Riding Cross Country Alone

03-01-2005, 11:26 AM

As I've mentioned here before, I plan to ride around 150 miles to
family reunion this summer. This after eye surgery, being diabetic and
not knowing anyhone else interested in riding with me.

So it looks like my ride, at this point, will be a solo ride. I'll
either ride from Amarillo, TX or Borger, TX to Elk City, OK. It's
about 120 miles from Borger and about 150 miles from Amarillo. The
route from Borger is much more familiar to me than the route from
Amarillo, since I grew up in Borger and spent a lot of time growing up
in Elk City. I'm riding a Giant Boulder in really good operating
condition.

The route from Borger would take me across the Panhandle through
Skellytown, Pampa, Mobetie, Wheeler, Sweetwater OK, Elk City. It's
hilly at the beginning, flattens out between Pampa and Wheeler and then
gets hilly again between Wheeler and Elk City. From Amarillo, I'd go
to Panhandle, White Deer and into Pampa where the route would be the
same from there. It's pretty flat from Amarillo to Pampa.

Cities along my route are pretty far apart, anywhere from 15 to 45
miles. I'd be in cell phnoe coverage all the time. The road is well
traveled and there are houses along the way.

So here are the questions:

1. Given the fact that I won't be able to ride again until 1 April on
doctor's orders, how do I prepare for this ride?

2. What suggestions do you have for food, water, clothing, etc.?

3. What kind of mental attitude do I need?

Y'all have given me good advice, a lot of smiles and some really good
laughs since I discovered this newsgroup. I thank you.

Ride well, my friends.
Kumen