Getting Ready to Go
Ruminations on Rain, Scalping, and Joe Walsh
I spent the entire day getting prepped for the ride. After wasting two hours trying to do the SuDoKu puzzle in the Washington Post (do not start doing these, they are addictive and incredibly frustrating), I went to the barber shop for a thorough scalping. I hate dealing with hair on bike trips so the easiest solution is to get rid of it. Then I came home and did the same thing to my lawn.
I had not mowed my lawn in three weeks and it was dead in spots and incredibly thick in others. I set the mower on a low height and off I went, scalping away. Lawnicide.
The Beatles song "Rain" has lyrics about hiding from the rain and the sun. Washingtonians are a lot like that. In the summer they practically hibernate. They are the behavioral inverse of Northerners. When you mow your lawn during a DC heat advisory as I did today, you understand why. After about 90 minutes of yard work, I went inside and my legs were wobbling. I was soaked from head to toe in sweat. Note to the new pope: my mail carrier should be on the short list for sainthood.
After recovering I did all the pre-ride maintenance on the bike. I checked the wheels for true, snugged all the nuts and screws on the bike, mounted my new Road Morph pump, and cleaned and lubricated the chain. I took the bag I use for commuting off, stashed it in the shed, and went inside. Soaked once more.
After two Gatorades, I was ready to tackle the big chore, packing. My wife Ginny bought a bunch of ZipLock bags (the kind with the sliding zipper) in assorted sizes at the grocery store. Everything went in a bag. I decided not to bag the tent, the pad, and sleeping bag this time. If it rains I'll more than likely hit a motel if I can.
What a load. I need to pare it back but I don't know what to leave behind. I am carrying far fewer maps than in 2003. And no paper to write on. (I'll use my Pocketmail composer for that.) Maybe I only need two changes of clothes. (Theme to the trip: Joe Walsh's All-night Laundromat Blues).
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I keep thinking of things to add. My address book, some wet wipes,...
Before I leave tomrorow, I'll need one more thing.
Sleep.
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