Gear

Friday, November 25, 2011

Tis the season...

Binglers around the world are rejoicing, singing the famous Hannukah songs we all grew up with.  This time of year, we all see the Hannukah Harry's out front of Macy's spinning their driedals asking people to kindly donate to help others.  In that spirit, and since some have asked, if you can't manage to get out from behind that desk, if your life is limited to two week vacations once a year, if you see the end of your street as a limitation, then I have the perfect holiday gift for you.  For a limited time only, I invite those who wish to live a life of glee, of freedom, of unending adventure, simply go to the right hand side of this blog and under my picture you can donate money to the Bingle cause via pay pal.  Here's what your money may go to:


  • Bicycle parts and/or maintenance
  • Food
  • More food after that first round of food was eaten
  • Camping supplies or replacement parts
  • Food
Naturally, even better than donating money is getting on your bike and joining me, and second to that is sending a letter full with love and support to one of my varied addresses.  Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may your days continue to be bright. 


Be sure to see all the photos at picasweb.google.com/bingleadventure and read the rants and ravings of Chris over at reallylongbiketrip.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

A Cycling Cowpoke


Well Howdy there feller Binglers. I been darn busy rasslin them steer and shoowing dem coyotes and haven't had a chance to spin some yarns with ya'll. We've gone from one state to another, traversing not just different landscapes and geographies, but spanning a spectrum of people and ways of life along the road. You see, the world of bicycle touring isn't just all the pretty places, but also the many faces that make the trip such a wonderful, special thing. So sit back by the fire, get yerself some of dem beans over yonder, and let me tell you a bit about some of the past few weeks of my travels...

The Grand Canyon state surprisingly only has one grand canyon. And it's way north. Our ride through Arizona took us from the absolute north to the absolute south, and we only saw one really really big canyon. But, as we left the bitter and snowy environs of Flagstaff, we did descend through a canyon into the mystical town of Sedona, where it turns out if we made $50,000 a year we could have made $75 to listen to people try to sell us stuff. We moosey'd on. Another day off due to passing storms, and we had a long, long climb at high, snowy elevations before getting to the small town of Payson, a nearly 70 mile ride of which 40 was tough climbing. Karma was good and the next day was nearly all down hill through dry arid desert towards Roosevelt lake, yet another constipation caused by man interfering with the natural flow of the earth's waters.

Leaving the lake behind we got our first views of the might saguaro cactus that dominates much of the southern desert land of Arizona. A few days ride had us into the bicycle hopping city of Tucson. We had made it in time for the GABA bike swap, a community driven bicycle swap meet that closes the heart of the downtown. Picking up some parts for Dog, me and Chris swung over to BICAS, a well known bike co-op where the community does it bike work and bike art. An amazing, inspiring place for a well oiled bike co-op that serves as an integral part of the community, cycling and not cycling related. We stayed with fantastic people who made us feel at home, they spun their fire, flew with yoga, played their instruments, and were looking after a cute little dog too. A day's side trip to Saguaro National Park to see more of the same exact environment we'd seen the last few days, and then we were off further south hoping to make our days even warmer. Wrong.

That first night out, camping in a small town's fairgrounds, the air got chilly and we woke covered in a fine frost. Brrr...shaking it off we pedaled for coffee and sat in the sun eating our cereal. We had old westerns on our mind pulling into Tombstone, home of the Earp brothers and the OK Corral. Sadly, our shared history seems to be owned by a select few and they charge money for the privilege of seeing or touching, so we didn't.   We left dusty Tombstone for places of greater height, like Bisbee.  We had been told by a Swiss biker going from Alaska to Argentina via everywhere that Bisbee was really cool and we could camp for free in town at the Occupy Bisbee camp.  We were sold.  A long day ending with a long hill and we made the artistic town in the mountains as the sun was setting.  We found the Occupy camp and our Swiss friend too, seemed he didn't get enough the first time.  A cold night camping, but hot coffee and lots of bike talk in the morning warmed us up.  

All downhill to the bottom of Arizona, and we dipped our wheels in the forbidden fruit that is Mexico.  Nobody blinked an eye as we cycled into Mexico, and the US custom guy coming out was NICE?!?!?!  Are we more wary of our Canadian brothers and sisters?  It seems so.  We were not hassled once by any border patrol, no matter how blatantly we camped on the side of the road, which we do a lot.  We spent the night where Geronimo gave up his last stand before heading into New Mexico, the land of so-called enchantment.

A few days ride through towns pretty desolate where even a tomato could not be had before we found some hint of what the hub bub is all about.  After a night camping at a falling down death trap, we had to pass over the Black mountains which loomed ahead.  Turns out, a narrow, beautiful canyon bisects it making the climb much easier and super beautiful.  summiting at 8,228, a 12 mile downhill had us catching our breath in Hillsboro.  An old mining town turned artsy, they welcome bikers to camp at the park, where the town folk cam and welcomed us, and the next morning, after being delayed by hail and lighting, had a wonderful lunch at their Monday potluck and were invited by a ranching couple to come stay with them down the hill, which we did once the skies cleared a bit.  

And now, Las Cruces, the crossroads of old and new.  We will spend thanksgiving here with a warmshower host before heading east towards White Sands, up up up to Cloudcroft and then down again towards Carlsbad Caverns and the start of the monstrously big, Texas.  

The sights are many and varying, the faces change as often as do the lives behind them.  But time and time again, I have found a golden thread that clings us all wonderfully together.  Whether a cowboy duding it up, an artists growing cacti in the mountains, some guy driving trucks around the country, our hearts are filled with love, kindness and warmth that when given the chance, explodes outward and embraces those around us.  Our constructed world and environment more often than not discourages this and frowns upon it, but in those moment when we are most vulnerable and in need of help, the rays of light that make up all life, human and non-human, shine brightest.  Don't never be afraid to love, to give, to put yourself out there, to see it, feel it, hear it, touch it, taste it.  This planet offers up the most delicious foods for us, and it would be silly not to try a little of it all.  And better yet, to do it in some good company.
our new touring partner, Debra

To learning day after day what love is, what freedom means and can be, and how incredible each moment pedaling continues to be, happy thanksgiving.  Also, you can send general delivery mail to Alpine, Texas where we will be on December 6th.

General Delivery
Ross Guberman 
US Post Office
901 w. Holland Ave
Alpine, TX 79830-9998

Monday, November 7, 2011

From 0 to 10,000


I wrote some stuff down, but I think pictures are a better way to try to capture a smidgen of the last 6 months, the last 10,000 miles on my bike. It's been amazing...beyond amazing. From my first mile with Mark and Melissa by my side, to months alone, then weeks with 3 other friends, now me and Chris and soon Brittany, the people and places have kept me in awe of this life and this world. To all I have met on my travels, thank you all. To those who have been with me, on the bike and at home, thank you all. I thank my precious life, this precious world. To life, freedom and love. Here's to 10,000 more, all bingle by bingle.


PS:  You should play epic, awe inspiring music to accompany this little photo montage to give it that bittersweet feeling it deserves.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

A song of snow, a song of sun

“This is what you shall do; Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.”
Walt Whitman






 We continue onward.  This ever dawning earth reaches out and meets us every morning, and hopefully, through our pedals and feet, our breathes, our awe, our interactions and joy and despair, the hard moments and the exhilarating ones, we continue onward celebrating ourselves, each other, and the world.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

A Grand Cycle









In the span of little over a week, we have seen some of the most majestic art that this planet has to offer.  Zion, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Glen Canyon, Lake Powell, Navajo Reservation and Grand Canyon.  Not to mention everything inbetween.  Now, as the weather gets mad cold, we must make a bee line for the southern provinces of the country to ensure we don't freeze at night.  For now, enjoy some of the photos of the last week-ish.  We will be heading through Sedona, Payson, around Phoniex and towards Tuscon.  See all the shots at picasaweb.google.com/bingleadventure