January has come to an end, and things are starting to happen around here! Here are a few highlights.

• We bought the Adventure Cycling Maps. They are wonderful! Looks like we’ll shave a day or two off at the end by connecting with the Utah Cliffs route in Hatch instead of Cedar City. Plus, that will give us a ride through Zions National Park!
• We figured out our route through Southern Indiana, and each planned day brings something new and fun for the kids.
• Clerie’s trying to snipe an MSR Dragonfly stove—it’s like a backpacking stove, but it can cook for larger groups. And it can simmer. She’s doing a whole bunch of other gear research, too. Thanks Clerie!
• I’ve been applying for sponsorships from gear companies. My local bike shop, Revolution Bike and Bean, will be helping us out a bit. I usually do my own bike work, but Don and the others there have always been there for me when I’ve needed a little extra service or advice. Thanks Rev Bike & Bean! If you’re ever in Bloomington, look ‘em up. (And I don’t even drink coffee, so I only know part of what they have to offer!)
• I’ve swapped out several cassettes to lower the gearing on our bicycles. I’ve still got two cranksets to swap out as well, to finish lowering the gearing.
• I fixed up our RANS Screamer (recumbent tandem). It’s almost ready to tow E; I’m going to get a second brake on the back wheel—a drum brake, or drag brake?—to help on the long descents. It’s going to have three people plus some gear, so I’d better be sure those brakes can stop us!

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• Clerie’s folks are sending out some of their ultralight sleeping bags—and I thought I was going to be sewing seven quilts! This could be great. Tell you what, Clerie’s and my folks together have taken care of a lot of the outfitting for us. Thank you grams and gramps!
• I’m in the middle of repairing our Yuba Mundo Go-Getter bags. As soon as I’m done with those, I want to start sewing more pannier bags; I think we’ll need ten more! (Two more for the Yuba, two more for the RANS, two for A’s bike, and four for J’s bike.)
• Clerie and I are starting to use the heavier bikes—the Yuba and the RANS—for our commutes. And we’re still going strong with our morning workouts. I want to start adding weight to J’s bike for his rides to/from school, to get him used to being loaded down.

And there’s so much more that needs to be done, but that’s where we’re at right now! Stay tuned!