Alabama's Magnificent Bicycle Adventure (AMBA)

I had a great time riding AMBA last week. This was the second year of the ride. Seven consecutive days riding in different directions from Chewacla State Park in Auburn, about 500 miles total for the week. We visited Tallassee and the Confederate Armory, Tuskegee University and the George Washington Carver Museum, Martin and Thurlow Dams, Grand National Golf Course, Auburn University, and the Columbus Riverwalk among other places.

The ride was directed by Peter Wolf and he and the volunteers did a great job. Included were breakfasts, a few lunches and a Thursday night cookout complete with a live band. There were about 50-60 riders from all over the east coast. Primarily the riders were cyclists who have alread ridden the North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, New York, and RAGBREI rides. One person I met has already done the AMBA cross country ride, though the one that starts in San Francisco, not Astoria.

This week the bike is at Free Flite for a complete overhaul. It will be completely broken down and put back together with a new back cassette, chain, front chain ring, cables, tape, and brake pads. For as much as I'm spending, I could go out and get a new entry level bike. But this stuff needed to be done anyway after a few years of serious riding. So I am stuck at the health club on the Expresso bike this week. Next week will be BRAG, and then I head to Oregon on the 19th.

Training for My Ride Across America

I'll be updating friends and family here during my Bike Ride Across America, and I'll be posting pictures daily. I leave for Astoria Oregon on June 19 and, God willing, will finish in Portsmouth, NH on August 9.

Training continues to go well. A lot of rides on the Cove Road/Burnt Mountain loop, intermixed with indoor rides on the Expresso Bikes at the fitness center. I'm getting as fast as I've ever been on the outdoor rides. Climbing Burnt Mountain is a piece of cake. And the power readings on the Expresso bike are climbing to new levels. I have new shoes and pedals from FreeFlite and the bike goes in for a complete overhaul between my seven day AMBA ride in Alabama and the Bike Ride Across Georgia, the latter of which ends on June 12, Then, the bike gets shipped to Oregon and I fly out to PDX thereafter.

The ride is 50 days long, 3,629 miles throuh Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. There are 45 days of riding and 5 off days with daily mileage ranging from a minimum of 34 to a maximum of 120 miles. There are eight century rides and average daily mileage is about 80.

More as the ride gets closer.