- and one of the rubber deals fell out and scratched her beautiful racing frame to the bare metal).

The fact that she's still comitted after that fateful introduction to touring has me psyched!!! I can't wait to do it again!!!

Oh, I have been there.

My factory Trek's Bontrager rack broke with 20 lbs on it. (Rated for 50lbs.) the damage was intense. (The rack fell onto the wheel while I was biking effectively clamping the wheel at high speed. I still have scars on my left elbow from where I went down. )

Everything was fixed and replaced for free by Trek. My next rack purchase will definitely be welded steel. Steel forever. In my bicycles and in my racks.