horizon-struck wanderer: so much to think about!

It’s a little overwhelming to think about every aspect of HSW all at once.

Aside from building the frame and shell of HSW, the frame and axel need to be designed and constructed, as well as the mechanism for the hitch that will attach to the back of the bike. As the bike leans and turns, the hitch needs to have a free range of motion separate from the bike. Balance and a correct center of gravity will be key.

Weight! Standing alone, trailer and HSW together will hopefully weigh no more than 75 lbs. And fully-loaded should not weigh more than 100 lbs. I am going to have to test out how much weight I can tow before the final HSW is built to ensure we don’t make it too heavy and do all this work for nothing.

Speaking of weight, it might not be a bad idea to toy around with the thought of mounting a small motor onto the bicycle. They have these motor kits you can buy and assemble onto a bike. It runs about 30 mph, and gets 100 mpg. At first I was totally against this idea, as it seems contradictory to getting across the country on man power alone. But if I only allow myself to use the motor when I absolutely have to, then I think it’ll be alright. I mean, there are going to be some pretty steep hills to climb, big intersections to cross, and probably more than a few hairy situations when I’ll need to move through spots rather quickly. I am a little worried about getting in the way of traffic. I get honked at while riding even without a huge trailer behind me! The tank is only a one gallon tank, with a mixture of gasoline and oil as the fuel. If one tank will get me about 100 miles, I won’t have to refill it very often if I’m only using the motor sparingly and when absolutely necessary. In the end I think it will be safer to have the option of using a motor when I need to.

I am going to be a little smarter with the next bicycle I purchase to use for this trip. The bike I have now will simply not do. I’d like to find a vintage bike, with some character and charm to it, while also being sturdy enough to tow a load for a few thousand miles. They have these AMAZING Whizzer, Indian, and Wanderer motor bicycles out there, which are sadly way beyond my budget. It would be a dream to hitch up HSW to one of these babies and ride into the distance forever. Since I’ll never be able to afford anything like that, I’ll just try and make my own!