Preparation
I love planning for a trip almost as much as the trip itself. The actual trip planning was nonexistent since we were doing an organized ride.
I bought a copy of Bicycling the Lewis and Clark Trail by Michael McCoy. This book gives an overall flavor of the trail. There is another book Bicycle Guide to the Lewis and Clark Trail by Tod Roger. Two of the men on my trip had brought along this book. It had cue sheet type routing info and much more detail on the terrain. Early in the trip when I was more concerned about my capabilities, I was frequently borrowing this book to check out the next day's route.
I also spent an embarrassing amount of time on crazyguy reading journals.
It had been a few years since we'd done any significant bicycle camping. I decided it was necessary to buy new gear. I kept my North Face 0 degree down sleeping bag, but bought a new pad and tent. New clothes. New to me bike (more about this under equipment). I had a great deal of fun researching the possibilities and making my selections.
Weight is a big issue for me. Even with my weight loss program going well, I was still going to be very overweight on the trip. I tried to keep weight down on my gear to help compensate. I was quite happy with my decision to purchase a box of 1,000 individual shampoos. I counted out enough for two shampoos a day. One for my hair and another as body soap. A good friend laughed at me and said he was sure that the weight of the packaging made the total weight greater than if I had just brought along a bottle of shampoo. Not to be deterred, I insisted the individual size was better as WHO was it that had forgotten their shampoo at the campground in Ridgeway? Yep, that's who.
I debated mightily over taking a pillow. Typically I would fold my fleece vest just so and use it as a pillow. Not much fluffing ability, but dual functionality. The only problem was on cold nights when I wanted to wear the vest to bed. A friend offered me a travel size pillow and an old soft linen sheet. I cut the end off of the sheet and made a real pillow case for the pillow. The rest of the sheet I sewed together into a sleep sack.
The next debate was over taking the sleep sack or not. Why, it probably weighed close to a pound! Many people on the list tout sleep sacks for hot weather sleeping. I decided to keep it. In the end I used it nightly under me with my sleeping bag spread out over the top of me. We didn't have any weather warm enough for just a sleep sack.
As far as physically preparing for the ride, I probably did it all wrong. I did not do speed work and I rode almost seven days a week. But I was happy and I was out there putting miles on. I lifted weights three times a week. My main goal in lifting weights was to avoid the tyrannosaurus cyclist look. You know, all muscled legs and wimpy little arms. About a month before the departure date I started pulling the BOB trailer around with my camping gear in it.
ACA advises doing a shake down tour. I had a new small tent that I wasn't taking on the 'official' shake down, since that was a hotel trip. For the camping shake down, I was going to ride to a KOA in a neighboring town, but balked at their $30. tent fee. In the end, I loaded everything up and rode 50 miles. I came home, set up the tent in the yard and slept in it that night (until the cold forced me inside in the wee hours). The next day I loaded everything back up and rode another 50 miles. My husband got quite a kick out of that, but I had ridden two 'touring days' and pitched my tent.
Jacinto and I did the four day hotel tour I described previously. I was going to pull the BOB w/gear, but Jan talked me out of it, telling me horror stories about the climb up Grand Mesa. She assured me there was no way 'you can do all of that mileage'. "If" we make the climb, she advised stopping at the first town, Cedaredge, rather than continuing on to Hotchkiss. Well! The gauntlet was thrown. I did leave the BOB behind, but, by golly, I was in good shape, I had lost lots of weight and I could do this. We made it to Hotchkiss, but I was decimated over how tired I was. Feelings of doubt abound. I spoke about that in the introduction. In the end I decided we should ride Grand Mesa every spring because after that, it's all easy!
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