Surly Bicycles' Long Haul Trucker

For the trip, I'll need a bike built specially for the purpose. It is made to handle a big load on a sturdy frame but most importantly, it has really low gears for those endless mountain passes.

Actually I hear that the toughest part of the ride is in the Appalachians near the end of our ride. Apparently the civil engineers did a better job handling the Rocky Mountains even though they are a lot steeper. But do you see that tiny, third gear in front. That little gear is going to be a life saver!

The Website is Up!

Today the official website for 'Ride for Jim' is up!

Check it out at:
RideForJim.org
(It's still a work in progress, of course)

Now that equipment has been ordered, including my Long-Haul-Trucker bike it feels like the gears are really turning.

The planning phase is underway

This weblog will reflect the experiences of Philip and Jack Haar as they prepare to ride bicycles across the country in the summer of 2008 to raise money for cancer research. The ride will trace Adventure Cycling's proven route from Eugene, OR to Yorktown, VA, about 4500 miles in all.

A foundation at the Medical College of Virginia will provide a vehicle for accepting donations and handling the funds after the ride.