*WHEEZE* Just rode highest paved road in world: 16,000 feet

Lynette Chiang

2004-11-13



Hi Obra folks,



1) I have just ridden over what is apparently the highest paved road in

the world, the 16,000 foot Ticlio Pass in Peru, with ultracyclist Lon

Haldeman. See http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/galfromdownunder-peru2004

More chapters are coming - I'll let you know or bookmark that page.

That was JUST THE START of the trip. It got easier and even funner.

Doesn't it make you want to leap for the URL and sign up for the next

one? I hope to submit a story to Outside, National Geo Adventure et al.

As I have not attempted that before in the USA, I welcome constructive

criticism. I don't want that article to sound like yet another cliche

me-too gung-ho adventurer traveler ... that might be my downfall....



2) What are you doing end of Feb? I am doing the Lon Haldeman/Bike

Friday Arizona Desert Camp, Feb 26-Mar 5, 2005. How about some of you

27" wheelers joining in - as some did last year? Get out of the

Northwest winter. Lon says that at the inaugural 2004 camp, the Bike

Friday group came in the FASTEST on the 80-mile stretch than he can

remember in the 20-year history of his PACTOUR desert camps. Are you

gonna let a clown bike with small wheels get away with that? What, you

don't believe me? Ask Lon: hald-@pactour.com. Sign up and put your

27" wheels where your prejudice is. Why am I pushing this? Lon is one

cool dude, and besides I need to meet more cool people.

http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/loncamp



2) Tim Link's Rainbow Bike Friday has been recovered in Eugene. We

thought it had been spirited away to Portland and was now dismembered

and part of a kinetic sculpture that delivers pizza. Read about its

recapture here:

http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/timsbike

I apologize profusely for having my email set so it made you all have

to respond to a return receipt. I have since turned that off. However,

in having that set I got some intriguing vacation messages. Check out

this fun one:



"Thanks for your message. Life's too short to spend it answering emails

so don't be too surprised if none of the lazy ******** at in-activity

ever get round to writing back. cheers, in-activity.co.uk - taking it

easy on the internet |||

p.s. this is an automated message (of course)"



Glad to see someone allows themselves a sense of humor at the office -

wait, it's in the UK, land of Fawlty Towers and Red Dwarf .. no

wonder...

Thanks for reading, over to Phil Liggett...

Lynette Chiang

http://www.galfromdownunder.com



PS thanks to all the OBRA folks who came in person or spirit to my

Borders Eugene Handsomest Man in Cuba talk on Ocr 20. Around 50 people

turned up to see me whip my packable little black dress out of the

handlebar bag and other tricks.

Pity most of you live in Portland!

I shall unashamedly point out that the book makes a great Christmas

gift, as it has 20 five-star Amazon reviews and the most common comment

is "I can't put it down". See http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba for

details.

Powell's Portland has it, or order it signed by me from Bike Friday

1-800-777-0258







Lynette Chiang, Bike Friday World Traveler

http://www.galfromdownunder.com

THE HANDSOMEST MAN IN CUBA USA Edition

The Book: http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba

The Tour: http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/handsomestmanincuba-booktour2004

Join friends of Galfromdownunder: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gfdu

Cellphone on tour (Sep 1-Nov 10): (541) 228-1285 | Email on the road:

lynch-@yahoo.com | via Bike Friday, 1-800-777-0258

"One of the best on-the-road travel books of this generation." - Martin

Stevenson, the Launceston Examiner

"The only time you will put it down is when you finish it." -

Australian Cyclist magazine.

ISBN: 0-9755816-0-0, $14.95, available from Bike Friday,

1-800-777-0258, serv-@bikefriday.com | Amazon.com