Packing it Up

After an amazing week in Portland filled with bike rides, disc golf, slug hunting, river swimming, river drinking, ping pong, chatting with strangers, and trail hiking among waterfalls; I feel I am now prepared for this bike ride.

This week I went on two rides: one 40 miles and the other 50 miles. It was less riding than I planned on doing. However, my bike really came together well and it is running ever so smoothly. It is completely silent: just how I like it. I was so pleased with it I wrote a little poem about my Marin during one of the rides.

There's nothing else for which I'm carin'

Than to be riding my sweet Marin

I am leaving tomorrow for Washington D.C. My mother is driving me down and we will spend the night in a hotel. Then Sunday morning my mom is dropping me off and I finally start pedaling!

I have everything packed up and ready to go. It is all listed here. No doubt that this list will change over the course of the ride.

What I'm bringing:

In the seat post bag (9 lb):
1 pair of fleece gloves
2 pairs of socks
1 stick of deodorant
1 tube of toothpaste
1 fingernail clipper
1 rain jacket
12 maps
2 extra shoe cleats
1 extra bicycle chain
2 extra tire tubes
1 tire/tube patch kit
1 bottle of hand sanitizer
1 bottle of moisturizing lotion
1 flathead screwdriver
1 pair of Teva sandles
1 bottle of sunblock
1 can of bug spray
1 packet of moist wipes
1 bike lock
1 set of hex keys
1 chain link tool
Some dental floss
1 water filter
1 spoke wrench
1 tire pump
1 roll of electric tape
1 bottle of lube
1 bottle of leather softener (for new leather saddle I am still breaking in)

In the handlebar bag (5 lb):
8 pairs of contacts
1 pair of eyeglasses
1 stick of chapstick
1 digital camera
1 USB cord
1 Swiss Army knife
1 compass
Some high calorie chocolate peanut butter bars
1 toothbrush
1 cellphone
1 cellphone charger
1 bottle of contact solution
1 contact holder
1 miner's light

In the CamelBak  (16 lb with 2 liter water bladder filled) or on my body (165 lb):
1 pair of shorts
2 pairs of underwear
1 pair of sunglasses
1 pair of riding gloves
1 netbook
1 netbook charger
1 book - Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
1 wool sweater
Some AA batteries
3 jerseys
1 tent
1 UV water purifier
1 two liter water bladder
1 chamois cloth

On the frame:
2 24 oz water bottles

 Who's jealous?

 

 

2 months. That's all I'm bringing.

Perfect.

life=good

Let me know if I'm forgetting anything!