Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Below are a couple of pretty awful photos from our cross-country tour in the winter of 1979. That’s me and my very special custom touring Richard Sachs posing on a beach in Florida and my wife Deb as we entered Texas. (Deb rode a Takara, which was a nice affordable Japanese touring bike sold in the mid 70s and into the 80s I believe). Deb nicknamed her bike “Takasha.”
Our route was a bit unusual. We left New Hampshire in October the day after the first snowfall of the season and pedaled south to Florida, where relatives put us up for a few days. We then followed the coast until Galveston, Texas where we headed to San Antonio. From there it was off to Big Bend National Park, El Paso, Yuma, Arizona, Hollywood and then up the coast of California to Santa Cruz, where we now live.
All told, we covered a little over 5,000 miles in about 5 months. Fun facts: we had 25 flat tires, barely avoided getting run over while leaving Galveston, and I ended up in an emergency room due to an extreme reaction to poison oak which we got into in Big Sur, California.
I apologize for the poor scans of our old 35mm slides. If only we’d had an iPhone back then – not only for better photos but also for the navigation. We relied on maps and friendly folks who did their best to point the way. But this led to riding on some sketchy high traffic and high speed roads and not always ending up in the best places to spend the night in our tent.
Bikecentennial
What was stupid about our trip was that I was fully aware of the organization Bikecentennial back then when we were planning it. In the summer of 1976 they had put on Bikecentennial (which became their name). It was a cross USA ride held in honor of America’s 200th birthday.
Remarkably, they reported in their December 1976 BikeReport that “All fifty states and several foreign nations were represented at the ride and just over 2,000 bicyclists rode the entire length of the trail.” Here’s a great history of Bikecentennial which includes some beautiful photos to make up for my lousy ones: https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/bikecentennial-summer-of-1976/.
We wouldn’t have been able to do that ride in 1976, but we would have definitely been able to benefit from joining the organization by utilizing their maps and route planning to ensure we enjoyed cycling friendly roads and found nicer places to stay. Both of which would have made our epic ride even more memorable and fun. For those reasons, the news that recently arrived from Adventure Cycling (what Bikecentennial is named now) piqued my interest and I wanted to share it with you.
Adventure Cycling Celebrates 50 Years with Expanded Guided Tours in 2026
Early Bird Registration Open Now
Missoula, Montana – Adventure Cycling Association is kicking off its 50th anniversary year in 2026 and offering over 50 guided tours, giving cyclists more ways than ever to experience North America’s most iconic landscapes by bike.
With options ranging from fully supported adventures to lightweight inn-to-inn journeys, the program continues Adventure Cycling’s legacy of inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle. Early bird pricing for 2026 tours is open now through the end of 2025, before prices increase on January 1, 2026.
It’s your opportunity to celebrate this milestone anniversary and experience Adventure Cycling’s tours firsthand joining the growing interest of traveling by bike, the expansion of ebike touring, and the long-standing rider community that has defined Adventure Cycling for half a century.
Tours Where Every Rider Belongs
The 2026 lineup includes:
• Inn-to-Inn adventures for travelers seeking comfort, history, and culture on their tour
• Ebike-friendly tours, expanding access for riders of varying experience, ability, and age
• Van-supported and fully supported tours for those who want the adventure of camping and
prefer to ride light
• Self-contained and MTB or gravel-friendly tours for cyclists interested in all pedal power and the challenge of self-reliance
All tours feature knowledgeable tour leaders, detailed routing, logistics support, and a team mindset that forges bonds that last for years (and tours) to come.
Early Bird Special: Register Now
Registration for 2026 Guided Tours is open, and early bird pricing is available until December 31, 2025.
Riders who secure a spot before the new year will benefit from the lowest prices of the 2026 tour season.
For more information on types of tours, pricing, or to book your tour, visit Adventure Cycling Guided Tours.
About Adventure Cycling Association
Adventure Cycling Association is the largest cycling association in North America, dedicated to inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle. We’re proud to have more than 50,000 members, and with the power of the community behind us, we work to align the people, places, and infrastructure needed for meaningful bicycle travel. Adventurecycling.org
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
I bought a used Takara in Phoenix in 1985. Paid $96 for it and today you couldn’t give that bike away. Rode it until 1997. What a cheapskate!!
You’re not a cheapskate, you’re just frugal Scott 😊
Thanks for sharing your Takara tale!
Jim
Sadly, the Adventure Cycling Association has fallen on hard times and is currently a shadow of its former self. Membership has declined by more than half since 2023 (40,000 to 18,000). As its core audience is aging up and out they have struggled to communicate their message to a younger generation and some of their core products (excellent maps) have been replaced by electronic tools. They have cycled (pun not intended) through executive directors in recent years. Here’s a link to an update on their current challenges from their current Executive Director: https://www.adventurecycling.org/member_news/ed-update-challenges-and-building-sale/
A Takara with Shimano 600 was my first decent bike. A high tensile steel frame that I still don’t understand. I paid a whopping $500 and missed my rent payment and was nearly out on my arse back in 1980. I went to Argyle from Denton, Tx to pick it up. That season I did my first race and it was partially on gravel and I had a blowout on the gravel section and had to get sagged in. At the start there was a guy with a bike he paid $1,300 bucks for and everyone was slobbering over his bike. I think he won the race. I was hooked! Thx Jim!
Great stories about your Takara Bob, thank you for sharing, appreciate it!
Jim
We’ve all had hobbies or passions that have come and gone. I didn’t want that to happen with my cycling because it is so beneficial to my 72 year old body. When my hands turned arthritic at 59, I started riding a recumbent and turn from pacelining rides to touring, for three hours, three days or weeks.. So to help keep my passion for cycling, I became annual then life member of Adventure Cycling to use their services and receive its quarterly magazines for the rest of my life, for I can’t read half of it without wanting to go for a ride. It was a good compromise with my wife than getting a bike chain tattoo on my right calf.
John, I so wanted to get that chainring tattoo on my right calf but thought about how it would look like a drooping Dali clock when everything got saggy and wrinkled so I didn’t. And I am saggy and wrinkly now, as feared.
I’m saggy too David, except for my legs: 2,000+ miles per year keep them toned.
HI Jim. Thanks for the article. I remember you telling me about this adventure. Great to see some pic’s. Funny thing I’m getting to that age where doing something like this tour seems like going to the Moon. Happy Holidays to you and Deb. Keep on Cranking. 🙂 Thanks Mike Andalora
Still have my Takara that I purchased in 1976. Great bike.
I suffered from an extreme case of poison oak while in basic training at Ft. Ord, CA, in 1968 and was in the hospital for a week.
I remember a “TEXAS WELCOME” sign like that which was full of bullet holes while on a trans-USA tour with Cross Roads Cycling Adventurers in 2008. Luckily, our group was not shot at.
Jim, I didn’t realize that you were originally from NH. In 1979, I was managing a Takara dealer in Nashua. They were great bikes and sold really well.
Jim, I didn’t realize you were originally from NH. Back In 1979, I was managing a Takara dealer in Nashua. They were great bikes and sold really well, due to their excellent value. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
You’re very welcome Brian. In 1979 I was working at West Hill Shop in Putney, Vermont while still living in NH – a great bike commute every day! We sold Takaras at West Hill for the same reasons you guys did.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Jim
I had an extreme reaction to poison oak in 1965 while in basic training at Fort Ord, CA, and was in the hospital for a week.
I also remember a Texas “Welcome” sign like that full of bullet holes while on a trans USA bike tour with Cross Roads Cycling Adventures in 2008. Fortunately, none of the cyclists on our tour was shot at while entering Texas!