Oh my, is it really Monday already?
Here are a few things that happened during the past week…
Moving Back Home
With the help of my family I moved out of the apartment and back to my parent’s house. I am staying here until my brother and I leave to bike to Colorado on May 18th.
A New Commute
With the move, my commute increased by four miles each way, bringing the round-trip total up to 28 miles. The extra four miles are all downhill which is great since I only need to wake up a few minutes earlier to get to work on time. It has been exciting to try out a new commuting distance. Of course, I could have always extended my route if I really wanted to but for some reason I never got around to it.
Testing Out a New Tent
My brother and I set up our new tents (Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1’s) for the first time on Saturday. I was stunned with how fast and intuitive the setup is-if I don’t mess something up royally on the first try, you know it’s gotta be easy! I tried it out overnight, testing out my new sleeping pad and bag in the process. So far, so good!
Unearthing Historic Bike Computers
I poked around in my dad’s old bike stuff and discovered several interesting gadgets, among them a Cateye computer (still in the box), which caught my eye since I use a Cateye on my bike. This one was a bit different though-solar power, baby!
Hyperactive Gear Purchasing
I have been a touring equipment buying maniac and the majority of the stuff that Noah and I need for our trip is either here or on the way. My spending spree has been so epic that the bank called to make sure that my account hadn’t been hacked into.
Riding a Dream Bike
On Saturday, I visited a brand new bike shop that opened in the town where I work. When I walked in I mentioned how cool it was that they had a fat bike outside. I was instantly offered a test ride. Do you know how long I have been waiting to try out a fat bike? It feels like decades! So I rode that sucker around the block with a stupid grin on my face. It is not a question of if I will own a fat bike, but a question of when.
Getting Pre-Trip Jitters
I have been thinking about this tour since last October and talking about it to friends and family since December, but now that I have moved out of my apartment and I am testing out all the new gear, everything finally seems real and a swarm of butterflies have made my stomach their new home. Today at work the new schedule was hung up and my name isn’t there anymore, what a bizarre feeling. My emotions are all over the place. I am so excited! But also so nervous!
I have a sneaking suspicion that I won’t be able to calm down until my brother and I actually head toward Colorado…maybe we should leave tomorrow.
Bike Like Crazy 
Wow, your upcoming bike tour sounds really fun and exciting. I can’t wait to read updates about your ride. 🙂
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Thanks Chris! I will do my best to keep you posted on our adventure 😀
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What’s this? A bike trip across the country (nearly)? I missed this somewhere along the way. What fun. Take care. Be safe. And keep us posted 😎
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Thank you, Gary! We will do our best to stay safe at all times. Either way, I will keep you posted 😉
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That’s gonna be crazy awesome Bri! I’ll have to live vicariously through you… 😍
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I hope it is a good adventure to live vicariously through then 😉
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My first few tours were full of anxiety as they approached. Within the first quarter mile of the actual ride, all of that was replaced by a smile and a feeling of euphoria. You are welcome to be nervous but keep in mind it’s only a bike ride every day.
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Thank you, John! I remember finding your words to be true on my mini tour last year when I went to Rochester. Knowing that it is just a bike ride definitely helps calm me…although the butterflies remain 🙂
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So exciting!!! Will you be able to post much while you’re on your trip?
Also, fat tire bikes are soooooo fun!!
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They are fun tires to ride on! I am bringing a tablet with me, so my goal is to write at least a bit each day. Of course, I am not sure how accessible wi-fi will be so I might not be able to actually post every day.
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Have a great ride and keep us posted! If you have a chance, tell us what you took along, what you wished you had or what worked brilliantly. (BTW, the tent looks great!)
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Great idea, I will try to do that at some point, once we have some miles under our belts and figure out what stuff is really working well…there is gonna be a learning curve for sure!
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I’m loving that old speedometer… aside from the added size I wonder why they’re not all solar-powered now.
Good luck with your up-coming tour! I have one planned too and I’m playing all the potential pitfalls out in my mind (again!); it has been a couple of years since I strapped my tent to my bike and toddled off; I just bought a new tent (something smaller and lighter) and some new pedals because mine are getting a little rattly. I thought about getting a tablet or little laptop to take with me, but I’m looking forward to cutting myself off for the duration and conserving weight, maybe I’ll find some internet access en-route.
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That is awesome that you are planning a tour as well and super cool that you are doing it “unplugged”. You probably won’t even miss the online world while you are out on your bike 😀
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I remember that excitement (and the manic kit buying!) before I headed off. As others have said, the hardest part is the first hundred yards. As soon as you’re out of sight of home, you’ll be loving it! Good Luck!
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Thanks Tim 😀 It is good to hear reassuring words from a seasoned, around-the-world touring beast like yourself!
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Planning adventures is often as exciting as doing the adventures 🙂
Looking forward to updates Bri.
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Very true, Gail! It is quite the thrill to come home each day with packages stacked up against the door, so many new biking goodies 😉
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Oh Bri you’ll love it. Cutting the home cords are hard but worth it to live a new life, new adventure. When my father knew my boyfriend and I were serious about a cross-country journey on two wheels, he exclaimed, “I’ll pick you up anywhere on the East Coast if you need help”, which of course, had the opposite effect. We had a fantastic adventure.
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Your words intrigued me Annie, so I went over to your blog and noticed for the first time the heading “Fond Memories of a Long Ago Adventure”. So now I have started reading your story and it is completely delightful 😀
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I am one week from leaving to Chicago!! I plan on a one more ride on the bike I am taking if the rain ever stops. The 17th of May I start heading east. I am playing with panniers now and I have made water proof battery box to carry extra batteries and those power packs with cut outs in foam. I have my bike stuff in (tubes, rags, lube, pedal wrench, zip ties, extra co2 and patch kits and such) in 2 zip lock containers. I also made a box, with a cut out for a power pack and my phone. I plan on live tracking my ride to entertain my co-workers, and so they know where to collect the body if the dot stops.
For internet access on your tablet, Mcdonalds, sixbucks coffee and the like, some public library’s have wifi and if you ask nice, I have never had one say no to using their computer.
Never pass up a good local coffee shop and crumb cake, never say no to homemade pie at a local diner and always, always just enjoy the ride.
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AHHHH!!!!! I am so excited for you Steve! Sounds like you have a well planned setup, I am still working mine all out, but I am getting there 😀 Thanks for the nuggets of helpful info, I have never liked Mcdonalds or $$tarbucks, but I guess I am about to have a mindset shift!
I hope you don’t mind, but I just sent you an email.
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So, I’ve been out of the blogging loop for a while because I’ve just been super busy and I totally missed that YOU’RE ON A BIKE TOUR! That’s so awesome!!!! 😀
And now I am going to “fritter” away my morning catching up on all of your posts.
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It has been a blast so far! Thanks for reading along 🙂
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