Daniel B. Bike Rides

Great pics, Daniel. Totally dig your bike trips. You gotta' keep doing more, especially for those of us who can't go OTR for a while... I can just live vicariously through your stories and photos... lol ... ...for now...

Seriously people. Enjoy your lives out there. It takes some effort to work around your schedule, find parking, and other logistical things. But once you get the hang of it, you'll find a ton of opportunities to have a great time.

Brett Aquila

This is one thing I'm not getting: Don't you miss it, Brett?

-mountain girl

Great pics, Daniel. Totally dig your bike trips. You gotta' keep doing more, especially for those of us who can't go OTR for a while... I can just live vicariously through your stories and photos... lol ... ...for now...

Seriously people. Enjoy your lives out there. It takes some effort to work around your schedule, find parking, and other logistical things. But once you get the hang of it, you'll find a ton of opportunities to have a great time.

Brett Aquila

This is one thing I'm not getting: Don't you miss it, Brett?

-mountain girl

I definitely won't stop, but finding the time is a challenge. I actually just finished a 3,400 mile week and its tough finding any sort of time haha!

MG, I have a lot more content that you can live through. Here's a journal I did of my days. Its the longest thread in TT history.

Adventures of Daniel B.

For anyone who has some time on their hands give that a full read. You'll learn a whole lot of behind the scenes stuff, learn how to safe money, and things your trainer probably won't tell you.

My next, and best ride took place in the Lincoln rest area in Wyoming near Laramie.

Location: Medicine Bow National Forest I80 Exit 323 Lincoln Monument Rest Area.

Elevation: 8,878 feet above sea level (Highest Elevation On I80)

What's so special about this place?

It is the location of the historical Lincoln Monument! Lincoln's head was built by Wyoming's Parks Commission to honor Lincoln's 150th birthday. It was sculpted by Robert Russin, a University of Wyoming art professor and a Lincoln fan (When he died in 2007, his ashes were interred in the hollow monument). The bronze head weighs over two tons and is 13.5 feet tall. It's perched atop a 30-foot granite pedestal, ensuring that it can be seen from quite a distance. The head is intentionally oversized on tiny shoulders, like a cartoon caricature, and seems to be sagging from its own weight.

Let me start once again by stating that these pictures were taken by me. These were not borrowed or taken from Google. I took this pictures on my Iphone (image if I had a professional camera?)

The trail starts! I'm at the summit so its a straight downhill! This downhill was steep, they all were! I went down it pretty damn quickly. It was exhilarating.

What a view! Not too far I spot a nice body of water right beside the trees. I went down to the waters edge and just sat there for a minute. How comforting!

Believe it or not, this is the same body of water as above. This is just how tall the grass is! It doesn't look big in the picture above but this grass is easily way over a foot tall. This place is prehistorical!

A small wooden bridge leading to a picnic area. Awesome!

Just a simple, yet relaxing picnic area.

Wow, I hadn't noticed but I have went 5 miles away from the rest area. When you're in the middle of nowhere with just you and trees that's quite a distance. Like I said, it was pretty much all downhill so I got here quickly. I'm not looking forward to this climb up to the summit. These 5 miles will be tough! Did I forget to mention that its almost 9,000 elevation over here!? This climb is going to be a pain!

Found a spot with large rocks coming out of the ground. What a view!

Another!

To anyone who is familiar with the drive in this area - you can actually see those rocks in front of me when you're driving on the interstate. They're to your right in the distance if you're heading West.

This tree looks haunted. Seriously, it looks like one of those trees that you would see in paranormal movies. It reminded me of the movie `The Conjuring". It also looks extremely old. Probably a year or two older than Old School.

A smooth flow of water opening up to a large flat area. Beautiful!

So much color here!

As I was riding back a wild cow came out of no where. It was in a group of probably 4. It definitely wanted me to leave because it started gently gesturing its leg back and forth. I snapped a picture and left.

Along the way back I met two butterflies who were just more than willing to show off their color. I was inches from them!

This goes down as the best picture I've ever taken. No, I did not edit this in anyway, shape, or form. This is the raw picture I took with my phone.

And a bonus, here was my view an hour before my day was over!

Daniel, I love, love, love this thread! I have been working in the bike industry for the past year and a half and I'm about to make a big return to truck driving. I wondered about how feasible it would be to bring my bike with me so I could do what you are doing. It sounds like the best of both worlds! Nothing like a good ride to de stress your day. Cheaper than therapy!

So what kind of bike do you have? And where do you store it in the truck? I'm thinking I might have to get a foldie bike but those are expensive. I currently have a Surly road bike. If I could figure out a way to bring that with me I would be super stoked.

Joanna, I am glad you already asked where Daniels stores his bike because it saves me from having too! I looked into a folding bike also and to get a decent one they are very $$$$. I love to bicycle too and maybe one day soon i can posts some pics too!

Cool pics man! I not sure where you get the time, that's something I need to figure out. My routine is drive, eat, sleep, and repeat.

Cool pics man! I not sure where you get the time, that's something I need to figure out. My routine is drive, eat, sleep, and repeat.

Finding the time comes with experience and knowing trip planning to the maximum. There's time, you just got to make time for it and always be ahead of schedule.

@Jolie, a description will come within the next week. That will take me a few hours to write it out well with detailed pictures, time I'll have to make. Looks like my next three days will be 600 mile minimum days so don't expect it too soon. But it'll be here before you know it. Don't buy a foldable bike, it cost me 4 bungees and a 10$ chain to hang it up there.

Joanna, I am glad you already asked where Daniels stores his bike because it saves me from having too! I looked into a folding bike also and to get a decent one they are very $$$$. I love to bicycle too and maybe one day soon i can posts some pics too!

Hey, Jolie! So cool you are into this idea, too. I am anxious to see Daniel's demonstration on how he mounts his bike. My road bike was kind of expensive though so I don't know if I would trust it out in the open, even with a chain. Couldn't someone just cut the chain off the some bolt cutters?

There are certainly some beautiful places out here in the west.

Daniel if you get stuck in Las Vegas, check out Red Rock Canyon. Some beautiful rock formations there and acres of Joshua trees.

@Jolie, a description will come within the next week. That will take me a few hours to write it out well with detailed pictures, time I'll have to make. Looks like my next three days will be 600 mile minimum days so don't expect it too soon. But it'll be here before you know it. Don't buy a foldable bike, it cost me 4 bungees and a 10$ chain to hang it up there.

Cool beans! I am not in a hurry because I have not started school yet, but really want to still be able to ride my bicycle....I need all of the exercise I can get!

There are certainly some beautiful places out here in the west.

Daniel if you get stuck in Las Vegas, check out Red Rock Canyon. Some beautiful rock formations there and acres of Joshua trees.

That'll definitely be my plan if the weather permits. That's why I love WY, its always cool there. It was like 75 degrees outside during all my bike rides there. I don't ride my bike at 100 degrees like it is in NV, so hopefully if I am ever free over there it'll be a nice day outside. I don't gamble with heat strokes haha!