Steve Delaire

The maiden voyage of the Cargo Carrier: Born September 1, 1984 just four scant weeks before the 10th International Human-Powered Speed Championships this streamlined aluminum bicycle left Santa Rosa California on September 6 for a 20-day shakedown trip to Indianapolis. This is the story of that tour.

Breaking in the rider with the bike

Cargo Carrier weighs in at 55 pounds all by itself, and being designed with a cross-country trip in mind, it was loaded down with 40 pounds of clothing and camping equipment. I had built the bike for a long tour, with floorboards and enclosed wheel covers, a secondary chain cover, and Sanyo generator light system with a retractable Halogen headlamp. Stopping power was provided by Mafac HC-5 tandem cantilever brakes.

On September 6th under sunny, hot skies I left Santa Rosa for the 20-day shakedown trip to the HPV races at the Indy 500 track. Being a pupil of the school of hard knocks, I could hardly expect the trip to go smoothly. The first problem encountered came from the unique steering system. The bearings on the quill settled into place, closing the gap on the outer body skin, thus causing the steering to lock into place. This affected the control cables as well, but with a re-torque, tightening, and a little trimming we were on our way again.

September 7th: Only seven miles from overnight camping at Sly Park, when I was pulled over by a highway patrolman for rolling a stop sign on a quiet country road. Twenty minute tongue-lashing and HPV rap-session, and then he let me go. My first headlight testing tonight - works fine! Sly Park was a good place to camp out. Took a skinny-dip bath in the lake under a bright and beautiful moonlit evening. Great place for a bath - wrong place for a drink of water. Ended up with a bellyache that kept me up half the night, and the other half of the night some teenagers at the next campground over partied until very late.

September 8th: Traveling up Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe on Saturday morning is not my idea of fun. Traffic was very heavy; no shoulder and rude drivers. This was not intended to be a suicide mission! No trouble getting rides to Tahoe, but had lunch at the dirtiest, most run-down McDonald's I have ever seen.

First part of the afternoon was spent climbing 1,700 feet to the top of Spooner Pass. Stopped for a moment for a breather, a photo, and to prepare myself for the biggest downhill I had ever tried on a streamlined recumbent - a drop of 29,300 feet in eight miles. I let the bike roll free from the top. Within a short time we were rolling past cars at an unbelievable rate of speed. Without a speedometer, I can only guess that we reached 75-80 mph before a low- frequency wobble started to develop. I'd like to try the hill again without the baggage. Spent that night camping at Lahoutan Dam under a full moon and crystal-clear skies.

September 9 Eighteen miles before breakfast and laundry. After everything was finished and loaded to leave, I found my first flat - the front had a small thorn. Just a bit past noon, I stopped for a look and a rest at a monument marker at one of the alkaline beds. While drinking my last bit of water, I noticed the marker was placed in memory of the folks who died trying to cross this hot, dry country. I hitched a ride 10 or 12 miles to the next store to fill up the water bottle and bought three sodas for spares. Spent the night in Austin, Nevada next to the community pool. Probably the only lush, green lawn in the entire town.

September 10 The first few miles were on a winding twister of a road that went up and up, followed by a nice canyon downhill. 11:30 headed for Eureka. Highway 50 has turned into a rough, gravelly torture-test. This past 70 miles has been hell. Glad I'm not on my ten-speed - even this thing is making my ass sore. Shocks will be something to look at in the future! Starting to get some cloud cover and it feels like rain. 10:30 p.m. - plenty of rain. and hailstones the sizes of BB's. Rode in the rain and wind until dusk. A good-heart with a pickup gave me a ride into Ely, Nevada. Radiation testing equipment in the middle of the high-school yard. A bit weird and frightening! With clouds as black as coal, I decided to get a room.

September 11 Rained buckets-full last night. Had to do laundry first thing just to get dry clothes. Climbing Conners Pass 20 miles out of Ely, started raining again. My knees are so sore that I walked the last two miles up Conners Pass in light rain. Just like back at Spooners Pass. I let the bike free-roll from the top. It got up to speed plenty fast. Applied the brakes only to find nothing there! Squeezed the levers to the handlebars and the bike kept rolling about 25 mph. With a fresh supply of water to the rims, there was no way it would ever get the friction to stop! This kept up for about five miles. At the base of the mountain is a coffee shop/gas station. I needed a break from the elements - it was time to get serious about stopping.

With the brake levers still squeezed, against the bars, I stood up and planted one foot firmly on the floorboard, the other screeching on the ground. Even with this method, it took several yards to stop. The man in the store saw the whole thing, and could only laugh. The rain ceased after a short while and I could look ahead to mostly flat terrain for a while until Sacramento Pass, 30 miles or so. 4:40 p.m. - Sacramento Pass is a long, sloping pass. Twenty miles between rests and knee massages. The pace seems off, but with a sheet of rain ever-present to my rear, I have been kicking out a few rpm. 9:45 p.m. - the longest my knees went between massages was 34 miles. Rode the last 15-20 miles in the dark. Glad this vehicle has lights! Made it to Delta, Utah and found an old hotel/motel with cracks in the walls, a sink that is sagging and ready to fall off the wall, an old cast-iron bathtub with "hot" water, clean sheets and a comfortable bed - all for just five bucks'.

September 12 Last night was the most restful sleep I've had since I've been on the road. Just to keep on yesterday's schedule, I've stopped every twenty miles or so for a stretch and a drink of juice. Today's paper talks of 60 percent chance of rain. It is overcast and windy, but doesn't feel like rain. 12:00 noon. 18.5 miles from last knee massage. Stopped at a roadside rest to adjust the secondary chain. Rest stops in Utah are as bad as Nevada's - no shade or running water, just filthy outhouses and flies. 6:00 p.m. Here I am at Brigham Young University sitting in the stadium parking lot watching bicycle races and trying to find a room for the night. Today's first 55 miles into Eureka, Utah was very slow. Every time I got to the top of one hill, there was another even taller. The 48 miles into Provo went much faster.

The locals here put me up against one their faster riders in a one-lap race. My bike, fully-loaded against a regular racing bike. Couldn't work up enough juice to pass. but the other rider was impressed by the speeds I ran. Others came out from the crowd to say they were amazed at how wall the bike made the corners.

September 13 Good morning. Found myself a room at the Hotel Roberts for $9.87. The impression people gave me when I was trying to find a place was that this would be a flea-bitten, run-down dump. Not so! The Roberts Hotel is a Utah State historical monument dating back to 1885. It is a beautiful three-story building with a natural artesian well feeding some interesting fountain sculptures, surrounded by a nicely-groomed garden. This morning I feel rested and hungry. Short walk to breakfast at Keith's place. The meal turned out to be an experience in entertainment. Keith is an older man, perhaps in his sixties, with soft warm eyes, slightly balding head, a belly that reaches a few inches over the grill, and a smile that reaches from ear to ear. He has only two menus, placed an the wall, large enough for all to read. The customer is supposed to just yell out what he wants. The waitress brings it when it is ready. Without a doubt, the oddest thing about the restaurant was that nobody wrote anything down. When finished eating, you made your way through the crowd over to the register, told Keith or one of the two waitresses (runners?) what you had and they made change. Some of his customers even work the till themselves. Bet the IRS loves this style of business!.

4:00 p.m. tune-up of the bike took longer than I expected. Switched to Halogen in the headlight. Dropped two more teeth on the secondary sprocket to a 17-tooth. Fooling around with the secondary chain is where most of the time was spent. There will be a change in the design of the chain adjuster on the next bike! What should have been a quickie simple task turned into a hair-pulling session. Also changed to a new front tire; careful inspection of the front rim showed up a flat spot. Yesterday I whacked an unmarked cattle-guard at 40 mph by Seiver Lake. Found no distorted metal or missing rivets on the front forks. Provo reminds me a lot of Santa Barbara, with its high, jagged mountain ridge to the east, a large body of water to the west, a big, beautiful university with all the college kids walking around, Mexican restaurants and coarse, rough, busy streets. 8:30 - wild! Can hardly describe the 30-mile ride up Provo Canyon into Heber city. Heavy traffic and plenty of big trucks up a canyon where the white line is oftentimes painted over the rocks at the side of the road. To see Bridal Veil Falls helped make the risk worth it.

September 14 9:00 a.m. Last night was spent at "The Cottage". a continental-style bed and breakfast. Hostess Marguerite is a 14-karat person with a heart shinier than any diamond. The room was clean and fixed up colonial style with bright and lively lime and lemon - colors. Breakfast was rolls and coffee, melons and fruit, homemade banana-and-blueberry-orange bread. Upon leaving she was quite convinced I not had enough, and made sure I took more with me. $15 was well spent there.

My left knee has grown very painful and my back peeling from the California sunburn. Body weight this morning was 160 pounds, down 12 pounds. 10:30 a.m., the last 23 miles have been uphill. Yesterday's tuneup in Provo made a difference. The bike is running smoothly and quietly.

Today's lesson: Let the seat back to where you must point the toes to reach the bottom of the crank stroke - lessens the pressure on the knee joints.

A little snack of Marguerite's bread and some water and we're "on the road again". Skies here on the summit are clear and blue with a brisk cool headwind. 12:40, stopped for a pee and sip of water. ended up catching 20 winks. The last 50 miles have been on grade-A and grade-B roads. Nice to have a smooth, wide shoulder to ride on for a change. A lot of canyon riding today. When you combine the brisk gusty winds like these with barren canyons, you get a stay-on-your-toes kind of ride. After my brief nap I paid the bike some close inspection. Found some bent metal on the front lower part of the front end. A quick-fix with the vice-grips, and it's all better.

September 15 10:00 a.m. For someone who wasn't going to push hard, I sure ended up exhausted last night. This is a good morning to catch up on the writing. Cycled 125 miles yesterday. Had a flat five miles from Vernal. A sheep farmer gave me a ride to Dina Campgrounds to a hot shower and a cold night's sleep. First thing this morning was spent fixing the flat. The cords have come loose inside the tire, cutting the tube. Hope to make it last a few miles. After the flat-fix, I went for a warm breakfast and a relaxing stroll through the dinosaur museum.

Noon. The rear tire didn't last long. This time it went with a big bang. Had to switch to,. the smaller 1-1/8 size. 3:00 P.M. Made it into Colorado by three miles and just didn't feel like pedaling any more. Sun blisters have come up on my arms and tops of my legs. 4:40 p.m. Made it to the Colorado 20-mile marker before the rear blew again. Thought it might, as there had been plenty of road patches, and the tires have been hitting the edges hard. Packing the weight and the speed I'm moving puts a lot of strain on tires this size. 7:40 p.m. Can't believe the road repairs on this highway! Sixty-eight miles to Elk Springs is all I rode today. Tonight I'm bedding down under a tree by a cafe.

September 16 3:30 a.m. Rain has moved me under a three-foot wide porch in front of the Elk Springs Cafe. Sitting in this chair with the sleeping bag pulled over my head reminds me of my childhood days of comic-book reading by flashlight. 8:30 a.m. Twenty-four miles before breakfast at Maybelle, Colorado. French toast, three eggs, four slices of bacon, hash browns and toast - I was hungry indeed! 1:00 P.M. Craig, Colorado. Snack and clothes washing; also tightened steering cables. $1 per load in an unkempt laundromat where 30 percent of the machines are out of order. There is also a coin- operated shower here. 4:00 p.m. Smacked a good-sized rock daydreaming and gawking at "Saddle Mtn Ranch" as I passed. Found two 1/4-inch slices that really shouldn't be repaired.

September 17 7:00 a.m. Steamboat Springs. Rained heavy last night. Finding a room last night was purely by chance. A curious young lady at a local mini-mart steered me towards a gal by the name of Ma Bell, a talkative woman in her fifties. She took me in for $10. Quite cold this morning as I prepare for the famous Rabbit Ears Pass. 10:00 a.m. Seven miles at seven percent nonstop puts considerable strain on the knees: my feet fell asleep, and I'm so dizzy I can hardly focus. 1:00 P.M. Stopped in Kremmling for my last can of tuna and green beans. No money left. The downhill side of Rabbit Ears was slower than hoped for.

10:00 P.M. Winter Park. Cold, hungry, and tired. My luck must be good - a young man by the name of Kevin gave me a ride the last 17 miles.

September 19 9:00 a.m. Enjoying Ken Cummings' company this morning. He gave me a new 1+3/8 (larger) tire for the rear - so far the best tire yet. Lubed the chains, tightened the spokes, and adjusted the front derailleur. Breakfast was two bowls of shredded wheat and coffee. 2:20 p.m. Ken took off work today to escort me through Denver. Glad he did as this is a rough area to cycle. Had a bus driver purposely force us into the dirt on the outskirts of town. Ken is an interesting and intelligent man with a generous heart. My brief stay with him was enjoyable. 6:00 p.m. Ninety miles so far even with the late start. Daylight left, and another town 20 miles up the road - I think I'll go for it. 7:30 p.m. Made the extra twenty miles in 65 minutes. It's dark here in Anton, Colorado and pleasant outside. Should be a good night to camp out. Have been eating well all day, by Ken's scale yesterday my weight was down 14 pounds.

September 20 6:45 a.m. Woke up with the chickens this morning. Have already cycled 22 miles. Tossed and turned all night sleeping behind the post office in Anton. All the stars were out, the moon didn't rise 'til after midnight. An exciting treat this morning watching the sky change colors as the sun rose. 9:20 a.m. St Francis Missouri. By the mile markers, I've pulled in 50 miles. Stopped for a stretch and an orange. 11:05 a.m. Can't believe all the grasshoppers - they're everywhere! Eighty-five miles before lunch deserves a good meal and a rest. 12:00 noon. Napped 30 minutes while doing laundry. Central time zone, so I've lost an hour. Wind has come up while I rested. 3:40 p.m. Atwood, Kansas. The past 36 miles have had the harshest, fiercest wind and dust storms I've ever been exposed to. With so many hours left in the day and no place to stay, I'm going back out again. The winds are attacking from the right (south) side. Forecast in the local paper lists 20-25-mph winds with gusts to 40 mph, and more to come tomorrow. 121 miles ridden so far today. 6:40 p.m. Oberlin, Kansas. The wind got worse before it got better. Not a moment's peace this afternoon. Today marks the first time my upper body got tense and sore. Right about Kansas mile-marker #75, took my eyes off the road for just a second and found myself blown into a wheat field. No harm done, but I almost peed my pants - guess I needed a rest anyway! Somewhere around 150 miles today.

September 21 Friday morning, two flats to fix, and the wind has already come up. Have a feeling today is going to be a day of fighting the elements. 12:35 P.M. Norton, Kansas. Have fixed three flats so far. Today winds are much worse than yesterday. 5:35 p.m. Phillipsburg, Kansas, 66 hard miles. With the wind, traffic, and sand burrs there is no way to make any speed. Should the wind die down this evening I'll try some night riding. 11:20 p.m. Mankato, Kansas. 125-130 miles. Still good and breezy out. Must be close to an air base - I've heard a couple of jet fighters. September 22 9:30 a.m. Having trouble with the steering system. This time it is not minor. Started acting funny and dropped me at a rest stop in Sandia. Tinkered on it a bit, looked it over and couldn't find anything, so I went on down the road. All of a sudden, moving 25-30 mph, the front end locked up and down I went. Ground the side some - glad there was no paint on it! Took a room at the Belleville Plaza Motel. Took the front end apart to find the frame broken. The lower tube had separated from the steering tube. The lady at the front desk knew of a man with some welding equipment. As it turned out, "Charlie" was willing to pick up me and the bike, let me use his equipment to fix the problem, and return me to the hotel, all for five bucks. September 23 9:45 a.m. With the worry about breaking the frame again, my pace was dropped considerably. The winds have changed from the warm winds up from the south to cold winds from the north and slightly east. 12:30 p.m. Fifty-five miles is becoming easy to accomplish. 4:00 p.m. One hundred miles, stopped for a stretch and bike inspection. 6:00 p.m. Highland, Kansas, 130 miles. Time for a burger break and a rest from the wind. Today's winds are not as severe as Friday's, but with the change in the wind's quarter, every vehicle that passes me opens and closes the wind flow and causes me to bounce around. only 27 miles left to St Joseph, Missouri. There will be some night riding tonight.

September 25 St Joseph is an old-looking city of 76,000. Many tall, square, red-brick buildings, several of them abandoned with windows boarded up. Last night was spent between two three-story industrial buildings down by the river. Cold north-east winds again, and some sprinkles. Hope to make it to Macon today where Highways 63 and 36 meet. Sprinkles this morning and another flat tire - sand burrs again. While I fixed the flat, the clouds burst open. Looking for a roof, I ran the library where I spent the rest of the day. Checked into the Salvation Army for the evening. My brother Stu and friend Brian will be here tomorrow with a trailer to haul me the rest of the way to the HPV races at Indy.

Conclusion

The primary purpose of the trip was to test the feasibility of using a streamlined bicycle for a cross-country trip. It is slow uphill, maintains a good pace on the flatlands, and is scary-fast on the long downhills. The body skin offers good crash protection, the seat is a little too narrow, but much more comfortable than a standard 10-speed. It is my belief that a bike of this nature will win the Race Across America sometime within the next few years - but probably not by this weak-kneed designer.

Steve's Cargo Inventory:
3 light bulbs, (front & rear) 2 ties 2 tubes 1 Steering cable 4 spokes 1 pump 1 patch kit 4 Allen wrenches (3/16, 1/4, 5mm, 6mm) 1 needle-nose pliers 2 adjustable wrenches 4 sockets (3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 4/16) 1 3" extension 1 screwdriver set 1 Swiss army knife 1 flash light 1 stop watch 2 matches	1 soap/shampoo 1 tooth paste 1 toilet paper roll 1 tooth brush 1 razor, 4 spare blades 3 T-shirts 1 pair thermal underwear 3 socks 3 pants - 2 short, 1 long 3 underpants 1 heavy jacket 1 sleeping bag 1 spare blanket 1 spare bag 1 quart water 1 spoon plus food