T Minus 1 Day - Gear Re-Check

Well, we are less than 24 hours away from launch time.  I think I have the bike all loaded up.  Today mostly consists of catching up with things before I go out of town and spending time with my wife and family before I leave.  I do, however, have a couple of things to resolve blog-wise before leaving and that is the purpose of today's post.

Let's see if we can......
.......insert a movie...........

Mia and Stella

Next item of business......

.......links.  This link is of from a training ride with Johnny Meyer at Henry Hagg Lake.  It shows up as Trail Running because I don't have the bike pod for the GPS.

www.movescount.com/moves/move34482158

Under the Category of You Ain't Going to Believe This!......

........I actually pulled stuff out of the panniers.  If you are following closely, some of the items were shown during the gear check as "spares".  Although planned, I have to admit that the action was precipitated by my son's comment: "OMG, how much does that thing weigh and did you you train with that much weight???"

What came out:

• Long johns (went back in this morning)
• Edward Abbey's, The Monkey Wrench Gang (still have Desert Solitaire)
• Bag that held food (using the pannier for that)
• Sun screen
• Extra tube of chamois butter (OUCH!)
• Cable
• Lighter
• Harmonica (don't want to get thrown out of any campgrounds)
• A couple of pouches of freeze-dried food (I saved a couple)
• Extra extra water bottle (I have a collapsable I can use)
• Extra strap

 A Photo of My Dashboard

Left to Right:

• Rear view mirror
• Speedometer (at 1,166 miles to start (lost a couple hundred miles during training in a battery changing mishap))
• Garmin Oregon 600 GPS
• GoPro Hero 3+ on right handle bar

T Minus 2 Days - Gear Check

90%.........
.................loaded.  Unless you are counting me and then we are at 50%.

How it started this morning........

Maintenance......

Got up (kind of early) and got the bike in the stand for one last going over

Learned this from my doctor (won't say which one ;-)

Worked 'er over good.  Basically a good washing, check-up, lubing, and replacement of all the batteries

Gear check.......

Needed more space to lay out all the gear so I laid out a couple saw horses and laid down some planks.  These planks are very special to me.  They are rough sawn timber from an old building at the shipyard.  About five years ago, Dave Whitcomb and I split the cost of bringing in a guy to saw up the timber.  I used part of mine to build my oldest daughter (Bianca) a table.  These are what are left over.

Start with the basics; a couple of inner tubes.  I like Specialized brand (for almost anything) and I like the stems to be of medium length.  Need zip ties too.  

Two (yup, two) Lezyne pumps, one large, one small.

A lock and cable

I'm getting dizzy looking at this.  Basically, this is the tool and tire repair kit.  The needle nose pliers did not make the cut (I did it!!  I cut ONE thing!!)

I

Spares; Tire and brake pads...oh, and more zip ties.  Can never have too many of those!!

Things to tie things down with

Water bottles.  Two to carry and a spare (hmmmm there seems to be a trend) just in case I hit a long stretch.

Wire cable in case......Heck, I have no idea but it is under 3 oz.

Frist-Aid kit.  Let's all agree I need this (but hopefully not)

Spare pare of gloves courtesy of mom (thanks, mom).  I don't think I will make the entire trip with just one.  

Bamboo utensils.  Sorry, mom, these did not make the cut.  

Three books; Two Edward Abbey books (thanks, Marty Mudry) and one Pacific Coast guide book

A reflective vest in case I get into to trouble and end up with some community service time.  Wave when you drive by.  

Apple Macbook Pro, Garmin GPS (Oregon 600), Suunto Ambit watch, and Go Pro (this is going to be a well chronicled trip (I hope)

I went with the North Face 15 degree bag.  A little warm but not as much as the zero degree bags I have.  I plan on using it more like a blanket.  

Camping gear; Jetboil, utensils, extra rope, knife, flashlight, extra batteries, etc 

Ok, unless I was with Kevin Quigley, I NEVER ate any of the freeze dried food so I'm bringing all my leftovers.  A couple say they are good until August of '14  and others until '15.  Let's see how this goes.

Tent, infaltable mat, sleeping bag (in compression sack), and waterproof tarp

Oh, you know I will need these.  One for each cheek ;-)

Spare set of bike clothes

Parir of sandals and half a foot

Spare jacket....(it's down for god's sake. It doesn't weigh anything!!)

Bathroom kit

Finished product - Side view

Front view

Rear view

Only one question:  Why.......
......didn't I train with the bike loaded? Holy mackerel is it heavy!!! Heavy but I feel good about the weight and that I'm not taking to much useless crap but you can be the judge......

T Minus 3 Days - Last Day of Training

Last Day of Training
Well, the last day of training ended up being 18 holes of golf with Luca.  We walked it so I will count it.

You know what I like about golf?  It makes me realize how much I like biking (and just about everything else)!!  Not that it was that bad.  We went to Stone Creek in Oregon City which is one of the nicest public courses around, especially during the winter because it drains better than any other course.  Luca and I did not light it up but we did all right (one of us shot under 100 and then other just over.  I won't say who).  We were paired with a nice retired couple from the St. John's area of Portland, Karen and Ed.

I put in about 1400 miles during the six weeks training period which is approximately the number of miles it will take to get to San Diego.  And, because we live in West Linn, OR I got in plenty of hill training.  I estimate the total elevation gain to be greater than what I will experience on the trip but I'm not figuring I will just cruise up the hills.  I'm expecting a lot of hard work ahead.  Like climbing, I will take it one step (or pedal, as this case will be) at a time.  

Photo of father and son and of Luca when he learned who shot below 100 ;-)

Meanwhile Back in Youngstown.....

Lori, Bianca and Mia are back in Ohio visiting family after stops in NYC and Washington, DC.  They are back in PDX tomorrow around 11 (I still haven't figured out if that is AM or PM)

Mia and her mad water sliding skills

What Tomorrow Brings....

Sunday really starts the count down.  Time to tune the bike, do a gear check, and select what stays and what goes.  I've never been a gram-counter.  This is a term used to describe alpinists who go to extremes to lighten their loads.  I know and have climbed with a few.  One even pulled the first aid kit out of my pack at the start of weekend climb, saying I wouldn't need it.  He was right....that time.  However, on this trip I'm figuring I will be at least counting ounces.  It's not like I can't pick something up along the way, if I really need it. 

I expect to approach Sunday's prep in a fairly leisurely manner.  Hopefully, I will be able to snap a few shots and post them.  If you are interested, check in tomorrow.  

T Minus 4 Days - Blog Test

Physical Stats (if these bore or bother you now, please skip as I'm sure I will get on to nastier subjects later in the ride (!!))

• Mood upon waking:  A little concerned as a nasty migraine started yesterday.  It is easier to deal with the pain than the loss of vision. But.......
• Mood when I got done:   Elated.  When I woke up I felt a bit weak and thought I might actually take today off and work hard on Saturday but pushed ahead.  I really felt pretty strong about a third of the way into the 40 mile ride, even into the wind.  Finished (really) strong (thanks, in part, to the wind at my back)
• Weight:  Hanging in there at 217 lbs.  
• Notables:  In addition to the migraine, I burst a blood vessel in my left eye.  Not too bad (so the pharmacist says).  It should all get back to normal.  
• Height, hair and eye color:  Yup, still the same from the last time. 

Training

Not sure if this will be my last day of training.  I'm thinking I want to end this portion on a high note and today was good.  Luca (our 14 year-old son) said he would like to go golfing so if we walk the course, I could at least count it as exercise.  The only issue is:  Do I really want to be that aggravated (the golf thing)??  As I say during ski season, "it's a game-time call". 

Day in General

Good day overall.  As I said, I felt good.  Got some work done in the morning, had lunch with some friends, didn't get poisoned by MSG (owner was very forthright: "um, what Asian restaurant does not use MSG????"), and caught up with my mother in prep for the trip.  She got me some nice going away presents but the half a baggy of laundry detergent threw me a bit.  Thought she might have a side-job with the folks from Breaking Bad. 

Photo

I'm throwing in a photo because words alone can be soooo boring (unless we are dealing with Gabriel Garcia Marquez).  But the bad news:  At this point, I'm only working the photos on my iPhone and I'm in short supply.  There is, however, a little story behind this one.  Below is a photo of the crawl-space below the house.  Some of you might remember I was complaining about the Goodwill finding it's way down there courtesy of my oldest son.  Well, it's all fixed now as that I created a new storage area and fixed a couple ducts in the same area that must have been detached from before we owned the house because........when I walked in the house the other day, the AC was blasting like I was at the mall.  I mean it was night and day.  And, to think I was ready to replace the AC unit.  Like I said, a little story.  They will get better.....I say but don't promise;-) 

Photos - Continued

Ok, that last one was really lame so I've run downstairs to where the external drives are to grab one of my 67,000 photos (no, I really have 67k photos.  I know because I tried to load them onto my little 13"Macbook Pro and about killed it).  Sooo.....what do I have to share????

Cold bath on after mountain bike ride 

Oldest daughter, Bianca, in front Mexico City Ballet (in Mexico City)

Bianca in Montauk (no Sherpa in her)

The pony I promised the youngest daughter (Mia)

A quick story why Mia did not want to ski until age eight when her siblings started at two and three.

"Wow, look at al this snow.  Gee, wouldn't the shed make a great toboggan run??"

"Hmmm, but is it safe??  We need a test pilot!!" (I have to say, Mia does not look the least bit apprehensive.  She is going to be the next John Glenn (look it up kids))

"We have done the calculations and I think we should put her right about here.  Yes, here will do nicely." (Notice the accomplice (oldest daughter, Bianca))

Now, you might be asking what father would take the time to get this shot.  I mean, really??? In my defense, I was entrusted with the photography.  Got to get the shot!!.  Ah, stop it..........

..............she survived!!!

"You guys are a**holes!!!!!"

And, speaking of a**holes (um, outhouse humor, not reference to the occupants!) , check out this great wedding montage fodder!!!!!!

Ok, back at it.  I'm thinking of some of the formatting I will try to incorporate in the blog as well as things I will try to accomplish along the way.

Regarding formats:  I think I will start with Physical Stats:

• Mood upon waking:  Grumpy and tired (nothing new to my wife and kids)
• Mood when I got done:  Grumpy and.....(just kidding).  I felt pretty decent and happy.
• Weight:  I'm in the 217 lbs right now which I feel is about the right weight to start, figuring that I'm gonna loose about 10-15lbs on the trip.  Now, for the tough part; How the heck would I weigh myself along the way??? Carnivals?  What would I do with all those plastic hammers and rubber chickens?? I will have to figure that one out.
• Notables:  I experienced about 20 minutes of weakness.  Over the years, I have experienced this many times but have had a hard time figuring out what it is.  All I know is it comes on and I just have to push through it and it will pass.  Not too much of a problem on a bike but several times while surfing during an offshore wind on the Great Lakes, I almost found myself in Canada.  For those of you who don't believe the GL surfing stuff, see the photos below and follow this link:  http://youtu.be/6sMWoG0llYo
• Height, hair and eye color:  Since I figure those won't change, I think will leave them out of the report (6'4", brown, and brown (and no, Joe-Joe, I don't color my hair (but based on the amount of grays coming in, I might reconsider!!))

Regarding things I would like to accomplish along the way: I'm going to try to remember to "ask" for the photo and take the time to do it.  By that I mean, one sees lots of interesting things in one's lifetime sometimes thinks, "Holy crap! I can't believe I just saw that!! I wish I had a picture of that."  Case in point: As I was riding along SW Barbur Blvd today I saw a guy in an tiger suite walking next to a  guy with a full size dog laying across his shoulders.  I thought the dog was dead until I got closer.  Now, what was their story?? Wouldn't you like to know?? Hmmm?  Well, I do (to an extent).  If I can make the time, I will find out for you.  We missed that opportunity but I'm sure there will be others.  Let's see what we find.

And a little about The Ride: My Ride is a Cannondale T-1, made in the USA.  Aluminum frame (fairly stiff ride), panniers, and a Brooks saddle.  I recently had River City Bikes go over the whole thing and tune it up, replace the chain and rear cassette, and upgrade the brakes. And, wow, what an upgrade on the brakes.  It was the only thing I did not really like about this bike.  I had really regretted not getting disk brakes but with the upgrade I'm digging it.  The bike size is "Jumbo".  Really.  When I have the seat adjusted to the proper leg extension, even I have to stand on my tip-toes on hills.  I'm gonna leave the bike description at that for now.  Maybe I will feel more geeky later on and rattle off the specs but all I know is with the right rider it will see San Diego.

Mikey Miller at Marble Head

On my trip to legendary Stony Point in Lake Superior

Marble Head, left hand break

The Ride: Cannodale T-1

My home for 28 or so days

Stella, our _____ (I know it is a dog, what kind? Who knows?)