The riding has been extreme. The average mileage that they quote was a bit misleading due to the off road days. Those days were in the 50 and 60 mile range but were hell to pull off due to the slow speed. That made the average mileage appear to be a lot lower than it really is. It is more of an average in the 80's.
I have certainly missed many of the things that I am used to from home. I guess the biggest thing is convenience and immediacy. Back home if you want it you can get it and fairly fast. Here if you want it you ain't gonna get it. And if you could, it wouldn't be fast or in the way you wished for. So it has given me a greater appreciation for even the simplest of things. A cold coke... A bag of salty pretzels... Cold fresh water when you want it... A pizza... A bacon cheeseburger... Spaghetti that tastes like spaghetti... And of course the really simplest of things, a real flush toilet!!!
This is where I am on the continent of Africa. I've come a long way and have a long way yet to go.
Hey Mike-Great Progess-The C2C guys will be just starting out 6 days from now and you've already exceeded their entire distance!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of flush toilets ,you probably know that, due to coriolis forces from the Earth's rotation,draining water (and a tornado,by the way) swirls counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. But if you're exactly on the Equator, there ain't no swirl at all (around a low or high pressure area) . Your support team may have planned a demo already for your crossing of the equator. If not, try the following"tooth pick in the draining water trick" : Just before you cross the equator Get a bucket with a hole in the bottom or a funnel and fill it with water. Float a toothpick in it and let the water run out noting that the toothpick rotates counterclockwise. Then cross the Equator a little and repeat,noting that the toothpick rotates clockwise. Then try to find the spot where the toothpick doesn't rotate at all. Get someone to shoot a photo because you'll be standing,(with your bike,hopefully) with one wheel in the Northern Hemisphere and the other wheel in the Southern Hemisphere EXACTLY! And,of course, if you can find a flush toilet exactly on the equator,well,that just eliminates the need for the bucket and toothpick and opens the door for, oh, just all kinds of Kodak moments! Right, you say,YGBSM! Anyway if you can hook into the web, just google "crossing the equator water experiment" and you'll be bombarded by videos by people crazier than us having fun playing at the Equator in the H2O. Just wish we could be there!
Happy Swirling of your crank and wheels for the Equator!
Bob and Linda
Amazing accomplishment Mike, thanks for sharing your experiences. Wish you well and be safe. Kristy
ReplyDeleteMike, good for you to get an appreciation of the quality of western life. On the other hand, every day you are getting new experiences and memories that will last the rest of your life. We are with you all the way in spirit. I just went a flushed a few times just for the luxury of doing so. Kept up the good work. Scott
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike for giving me the experience of doing the ride from the comfort of my computer chair. You should be back in the world of flush toilets in a couple of months, God willing and the creeks don't rise. Then you will have all those memories that Scott talks about.
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