Self-Contained Touring

by Janis Hazlett

[On November 6-7, 2004, a group of six CCC members rode the first CCC sponsored Sub-24 Hour Overnighter (S24O). Janis was one of the participants and chronicles the adventure here for your pleasure and edification. – Webmaster]

Individually we always wanted to try it, but collectively with Bob Hodges’ putting the challenge out, we finally did it.  Thanks Bob and CCC for giving us this opportunity.

 I’ve been riding a TOURING bike for 14 years and this was the very first time I’ve had the occasion of putting it to work for what it designed to do and boy it did its job in great fashion.  Bob is right about how the week before the ride all the planning it took to make this past weekend happen.  From taking pieces (tent, mattress, sleeping bag, panniers) to work to weigh them and then on Friday bringing the loaded panniers in for a final weight check and to the Chalmette Battle Field on Friday afternoon for a shake down cruise.  I was absolutely amazed at how great the bike handled.  Even when I rode in the stiff wind on Friday it really did not affect the bike’s handling, so with less than 5 miles on my rig I was eagerly anticipating the ride start on Saturday.  

Estelle with her 18 wheeler (BOB trailer with American Flags & Betty Boop flying) and Papa Joe with all his worldly good on his rear rack were going to be good company and a great comfort knowing there is safety in numbers and experience.  Plus knowing that Bob, Shaler and Daniel would be following us later only made the trip better. 

The morning started out sunny, brilliantly blue skies and a little cool, but 5 miles down the road Estelle was peeling off clothes.  Our first stop was at B&C Grocery (12 miles) where we touched base with Ms. Cathy and caught up on what was happening in her world.  Our next stop was at LA 16 & 450 (26 miles – we all peeled off clothes there); we were starved and ahead of schedule at that point.  We ate chicken, potato logs and a BBQ beef sandwich at a table on the outside of the store and talked with one of the locals that runs a cattle ranch on 450.  Papa Joe was raised on a diary farm and it brought back lots of memories (most of which he’d like to forget  - like pre-automatic milking machines).  The next section of the route was absolutely awesome with Vernon School Rd./Pleasant Hill Rd. taking high honors for a smooth riding surface, scenery and incredible hills.  We arrived at the Mt. Herman (42 miles) store around 3 PM and the owners were just wonderful to us.  They had run out of everything to eat at the dinner, but dropped some chicken (new term for frying chicken) and made us a salad.  We had not brought cooking items and planned to eat our bought meal at the campground.  By the time we putted around, the guys were turning on LA 1055 heading to the campground.  We took photos and the owners offered to make us pancakes in the morning. 

I never noticed the Silver Creek Campground before as it is at the bottom of a super downhill and you’re looking up and around the next turn.  Once checked in at the campground the guys (all 3 guys – very impressive!) started cooking their supper and it all looked and tasted very good, but our fried chicken also tasted very good (I had been dreaming of fried chicken the entire week).  The 4 wheelers were a bit distracting, but we sat outside at a table with Bob’s candle lantern snacking, exchanging tales, looking at watches and waiting to hit the sack.

The next morning the guys once again fixed their breakfast and I grubbed some hot water for my oatmeal and tea while Estelle and Papa Joe (braved the hill) to the store for their pancakes and hot coffee.  There Papa Joe met a guy from Marrero that knew him and his family – go figure – Mt. Herman – and he was on his best behavior!  We were on the road for around 9:30 and decided on taking a slightly different route back home while the guys were re-tracing the route.

Another beautiful day to ride with bluebird skies and light wind.  Things did not go quite the way planned as about 6 miles down the road Estelle’s trailer had a problem when she hit a bad section of road and she landed on the ground with a bloody elbow and knee, but tough as nails and determined to ride, she went back down the hill as to get up the hill.  At the top of the hill there was another problem with her equipment and I decided it was time for me to get up the road.  I took Papa Joe’s keys with the plan of re-tracing the route to pick them up once I got back to my van.  I actually was hoping to meet the guys at 440/450, but they were well gone by the time I got to that point.  I stopped at mile 20 to refill my water bottles and as no stores were open along the way, I kept plugging on hoping that B&C Grocery was open and it was (mile 35 – 1 PM).  I guzzled down a big Yoo hoo and ate a Clifbar and reached Barker’s Corner for a little after 2 with 46 miles.

Re-tracing the route, I first came across Estelle with her trailer still in tow on Anthony Rd. a little before LA 40.  I first though I had done something wrong as I could see she was aggravated, but I came to find out she was annoyed with herself as she had caused her accident and only discovered at about mile 24 what the problem (clip on trailer installed wrong) was.  Give it to her for continuing on under duress and like she said it was too pretty a day not to continue riding.  We picked up Papa Joe at LA 450/16 and returned to my van and promptly headed for food.  Thanks Papa Joe for the treat.

Things I learned from my trip:

1) Panniers packed properly are absolutely no problem on a bike.  I had 25 cm tires,
but would put 28-38’s on, if I was doing a long trip.

2) Additional 40# on a bike make the rear of the bike hard to pick up – (get real).

3) I did not have front panniers, but they are supposed to equalize the bike load.
Like I said my bike handled with no flex or sway and felt solid the entire trip.

Another note is that I never maxed out my low gears (44/34/22 – 11/34) at any time
on the ride and was going fast enough on the downhills to barely use my 44 sprocket!

4) Vehicles give you a wide berth – who wouldn’t with two white rockets (tent and
Mattress stuffed in white plastic bags and two red panniers sticking out).

5) Wool jerseys and/or Smart Wool socks are the items to have in cool weather.
Wool jerseys are reported not to smell (once worn) as much as wicking fabrics
and socks dry faster and keep your feet warmer.

6) Rubber shoe covering or rain boots would have been nice item to have at the
campground because of all the dew and just having my Teva’s.

7) Would I do it again – ABSOLUTELY.  Anybody for Nova Scotia or Vancouver?