Why did the bear cross the road?

[pbray]

To make Patricia stop, while pedaling up hill. Yes, one of the highlights of my trip was spotting a black bear. At first I didn't know what I was seeing as he climbed over a low stone wall, and then as he stretched I thought "Bear!"

Per bicycling protocol I stopped my bike to avoid getting any closer and watched as he crossed the road, disappearing into the woods on the other side. He didn't pay me any attention, but I still waited a couple of minutes to make sure that he didn't have any friends around. When Stacey caught up and saw I was stopped on a steep climb (always a bad sign) she asked "Is anything wrong?"

"Bear!" I informed her. Then I stood on the pedals and managed to get my bike moving again, so we were together as we passed the spot where I had seen him, but there were no further bear sightings.

This year's bike trip was in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, where we started off biking in horse country and then climbed into the mountains, including biking Skyline Drive. We had a great time--out of all the bike tour companies that we've traveled with, Carolina Tailwinds is our favorite. Greg and Anne think of everything. The routes are well-planned, we stay at great places, and there's an abundant supply of great food (including two lunches on a strenuous travel day). Greg and Anne are both the tour guides and owners of the company, and their dedication to making sure their guests have a good time shows through.


Stacey and I both have hybrid bikes at home, and for all of our past bike trips we've rented hybrid bikes. But as we moved from casual rides to strenuous trips we observed that most of our fellow cyclists were on the lighter road bikes, so after years of being urged to make the switch we decided to rent road bikes this year.

Monday was the start of the tour, so bright and early Stacey and I were fitted to our road bikes, and did a few test loops of the hotel parking lot. We did not get off to a promising start--the drop handlebars weren't comfortable, and the shifters were integrated into the brake levers which felt unnatural. I could tell that Greg was worried that we weren't going to be happy with the bikes, but assured him that we'd figure it out by the time we'd ridden the forty miles to the next inn.

By lunchtime on Monday I could shift without too much thought, but still wasn't comfortable on the bike. Stacey was less happy--she was having a harder time with the shifters and simply powered through the up hills instead of using the low gears. Every time we saw our guides at a rest stop they'd offered tips and encouragement, while we kept assuring them that we were fine. And, indeed, Stacey had figured things out by the end of the day. Still, while the lighter road bike meant we went faster up hill, we were slower on the downhills because weren't as stable as we were used to. And the thinner tires and stiff frame meant that there was significantly more vibration so our wrists and arms were sore whenever we were on uneven roads.

By the end of the week we were comparing pros and cons. The lighter weight did make a difference up hill, and this was the first trip in years that Stacey's knees didn't bother her at the end of each day's ride. The riding position was about equivalent, since the drop handlebars offered multiple grip positions. But neither of us was a fan of the integrated shifters, and while the aluminum frame makes sense for rental bikes, for our own bikes we'd want a more shock-friendly (and expensive) steel or carbon frame.

All in all it was a good test. Both of us are thinking about buying new bikes within the next year, so this gave us something to think about. Last time when I bought a bike I simply went to the bike shop, looked at the available hybrids and picked out one that fit (and happened to be purple.) I lucked out, but this time I'm going to do research to make sure that it's a bike I'll be happy with for many years.


Now, I'm back home with piles of laundry to do and a busy week at work ahead of me. Fun!

Comments

[scbutler.livejournal.com]

Brooklyn is jealous. Very jealous. What tour group do you use?

[fireun.livejournal.com]

BEARS LOVE PEOPLE!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

This year we went with Carolina Tailwinds (http://www.carolinatailwinds.com). They offer a variety of tours for all levels of cyclists, from short easy trips to strenuous mountain rides. Stacey and I had done the Blue Ridge tour with them several years back, so this was our second CT trip. They offer trips in Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland, and are considering adding a Pennsylvania route. If they covered more of the country, we'd travel with them every year.

They're the perfect tour company for someone who hasn't done a bike tour before and wants to give it a try.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

When we went through the route briefing and discussed wildlife strategies, my contribution to the bear discussion was to suggest that I call out "Skip me, I promise there are tastier treats coming up right behind!"

[larryhammer]

Which part of the Shenandoah valley were you in? (Grew up spending summers outside a small town a little south of Front Royal.)

---L.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

well, you are rather lean, and i bet you put up a bitch of a fight when cornered, so i would that that is fine advice to give the possible bear.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Hey we were biking right around there.

Started out in Charlottesville, biked to Waynesboro. Next day biked along part of Skyline Drive, winding up in Stanley. Then we went up Massanutten (sp?) mountain, through Strasburg finally winding up in Winchester where we spent the night. From Winchester we went back up Skyline Drive and spent the night in Shenandoah park at Big Meadows lodge, before the final day where we biked back to Charlottesville.

Beautiful country.

[scbutler.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Maybe we'll do something with them next year.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Shimano moved to the integrated brake/shifter system a number of years ago, so the last bike I bought had them. My previous touring bikes had the shifters on the down tube (mixte frame, 1989), and bar-end shifters (1994).

I think the combined system is primarily designed to make it too difficult for you to do basic repairs yourself. They work OK once you get used to them, but I prefer bar-end, which give good access when you're going up hills and are simpler to use.

I like light bikes with fairly narrow tires (1 1/8" / 28mm) because they're less work to ride. But YMMV. And of course I tend to load them with heavy stuff (library books, groceries) going around the city...

[larryhammer]

A little south, but yup, same neighborhood. The back line of the property was the National Park boundry, so I had wilderness enough to ramble in. The next valley over the ridge was called Bear Wallow. I never met a bear myself, but they got in the garden. Deers apleanty, though, and turkeys, and rattlesnakes.

---L.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

Oo! Every time we go up to my parents' camp I hope to see a bear, but I haven't yet.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Color me a fan of the simpler to use style, as well.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Well this makes up for the Canadian Rockies trip where everyone else saw bears except me.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

We saw many deer, and quite a few snakes (most of the squished flat in road variety, but one long black snake slithered across a porch and tried to take up residence in a bike helmet.)

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

We didn't even see bears on a family trip to Yellowstone, although a pair of bison got almost within touching distance of the car.

[libwitch.livejournal.com]

I have a hybrid bike and I love it, but I don't do grueling rides. My brother, who does do the insane rides, uses the lightweight racing bikes - he actually does the build his own route from terribly expensive parts. When he takes his hybrid out for off road riding, he says he can always feel the difference.

Bear! I am not honey flavored! Everyone else is!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good bear diversion technique.

I like my hybrid a lot. It's less fussy than a high-end road bike, and, of course, far less prone to flat tires. Still for long multi-day bike trips, I can see the appeal of a lighter bike.

Cannondale makes a bike that falls between a hybrid and road bike, and I'm sure they're not the only one, so I may check that out as a compromise.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

We were told that the black bears were unusually active in the park this summer, and there had been lots of sightings. Fortunately they aren't as aggressive as their larger cousins.

[larryhammer]

The blacksnakes make cool pets. Especially when hatched from eggs from the woodpile. (Just be sure the wrigglers don't have a button on the end of the tails.)

---L.

[(Anonymous)]

That is true though - hit a bumb with a racing bike and there goes your tires, possibly rims.

Ohhh Cannondale! Shiney!