Low Bridge, Everybody down

And so Binglers and Binglets, here I am. Day 3 of Day 365 on my one year, North America circumvention Bicycle Tour and Discovery Adventure, or NACBTADA for short. My NACBTADA started from the hamlet of Burlington, whence I lived for about a year and a half. So let me keep it real and give some love to my hood. The sunsets in Burlington very likely can't be matched anywhere, nor can the vast multitudes of amazing people. Let me name a few using an Egyptian method of cataloging things:

• Mark (my senile elderly housemate). Mark is a person who will sing in the highest falsetto no matter who is in the room, or what room he is in. He keeps aflame his childlike qualities, perhaps better than an actual child. His skill set is unique, and ultimately, he is a great friend.
• Christine (greasy hand girl I rode bikes with). I have met few people as independently strong as Christine, and for her young age, as smart as she is. Yes, she rides a bike embarrassingly too small for her, but that doesn’t matter. Her kindness when it counts makes up for it.
• Bear (aka Trixie aka God and Lord of the 1488 Manor). I love her like no tomorrow.
• Joe (Joe). The best and worse thing about Joe is Joe. But that’s whats so great about Joe. And also not so great. Either way, he's a loveable teddy bear who'd flirt with your mother but make you laugh till you cried while he did it.
• Melissa. To keep this blog short, all I need to say about Melissa is that I have never known, currently don't know, nor will I ever know any person with a heart larger than Melissa. Her unbounded compassion and love is something that will always be a light in my life. Thank you.

Naturally, Burlington has its cast of characters that also make the city fun and strange, but I’m biking and not there so lets move on shall we. But also, while not from Burlington, my family deserves much thanks. While I don't always understand the things they do, as I lead my normal sane life they have never once not supported me in my endeavors, and there isn’t more I could ask for.

I have so far only bike 210 miles. I am now along the Mohawk river (where the Erie canal is) and will follow it to its beginnings at Lake Erie. I have stayed with couchsurfing hosts in Glens Falls, warmshowers hosts in Spanker (which nobody has ever heard of) and Utica, Syracuse and don't know from there.

Three days, two days of rain and wind and one sunny windy day and my legs aren't yet in touring shape. I'll need a few more weeks, and god damn did I pack a lot of heavy things. Hopefully the forecast forecast sun and warmth. I haven’t worn a t-shirt yet!! and I packed 3!!!! I am already making a small list of things to get rid of. First is the stupid u lock I brought. Next, maybe the sleeping bag. Anyway, no crazy stories or adventures yet, just tough cycling to get this whole thing going. So for now, keep pedaling.  Oh, and check out Melissa's blog where she writes all about me: http://9adventures.wordpress.com/

Delayed Reaction

I usually react to bigger life events a few days, weeks, or perhaps years after the fact. After college, I went to live in London. The fact that I was moving to London didn't become real until I sat in the airport, not a moment before. When I left everything behind to join the Peace Corps, it didn't hit me until I meet my new Cape Verdean family for the first time. That night I came to the realization that I was living in Cape Verde for the next two years. And so, as I pack, box t-shirts I shan't see again, and say goodbye to friends, animals, and city views that I might not see for a long time again, it still doesn't register that I’m not just going on a noodle bike ride. Nor am I flying to a country to bike tour for a specific time period. Nor am I going a bike tour and returning to my current life. Like others who have absconded to the lure and magic of bike touring for life, I will leave one life behind, and hope to find another in the wind, the small streams I bike by, the looming mountains, the rainy days, the long straight roads that don't end, the ups, the downs, the feeling of life pumping through my constantly churning legs. So I imagine that this realization really wont happen for a few weeks, somewhere near Michigan.

I am excited. I am nervous. I am sad to leave friends I have made and others I have continued. I'm sad to have had struggled through a hardcore Vermont winter and not reap the beautiful summer rewards. Oh well. That's life.

For four months, I'll be biking solo through the north west part of the US, searching out the amazing landscape that has been slowly shaping this land. I'll pass through some towns, maybe some cities. I'll see other bikers, maybe ride with some, or leave some behind. I'll camp, I'll stay with people. I will be at the mercy of the planet, the people, the animals, my own body. I have never, nor will I ever, discover anything that is as magical, inspiring, teaching as the bicycle. And when I meet with Chris in Portland, Oregon, not only with the education continue, but I'll have a companion to learn with and from, and to share, making a new adventure.

The openness of the adventure, of life, of the road all beckons. And I can't wait.

The first week will take me through New York State, at times following the Erie Canal through Amsterdam, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester into Niagara, NY. From there, its across the Rainbow bridge into Canada where I will hug the northern shores of Lake Erie towards Michigan. Not sure how long that will take, probably about another week, so I should hit the US again in mid May. In Michigan I hope to start my National Park tour by visiting Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore on my way towards the northern peninsula. Of course, I'll be trying my dangdest to write as much as I can, but a little foreshadowing at this stage is ok.

For now, maybe one more ride in Vermont, a vegan bar b q, and then a wave goodbye. My first day out will have me leave Vermont, amongst other things, behind. The picture at the start of this entry is my bike with a draft version of my packing, with the trailer and panniers all on there. I already know that I have packed poorly and too much, and realize that the first week will be lugging too much stuff and then I will spend a few days trying to convince myself that even though I think I packed the bare necessities, I didn’t and that I will have to dump some stuff. But all in good time. Once I hit a big mountain, I'll reconsider.

Rough Ideas lead to smooth biking...

Here's a rough idea of my next 10,000 miles:


View Very rough idea of my biking in a larger map

Also, my good friend and soon (in 4 months) traveling partner, Chris " Hop a Long" Childers is also writing a blog, except his is better written and spelled correclty.  Check it out: http://reallylongbiketrip.blogspot.com/

One week to go.  I will start pedaling south out of Burlington on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 not knowing whence I'll stop, I'm excited with a little nervous on top for good measure.  It's also raining a lot.  Which, as the old adage says, is good luck.  I'll post a picture of my steel stead soon.  I am planning out my first week-ish on the road, arranging places to stay before I break the ice and start camping.  So far I have it as far as Syracuse and I'll be warmshower-ing and couchsurfing and staying with family that isn't mine.

It's all adding up already to be amazing.

Arigato

The Advantage is Mine

The days are slowly rolling by towards the start of May, aka, Start of my super amazing awesome Bike life/journey.  And my bike is all built and set.  I shall saddle a Bianchi Advantage, my steel steed will be my pillar on the road, my companion, my singing partner.  And speaking of that, here is the first place that I will make it my point to get mail if anyone wants to send me mail:

The Ashland Post Office in Wisconsin:
615 Main Street West
Ashland, WI 54806-1300
(715) 682-4848

To send something general delivery, you need to address it as follows:
Ross Guberman
General Delivery
Ashland, WI 54806-9999

I will update when I think I will arrive in Ashland, most likely in June so you can know when to send, and to indicate what date to hole the letter until.  We'll see if it works.  Don't send me any gold medallions just yet.    So with the bike done, my panniers all set, the trailer awaiting, all I am doing now is slowly getting some little things i need and getting rid of many things i do not.  i sold one bike, donated the other.  I will give a presentation next week about my time in Japan, sorta to pump myself up too for the long days ahead on the road. 

For now, as the old adage says, thats all folks

Sniff...Ahhh

Thats right, spring is in the air and a fresh new design is up and running for Bingle by Bingle.  It's easy to read, and has a more homey look that reflects better the writings that will be showing up here over the next months.

Speaking of months, if you have friends or family living anywhere in:

• Michigan
• Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Wyoming
• Idaho
• Montana

let me know and I will ever so graciously visit them for you and sleep on their couch and eat their food.  Anywho, things are rolling on pre-trip planning.  I am in the mid stages of building a touring bike.  I am using a steel Binachi frame, cherry red.  so far, I have a nice bottom bracket, touring crank set and 8 speed freewheel.  I also got my quill stem and flat bars.  I'll be putting bar ends, linear pull brakes (front only) and either trigger shifters or down tube friction shifters, not sure, yet.  I'll be rocking 700c x 25 tires, not normal touring width but i love riding on these tires.  I have orders rear panniers that will supplment my burley nomad trailer so that i can dump the trailer if i am staying in one place for a few days.  besides that, figuring out the proper tools needed, getting some route figured out for the first 1,000 miles, and trying to not bust my gut over the fact that i'm finally doing this. 

Yesterday it was 60, this morning it was snowing.  Now it's sunny and getting warm again.  Crazy.  Anywho, send me a shout about places you know about that need to be seen and explored or other suggestions about where to bike.  I'm wide open.

Big Sky Country

Like the great open spaces that I hope to visit, my plans, ideas, thoughts, etc are wide open.  Except for one thing.  I'm going biking.  But not just biking.  For years and years I have dreamed of experiencing the North American landscape, of learning about the people, nature, communities that are scattered among the mountains, prairies, valleys, badlands, goodlands, tetons, cliffs, hidden rivers and soft spots covered in pine. 

More or less on May 1st, I will embark on a new life chapter. Some call it wunderlust, some call it adventure.  Thats all correct, but it's also more.  It's an expression for my love of biking, of desires to learn more about limitations, to learn, to write, to fall in love with the varied beauty that surrounds us but often we fail to see.  Amongsts the city streets, shops, and banners life seems displaced.  There is more, so much more. More that is real, immediate, daring, heartbreaking, heartfilling.  It's all within, but the world outside can help bring it to boil. 

So my little bingler's, once again we'll have changes here.  We'll keep on bingle by bingle, cause thats how its goes, but i'll be documenting more my life travels among the land here.  So I hope whoever you are that is reading this, you'll join me.