To Take or Not To Take...

That is the burning question. What to take? I have to admit I became very fanatical about packing my bags. The pictures above show all the stuff on the bed and then my ingenious (and very accurate) weighing system. Using Norine's list and a list from Adventure Cycling I did a mock up and was very smug when the bags came in at 25 lb. But then I realized the stuff wasn't in the panniers, just the plastic bags and I hadn't counted the front bag. Repack, reweigh...now 34lbs. This was too much so then came the tough decisions. Out came:

1 T-shirt

• my booties (I will use plastic bags in my shoes)


• my towel (I got one of those chamois things)


• hair product (helmet hair for 3 months)


• my fancy sun tan lotion (I will use Frank's Bullfrog)


• 1/2 of the individual "OFF" wipes and 1/2 the handi wipes
  

I gave Frank the first aid kit to carry. Electronics and bathroom stuff are the heaviest, plus the multi vitamins and glucosamine! Repack, reweigh...down to 31 lbs. Maybe a little less as I realized I packed the stuff I would be wearing. I am finally satisfied. Some things I will not give up...despite ridicule from my family.

• a very small plastic table cloth (I don't want to eat on picnic tables amid the bird poop)


• my Crocs (don't go there...)


• a small pillow case (so I don't have to sleep directly on my pile of clothes)
  

Frank is being very casual about all of this. He is out riding with the Cascade Bicycle Club as I type. He did do a mock pack up and his weight came in at about 30 lbs. I couldn't believe it!! He has less underwear, no electronics but he has the tent and the cooking stuff. He won't do a reweigh as he feels one anal person in the family is enough but I know his weight is up. I have seen him adding things like his book, the 'very heavy' first aid kit I gave him, his vitamin collection and his all important yoga strap.

We are ready. Barb and Pete will get here mid morning on Saturday to pick up most of our panniers and drive down to Eugene where we will meet up. We will take one pannier and our front bags and ride to the train station around noon. The adventure begins..Comment if you can, it will be fun to hear from you. Happy Birthday to me!!