one less car news

so i did meet the bike at my parents in Michigan. i did a few rides of about 50 miles or so to see how i liked it. it was really nice but didn't end up riding back here to Chicago. i didn't have a rack and panniers on it so i would have to have gone with a backpack (riding with that on my back for two days would suck) or just go with nothing and i thought that would make for a pretty crappy ride. i ended up shipping it back here ups and it made it in one peace so that's good. im working on getting some racks and panniers to review and a lot of other touring stuff to help people out.

cole

i scored a surly lht from one of the guys on the bike tour i was working for. its being shipped to my parents house in Michigan where I'm going to meet it and ride it a lot,i cant wait to ride to the beach. I'm also think since Amtrak doesn't allow bikes on the train that I'm going to ride it back here to chicago,I'm pretty sure i can do it in two days. ill keep you posted.

cole

while on my trip i scored a surly long haul trucker for a great price, the reason i was doing the trip was to buy a touring bike so it all worked out great. i know there has to be some touring people out there and im wondering about what panniers and racks you guys would like to see reviewed. im going to try and get a few to test out on some trips, let me know what ones you like and what ones you think i should try out.

thanx

cole

im home from the tour. it was a long week but a ton of fun. i stooped updating because i was just to tired at night and get a internet signal in the small towns we were in was impossible. ill write a full story on the trip including my lame pics in a few days. right now im going through orders and getting ready to print. everything should go out midweek.

thanx

cole

day 3 is over it was from centralia to effingham, the ride was 83 miles and with heat index's around 100 degrees it was rough on the riders, we had to pick up 2 riders who just couldn't do it. the pics are kinda lame again but im stil working on it. once again im tired as hell but im in a hotel tonight the gym had no ac so few of us came here.

so cole is on the road with bicycle illinois, and they made it on the news! note: cole is the one sitting on the picnic table wiping his face (somewhere around the middle...)


check it out: (windows users: you might be better off right clicking and "save as", and mac users: ctrl-click, "save as...)

quicktime
or
windows media
-greeze

day two is now behind us. once again the pics are kinda lame, its that i just dont have time to stop and take pics because im racing to beat the riders to rest stop to make sure they have what they need. then when we get to to lodging it all unloading and restocking so ill try and do better tomorrow. as far as how long the stage was and what not i dont know because all my maps and info is in the car and waaaay to tired to go get it.

the pics are of the water cooler at my rest stop,all the bikes in the conference room that we are sleeping in ( i almost had to share my bed with one of the bikes) and of a camel i saw in town.... didnt see that coming.

cole

as you all may have read i got a job as support on a 500 mile bike ride across Illinois. im going to try and up date each day with a few pics. today pics are kinda crappy because it was a crazy day. todays stage was from cario il. to carbondale, it was around 72 miles or so. more tomorrow because its late and i need to get up at 5 am to make coffee.

cole

i got a job working with bicycle illinois. im going to be doing support for all the riders and stuff like that. im leaving on the 5th and will be back on the 12th...i think. im mailing out all orders that i have tomorrow and will print the orders i get on the trip when i get back,there should not be a noticeable delay for you guys.

im really excited about the trip! check out the map and if you live along the route come out and say hi. ill be bringing my computer and will hopefully be updating the site from the road, im hoping ill have pics to post but my camera is in rough shape right now. anyway thats whats up ill try and answer emails nightly and do my best to keep you guys in the loop.