Short Stories & Annual Milage

 Annual Miles:

• 1996, miles ridden was 7643
• 1997, miles ridden was 7661
• 1998, miles ridden was 11062
• 1999, miles ridden was 6210
• 2000, miles ridden was 7053
• 2001, miles ridden was 7206
• 2002, miles ridden was 10166
• 2003, miles ridden was 8067
• 2004, miles ridden was 8768
• 2005, miles ridden was 7169
• 2006, miles ridden was 8470
• 2007, miles ridden was 7271
• 2008, miles ridden was 7072
• 2009, miles ridden was 7122
• 2010, miles ridden was 6274
• 2011, miles ridden was 5240
• 2012, miles ridden was 4197
• 2013, miles ridden was 2973

Standard Bearer:

From Jonathan Nicholas column in The Oregonian dated Monday, December 16, 2001.

Like all the rest of us, Tom O’Brien noticed all the American Flags flying these days from antennas on cars and trucks. He also noticed how many were breaking off. “It’s kind of sad,” he says, “to see them lying in the mud and all wet,” so he took to stopping to pick them up. “I now have 44,” he says, “I just thought people who’ve lost them might like to know there is someone out there cleaning off the mud and drying them out. I think they would be happy that their flag has found a good home.”

As of today, March 2, 2004 I have collected 156 flags. By the way I am on my bicycle when I pick up the flags.

Mr. I-5 and why I like this road:

I have ridden from Portland down into California so often that I have acquired the nickname of Mr. I-5. On these rides I always stay in motels. When I call to make a reservation I just tell them it’s “Mr. I-5" and they know right away who it is. But I do find a lot of riders/people who just can’t understand why I would ride on such a road. Well, let me tell you:

First the positive points:

• Big shoulder (8 to 10 feet vs 0 to ? feet on the secondary roads)
• Rumble strips, on my left, all most all the way
• No grade over 6%
• A nice fence to my right that keeps the farm dogs from chasing me
• Lots of stuff to find, coins, tool, and who know what I might find
• Lots of services
• Motel 6's all along the way
• Do to the movement of traffic it’s warmer in the early mornings
• Less trouble from the drivers as they are trying to get some place not just cruising

There are only one and a half negative points (for me).

• It is noisy (not overwhelmingly noise) - it would be hard to talk, but I am alone anyway
• When you take a shower at night what comes off you is black - the rubber from the car tires

The road shoulder is as clean on I-5 as is the secondary roads. The speed of traffic on the secondary roads is the same as it is on the Interstate. I feel safer on I-5 than on the secondary roads. The part from Portland to Redding (CA) is very pretty, especially through the Shasta area. I have made some good friend along the way and several of the restaurants expect me to bring my bike inside. The motels love me since they can give me the room with the worst parking place. Why not give it a try.

Rides around Portland:

River City Bicycles of Portland has published a book, "Rubber To The Road, 30 rides around Portland." As of 10-4-99, I have ridden all 30. Many I rode to the ride from home and then did the ride and rode back home. Also I combined several into a single day. My shortest day was 25 miles and my longest day was 103 miles. I have discovered many new places to ride and one I will never go back to again (poor roads with NO shoulders).

My last ride was number 27, Portland - City of Bridges. I saved this one for last so I could stop be River City Bicycles and ask the editor of the book, David, to sign the book. He was most happy to do this for me and wrote:

"To Tom O'Brien - The first to do'em all! Good Job! David"

Five Bike Century:

Today (June 18, 2001) I did my 5 bike century (102.5 miles). While it was fun I don't think I will do a century this way again. Getting 5 bikes ready to ride requires the following:

• pumping up 10 tires
• filling 7 waters bottles (2 bikes had 2 bottles)
• changing pedals between some bikes, two of them
• making sure each bike has the following:
• spear tube (5 different ones)
• patch kit
• tire irons
• pump
• the 5 bikes did all have the same saddle and peddles
• the 5 bikes had 4 different shifting systems
• the 5 bikes had 5 different rangers of gears
• 3 of the bikes did not have any place to store a wind-breaker so I had to wear a real bike jersey so I could use the pockets which are on the back of the jersey.

The day was almost perfect, sunny with blue skies. High temp was about 72 degrees. It was cold enough at the start that I wore long bike pants and two wind-breakers, one was a vest. The only problem was that the wind was higher than I would have liked and it seemed to always be a headwind.

I rode the exact same route with all 5 bikes (yes, it was kind of boring). The first bike would be the Capo, my first bike as an adult, which I bought in 1968. This bike would go first because it could have the most problems (it had none). Second, will be my new Ross named the "fast bike." Going second would give it the best chance of living up to it's name. I would be fresh and it should warm up enough so that I could ride in shorts. Third would be the Mt. Bike. Fourth will be the Bike Friday - Pocket Rocket. And last will be the Cannondale T-1000. I feel more comfortable on this bike than any of the others. I have put 23,000 miles on it since 1998. Lets see how they each performed:

1. Capo - 1 hour 35 minutes
2. Ross - 1 hour 26 minutes (it did live up to it's name)
3. Gary Fisher, Mt. Bike - 1 hour 37 minutes
4. Bike Friday, Pocket Rocket - 1 hour 34 minutes
5. Cannondale T-1000 - 1 hour 40 minutes (yes, I was getting tired)

What does this all tell me? Well, all the bikes are about the same in speed. I wonder if the speed of the bike could have anything to do with the rider?

Status of my Trek:

I have received a settlement for my burned up Trek (story in "Portland to Tulare" tour.) The money went for a new touring and gear for my Coast-to-Coast tour.