2015-06-22 Riding Naked?

Post date: Jun 22, 2015 11:59:22 PM

I am a fan of the "Keep Portland Weird" movement. Jon and I rode our bikes naked last summer. No, we were not naked but the bikes were naked, a term that bike riders use when they tour without all their equipment attached to the bike. This year without any support vehicle we will definitely not be riding naked. Everyone reading this says, "Thank you very much!". It looks like I will be carrying about 48 pounds of equipment and about 6 pounds of water. Three weeks ago, I started throwing one new item into the panniers each time I rode hoping my body would not notice. It didn't work. Riding with weight has been humbling. Those feelings are reinforced every time, one of those super light bikers blows past me going Nascar fast. But, all the weight and the slower pace is starting to feel normal. The slower pace gives me time to look around at the beauty in rural Washington county. The wheat has ripened and is quite pretty. Here are a few pictures taken from the seat of the bike this week.