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What once was 34 and caused me great frustration has been reduced to 28. I refer to the teeth on my small chainring. My journey from northern Alaska to Seattle was accomplished with just two chainrings; a 50 tooth big chainring, and a 34 tooth small chainring. From here south I will be pedaling with a 48-38-28 Sugino Triple Crankset. This means that when I am really working up a steep hill, or a terrible headwind, I can now travel just 22 inches per pedal stroke, versus the 27 I was relegated to before. The only one this seriously affects is myself; however, I assume Nathan will be pleased to hear of the change, since he was constantly on the other end of my rants. The bike work was a task, but I feel good to have dealt with it all myself. Tune-up included; a new crankset and bottom bracket, new cables and cable housing, new brake pads, new chain, installation of some new bike lights (front and rear), and of course a very thorough cleaning. If I wasn’t so intimate with my bike after such a long relationship I think I might not recognize it. Couple that with some newly cleaned and patched up panniers, new biking rain pants for myself, and a new t-shirt from the Bicycle Pedaler in Bozeman (thanks Rose), and I don’t think I will recognize myself when I gear back up for the road.
As an aside, I think the decision has more or less been made to hold tight here in Seattle for a bit (until I am unwelcome with the Stevens’) in order to take care of a long wish list. One item on that list is to compile a calendar for 2011 of images from my trip as a means to raise some additional funds for onward travel. I will also be looking to contact magazines for potential article publication and any food companies that may be interested in a little donation sponsorship (think Clif Bar, or Pro Bar, or Nature Valley). Any ideas on either of those subjects would be much appreciated.