I am trying to make good use of this day by going over the list of things we need to bring and getting things together for packing, next week. We have never toured before, but thankfully I was able to locate a list of things needed for a basic 6 day tour. I also have a bit of camping experience to fall back on and have been in touch with someone else who is riding PALM. We've been comparing notes.
Here is the list I found online. It was on the Great Ohio Bike Adventure tour site.
The basics are;
bicycle (you think??)
helmet (required)
tire pump that fits on bike frame
bike bag
water bottles
rearview mirror (helmet or bike mounted)
bike lock or cable
toiletries (keep it simple)
medications
sun block and lip balm
mosquito repellant
towel
shower shoes
hand sanitizer (we keep it in our bike bag)
first aid kit
Necessities;
money, credit card, travelers checks.
sun glasses
travel alarm (come on there will be over 700 people around us...you think we'll over sleep??)
flashlight and batteries. I'll bring extra batteries for the air bed too. Can't imagine trying to find batteries in small towns that so many others might be looking for batteries in too.
camera (I'm taking an extra...it's small)
ear plugs
swim suit
a deck of cards, and frisbee
pet supplies, if you are bringing a pet. (yep we are.)
reading material (can't imagine when I'll have time to read)
radio (not on the list, but I know Tony will take his little one..he has to keep track of the tigers and the weather.)
writing material
a roll of toilet paper
stamps and envelopes
postcards (more fun to buy some along the way)
ink pen
addresses
small clothes line and some clothes pins
duct tape
bike tool kit
inner tube (we're taking 2)
tube repair kit (I got a free one when I took my ladies bike repair class for )
rag ( I also carry and old sock and some plastic throw away gloves... bike chains are greasy)
garbage bags or shower bag to put on bike seat so it isn't wet from dew each morning. (not a very fun way to start a riding day.)
Camping;
Tent with rain fly. (we are bringing some extra stakes)
tarp (to put tent on)
sleeping bag or pad (we are taking a battery operated, inflatable bed. (don't want to sleep on the ground after a hard day of riding.) Still have to see if bed fits in the tent.
Clothes;
7 t-shirts
long sleeve shirt
long pants (I'm bringing sweats and biking pants)
sweatshirt or jacket
underwear
socks 3 pair (I'll bring some that I made..they are great for riding.)
cycling gloves (yesterday when we rode, my hands were cold, didn't have mine along.)
cycling shoes and 1 pair of walking shoes
hat
rain gear
shorts (3 pair)
I'm not bringing a blow dryer, the natural curl the good Lord gave me will have to do. I'll have helmet hair by the end of the day anyway, right along with everyone else.
All gear will be transported in a support truck (known as the SAG truck), so we won't have to haul a lot with us. Just what we need while we are riding. Since the tents will be wet with dew when loaded in the truck, all items must be packed in waterproof bags. We bought 2 waterproof duffle bags and a waterproof bag for our gear. All of our gear has to be labeled in permanent marker. We each picked an encouraging scripture, and I wrote that on our bags. I will do the same with our gear bag. We will see those twice each day and it will be a reminder to us that God is with us and that he is our strength.
We signed up for the meal plan, (we were so happy they had a vegetarian option,) so will get breakfast and supper at the schools where the group will be camping. We are all on our own for lunch. Just found out that this years tour has over 800 riders... they normally cut off at 700. I'm thinking the lines will be long, and we will likely get some cold showers. Tents will be very close together. Yep, we'll need prayer.
Wanted towels that would be quick drying, so I found these online. They are supposed to be very absorbent, yet they dry quickly, and are light weight. They come rolled up in a little disk, and have to be wet down before they are used the first time. I wet one down today. A cold shower is bad enough...we need to have towels that we know are sufficient, BEFORE we are on the tour. Pictured towel will get tested when I take my shower tomorrow morning.
Will also bring granola bars, almonds, and a powdered electrolyte/glucosamine drink mix called Solstic Revive. Much easier to transport than gatorade, and we just mix it in our water. Tony can sometimes have a hard time riding in heat, and the Solstic seems to really help him. He does a lot better if he munches while we ride too, so lots of protein and carb stuff for him. He even has his own bag to keep his snacks in. So do I, but I know his bag will be fuller than mine.
Above all else, we need lots of prayer support on this tour . We want to be a light for the Lord in words, attitudes and actions. There are people out there that don't read the Bible, but they read people who profess Christ. I recently told a friend that Christians get grumpy when they are tired , hungry or when things go wrong too. We are human, just like everyone else, I hope many who read this will be praying for us. Thanks.
Water stops will be every 10 miles, with melon stops as well. (helps keep electrolytes and potassium up) 2 bike mechanics will travel with the group, and the roads will be clearly marked. In fact, I understand that many of them got painted yesterday. Hope they used long lasting, water proof paint. I'm thinking that since this is the 30th year of PALM, things should go pretty smoothly. As I mentioned earlier, I am not bringing my computer along, but will be doing a written journal that I can copy onto the blog later. Hope the next posting, actually includes a ride. At least the day wasn't a waste, since I needed time to get the practical preparations done too.
Another plus, someone came today and bought our diamond frame tandem bike, the one we used to ride before we got the trike. It was a guy who is going to be using it to ride with his son, who is about 9 or 10. What a great way to spend time with a child. They were both so happy to load it up. and we were glad to see it go to a good home. Hope they get many enjoyable miles from it.
The rain cleared and we got out for a 16 mile ride. It was such a nice evening, everything was so green. Came home, had a late supper and topped it off with a piece of the rhubarb pie I baked earlier today. Life is good.
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