I woke this morning knowing my bike was long overdue getting the break pads replaced, my clothes were a mess I had nothing clean. I wanted that Brooks saddle and the World Cup final would be on this afternoon. I decide to inform Terry I won’t be riding today and he is only to happy to join me in a zero mile day.
Blog City
It was an amazing feeling opening the day up like that, at 7am I thought I was riding, 10 minutes later its a day off in Lander! We go for a huge breakfast at a cafe, I ordered the 18 wheeler and couldn’t finish. I then took my bike to the shop and investigated the Brooks further. Joe and Cooper both rode Brooks and along with every other tourer they are sworn by as the best saddle money can buy. It an English company but they are still alot cheaper for me to buy here than home so I took the plunge.
For the World Cup final we headed back to the forge where a few dutch people in town had converted the bar for the afternoon. The bartender Victor was supporting Spain and cracked jokes all game winding the dutch up, whilst supplying us with free popcorn. So Spain won, the dutch were sad and we went and picked the bikes up. We couldn’t stay at the Hostel a second night because it was fully booked so took advantage of a motel offer in town which lets cyclists camp at back and use the shower and jacuzzi facilities.
Its going to take me years to get rid of those tan lines.
My new Brooks waiting to be broken in.
At the end of the night the place suddenly went biker crazy, first 2 guys and a girl turned up but got rooms at the motel then two other people on recumbents arrived with another guy called Eli. We chatted briefly, the recumbents had actually just finished their trip but Eli was keen to ride with us tomorrow, he is 20 and from upstate New York. He isn’t following the transam completely but is ending in pretty much the same place.
I woke that morning already knowing how the day would go, though I hadn’t admitted it yet. The brake pads were overdue, my clothes had reached the point of self-awareness, I wanted that Brooks saddle everyone kept talking about, and the World Cup final kicked off that afternoon. Four good reasons, and I only needed one. I told Terry I wasn’t riding. He didn’t need much convincing to make it two.
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There’s a particular pleasure in opening a day back up like that — at 7am I was still a cyclist with somewhere to be, ten minutes later I was just a man in Lander with nowhere to go at all. We went looking for a huge breakfast and I ordered something called the 18 wheeler, which turned out to be exactly as ambitious as it sounded; I didn’t finish it. Then I wheeled the bike to the shop to properly investigate the Brooks. Joe and Cooper both swore by theirs, and so did every other tourer I’d met — the best saddle money can buy, apparently, English-made and somehow still cheaper here than at home. I took the plunge.
For the final we headed to the forge, which a handful of Dutch fans in town had commandeered for the afternoon. The bartender, Victor, backed Spain and spent the whole match winding up the Dutch contingent while keeping us fed on free popcorn. Spain won. The Dutch sulked. We collected our bikes and went looking for a bed — the hostel was booked solid for a second night, so we took up a motel’s offer instead: cyclists could camp out back and still use the shower and the jacuzzi. Not a bad trade.
Its going to take me years to get rid of those tan lines.
My new Brooks waiting to be broken in.
By nightfall the place had gone quietly biker mad. First two guys and a girl rolled in and took rooms in the motel proper. Then two more arrived on recumbents, trailing a third guy named Eli. The recumbent riders had just finished their trip, done and dusted, but Eli was still going and keen to ride with us the next day — twenty years old, upstate New York, not exactly following the TransAm but ending up in roughly the same place we were. Close enough to make a travelling companion of him.
11 comments from 2010
Nice saddle and even better tan lines x
Nice saddle and even better tan lines x
Hi Rye, Lander sounds brill.its nice you,ve met up with more cyclists,good that you have treated yourself to a new saddle why not you,ve still got alot of miles ahead,tan lines looking good think you,ll have them forever lol, luv mum xxx
Haha loving the tan Rye! I sold my team in the work sweep for a pound as i though i wouldnt be watching any of the games anyway and didnt have a clue if they were any good....my team was Spain! oops!
Great post this one, same old not finishing your meals you know I would have had it all eaten. Decent dogs, nice beer, nice car. How many drinks you knocked over so far them must be in double figures. Chin
Hi Ryan, Loving the tan lines and the jacuzzi! Great that you've met up with more bikers (company for you Terry). Pics are fantastic, you're going to have to write a book when you get home. All so very proud of you and telling everyone about your trip. Bradley says I have to tell you he's got a new laptop and you won't recognise Wills (he looks like a mirror image of you when you were small - he's had the mullet cut - short and spikey now). Take care and safe riding - love from all. xxx
HYA your tan lines look like gloves. Those dogs are cute. ok rye i will read your next day and leave a comment.
Ryan - having decided to do a similar cycle across America next summer, I've been avidly reading your blog - finally caught up with the latest entry so thought I'd post. Fantastic mix of photos and descriptions, all with our classic British comedy :-) Might have to pick your brains more about the trip once you're back! Until then, keep those posts coming - well worth it!
Hi Ryan, I have been reading your blog from pretty much from day 1 now and have to say it makes for a pretty inspirational read! Would love to do something like this myself! Keep up the good work with the cycling and the great blog. Jonny Torr ( Amys friends brother )
Keep going mate.. Loving the Blog !!
Good to meet you on the road the other day Ryan and congratulations on becoming a fully fledged Trans Amer. I stayed at that motel in Lander for July 4th, great camping deal! Can't believe you bought a Brooks to break in "during" the Trans Am!! I had a 1000 miles on mine before I left and it still took till Pueblo to get it softened! I don't need chamois now though, rivets still chaff on occasion!