STUFF

As the final day draws near, I'm pretty much done acquiring all the the last minute stuff I need. Now I'm trying to pair the whole rig down to 50 pounds or less.

Self-powered RV. Not exactly traveling light.

Don't think I could manage getting that around THE LAKE.

But it would solve the problem of where to sleep each night.

Carrying It All With You

My bike weighs 25 pounds with rack, fenders and two empty water bottles. That leaves me with under 25 pounds for everything else.  When we did a trial run in the middle of April I was hauling 55 pounds. Cutting out 5 pounds doesn't sound like much, but I thought I'd already paired the list to the bone and now I have to add a few things I'd forgotten, like a foldable spare tire, a lock and some wonderful Michigan bike maps. That'll mean leaving some "essential" things behind. 

Here's where I am at the moment in that agonizing trade-off.

My collected gear - unstuffed

Biking Clothes

Weather, weather, weather - someone once said "there's no such thing as bad weather, just insufficient clothing." How true and how vexing for the cycle tourist. Late spring in the upper mid-west, and particularly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan can be wet (very wet) and cold (very cold, snow-like cold). Because we'll ride unless its dangerous, we need to be prepared to ride when its uncomfortable. Two shorts and two jerseys will do when I hand wash them each night.  But, I'll need to be prepared for the cold and the rain otherwise I'll face hyperthermia - a very real danger in this climate. So, here's my minimal list of bike clothing:

Bike Shorts (2)	Socks - wool (3)
NSC jersey (2)	Bike Tights
Rain Jacket & Pants	Buff
Technical long sleeve shirt	Smart wool undershirt
Bandana	Sweat band
Black wool sweater	Biking Gloves (short & long)
Ear band & fleece hat	Helmut, shoe & glove covers

Regular, Street Clothes

I don't expect to spend too much time in my non-bike clothes, so, unless I spill spaghetti sauce all over them, one set of street clothes should do. But, I'll indulge myself with a pair of pajamas and a swim suit. Hate sleeping in my clothes and REALLY need to be ready for a hot tub or a pool once in a while. (They're light anyway)

Pajamas	T-shirt
Travel underwear (2)	Sun shirt
Bras (2)	Technical Shorts (1)
Swimming suit	Long technical pants
Light walking shoes	Baseball Hat

Bike Equipment

Its all well and good to pair down the clothing, but that doesn't save a lot of weight. Making the right decision on what bike equipment to bring does. Here's where we do a little sharing; I'm lucky, Will is carrying the tools, I have the first aide and bike cleaning kits. 

Bike Shoes	Tube & folding tire
Helmut	Handle bar extension
Sport beans, electrolytes	First Aide Kit
Sun glasses	Maps
Lock	Waterproof handle bar bag
Bike Lights (front & rear)	Trunk bag & waterproof cover
Bike Cleaning & lube kit Electronic Equipment	Sun arm protectors

Now here's where we get into the REALLY heavy but truthfully non-essential stuff. Forty years ago when the Bicentennial riders set out across the country or thirty-five when I rode self-supported in Europe there was no such thing as cell phones, GPS navigation systems, iPads, lap tops or the rechargeable batteries that powered them all. Now, we can't conceive of getting lost or being out of touch. We want to stay connected via phone, texting, Facebook … or even blogging (who would do THAT?) Sure all this stuff has gotten incredibly light - my new Macbook weighs just 2 pounds - but its still heavier than an extra pair of socks. Yet, to me this trip would not be what I intend if I snuck off in secret, called home once a week, or navigated exclusively by paper map and cue sheet. So, I'm paying the price - hauling this stuff around, leaving some other things behind.

iPhone, cable & ear phones	Thumb drive
Camera & cable	Extra batteries for sensors & lights
Garmin & cable	Recharge battery & cable
Laptop & cable Heart rate monitor	Multi-charge plug

Miscellaneous Stuff

Just a few more things and we're done. My friend Diana showed me that light weight packing cubes made life on the road so much more manageable. With multiple cubes I can group like with like. and separate out the things I won't need on the road from those I might need to access with changing weather. Need the toothbrush and paste, the medicines, the sun screen and bug dope. Can't forget the ATM or AAA discount card. And this time I'll bring my swiss army knife with bottle opener. Nothing worse than getting a great brew and not being able to open it.

Zip lock bags (gallon, sandwich)	Journal, Pen
Regular glasses, case & cloth	Swiss Army knife
Packing cubes	Postcard stamps
Cash, ATM, Ins. AAA cards	Bath Kit
Trip cards	Sun Screen, bug dope
Sewing Kit	Water proof Panniers to put it all in

What Didn't Make the Cut

My daughter Elise asked, "So what's getting left behind?" That might be interesting. So far here's what I've discarded after my trial run:

Light bath robe	Bike pump
Flip flops	Blocks
Night light	Cliff bars
Clothes Shami	Tire irons
Capri pants

In the next day or two I'll weigh the whole lot and will probably find I need to pair it down even further. I'll pack all the stuff in those cubes and give you another look. Might need that self-powered RV after all.