Archive for 'RgR News'
Seaside, Oregon *sniffle* (RgR’s Last Post)
Posted on 12. Aug, 2009 by carlos.
And with that, Joe and I bike 4,141 miles from Neptune City, NJ to arrive in Seaside, OR and prove that geeks are not lazy.
My hand tan is fading, and Joe and I don’t wake up near each other covered in mosquitoes. Joe gets to sleep in, and I get to spend an entire day reading Wikipedia without having to eat my weight in food. We felt the bitter sweet taste of finishing the day after Yellowstone. Only 2 weeks left, only 1 week left, only 200 miles left, and finally, our last day.
Seaside, Oregon
The plan was ~70 miles from Portland, OR to Seaside, OR. It went smoother than we could have imagined. Gigi, in a picture below, pushed the entire way with us on her own bike. Thank you so much for riding out!
Seaside, mostly a dart-throw-city on the coast, ended up being a perfect end. It was touristy enough to have random people cheer for us, and also for them to wonder why we were riding directly into the water. It also had historic significance being the last stop of the Lewis and Clark trail.
The last 10 miles biking into Seaside are a tease. It is impossible to see the beach until you are actually at the beach. We arrived, walked our bikes 200 feet through the sand as we did on day 1, and road the minute our tires didn’t sink in. We spent some time taking pictures, then headed to dinner. As quick as it started, the ending was the same .The choppiness of how I am writing is exactly how we felt. It was anti-climactic and we were always wondering, “Is this is?” At dinner, Joe and I were joined by Matt Haughey from Metafilter.com, our main sponsor of the ride. Gigi, Gigi’s kid, Gigi’s husband John (from Jive Software), a few college friends, and my family also were there.
Pictures from last day.
2 Geeks prove a point.
We set out to have fun, and also to prove a point that geeks are not lazy. Though our numbers came up short in the effort to change commuting habits, we know we had an impact on many people in different ways. We had dropped mouths in small towns because they didn’t know this was possible. We had little kids stare in awe as we passed by their parents in traffic. We could be the butterfly that causes them to beat Lance’s record. My parents both picked up bicycles, I can only assume because of our efforts. My sister is excited to move to Austin, TX and start riding. Our friends have said they were inspired and pushed further in physical tests because of us. You can be sure that we both will be riding our bikes to work for as long as our body allows. See you on the road, geeks.
What next for the geeks?
Carlos will be in Austin, TX as of Sept 1st, 2009 and is looking to plant his feet for a few years. He’ll continue to ride bikes and may enter a few races, though his competition bone has been missing for years.
Joe will continue to pursue his love of photography in either California or back in Hawaii. He is already planning out his fixed gear bike colors and is excited to enter the local bike scene.
We are extremely easy to find, and the contact page will always work.
Carlos: Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook
Joe: Flickr, Twitter, Facebook
See you on the road, geeks!
Thank you everyone, from the bottom of our geeky hearts! To the families and hosts who took us in, the sponsors to helped our pockets, everyone we met along the way, and to the countless people who supported us via Twitter and this blog.
Thank you.
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RgR on The Alleghany Front (Radio Interview)
Posted on 17. Jun, 2009 by carlos.
This interview was a blast to do.Leah Kauffman put many hours into this interview, and it shows. In my opinion, this radio interview is the best capture of our campaign thus far.
From the Alleghany Front:
Two tech workers without much cycling experience are biking across the country, hoping to show that if they can pedal the nation, you can pedal to work. The Allegheny Front’s Leah Kauffman met up with the guys from Real Geeks Ride during a stop in Pittsburgh.
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We Leave Tomorrow Morning!
Posted on 19. May, 2009 by carlos.
Four months of planning, a few hundred phone calls, hours of being a bike shop apprentice, and we are finally leaving!
My parents will be driving from Mahopac, NY to Neptune City, NJ to drop us off at the starting point. My parentals rock!
We should be leaving our first location between 7am and 8am.
Tonight, as expected, has been filled with last minute wrenching, minor adjustments to the bike, and a trip to the grocery store.
How to contact us on the road:
Fear not! We will have laptops and cell phones the entire time. We will be using the internet from our phones (tethering) to give us connection wherever we are. If you want to contact us use the ‘Contact Us’ button up top. If you already know our cell phone numbers, it’s because you are special, or good stalkers.
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Order Your Real Geeks Ride T-Shirt!
Posted on 19. May, 2009 by carlos.
Found us on the interwebz? Met us on the road? Know us from Hawaii? Are you either Joe or Carlos’ mom?
Help support the ride and get a fancy, custom-designed t-shirt! There is a limited quantity(100 pieces) for sale, so feel cool when you hit ‘Order.’
T-Shirts provided by…
T-shirts were designed and printed by ThinkGeek.com. They are full of amazing people, who do amazing things, and sell amazing products. A special thanks to Carrie Gouldin who was our liason to ThinkGeek.com and also the voice behind their Twitter account.
Click ‘Buy Now’ to Order
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Ride Updates – April 16, 2009
Posted on 16. Apr, 2009 by carlos.
- All main sponsorship is finished! Time to focus on training and planning events!
- We still need a few lunch sponsors and hosts, think you can help?
- Joe has moved to Big Bear California, leaving Hawaii for a while. (For good?)
- Carlos is preparing for a 100-mile ride on May 2nd. He will be doing it with all of his equipment (fully loaded.)
- A huge thank you to Dave Barrientos from Tsunami Cycles for helping to prepare the geeks.
- ThinkGeek.com is providing custom t-shirts for our ride! Available soon!
- WatchMyRace.com is letting us borrow a SPOT messenger for real-time stalking tracking.
- Garmin is lending us an Edge 705 GPS unit for the ride. Special thanks to Where.com for making that introduction!
Highlights from past few weeks:
Meeting Trevor Wright
After hearing Trevor’s story, it’s only human to be jealous…and inspired. Trevor entered Tsunami Cycles to put together his recently purchased touring bike – naturally, the topic of our bike tours came up.
Trevor has been saving up for the past 2 years to tour South America by himself. He speaks fluent spanish and has frequented these countries on business trips. Now, he will be camping and couchsurfing for the next 10+ months, which he says may turn into years. We have been hanging out and training together, though he has a huge jump on me with his physical stature.
Trevor will be documenting the entire way on his site (not up yet) MeBobandSurly.com. Check him out on his brand new twitter account, @mebobandsurly.
Last Place in Alleycross Race
Jim from Tsunami Cycles somehow convinced me to race in an alleycross race with him. An alleycross race involves hike and bike trails, urban areas, and unforgiving terrain. Though coming in dead last place (of those who actually finished), I can say I finished my first race! After the race, the bike was full of dirt and I was told I was the first person to do the race with a rear bag. I don’t enjoy competition, so the spirit of the racers after the race was a bit distancing. The night time race with a dozen entrants even got an article from the Austin Chronicle.
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Get Involved with RgR Events Across the USA
Posted on 08. Apr, 2009 by carlos.
Real Geeks Ride is setting up events/mixers/parties at many of the stops. We want you to come! These events are still being worked out, but here is a rough outline.
Mark your calendars and set aside these dates!
When and Where?
Pittsburgh, PA (Saturday – May 30, 2009) organized by Lindsay Patross of I heart PGH
Fort Wayne, IN (Saturday – June 6, 2009)
Chicago, IL (Thursday – June 11, 2009) organized by Tim Jahn
Omaha, NE (Sunday – June 21, 2009)
Denver, CO (Wednesday, June 1, 2009)
Boulder, CO (Friday – July 3, 2009) organized by Lijit.com and Metzger Associates
Portland, OR (Friday – July 31, 2009)
*For the smaller cities we will be exploring on our own, spending time with our hosts, and having random tweet-ups. If there is enough interest at other stops, more energy will be put towards them.
What?
- Events will aim to bring together cyclists, geeks who bike, and geeks who do not bike.
- Events will range from small tweet-up/flickr meetup style dinners, to larger sponsored events.
- We want you to have a good time, meet people, eat dinner, and feel part of our ride.
- Seaside (Oregon), our last stop, will be a unique event. More on that…
Can I help?
Between two people, organizing these events (and ride) will be tough. We need your help! If you have a business or organization that wants to get involved at any of the stops, please send us an email. Help can be simple, and require just your knowledge.
If you would like to help organize, send us an email at contact(at)realgeeksride.com!
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The fuel we receive from you.
Posted on 01. Apr, 2009 by carlos.
Like most campaigns of this style, there is a business side with regards to sponsorship and help from organizations. The other side, of people’s selfless assistance, is becoming clearer each day.
The messages, vibes, and in today’s case an actual package, are giving us an incredible amount of motivation to keep pushing towards May 20th, the start of our ride. We have yet to begin, and I already get chills from the thought of your collective support.
Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who has even smiled when we talk about the ride. We know this is a small reflection of how important you will be to us when we are pushing 500 miles a week.
More fuel than he thinks…
Sometimes things happen early in the morning that give you enough energy to go through the day. Today, we received a package from Keith Liberto. A tiny orchestra started playing in my brain and the support from ‘normal folk’ is becoming clearer.
Keith said after RgR thanked him:
“I’m member of MetaFilter and a road cyclist…saw y’all’s details, and just wanted to give back, since I can’t commute to work like I wish.”
He then asked for a small link to his Twitter account. Here you go, boss, you fantastic person: @fijiwriter
Lunch sponsors start coming in…
In the beginning of our planning stage, people asked how they could help on a micro level. Many asked if they could feed us. We set up lunch sponsors so that everyday people can sponsor a meal for us. In return they will be that day’s post sponsor.
With every new donation, a new box of fuel arrives for both of us. We sincerely thank you.
If you are interested in helping us with lunch for one of our 75 days on the road, please visit our Lunch Sponsors section. Each day is $30 and goes straight to fuel for the road.
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Ride Updates – March 30, 2009
Posted on 30. Mar, 2009 by carlos.
- Carlos has started working at Tsunami Cycles and his transition from geek to geek on bike. He currently is in Austin, TX.
- Joe will be moving to Big Bear, California from Honolulu, Hawaii in early April.
- Carlos’ bike is a Surly Long Haul Trucker and named Hermes.
- Our training is available on dailymile.com. (Carlos | Joe)
- The RgR Twitter account has 1,167 followers!
- Zapatag.com has joined as our latest gear sponsor. We will be using his site during the ride.
- We have 41 of 63 hosts covered. Do you know someone in the last few needed places?
- We are looking for Lunch Sponsors. Want to buy a day for $30?
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Looking for hosts in…
Posted on 22. Mar, 2009 by carlos.
We sincerely thank the hosts who have graciously agreed to let us use their showers and provide somewhere for us sleep. So far we have 43 of the 63 stops covered.
Announcement: We will be doing portrait shots of everyone we stay with!
We are still looking for some hosts in various cities. If you know of someone in any of these towns make sure to send them to us! We’d love to meet, and have them be a part of our ride. To see more detailed info on hosting us check out the Host Us page.
We do not have hosts for:
| Town | Status | Arrival Date |
| Ewing, Pennsylvania | Needed | May 20, 2009 |
| Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | Needed | May 25, 2009 |
| Everett, Pennsylvania | Needed | May 26, 2009 |
| Somerset, Pennsylvania | Needed | May 27, 2009 |
| Upper Sandusky, Ohio | Needed | June 04, 2009 |
| Rochester, Indiana | Needed | June 08, 2009 |
| Rensselaer, Indiana | Needed | June 09, 2009 |
| Winterset, Iowa | Needed | June 18, 2009 |
| Griswold, Iowa | Needed | June 19, 2009 |
| Fort Morgan, Colorado | Needed | June 29, 2009 |
| Walden, Colorado | Needed | July 06, 2009 |
| Saratoga, Wyoming | Needed | July 07, 2009 |
| Jeffrey City, Wyoming | Needed | July 09, 2009 |
| Wisdom, Montana | Needed | July 18, 2009 |
| Stites, Idaho | Needed | July 23, 2009 |
| New Meadows, Idaho | Needed | July 24, 2009 |
| John Day, Oregon | Needed | July 27, 2009 |
| Mitchell, Oregon | Needed | July 28, 2009 |
| Redmond, Oregon | Needed | July 29, 2009 |
| Detroit, Oregon | Needed | July 30, 2009 |
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Going to SXSWi? We are!
Posted on 09. Mar, 2009 by carlos.
This is the second year I am attending SXSW Interactive. Last year I fell in love with Austin and the type of people at the conference. It is true: ” the more times you go, the better you get at it.” If you are a geek going to rock out your latest site, or just going for the free booze, make sure to send us a message to meet up.
Joe just booked his ticket an hour ago, which means we will both be there!
If you are representing a company that has a product or geek idea to incorporate into our ride, let us know!
The meeting we are looking forward to most:
Carrie Gouldin from ThinkGeek.com is meeting with us to see how we can work together to geek out our bikes. Only great ideas can come from this; how about physical Twitter message boards, live stream cameras, or bike-powered electronics? We’ll let you know how that meeting goes!
The event we are looking forward to most: Bike Hugger Mobile Social
“Bike Hugger is bringing the party back to SXSW with 43% more bike culture. There’s an Urban Ride, a BBQ, and then an After Party.” [source] [RSVP] (more…)
