#2018ErieOdyssey – More Prep

#2018ErieOdyssey – Prep (in case you missed it)

As I started pulling things together last night (Friday), I realized I was missing a couple things. I have so many things that need charging with micro USB cables – phone, camera, front and rear bike lights and two portable batteries – and I could only find one working cable. It was 10pm – what to do? I didn’t want to spend time driving to a store today so I checked Amazon. I have Amazon Prime – and found three cables for $10 – eligible for one day shipping that would arrive by 9pm Saturday. I need to be at Dayle’s by 8am Sunday. There was only one hitch – I needed an order of $25 to qualify. Dayle had recommended taking a micro fibre tired towel for drying hand washed clothing, so I decided to order one of those, and my son needs a tally counter for a game he’s creating for his Hospitality class at school, which was an add on item (inexpensive items that can only be shipped as part of a larger order), so I threw that in as well to meet the minimum. The only concern – would it actually arrive by 9pm Saturday, the suggested delivery time? The guarantee was for Sunday, which would be too late.

Well, I needn’t have worried. Almost exactly 12 hours later the doorbell rang and my package arrived just after 10am. It’s great living so close to an Amazon distribution centre with deliveries by Amazon, not Canada Post.

Next I headed outside to clean my bike and chain. Dayle commented that it got her hands dirty when she was lifting it onto the bike rack on her van, when she took me to Tour de Mississauga last week, and she was right. I had been out in the rain a couple times and it did need cleaning. It also reminded me to bring chain oil and a cloth in case we do get the forecasted rain on Monday and Tuesday.

I spent the afternoon packing and doing laundry for myself and those I am leaving behind. I drove my bike and bags over to David and Dayle’s for 5pm. Wayne also arrived to drop of his things and give us a lesson in using the bike rack he recommended that David and Dayle buy. In addition to the two bags below, I have a canvas shopping bag with my helmet and a small fan for drying hand washed clothes. I always travel with my pillow, but managed to roll it up and compress it enough to get in the duffel bag. I also asked Dayle to put a couple cold compresses and a bottle of Bailey’s in the cooler. While I am doing better than last year, when I took a giant pink wheeled suitcase, I still need some lessons from Rani on how to pack light. David has promised to help carry my bag since it does strain my not-yet-fully-healed neck.

Rani will carpool with our friends Peter and Tracy, who are going to Greg’s Ride for the day. She had challenged herself to take only what she can carry on her bike and I am truly impressed. She has promised to let me take a picture tomorrow night of what is in the bag pictured below.

Nelson arrived safely in Hamilton by bike. He is staying with family tonight. He shared pictures on Instagram as he proceeded and is letting me share them here.

He is also carrying everything he needs on his bike, but it looks like he is taking more than Rani.

Nelson ended the day quite tired, being unused to carrying so much weight on his bike. Also, one of the trails he tried – LaFarge – “started great, but turned impossible”. And, then he had to push his bike up this bike trough. I wrote a blog post about bike troughs a couple weeks ago.

Finally, I have a head cold. My first in about three years. It’s been bad for three days. I’m hoping to wake up tomorrow feeling improved. Right now I’m off for a steamy, Epson salts bath, then bed, and dreams of adventures soon to come.