Long Term Planning

This blog is about my new plan to bike 5000 miles. Start date July 2014. I want to start in New York state and go to the Grand Canyon, then head for Alaska.
Possibly Dog will accompany me. Wait, I don't have a dog! That is another step I need to complete.
This picture is the state of the bikes in Feb 2012. I can see how hoarders get started. the pile in front of the bikes is all ski stuff that is in position for when we go skiing, just grab it and go. Then other stuff gets added to the pile as the months go on. I'll put it all back in the closet in April. Then I can get to the bikes.

I want a Surley Long Haul Trucker for this trip. The Trek 7300 is only 2 years old but I don't really like the upright handlebars for a long trip. The REI Randonne is a nice touring bike but I have read, and agree, that it is a little light in the components. Not really a good bike for long trip with lots of weight and some possible dirt roads. It has about 6000 miles on it now so is ready to retire as a town bike. But the Surley is what I see all the time on the touring websites of people who are travelling the world.

Here are some more things that are sitting around waiting for Spring....