How To Raise Funds--I Don't Know

     The whole idea behind this fantastical voyage is to help raise funds for my pricey grad school education.  So, how does one go about that?  Sponsors?  But who do you ask?  Who would be interested in sponsoring a solo bike trip?  I haven't taken the time to figure that out yet--whoops.  I'm hoping that local cycling shops or education-based organizations might sponsor me. 
     I know of some people that have participated in a cross-country bike trip to raise funds for cancer research, but that was a ride put together by the organization rather than the people.  I suppose that I could talk to local health organizations too to see if they'd be interested in sponsoring me because it's an activity-->  exercise--> part of a "healthy lifestyle" --> less chance of developing/preventing certain diseases(?).  The ball is in my court, and I just need to make the effort to ask.  Who knows, maybe my proposal will really strike a chord [musical reference :D] in someone and they'll pony up the dough!  It can't hurt to try.  What's the worst that can happen--getting a dirty look or shot down?  Pssssh!  I've been shot down on many occasions.  Blatant rejection isn't anything new or unwelcome.
     I've talked to a few people and they have suggested grants, ones that pertain to the recital part of my trip; apparently, my school and others may help support my recital and its expenses.  Again, asking can't hurt.
     I hope that the base of my support will come from my hometown.  A lot of small donations is what I'm thinking will come, like in the Obama Presidential campaign.  I know that many of the people there are very proud of me and would be willing to give a buck or two to help out.  I am going to ask hometown businesses if they'll keep donations jugs for me (so people can toss extra change in there).  Would I have to keep a separate account and records of the amounts for that?  Would I have to create a 501(c)(3) for that? 

SO MANY QUESTIONS!  Any answers?

Research is the name of the game... not only for my cycling, but for sponsors and a stream of cash.

How the Hell Am I Going to Blog While Biking?

     So, this thought popped into my bean: I'm going to be biking, no computer in tow, so HOW am I'm going to blog?  Wah waaaaaaaaaah!  I'm too cheap to buy one of those schnazzy phones with millions of applications I'll never use.  I use my phone to call, text, and occasionally take a picture.  Pretty basic, nothing fancy. But, with this blog as my love child, I can't just leave it to fend for itself for a week, or your imaginations for that matter.  The whole point of creating a blog is to blog, right?  Someone gifted me a phone that has internet capabilities, and I may just activate that phone for the month of my ride so that I can post short yet detailed updates.  I'll also be keeping a recorded verbal log of my trip, that way I won't forget anything that I want to post.  I'll take 1.5 million pictures, I'm sure, so your eyes won't be deprived of the visual aspect.  Blasted, this is turning into an Oops Baby Blog--more and more crap to keep up with and invest in that I didn't anticipate.  That's the name of the adventure game, I guess.
    
     As far as training is concerned--NADA yet.  Baltimore was shat on with snow last week to the point that 1 of the 2 days I actually have to go to school each week was cancelled.  My electricity was out for 24 hours too.  Snow and roadbikes don't get along very well, and if you know ANYTHING about [Baltimore] Maryland drivers it's no surprise that the majority of them were in the ditch or some other form of "accident" that evening... they are atrocious drivers out here!  I could have biked yesterday, but I've been lazy to be blunt.. like the guy below.

P.S. I've done this--and I ended up with a scraped & bruised arm because the dog stopped and my arm didn't.  My arm made sweet love to the window frame and it yanked some of the top skin off.  Don't do it.

Anywho's, blogging and biking.  Training.  Equipment.  

     So much to do.  I set up the tent for the first time!  I took everything out of the bag the first night I had it to make sure nothing was missing--all parts are accounted for.  The only problem I had was that my kitten thought it was the GREATEST new jungle gym for him to play in.  NOPE!  I kicked him out of the bedroom until I had made sure that I could set it up easily and quickly; I didn't want to chance my little Sabertooth's ability to snag the material and rip/slash it (Lord knows my shower curtain looks like streamers from him jumping, latching, then sliding down it with his machete-like claws.  Luckily my water pressure is so low that the water wouldn't ever come close to coming into contact with the curtain).
     I bought maps of the states I'm going to be trekking through too, minus West Virginia.  I simply couldn't find one at Barnes & Noble.  Every other useless place, but no West Virginia.  I've been creating maps on Google for the trip, and I think that I'll post them AFTER I've gotten to a place and moved on so that people can see my route.  I just don't want to give away my position to the enemy in the time of war, if you catch my drift.
     Well, time to practice singing so that I sound glorious for my recital when I return home at the end of the trip.  Most of the people there wouldn't know the difference if I screwed up a Czech, German, Russian, French, Italian, etc. word, but I will.

Some of the Gear and Thought Process

The Tent: No Limits; Kings Peak Model

 

 

 

     This was the tent that I wanted, and thus had a friend purchase for me in Georgia while she was home for winter break.  I did some research, about 2-3 hours, on what kind of tent I wanted and the different brands that carried products within those specifications.  For the money I wanted to spend (this seems to be a recurring theme, and rightfully so), this tent gave me the most bang for my buck and had really great reviews online.  I think I made a pretty good choice :) 
   
Specs:

• Size: 85 in. x 51 in. x 41 in.
• Sleeps 2
• Weighs only 4.4 lbs.
• Two vestibules
• Interior bag
• Rip-stop
• rainfly

I can't wait to set this thing up!  I'm wondering if I have to lay down a tarp underneath (in the case that there are some sharp twigs or water)?  I'll have to check out some other blogs to see if others have done that. 
     I have tentatively mapped out where I will be staying each of my 9 nights (10 days) of the trip.  Don't take it personally, but I don't think it'd be smart to divulge the specifics of that information to strangers.  You may be a potential stalker; I approve of the obsession, but not of the tracking and/or incessant spying and eventual harm to me.  I will say this: I will be leaving Baltimore and then go through Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and then to Wisconsin.
     Some people have asked me, "Why, if you have to go north to WI would you go south initially?"  My thought is that I haven't been through the Virginias yet, so why not on my trip?  It's only a teensy bit out of the way anyhow.  I want to see as much of this country as I can before I kick the bucket, and I don't think there's a better way to do that than on the ol' bicycle.
     The greater intention of this trip isn't just to tour part of our country, or to kick my own ass physically; it's to give a recital when I get home with the hope that some of my hometown supporters will come, listen, watch, and then donate toward the cause: my extremely expensive graduate education [and then, indirectly, to the survival and maintenance of the arts in the USA].  As far as the dates of the trip, I used my 2011 Farmers' Almanac to choose the "best" time to ride.  I chose a span of time where nice weather is supposed to be prevalent.  Let's hope that this summer doesn't go too far off course from the predictions and I have decent weather for my journey.  I can handle rain, no biggie, but torrential downpour with a chilly wind for more than a few hours gets to be a bit obnoxious.
     When figuring out what exactly I need for this trip, I sat down with a pencil & paper and brainstormed for quite some time.  List after revised list has made its way to my coffee table.  I then took that list and inserted
the items into a chart similar to the one below... it's pretty minimalistic.  I figure the less I carry the better, but I still have to have the essentials.  I have a 2 liter water bladder in my backpack, plus I'll be carrying bottles in bike's holders.  I won't be packing a lot of food because I plan to stop at farmers' markets & local produce stands along the way.  I'll only have 1-3 days' worth food on me at any given time.  Again, the lighter the better. This is hard for me because I'm a chronic over-packer/preparer.  I try to imagine the worst possible scenario and be prepared if it happens.  On this trip, though, I'm letting go of that habitual tendency and taking what I need.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I don't NEED the camera, music, or phone, but why ride 900 miles and not have any pictures to remember it by when my memory deteriorates with age or what about when I need that inspirational song to help me get up that last hill?  I think this is pretty darn good, for me, as far as light packing goes.  Only the essentials, and then some small, added tidbits to make it more enjoyable & memorable.  Besides, you'll be dying to see a visual account of my journey, right?!  Right.
    

	Have	Need to Get
In Backpack	Tools for Bike                 Compass TP        MP3, Camera, Phone Toiletries                       Chargers Atlas/Maps             Snacks Buck Knife                        Money	Bear/Pepper Spray CO₂ Cartridges Tubes for Tires Extra Chain Treats (for the mean dogs)
In Panniers	Sneakers/Flip Flops     Extra Food Clothes               1st Aid Kit	Propane Burner/Cooking Receptacle
On Rack	Tent	Sleeping Mat/Bag

The Bike

     So, this was the big investment.  Yes, I have two, old Schwinn road bike frames, a granny bike fitted with baskets for grocery getting, and an 80's Peugot road bike that I use for commuting everyday, BUT none of them would get me to my destination in a timely and relatively comfortable fashion.  I did a 100 mile bike trip on the Peugot last summer, from Green Bay, WI to my hometown.  Let me tell you, when the geometry is off on a bike, even by a fraction, you'll pay for it... and I did.  It wasn't my horse legs, or my sturdy Judy (slang for the ol' crotch), but my neck & down my spine which ached for three days after the trip.  Some of my companions for that trip had taut calves, sore thighs, tired this or that, etc., but my muscles (other than my neck) felt normal.  Apparently I was built for cycling... or pulling a plow.
     There were A LOT of questions that I needed to have answered by someone who actually knows something about bikes.  Despite popular belief, I am pretty much bike illiterate.  My ability to put a bike together after it arrives in the mail, my strength and/or endurance to go for long distances, or being able to change a flat tube mean nothing.  I'm a carpenters daughter, so looking at a bike I already had as a guide helped me put together a bike I had bought via Ebay. I really had NO idea what I was doing.  Pertaining to stamina, I'm a corn-fed Wisconsinite; I'm built for the long haul.  And as for changing a flat, you just have to do it--it's like picking ticks off your dog, a necessary evil.
     Even before any questions arose, I at least had an idea of what I wanted and a few clear functions I knew my new bike had to fulfill.  I broke it down into a few categories to make it easy on myself.  First, and I think the most obvious, was Cost.  There was also Comfort, Durability, and Weight (preferably light).  I had a budget that I allotted myself to spend on the bike.  I gave myself a little leeway in all of the categories because I knew that I may find a bike that was a little more (or less) expensive than what I had anticipated to spend, but would give me the most bang for my buck and fit my needs better than another.
     I, luckily, have made a good friend  of a man who co-owns a bike shop in Baltimore.  We'll call him Jasper for our purposes.  Jasper has been cycling for many years, competes in Cyclocross, etc.  He knows his stuff.  I went to him on a couple occasions, homemade scones in tow as "payment" for his valuable time & knowledge, and we chatted about different options, my wants/needs in a bike, measured me for a bike that fit me well, etc.  After our little chit chat sessions, he used all of his noggin power to come up with a few ideas & we narrowed it from there.
     So, my new bike.  Yes, it's aluminum.  Even the basic cyclist, myself included, knows that aluminum is rigid in comparison to steel or some other metals.  You may be asking yourself, "If you're looking for comfort for your long ride, then WHY would I choose an aluminum frame?!"  There were several factors that played into my choice.  Due to my lack of bike knowledge I ventured to ask Jasper that very question.  He explained, or at least what I took away from our conversation was, that the geometry of newer aluminum frames in comparison to the older styles makes the ride much more comfortable--it's not steel, but it's not a rock either.  Also, with the thinness of the seat post, the seat on the bike will have a little more give/movement so it won't be as rigid as I think it might be. Weight was another issue to be considered.  The aluminum frame is lighter than steel, plain and simple, and with the amount of schtuff I have to haul any extra help I can get in the weight department is helpful.  Above all, after Jasper's careful scrutiny and pondering on my behalf he suggested this bike above any of the others he knew about; it fit in my price range, had the capabilities for road and off road, is durable, has a lifetime warranty, etc.  I trust his judgment 100%.  If all else fails and I don't like it, I'm built like a Clydesdale and will kick his ass.

The First of Many

     Tis my first blog entry!  I never thought that I would blog, but a friend of mine who is going to France for a semester said she was going to create a blog about her adventure, and then encouraged me to do the same.  "Why not?" I asked myself--how many people can say they're planning a 1/2 cross-country solo bike trip? 
     I figure my experience may be something [remotely] interesting for some to read, especially the people from my hometown who are rooting me on and/or saying I'm nuts.  Also, some of the obstacles I encounter may be useful learning tools for others as well.  Or, even more likely, a more experienced rider may chime in and give me some helpful hints and things to think about...  Whatever the case may be, this little forum will hopefully be a learning experience for all.  Onward I say!

     First things first: PLANNING, PLANNING & MORE PLANNING.  I'm a diligent planner when it comes to this kind of stuff, which I'm sure will pay off in the end.  It's only January and the trip isn't until June; I've been planning for a good month already and still feel like I'm only scratching the surface.  I created my little charts & lists of things I'll need on the expedition.  I think the most important thing that I need would have to be THE BIKE, which I just ordered.  Yeah, it was a kick in the huevos as far as money is concerned, but it's an investment in my active lifestyle and new found  affinity for cycling.  I bought my solo tent--which I could only get in the southern states--and am waiting for it to arrive.  I'll be looking online for used panniers for my rack, a sleeping mat & bag, and a little propane burner/pot.  I have most of the tools I'll need for repairs.  Now, I guess, it's just training (this will be what kicks me in the ass), learning how to fix things on the bike in case of a major WOOPS, finalizing my maps, and making reservations with camping sites/couch surfer hosts.  I can feel the summer morning breeze on my cheeks already.  I'm so friggin' EXCITED!