Pactour "The Finale"

Top 10's from the family:

Turk:

1. Soaking in the tub each night after the ride

2. Arriving at lunch each day

3. Seeing Mt. Rushmore

4. Being with the family

5. Watching the boys ride their bikes

6. Meeting great people

7. Jon's massages

8. Finishing my 157 mile day -- a new PR

9. Dipping my toes in the Atlantic

10.  Lon and Susan

Will:

1. Lonisms

2. Suffering 

3. Sleep Deprivation

4. Kick Ass Oreo Cookies

5. Big Horn MOUNTAIN

6. Mount Rushmoer

7. City limit sprinting

8. Cat's RAAM video

9. Liam, How FUN!

10. Mutha Flippin Family Time

JW:

1. Lon

2. Lon's Calves

3. Riding my bike

4. John Lake Hot dogs

5. Jumping in the Atlantic Ocean

6. Corn and Soy beans

7. Massages

8. All the fun people

9. Riding with Mark and Cat

10. Susan yellin

Jim:

1. The organization (the crew)

2. Bighorn Climb

3. Losing 12 pounds of body fat - a good start

4. Lunches

5. Ice at all the rest stops

6. Riding the Aussie's wheels

7. Suffering on Cat and Marc's wheels

8. The Black Hills of South Dakota

9. Mt. Rushmore

10. The Family working together to get across, together.

That's all.

Thanx for reading.

Pactour Tips "Do's and Don't's"

Use sunblock, the stuff works.  Use enough.  Reapply several times daily.

Use Polar bottles.  They work.  Easy to scoop ice in also.  If frame size is too small, use the smaller Polar bottles, they hold 20% less volume and are 1/2 the size.  Also if frame size is too small use the Arundel Side Entry bottle cages.  They are great.

If you plan to get new stuff - bike, drivetrain, wheels, etc get it before Pactour.  No fun figuring out how to replace or fix broken stuff when you are riding 130 miles a day and are tired all the time.

Bring 15 tubes, 20 CO2's, 3-4 extra tires.  Ship stuff like that UPS ground to the start hotel (can't ship CO2's via air.

Ride 700x28 tires (ie Conti GP 4 seasons.)  They flat less, wear longer and are more comfortable.  If you are unde 170lbs or have frame issues use 700/25.

Put a taillight on your bike.  You will feel safer on rainy days or dark mornings.

Try sandals.  If they are comfortable you may wear them for the whole tour.

Bring extra chain, seatpost clamps, pedals, bike computer, anything you know may break or be a problem.

Bring a raincoat.  If you can ride with a saddlebag big enough keep it in there (along w/ extra tubes, tools, CO2's.)

Bring and use lots of chamois creams.  Use Assos in the AM, Chamois butter will be at the rest stops.  Bring extra.  Bring A&D ointment for chafing and Beaudro's butt paste or Desitin for nights.

If you have alot of electronics - ie cell phone, ipod, camera, computer, cycle computer bring a "Squid" outlet strip.  1 plug and you throw it all in your bag each am.

Bring 3-4 jersies (Pactour will give you one.)  Bring 4-5 pairs of shorts (different brands which you like and have good chamois.)

Do laundry, not washing in your sink. This is a big and expensive endeavor.  With the ubiquitousness of MRSA today, you don't want to get a groin abscess and have to abandon.

Shower immediately after you ride and each morning.  Again MRSA can take you out.

Bring a 2nd pair of cycling shoes.  After your butt, foot comfort will make or break you.

Don't bring alot of clothes.  You really only need 1 pair of trousers (or none) 2 pairs of shorts, 1 T-shirt (Pactour ends up giving you 2.)  You will wear whatever is on the top of your suitcase (ie what you wore last night) each day after you shower.

Ride with different people every day.  Talk to people.

Stop when someone has a flat or mechanical.  It is a little break.  It makes them feel good and you will appreciate it when someone stops with you.  Embrace the fellowship of the riding.

Ride easy most days, ride hard some days.  Mix it up.

Listen to Lon and Susan.  Their advice is spot on 100% of the time.

Relax and have fun each day.  The time goes quick.

Pactour Day 26 "Mission Accomplished"

After 26 days of pedaling, we made it to Williamsburg. 

But not until we rode 80 miles and on the way we saw this cool turtle.  We did rescue it off to the side of the road...

We regrouped at mile 77 to wait for the last riders.  JW and Will found a Civil War cannon to check out.

Finally, the Atlantic Ocean.  26 days and 3500 miles from the Pacific, by bike, if anyone's interested.

Waiting for lunch we checked out the now completed route map.  Each day this our completed route was filled in, starting in Everett, WA.  At our dinner banquet, each rider and crew signed the map and it was auctioned to support Pactour's efforts in Peru.  Jim didn't bid - he had a top bid of $2000 in mind, the map went for $1500.  Kurt the triathlete was obviously going to keep bidding til he got it (funny how Pactour works, you "win" Pactour, then you pay $1500 for the trophy!)  Jim maybe should have bid to bid the price up, but he doesn't believe in engaging a battle you don't plan to win.  Sun Tzu would probably have agreed.

At our dinner banquet, the cake had the names of all the riders and crew.

Time to box up the bikes for their return voyage.  Jim suggested riding home to Texas (gotta be mostly downhill, right?) but that didn't even merit a grunt of acknowledgement.  Dave Jordan (super crewmember) loaned Jim his minivan to go to Home Depot to pickup pipe insulation, bubble wrap and packing tape (the key ingredients, besides the boxes, to get the bikes home safely.)

Today's philosophical theme was "The Journey not the Destination."  Our quote was "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Author unknown.

After some ups and down (lots more ups than downs) we finished, pedaling into Williamsburg to complete the oddesey.   Easy 80 mile, casual ride from Ashland, VA.  We had our usual rest stops and thank goodness we were riding easy, it was blazing hot (84 degrees when we came out of the hotel room for breakfast at 6am!

The boys, Jim and the Turk handled the journey well, thanx to our preparation, the support of our friends, the foundation of Pactour, and the other riders coloring our days.  Really not much more to add.

We rode past our La Quinta at mile 65, which was a little hard to do and pedaled the remaining 15 miles to the ocean.  We regrouped, somewhat in the shade with Dave Jordan doing his second rest stop of the day so we had drinks and ice, a mile from our final destination, then all rode down to the beach together.  After getting our feet wet we had lunch, then rode the 16 miles back to the motel (pretty easy ride with a coastal tailwind pushing us.)

At the motel we began prepping the bikes for travel and cleaned up for our dinner banquet.  This was 2 blocks away and really cemented the trip.  JW was awarded South Dakota license plate (Susan collects license plates and the decorate the trailers.)  This was because he is the youngest rider ever to do a complete Pactour.  We were also their first family to complete Pactour together (we seem to have gotten alot of special attention along the way and that's probably why.)  We signed the Daily Route map, which as mentioned was subsequently auctioned for $1500.  Dinner was excellent with a 900 picture slide show, chronologically reliving our days across the U.S.  After dinner, Susan awarded the Pactour Plaques, which have a picture of each rider on his/her plaque.  The pictures were taken at the foot of the Big Horn climb in Wyoming.  

So was this trip worth $18,000 for a family of 4 to do?  Plus bikes, clothing, supplies, airfare, shipping charges, dinners, etc, etc.  To rip off the Visa commercials, and in a word, this "Family Ride of a Lifetime" was "PRICELESS."

Stay tuned over the next couple of days, we've got a few things to add.

Thanx for reading.  The Slausons.

Pactour Day 25 "Hammertime"

Kinda ominous start to the day, wouldn't you say???

Noticeable in there absence are Turk, Jim and Will.  JW dropped'em all today, with the help of Marc Leuckx our fast Belgian.  Notice also how hot they look.  115+ heat index today.   Sorry Cat's not in the picture since she was the other 50% of the escapade.

Turk got treated tonight with a bottle of her favorite wine - Pinot Grigio.  Must be the good stuff since it is right next to the Bluberry Color Boone's Farm.

Buster hard at work in the 110 degree heat installing the fork Matt at B-H sent him.  The only smart one of us - the only one working in the shade.  Buster will be back on the road tomorrow for the ride to Williamsburg.

The Hook proudly demonstrating his laundry.  Always something to do at Pac Tour.  Hooker wears more clothes off the bike than on it.

When it is this hot you gotta get in the pool.  Here's the Turk and our friends Rob and Steve the Ozzies.

Today was JW's chance to hit it hard.  We left Harrisonburg for Ashland and 5 miles into the ride had our last sustained climb (4 miles around 7%) of PacTour.  Cat and Marc came by us at the foot of the climb (they always start last and pass everybody.)   Jim and JW had discussed riding with Cat and Marc (Will still has heavy legs from his 45 miles single speed 15t cog ride 2 days. ago.)  With Mother's permission Jim and JW jumped on the Cat and Marc train and off they went.

Fortunately Cat kept it moderate over the climb (Marc went off the front then relaxed at the top) so Jim could stay on.  After that it was screaming downhill for 5-6 miles then roller after roller on nice VA highways, including the BlueRidge "parkway?"  Gorgeous scenery but really really hot and humid.  Jim did his best on all the little climbs to stay on, then with 10 miles to go before lunch (around mile 75) JW and Marc got a little gap and Cat decided she had had enough of hammertime so off JW and Marc went.

Good thing, because by the time Jim and Cat got to lunch around 5 minutes behind JW and Marc Jim was toast.  JW was fine, eating his burrito.  Jim ate no food (except a little slice of cheescake) but drank 2 waterbottles of gatorade and 1/2 gallon of Coke.  Fortunately, Marc and Cat decided it was too hot to continue Hammertime for the last 45 miles so they kept the tempo.  The day was 125 miles with 6000 feet of climbing and JW averaged 18mph, not too bad for a kid who doesn't weigh enough to pump up his own tires.

The Turk and Will had a great ride at a lower tempo, and we all got in the pool together when they got in.  The only nice thing about us coming in in 2 groups is that the Will and JW put all the bags to the rooms so the Turk and Will simply had to wheel their bikes up to the AC and start to recover!!

Tomorrow is our "easy" day - 80 miles into Williamsburg with very little climbing.  We will all ride easy, and together, natch.  We have lunch near the Ocean, and dip our toes in before we go to our hotel.  

Awfully hard to think that we have ridden 95% of the way across the U.S. and we only have 1 of 26 days to go.  I think we'll see alot of emotion tomorrow and we also have a special dinner to look forward to.

Thanx for reading.

The Slausons

Pactour Day 24 "We're Tired"

Good thing no hunters around today.  A peeing Turkey is probably an easy target.

Last major milestone.  Eastern Continental Divide in the Appalachian mountains.  Screaming downhill here we come!!  Sorry about the sweat on the lens, it was 90 degrees by 10am.

JW celebrating a city limit sign victory.  Look at the photo closely, Jaime.

Crewmember/masseuse Jon Jahant did some asphalt surfing today.  Not right to show that he got both butt cheeks too.  He crashed on a quick left turn (followed by a quick right turn.)  We were well behind Jon.  Will skidded his back tire on the quick right turn and we thought he had crashed, but didn't.  Once he saw Jon he really was thankful for his good luck.  The Turk was nowhere near Jon, so we can't pin that one on her...

Turk Celebrating the Virginia Sign - Our last State!!!  Cool thing about this photo is the "Trucks on Cheese" sign in the background (a coveted cyclist sign meaning the work is done and the fun is about to begin.)  Also prolly can't make it out but the Harrisonburg 21 mile is also in the background (our overnight destination.)

Recall there is always something to do on PacTour.  Well, here Lon, Jim, and Buster have a free minute and decide to overhaul the Motel trailer's rear brakes...

But that didn't get in the way of the 7pm ice cream social, a special treat the crew put out tonight.  We hadn't eaten yet, so we had ice cream _before_ dinner.  See, Pactour gets better each and every day.

Tonight we had dinner at Waffle House.  It's crazy to think we have to ride our bikes over 3000 miles just to eat at Waffle House.   If only we had one in San Antonio.  But it was worth it...

Especially as we found out that Lon and Susan prefer Waffle House also!!!  Obviously it's the right place to eat.  Very Nice!!!!

Quick note tonight.  We're all tired for some reason.  Jim actually said he felt tired for the first time on the trip.  At dinner we discussed the end of tour coming and JW said he was looking forward to not being tired for the first time in 24 days.  Will said he was looking forward to "sleeping anytime I want, at least for 2 weeks until school starts."  Terri cries each night telling Jim how tired she is - "that's normal Honey, that's PacTour." Our dinner time conversations are so funny as everyone is half a sleep and totally giddy.  Nonsensical stuff.  Great stuff.

Today the climbing began in earnest right from the gun.  We climbed 4000 feet by the first rest stop at mile 40 today over 3 mountain passes.  Each climb was about 7-9% for 3-4 miles at around 7 mph, then followed by a similar descent.  We did do another off the beaten path 20+ miler rolling thru beautiful eastern West Va farmland (where Jahant crashed and Will tried to.)  

By the second rest stop at mile 55 now up to 6500 feet of climbing over 2 more similar 3-4 mile climbs and descents Will and the Turk were cooked.  They talked about taking a "bump" to lunch which was 21 miles away, but there was actually only a 1 mile climb from there then 8 miles of descending then only a small climb from there so they soldiered on.

At lunch (mile 75)  Turk and Will helped clean up after we'd eaten and planned to take the Lunch van all the way to the hotel.  JW and Jim took off (the next rest stop was 8 miles away at the top of a 4 mile 10% climb preceded by 3 miles of 3% false flat) and JW wanted to ride hard.  So the boys hit it hard and passed 6 riders to the rest stop, the last whom had left lunch when they arrived - ie around 15 minutes head start.  JW was pretty stoked about the pace, Jim looked a bit tired.  

The lunch truck had passed JW and Jim about 1.5 miles from the top of the climb and when JW and Jim got to the rest stop to refill water bottles, the Turk and Will were on their bikes, ready to ride the 21 miles down to Harrisonburg with them.

One interesting delay back into town.  As we get close to the finishing motel, the boys generally start to goof around.  You know, riding up and down sidewalks and little goofy things.  Turk always cackles "This is when accidents happen, when you're close to being done.  You 2 are going to get hurt."  Jim always replies "C'mon, let'em have some fun."  Well today Turk and Jim were riding in the street Will and JW goofing around on the sidewalk.  Will started to say something and we heard, "What the..." and then crash, Will wrecks into a yard.  There was all this TV cable cable hanging down from a telephone pole and Will wasn't paying attention and hooked it with his handlebar.  No injuries to bike or rider.  Turk's response - cackling laughter and "that was the funniest thing I ever saw."  Jim "See that's what happens when you 2 start jacking around.  Somebody gets hurt."

Very good day.

When we arrived at the hotel Buster's fork had arrive, which Jim proceeded to drop out of the box onto the parking lot so it now has a small scratch on it for Buster to remember Jim by.  Great thanx to Matt and all at B-H getting the fork to Buster overnight (recall Buster had broken his steerer tube 2 days ago riding with the Slauson's.  Turk didn't ride that day, so we can't pin that on her.)  Heck his name is Buster, of course he broke his fork.

2 days to go.  1 hard (tomorrow) then 1 easy.

See you all in SA soon.

The Slauson Family.

Pactour Day 23 "Scary Metal Things"

Today the first rest stop was at mile 34 (1%'er) so we stopped at a rest area to pee at mile 25.  On the way back to our route we saw the Smallest Church in Ohio.  Not sure what the significance is, but there you are.

For Doug Foxworth, our favorite Top Fuel Guy on the circuit.  Drag Strip Road (sorry for picture quality, rode for the first 2 hours in rain...)  Before we left Ohio

After we were in West VA.  For Chris Lutz, our favorite lead singer of famed band "Snowbyrd."

We reached our penultimate state mid morning.  Fortunately Lon had chosen a day West VA was Open, apparently it is not always?  Since we are in  West VA we were concerned that the boys may have their first sex (that we know of anyways) and not necessarily with girls...  

We rode 50 miles on the RAAM (Race Across AMerica) route today.  It saved the crew from painting "P's" on the road.  It may be a tribute to Kurt the Triathlete, who is the only rider actually racing RAAM (perhaps John Cramer is also?) on the trip.  The rest seem to be riding Pactour!!!!  Kurt had to sit in the penalty box today at the 2nd rest stop to wait for the next rider, he was outrunning the crew support....  

Some beautiful flowers in the median of the West VA state road we were riding this am.

The famly kicked A__ today.  157 miles with 8000 feet of climbing all together.  This brings the boys to 3 consecutive complete rides.  We went from Athens, OH to our Penultimate state (West Virginia) to overnight in Elkins.

The morning started 30 minutes earlier (ie riding at 6:30) in the dark in the rain.  We discovered Lon's Kryptonite today - Born Muscle Up Leg Oil.  Terri and Jim were putting on their leg oils which have a unique smell of camphor or wintergreen or something.  Lon walked down the hallway and almost choked.  We noticed his reaction and pointed it out to him and, we got a smile (which is high score for the Big Dark German.)

We rode for 20 miles on beautiful rolling wooded roads leaving Ohio which was very cool (and rainy.)  We then rode for 20 miles on a Ohio State Road billed on the cue sheet as "Good Shoulder" which had some cracks, and lots of rocks, glass, wood and other debris.  We rode a simliar road for the last 40 miles towards Elkins on a West VA State Road.  It was not marked as "Good Shoulder" but we think that was implied especially since it was continuously marked as a "Bike Route!"  We think "Good Shoulder" means Good for Pactour tire selling business.  We saw numerous flats and riders changing cut up tires.  Our friends the Aussies for example had 9 flats (9 Times Mr. Bueller, 9 Times) and cut up 2 tires.  They ended up the ride in some nice passerby's pick-up truck.

Besides the 2 rough sections of roads the ride was really cool.  Lots of 1/2 - 2 mile climbs and descents.  We rode gently thru the day having alot of laughs.  The rain was a bit tricky in the am, but kept it cool.  The day stayed cloudy so we never got to the projected 101 heat index I believe.

After lunch we rode the coolest, quite rolling road thru West Va.  We rode along a very brown river or creek, which we called a chocolate creek, and saw a couple of cows standing in it so we have figured out where Milk Chocolate comes from!  See, nothing is really magic, everything has a logical explanation.

We turned onto the State route towards Elkins and Will's Rear shifter cable broke.  So, as a little Lon minion, he now got to ride the last 45 miles on a single speed, like Lon (actually a double speed since he could shift his front derailleur.  We were able to get him into the 15 tooth cog for this (the 17 or 18 is actually ideal, but the 15 turns out pretty good since he is running Compact Gearing - another kudo for compact gearing.)  No complaints, he rode with Courage and did have some back spasms toward the end from so much standing on the climbs.  Jim gave him a little push here and there, and massaged his back while doing this, to boot, so all ended well and we fixed the cable when we got in.

Tomorrow is 108 miles with 11,000 feet of climbing.  The boys have already decided they are happy to cut off 50 miles from todays ride at the cost of 3000 extra feet of climbing.  We'll see.

Thanx for reading.  The Slauson's

WARNING if you are scared of Scary Metal Things (ScaryMetalThing Phobia) do not read below OR LOOK AT THE PICTURES....

This is the bike rack we use at all stops on Pactour.  Built by Lon.  Metal plumbing pole with pickup truck bedliner finish and 2 wooden supports.

At the far end of each pole, supporting the pole is the "Scary Metal Thing."  It looks innocuous enough and I don't think a Pactourian afflicted with "ScaryMetalThing Phobia" is even aware he/she has it.

If  riders place the bike toward the very end of the rack (on both sides) - with 1 handlebar on the Scary Metal Thing - There is room for 6 bikes on each rack.  Because of ScaryMetalThing Phobia 9/10 Pactourians don't do this leaving room for only 5 bikes on the rack.  Simple math, if there are 4 racks out at a rest stop, there are room for 24 bikes.  Because of ScaryMetalThing Phobia there are only 20 bikes on the racks when full, and when the Slausons roll in (ie last) there is no room for our bikes so we lean them somewhere.  We are not offended by this but it took a few weeks to determine the underlying (not the obvious) cause of limited bike parking space.

Here's an example of ScaryMetalThing Phobia.  The Pactourian on the left is afflicted by it, on the right (JW's bike) is not.  You can see how ScaryMetalThing Phobia at each end will reducebike parking space by 1 bike per rack.

An example of Pactourians without ScaryMetalThing Phobia - Terri on the Left, Will on the Right.  

Now we are not singling any PacTourians out, we've even noticed Lon is afflicted by ScaryMetalThing Phobia and he made the racks for crying out loud.  Just a new clinical affliction noticed by the Slauson Family on Pactour and maybe by raising awareness we can help its victims!

Pactour Day 22 "There's something for everyone on Pactour"

Will and JW "watering" the corn.  Forcast is for no corn (but maybe more rain) tomorrow!

We all have our names embroidered on our arm warmers and shoe covers (makes sorting laundry alot easier.)  We ride with shoe covers in the rain to keep the shoes clean, not dry.  Keeps the feet a little warmer also.

Buster, Jim, Will and JW getting a send off, in the rain, from lunch.  The Louis Garneau rain jackets were key today.  As a matter of fact the Louis Garneau shorts have been the best for the boys on this trip.   Assos for the Turk.

 

You know your in Amish country when....

The last rest stop was in beautiful Ash Cave state park.  Looks like the boys were actually in the cave...

Dinner tonight had to be at Bob Evans, an Ohio tradition and Jim's grandfathers favorite restaurant.

Tanta Peg (Will and JW's grandmother) recommended the Cheese baked potato soup.  We had it and it was awesome.  The Aussies had it and liked it to!!

Today was 151 miles from Troy, OH to Athens, OH.  The Turk didn't line up today, she developed what we call "PacTour Fever" last night and couldn't sleep and ached all over.  She rode in the lunch truck (where you work alot harder than you do on the bike...)  Susan Gardner, John Lake, and Lara Sullivan where her crewmembers.  They have helped the Slauson family out tremendously during the weeks and we've all become close.  They had to work harder today, because of the rain and because Jim asked for grilled chicken a couple of days ago (but man the grilled chicken is the best with a close second going to the "John Lake Hot Dogs" which he grills every other day for us - remember the crew "works" a day, then rides a day."

Jim and the boys set out at a steady tempo and rode with several groups to lunch.  Our newest closest riding Buddy, Buster Schaffer, rode all day with them and even accepted an honorary "Slauson family member" of the day title.  So he took all the city and county limit sprints for Terri giving her about 50 points on the day, until he broke his fork (probably sprinting) with 10 miles to go.  More on that later.

The day was mild headwind, but off and on rain all day.  This actually made the ride a bit more pleasant than it has been since the temperature never got above 75 degrees.  You have to be a bit more careful riding in the rain so it is a little mentally tougher.  

JW had leg muscle pain before the first rest stop and we thought he might have to stop.  He took 2 motrin at the first rest stop and 10 miles down the road his pain was gone.  (I think it was the Little Debbie Oatmeal cream cookies and not the motrin, but who knows.)  From that point on he drilled it all day and was at the front of the groups all day.

Jim felt better than he had in 3 days.  He felt that this was the first day he never looked forward to the finish or worried about the time or distance.

Will struggled all day, but with help from Jim and Buster, rode with "Courage" the theme for the day and got thru the day with a smile.  

Buster felt something weird in his bikes front end, maybe his headset was loose or a stembolt problem.  Fortunately, JW had to pee 10 miles from the finish and we looked closer at his bike and his steerer tube (the part of the fork which the stem/handle bars attach to) was broken.  So he waited by the side of the road and got picked up by the last Sag wagon.  A quick call to Matt at B-H and a replacement will be waiting for him in VA in 2 days!!

Jim and the boys were one of the first groups to lunch and one of the first groups to finish.  JW commented that "its fun to ride at the front of PacTour."  This reminded me that there really is something for everyone at Pactour.

We have gotten in before the lead riders (when we have sagged in from lunch.)  We have gotten in in the very middle of the group on days we rode hard.  And we have gotten in dead last on days we've gone really easy or struggled a bit.

When we get in early, and hang out cleaning bikes and preparing for the next day we get to see all the riders come in over the next hour or two.  There are usually 3 distinct groups.  Those who have hammered all day, and come in hi-fiving and all jacked up talking about their mph and ride times, the winds etc.  The next group comes in at a relaxed pace talking about the rest stops, what they stopped and took pictures of, which streams they had jumped into, what they had seen during the day etc.  The last group is the "stragglers" (Slausons usually there) who come in in smaller groups, quietly seemingly glad to have done the day and finished and proud of what they did and saw. 

The groups can be different each day, obviously some here are faster and some slower than others, but some may go fast one day, then slow the rest.  Certain folks always ride together (the 4 Slausons are the biggest group here,) but each of the smaller groups ride with different small groups each day and individual riders ride with different groups and different individuals each day.

The point is, is that you can hammer with your head down across the U.S. and be the fastest each day, and get the training benefit or pleasure from riding hard.  You can ride slow, see things, talk with others.  You can do a mixture.  You can hammer some days, and ride slow somedays.  The Slausons have been in all 3 groups on different days.  During 26 days of 130 mile rides there is something for everyone and each day can be as different as you want it to be.

And that is a good thing. 

Tomorrow is 160 miles with 6000 climbing.  The heat index is projected at 101.  Tough day.  The boys did massages tonight hoping to facilitate recovery.  Turk feels alot better and will be back in the game tomorrow.

The Slausons

Pactour Day 21 "There's Always Something to Do On Pactour"

We think the Turk got a little nervous when we pulled into this plant.  Or perhaps any fate other than Pactour would be acceptable at this point?

Will

JW

Yesterday the boys discovered they were getting "glove tans" (or maybe they realize the trip end is almost in sight and they don't want funny tans going back to school)  So, now they aren't wearing cycling gloves.  They have reached snobby roadie status now, for sure.

A few days ago we went by Rossville Road.  Today we entered the town of Rossburg (Will took the city limit sign sprint."  This is probably the most feared town in all of cycling, where you go to live after being dropped on too many group rides.  For those outside the joke we call the "Ride of Shame" the "RoSs"  This is what a rider does on a group ride when he/she has been dropped by the group so many times, that he/she rides 200 meters behind the group, regardless of what speed the group is riding at.  Refusing to get back on, even if the group slows to wait.  Suffering is one of the beautiful things about cycling so the RoSs is actually a good thing, sometimes.

Tonight we were treated to an outdoor backyard barbeque in Troy, OH.  Dan is standing and he is the farmer who is leaving us today because it is going to be too hot for the turkey's the next few days and he and his wife (seated next to the Turk) will be hard at work for the next few days to try and save the Turkey's.  The food and company was outstanding.  Someone mentioned that we were having burgers and beer and the "Turkey Burgers?" comment was just outside appropriate.  2 things sunk in at this party.  1. The gravity of what we are all doing.  Dan and his friend Doug have ridden together the entire way "the Ohio Boys" and we have all ridden with them.  Outstanding people.  Doug gave a little speech at the dinner and nearly burst into tears as did others.  Doug's brother cannot recall Doug crying in the past.  That is how powerful what we are all doing together really is.  2.  The work that goes into a party such as this is alot.  And the PacTour crew essentially does this for breakfast and lunch, every day, setting up in 20 minutes, tearing down in 20 minutes, leaving no trace.  Unbelievable.

The Turk was in tears.

You might think Pactour would be easy.  Nothing to do but ride your bike.  Just follow the maps given to you.  All your meals are done for you (except dinner and you get to go out to dinner every night.  Your bags are transported for you.  Massages are available.  You get to stay in a motel everynight.  No decisions to make.

You'd think there would be alot of free time.  Maybe bring a good book, or do a bit of business each day.  Maybe see the sites in town when you get in at night.  Etc.

Well, there really is no free time.  Take a typical day for the Slausons.

5:45 alarm(s) go off.

5:50 wake boys and do their body fat/weight analysis.  Get JW in the shower and tell Will to get things cleaned up into the luggages.

6:00 back to room.  body fat/weight on Turk (now showered) and Jim.

6:05 call boys to make sure JW getting dressed and Will in shower

6:10 clean up all bags.

6:15 Jim in shower

6:20 Turk dressed/chamoised and over to boys room to get JW out of bed and light a fire under JW

6:30 Jim dressed/chamoised, bringing bikes down to van

6:50 Done with breakfast.  Jim done bringing computer bags, luggage, bikes, soccer ball to van.

Get JW out of bed again.  Light another fire under Will to get him moving

Put on cycling shoes and give bags to motel van

7:00 on bikes

9:00 First rest stop.  Family eating, Jim filling water/gatorade bottles

9:15 on bikes.  Lighting fire under Will to get moving

11:30 2nd rest stop, see above

1:30 Lunch, see above (Jim now eats)

3:30 last rest stop, see above

5:30 To Hotel.  Boys/turk bring bags in while Jim washes bikes.  Jim fixes cable on Turks bike, changes tires on Jim's and Wills bikes (things wear in 2000 miles, you know.)

6:00 Boys showered, Turk bathing.  Jim getting tomorrows clothing ready and todays into dirty clothes

Laundry started (every 2-3 days)

6:30 massage perhaps

7:30 dinner

8:00 write about day

9:00 - 9:30 lights out - Turk in bed at 8:00 tonight.

So amazingly, no free time.  You gain even more respect for the crew, how do all the above, plus get up earlier to get breakfast and motel van ready each day, clean up and help riders with maintennance and other issues after ride, etc.  Plus ride every other day.

The story is similar in the support crew vans/trailers.  Everyone is always doing something, all day long.  Reminds me of when you are a kid and you look at your parents and say "I can't wait until I'm grown up and have lots of free time...."

Today we rolled from Wabash, IN to Troy, OH (a nice easy flat 131 miles.)  Troy is 40 miles from Will's birthplace (Dayton) and 50 miles from Jim's college (Miami.)  To honor this JW got triple stateline points for taking the Ohio border, Will got triple countyline points for taking the Miami County sign.

Tomorrow we should have our first real rain of the trip which will be interesting.  150 miles from Troy to Athens, OH (Home of Ohio University with famed Halloween celebration.)  A few rollers, but the real challenge (beyond the distance) will be the rain.  Should be interesting.

Tonight we had the outdoor party mentioned above.  Dan Hurley and his friend Doug Collins "The Ohio Boys" have friends in Troy who planned this as a party for Pactour.  Well, also as mentioned is a sendoff for Dan and there were more than a few tears shed tonight.  Doug and Dan are lifelong tight buddies who almost made it across the U.S. cycling together, but "real world" intervenes sometimes.  These are fantastic individuals (as are all of the Pactourians) and I suspect more than a few more tears will be shed at the end of the saga.  JW of course noticed that Dan's wife ?Shawna Hurley was wearing "Hurley" brand clothing.  Nice touch Hurleys.

The family rode all the miles together today and the goal is for the boys to do the whole ride tomorrow, and the Turk to see how she is doing at lunch before committing.

Down to 5 days of riding and each time we wear a cycling kit it will never be worn again by the Slausons on 2007 Pactour.

Until later.

Jim

Pactour Day 20 "The Midwest - If it isn't the Heat, it's the Humidity"

Today we rode the 90 miles to lunch, then the rest of the way to the hotel with the Lunch crew.  Bisty is part of the lunch crew.

The Turk got to take care of a little business on her iPhriend.

The boys got to relax in the AC and listen to some music.

We stopped at one of the rest stops on the way in to pick up crew and shut it down.  The boys had a chance to ride a little teeter totter.

Each day after we ride we clean our bikes with dilute Dawn soapy water.  Or I should say Jim cleans the bikes (JW's here) each night.  This keeps them clean, shiny, and happy.

Crew member John Lake installing rear shifter on Aussie Rob Keough's bike.  His rear shifter broke 2 days ago and big ups to Matt and Rick at Bicycle-Heaven for getting a replacement to him in Indiana.  Fortunately for Rob the last 2 days have been flat.

Another big celebratory welcome for Pactour in Wabash, IN.  Jim was born in Indiana which probably has something to do with this.

Today we rode from Dwight, IL (essentially a truck stop) to Wabash, IN.  The family is feeling better (Turk had the best legs today) and set a goal to ride 90 miles to lunch then re-evaluate.  We all felt fine, but still a little tired so we helped the lunch crew clean up, threw our bikes into the trailer and drove the last 80 miles.  We did get to have Ice Cream on the way, so that was good.

Had 3 fun rides to lunch.  First we followed the wheels of Doug and Dan (the Ohio boys) to the first rest stop.  Then we followed our friends the Aussies to the 2nd rest stop.  Finally we followed Susan/Cat on the Tandem and Lon on his singlespeed to lunch.  This made the morning go really quickly and we averaged 18 miles per hour.

You really don't appreciate humidity until you get to be not in it for a while.  Once over the Cascades in Washington (1/2 thru Day 1) we were in low humidity riding until 3-4 days ago in Minnesota or Iowa.  Now in the midwest we are enjoying 80% humidity to go along with 90 degree temps.  In the Northwest we were in the high 90's with little humidity and that really is much more pleasant.  San Antonio is a fabulous place to live, but if we ever have to relocate we will try to stay away from high humidity for sure.

We mentioned Doug and Dan (the Ohio boys.)  Well Dan is a farmer and might have to leave Pactour tomorrow.  Tomorrow we ride to Troy, OH, 20 miles from Dans house, and the highs are forecase in the upper 90's.  Dan turkeys are at risk at temps that high so will require extra attention to keep them alive thru the heat.  Again, thanx Al Gore for global warming.

Dan told us something the other day which was pretty remarkable.  You remember the pics of the fields of corn we are riding thru nonstop for the past 4-5 days?  Remember how we commented that the corn stalks are grown so close to each other.  Dan told us that since they are grown so close together each stalk produces only 1 ear of corn!  Everyone how has to pee in a corn field has to check out his fact and has found him correct, natch.

Yesterday Illinois, (where Bicycle-Heaven, St. Charles is located)  Today Indiana (where Jim was born and home of the little 500.)  Tomorrow Ohio (where Will was born and Jim went to college.)  There is always something somewhere, isn't there.

Bye, Family Slauson

Pactour Day 19 "Physionomy of the Pactour caravan"

The motel van.  On top are extra wheels, cargo box, bikes for riders who are tired or crew members who aren't riding (crew rides every other day and "works" every other day.)  All the stands which the bikes are resting on are carried in the back of the motel trailer.

The front of the motel trailer holds computer bags and "stash boxes."  Stash boxes are shoe boxes or equivalent with tubes, CO2s, chains, pedals, whatever extra you want but don't want to load your bag down.

The back of the Motel trailer has water, gatorade, chests with soda, tools.  You can see up front the cardboard bike boxes broken down which we transported our bikes to WA with and will transport them home from VA.  Below the gatorade is storage for the metal pipes which serve as bike racks, the upper right of the trailer holds the wooden "ends" for the bike racks.  The orange cooler is the hand washing soap.  Rule No. 1 on pactour is when you come to a rest stop you take off your gloves and wash your hands.

Other side of the Motel van and trailer.  Notice Lon and Susan's tandem on the side carrier.

Jon Jahan loads the bags into the back of the motel trailer each morning.  JW is handing his to Jon.  The bags are carried in the motel trailer to the next motel.

Breakfast is served by Pactour each am.  Oatmeal in big white warmer, cereals with fruits and pastries.  All setup in about 20 minutes, eaten in 20 minutes and taken down in 20 minutes.

The crew serving breakfast, next to the lunch van and trailer.

Food "containers" are used as supports for breakfast/lunch benches.  Lon setting the benches on the containers.  The containers are all carried in the back of the Lunch trailer.  The benches are carried on the side.  NOtice the 2 holes in each of the green benches.  These are dual purposes.   You can put your drink cups in these to keep them from blowing away while eating.  They also serve to secure the benches to the side of the lunch trailer.

The back of the lunch trailer and riders eating breakfast.  Notice the upper right where bike stand supports are kept.  Gatorade/Water/Handwash similar to the motel trailer and underneath the gatorade the bike stand pipes are kept.  Just behind the gatorade the white food containers/bench supports are stored.  All the food is in the trailer on shelves.  I bet there are 200 bungies in use in both trailers.

Terri and the boys enjoying breakfast.  Jim generally doesn't eat breakfast since he is trying to lose weight and the riding is low intensity, particularly in the am.  So, Jim's jobs is to bring all the bags out and get the bikes ready to ride (remember 20 minutes for breakfast!!)

After the riders leave from breakfast, the crew working that day cleans up, packs up and heads down the road getting ready to setup for lunch.

Lunch is generally in a city park.  Here Buster is cooking up Bratwurst (after all we are in Illinois!!!)

The Turk teaches the boys to shuck corn (they had never done this before!!)  We bought this on the side of the road on the way to lunch today.  3rd day in a row for corn and this was the best yet.  The corn stands are often unmanned, you simply take your corn and leave your money.  Personal responsibility and integrity remain in the midwest farming community.

Looks like Will and JW got the hang of it.

"The House that Pactour Built"  Lon and Susans homestead in Sharon, WI.  Last night we overnighted in Beloit WI, 30 minutes from their house.  Susan dropped by their house to pick up a few things and off we went towards lunch.

Today was a recovery day.  Everybody was still tired, but at least not vomiting.  Will's ankle seems to have recovered.  The family rode in the lunch van from the hotel and planned to ride the last 50 in from there.  Jim and JW were still too beat from the previous day, so they went in the Motel van with Lon, Jon and David.  Terri and Will did the 50 miles on their own and had a good time.

We have 3-4 flat days across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, so our plan is to take it easy, ride as much as we can, but make sure we're not getting burned out.  When we leave Athens Ohio and head into West Virginia in 3-4 days the climbing begins in earnest and we want to make sure we are fresh for that.

Tomorrow will be a challenge as it is a long day (170 miles) and we head into Indiana which doesn't respect daylight savings time so we hit our last "spring forward" and lose another hour.  Early wakeup as breakfast is at 5:30 and we start riding at 6:00.

"Physionomy" is a phrased coined on the fly by Paul Sherwin during the recent Tour de France.  Paul and Phil create interesting words during their commentary.  When a break was caught and different teams went to the front to work and the pace of the peloton changed Paul said that "catching the break completely changed the physionomy of the race."  I guess that is a combination of Physiology and Anatomy which is actually pretty descriptive!!

Thanx for reading.  The Slausons

Pactour Day 18 "The Hurt Locker"

Corn to the left of me...

Soybean to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle of Wisconsin...

Cool observation - look how tight corn stalks and soybean stalks are grown together.  No "running" thru these fields.

We did see alot of very pretty "Queen Anne Lace" which is a weed!

Since Wisconsin has to be the "Home of Calves" (in addition to cheese) Turks calf progression.

Even JW is starting to show Calf definition.

Hooker, the personality, and possibly strongest rider of the tour (sorry Lon, Cat, Marc, Kurt) and any others offended by this statement....  Natch, Hooker had just gotten out of the lake in the background at the last rest stop (remember he has a sworn duty to never miss jumping in a body of water while cycling.  If you zoom in you will notice the webs between his toes....

So Susan runs the show, rides every other day, makes the best lunches and takes care of the littlest details, and still has time to make sure that Jim is stocked up with his habit/passion/vice F-dub.  You'll have to ask the shop what F-dub stands for - not appropriate for family entertainment....

Today may have been the day the Slauson's cracked?  Remember the pact where Jim and the boys were going to ride the rest of the miles to Virginia?  Well 10 miles into the ride Wills right ankle began to pain him terribly and he could only pedal 1 footed.  So into the lunch truck he went as it passed us - good thing, we did 1500 feet of climbing before the first rest stop at mile 31.  JW's comment was "he'll have to give his drop of blood back."

By mile 85 we had done 5000 feet of climbing (keep in mind Wisconsin is a steeply rolling state - no climbes were over 1/8 of a mile) up and down up and down.  JW carries no momentum on the downhill, so he was cashed by lunch.  No arguments here.  Terri was tired, but really rode well and wanted to continue, but with 2 soldiers down had to tend to the wounded and weary.

JW vomited after lunch (barely ate anything) so looks like the effort and heat got to him.  Will was sleeping in the van when we got to lunch (4 hours after being picked up.)  He ate a little, then vomited when he got to the hotel.  Turk didn't vomit, but sagged in from lunch with her youngest soldiers.

Jim headed out with Buster (crew member, rider extraordinaire.)   Buster decided it was time to hammer.  So off they headed pell mell for the next sag, 30 miles away.  Too much for Buster who got hot foot.  So Buster sagged in with 30 to go and Jim made a bad decision, follow Hooker's wheel in.  By that rest stop they were up to 6500 feet of climbing on the day.  The day ended at mile 145 with 8000 feet of climbing (remember no climbs longer than 1/8 mile.)

Now we know why Lon is so strong on the bike and has huge calves.  This up and down rolling climbs will do that to you (if they don't kill you.)

Jim did well with Hooker for the first 15 miles, then entered the "Hurt Locker."  Perhaps now renamed "Hook Locker?"  He told the Hook to go on, and Hook replied "No worries, time to slow down a bit."  Which really didn't happen.  5 miles later Jim was running low on water and spotted  a house with an available spigot.  So he slipped off the back to try get away.   He filled his bottles and rolled down the driveway.   And there's Hooker coming back down the road "No worries, the view from the top of this climb was way cool, so I took a photo.  Come on!"

Anyways, Jim drank 5 bottles in the last 30 miles and still arrive thirsty (90+ heat, high humidity.)  He wasn't hungry and was having chills for the first couple of hours.  We'll see how he is in the morning.  Will and JW went to bed at 6pm and seemed alive when we checked on them.

Of course, the only woman, the Turk is doing the best in the family now.  We'll see how that plays out.

Tomorrow we roll from Beloit, WI to Dwight, IL and hope to see Ara (B-H St. Charles) and maybe our friend Brad Reid, who did the elite Pactour a month a go (180 miles per day, Cross the U.S. in 16 days.  The ride is 160 miles, but "only 2000 feet of climbing" so much flatter than today.

Til then.

The Slausons