Posts


  • July 16, 2016-Quiet Morning in the Desert

    “If any of those who read this ever have ridden in one of the bowls made of slats that are known as cycle whirls, a very fair idea can be formed by them of what bouncing over railroad ties on a cycle is like unto. I have ridden an ordinary bicycle in a cycle whirl…


  • Check out the Féroce Podcast

    Longtime friend Annick Magac is starting a motorcycle podcast – Féroce, which means fierce in French. The podcast is going to be about motorcycles and creativity, which is a cool intersection to discuss. We had a good time catching up and talking about my motorcycle writing and photography, including chatting about George A. Wyman, my…


  • Riding the GAP and C&O Trails – Chapter 3

    Day three on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail, from the new hiker-biker campground in Ohiopyle to Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. It’s 41 miles today and a long and steady uphill. Lots of cool bridges and tunnels along the way. I’m riding a Bike Friday All Packa folding gravel bike. Video and photos shot by me on…


  • July 15, 2016-Saturday Night in Elko, Nevada

    “…to tell the whole truth, I went to bed thoroughly disgusted with my bargain. I felt as if I was a fool for attempting to cross the continent on a motor bicycle. I was tired of sand and sagebrush and railroad ties. My back ached, and I fell asleep feeling as if I did not…


  • Getting Ready to Bikepack with Walmart’s $248 Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer Gravel Bike

    I received a great comment/question about Walmart’s $248 Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer (that name’s a mouthful!) on YouTube the other day:   And it got me thinking. I don’t have any experience with the other Walmart bikes mentioned, so I can’t really say how they ride. KevCentral did ride them, and was pretty complimentary of the…


  • Will Walmart’s $248 Gravel Bike…Gravel? Third Ride/Review of the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer

    The G.1 Explorer has impressed so far. It’s a surprisingly solidly built bike at its price point. And, unlike many other bikes sold at Walmart, it uses industry-standard parts and thus can be repaired and upgraded quite easily. The G.1 Explorer impressed on its first local ride with its general competence. And it impressed on…


  • Second Ride on Walmart’s $248 Gravel Bike, the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer

    Walmart’s $248 Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer gravel bike continues to generate a lot of online buzz, which, if you think about it, is where most of the world’s buzz comes from these days – online. Much of the discussion revolves around the dichotomy between bicycles sold at bike shops vs. bicycles sold at big box…


  • Beauty Shots of the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer

    I took Walmart’s Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer out for it’s first ride and stopped at a park for some beauty shots. Boy was I glad for the kickstand! I usually have to find a twig or something to precariously support the bike, and once it’s in place I’m loathe to move it and go through…


  • First Ride: Walmart’s $248 Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer Gravel Bike

    Come along with me for a shakedown ride of the G.1 and hear my first reactions to riding this budget gravel bike. I have a bicycle workstand and some mechanical skills, so the night before this ride, I gave the bike a once-over, pumping up the tires, setting the seat height, flipping the stem to…


  • Riding the Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake and Ohio Trails – Chapter 2

    [This story begins here] Day two on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail, from the Dravo Hiker-Biker to the new hiker-biker campground in Ohiopyle. The day includes a little bit of weather. Well, more than a little bit. It started off fine though, and I enjoyed morning camp coffee before hitting the trail. I pedaled…