I guess I'm really doing this

So, I've figured out most of the route, ordered the maps I need from various websites & bookstores, acquired important gear (including new socks!) and got the official training chart from the folks leading the group I'm riding with from Seattle to Jackson, WY. I worried about that chart for a while last night, until I decided that most of the other people in the group probably aren't riding 4-6 hours a day three days a week, either.

But I am doing *some* training, besides my everyday commuting and bigger Sunday rides... Including a three-day excursion out to Pt Reyes National Seashore. Sunday I'm taking the ferry to Larkspur and riding out to base camp in Pt Reyes; Monday riding out to the Lighthouse & Chimney Rock - to see all those wildflowers, besides getting in some miles; and riding back to the ferry on Tuesday. It's 40-50 miles a day, three in a row, which should help.

Not to mention it's the only week I can take off a couple of days of work to do this kind of trip, and amazingly the weather is fantastic! Though it's going to be really chilly at night, I've got the cozy stuff to handle it. Not to mention a great library book to bring along.

Besides getting in a bunch of miles and enjoying the flowers & green hills of spring, this is a big test of some new gear & gadgets and how the bike handles "fully loaded." I'm bringing a bunch more stuff than I really need, mostly to test how it will feels with the amount of stuff I will need to haul around this summer - or else decide to live without. Biggest question for this trip is: bring the pillow...? I think I will.

This will also be a chance to test the nifty "gorilla" tripod for my digital camera, so I can take pictures w/me in them. (This may or may not be a good idea, but it should be fun to play with.)