Details, Details

I'm still sitting here at home, over 2 weeks after I originally wanted to leave on my epic adventure. The Wilmington trip was great, and an epic adventure in its own right. Strangely, as I was sitting at work the day after I got back, it felt as if it hadn't happened at all. 4 days? It only seemed like a dream... The only conclusion that I could draw was that it was obviously too short.

So why am I still here? Well, I realized that I needed more space, as I had decided to leave quite a bit of the long term gear I intended to take at home (not that big of a deal due to the clear weather forecast and short duration), so I ordered some front racks and bags. I also realized a few modifications I would like to make to my current gear, like adding netted closeable windows to my hammock sock to allow me to peek out and make sure no animals are going through my stuff in the night without exposing myself to any vicious mosquitoes or letting out too much warm air, or for added ventilation on the steamier nights.

I also needed to take advantage of the free tune up REI gives you when you purchase a new bike from them before the 6 month time limit was up. This was to be the start of a long process of getting my bike into its final touring-ready form. REI had my bike for about a week, which seemed like torture. When I got it back, I immediately gave it to Cycles de ORO in Greensboro to change out the 20 tooth back cog with a 22 tooth one, so that I could have some lower gears for the hills I would be encountering. I ordered the part when I turned my bike into REI, so it was ready to go when I got it back, and the switch was supposed to be done that same day. Unfortunately, my internal gear hub somehow broke (the shop said they had never seen one break that way and that the Alfine hub I have is top quality and something like this should never happen again. Shimano sent the shop a replacement hub for free). This added another week onto my trip departure date. At this point I started feeling like I would never get out of here, and fell into a small depression. Not being able to ride for several weeks, as well as some car issues my family was experiencing which left me stranded at the house most days, had me falling back down pretty fast. I needed to pack and clean and finish my projects, but I just couldn't find the motivation.

My front racks and panniers came in, and I eventually got the call that my bike was ready to be picked up. My high school art teacher, who I am still friends with, took me to go get it, and it was like being reunited with a long lost love: I couldn't stop smiling. Unfortunately, my elation only lasted about a day as I realized I couldn't get the racks on myself and the back brakes were causing just enough friction on the disk to not make any obvious rubbing noises but still make the wheel stop after a revolution or two, and nothing I did to adjust said brake was working. I took it back to the shop (the local one this time), and I left it there for a day to put my racks on and fix the brakes. When I got it home, I realized that some bolts needed to be cut shorter and my brakes were still not to my liking. Back to the shop it went.

After getting it back from Greensboro, I realized that my departure was eminent, and began the last minute sewing projects that I had been putting off, as well as started watching the weather, as a nasty cold front was on its way that would drop our pleasant 85 degree highs down to a chilly 65 and 57 degrees for two days (Sunday and Monday). After that it would be in the 70s: not as high as before, but not as cold as those two days either. Fall is definitely here and I need to get my butt in gear! I went for a 28 mile ride Sunday with my rear panniers full of stuff so that I could hopefully minimize any painful repeat of the 2nd days' difficulties on the Wilmington trip, especially since it's now been almost a month since I've done any riding! My new date of expected departure is Tuesday, the 9th. Better late than never.

What I'm Taking With Me On My Trip Across The Country

Here's my packing list, and what everything cost. (Free items are things I already had, and are something most people would already have as well, or are fairly cheap to buy new.)

Total cost for my current setup: $2180
You can see in my itemized list that I did quite a few DIY projects to save money on certain items, as well as used some things I already had around the house. However, I also bought a number of pretty expensive things that have cheaper alternatives, or that others might find unnecessary all together. This is my list, and everyone's list will be different to suit their own needs. In case you were wondering, I had originally budgeted $1000 for the bike and $500 for gear, before I started buying anything. If you don't count things like special clothes, electronics, or the modifications I made to the handlebars and gearing, I came pretty close to my goal.

The Bike: $856
Novara Fusion from REI: I bought it with a 20% off coupon, plus tax (a $214 savings from the original price with tax). It's currently on sale for about $700, plus tax.

Bike Modifications: $207
Handlebars: I changed the handlebars to a more swept back, cruiser type, because my wrists were bothering me. (This was probably unnecessary, I just needed the shifter position and handlebar height adjusted...) $22
Grips: (Also unnecessary, but the originals were getting a little torn up from rubbing the sides of the car while traveling, and I didn't think the brown cork matched the rest of the bike anyway) $22
Saddle: Blackburn Women's Sport Trail Seat from Dick's Sporting Goods: $40
Kickstand: ESGE two-leg kickstand, about $45 with shipping, installed by The Bicycle Shop in Fayetteville, NC
Rear cog: I had Cycles de ORO, in Greensboro, change out my 20 tooth back cog for a 22 tooth cog, because I found I hardly ever got up to my 8th gear (and if I did get up to use my 8th gear, I was going plenty fast already and should probably just relax), however, I found myself wishing I had a lower gear or two on some hills. Changing the cog would effectively slide my gear range down a notch or two. $10 for the cog, $20 for labor. (I intend to keep the original cog with me on my trip in case I decide to change it back due to my fitness level increasing or what not.)
Front racks: Axiom Journey DLX Low Rider racks: $33 with shipping, installed by The Bicycle Shop
Front rack adapters: Jandd Disk Brake/Fender Adapters, because my disk brakes were in the way: $15

Accessories: $167
Front pannier set: Avenir Excursion Small Panniers: $48
Back pannier set: Avenir Excursion Large Panniers: $65
Phone mount: Arkon SM432 Mega Grip: $13 (great at dampening the road vibrations, and my camera barely peeks out of the top, allowing for easy road videos and pictures. A small piece of foam to raise the phone up another few millimeters will probably be added later.)
Bike Computer: Sunding Bicycle Computer from dealextreme.com (super cheap, decent quality Chinese stuff, but takes forever to get here): $5
Tube bag: Axiom power bag 2: $16 (there are cheaper comparable products out there)
Handlebar bag: Avenir Metro seat bag: $8 (the plastic insert makes this bag somewhat hard to use, I probably wouldn't buy it again.)
Water bottle cage: Topeak Medula XL: $12

Gear:  
     Bike maintenance: $51
          -Pump: Topeak Road Morph with gauge: $30
          -Patch kit: $4
          -Hex key set (taken from a larger tool kit already owned): free (this is similar)
          -Screwdriver set: I found a small pen style set at Walmart for about $2 (this is similar)
          -Tire levers and wrench: (taken from a different patch kit already owned): free (found here, the glueless patches are sub-par, which is why I bought another kit with the orange-edged patches and vulcanizing glue.)
          -Chain cleaner and lube: SpinPower foaming degreaser and dry chain lube, from Cycles de ORO: about $15

     Kitchen/Water: $103
          -Water sterilizer: Steripen: $46 (UV light kills the germs, but doesn't filter out any chemical contaminants. I might eventually pick up a filter to use in conjunction with this. Purification tablets would be cheaper and smaller, but they tend to leave a taste and most don't kill all of the really nasty bugs (crypto and giardia) due to their hard shells.)
          -Water bladders: 96 oz Nalgene Canteen: 2 for $20 from ebay. (The ones I got tend to leak if they are laid on their sides, and the large screw top lids prevent them from packing down as small as I would like, and of course water is heavy, and so these are heavy when filled. I bought them with desert water storage in mind, but now I think that smaller topped 2 liter bladders would be more practical in normal situations...)
          -Coffee filters: free
          -Cook pot/bowl: GSI Glacier Bottle Cup: $10 from Dick's Sporting Goods
          -Extra cook pot/bowl: Jumbo Stainless Steel Cup Holder: $7 (it nests perfectly inside the Glacier cup)
          -Measuring cup: $1.50 (also fits nicely inside the cup holder)
          -Can opener: free (This is the one I'm taking, and it fits easily in the bottom of my pot set)
          -Lighter/waterproof matches: free (fits inside the pot set)
          -Tea candle tins: free (this is what I'm using as my stove. I cut one down to half hight, turn it upside down for the base, and set another uncut one on top. They hold 1/2 oz of alcohol fuel, and as long as you can block the wind with a wind screen or fire ring, then it is usually enough to bring the water to a boil, which is sufficient to cook/reconstitute things like oatmeal, instant mashed potatoes, or pasta if you are patient and have a pot cozy. With a little planning, you could also boil an egg and use the hot water for other things. Or, you could refill the tin and continue boiling the water for a few minutes (make sure the fire is actually out before adding more fuel!)
          -Pot stand: free. I made mine with an unloved wire coat hanger and some craft wire. It fits inside my pot setup. You can find some inspiration here, here, and here.
          -Pot cozy: free (made from the extra Reflectix I bought for sleeping)
          -Fuel bottle: $1. I'm using a candy melting decorators' bottle (like this one) that I found at Walmart. It has a snap on tip, which makes me feel more confident that there won't be any accidental spills. You could also use a contact solution bottle.
          -Fork and spoon: free. I'm just using some regular silverware I took out of the drawer. I can use the spoon or the handle of the fork to spread peanut butter or the like if I want to.
          -Small chef's knife with plastic sheath: $15 from Chicago Cutlery at Walmart. I always make sure my knives are stiff and do not flex easily from side to side, as cheaper knives tend to do. I feel like cheap knives are just asking for trouble...
          -Alcohol fuel: $2 (I'm using heet in the yellow bottle)

     Sleeping: $131
          -Sleeping bag: my mother's down bag from her younger years: free! There are also decent quality bags available for about $30. This is the one I bought from Walmart on my Wilmington trip, and it is pretty good.
          -Roll of Refectix from Lowes, to use in cold weather, or if I want to sleep on the ground: $14 (Also will be used to make a pot cozy for my cooking cup.)
          -Hobo Hammock: $15 (I got mine on base, but you can find one here too)
          -Hammock suspension kit: $28 with shipping, from Arrowhead Equipment (I had made some tree straps for just a few dollars from some nylon webbing, but I lost them, and I wanted some whoopie slings anyway, so I went ahead and bought the kit.)
          -Fleece underquilt: $15 (DIY, $10 for blanket, $5 for ribbon and shock cord)
          -Mosquito netting: $9 (DIY project, made from tulle from fabric store)
          -Hammock sock: $20 (DIY project, made from ripstop nylon)
          -Pillowcase: free (stuff some clothes in there, good to go)
          -Tarp: $30 (DIY project, made from ripstop nylon, grommets, and a silicone dip)

     Other: $65
          -Mini key-chain LED flashlights in white and red: $10
          -Mini carabiners: $5
          -Cargo nets: $15 (one was deconstructed for use as shock cord)
          -Bungee cords: $10
          -Permethrin treatment: $20 for 2 bottles (I'm using it on my socks, shoes, hammock sock, bug net, tree straps, bandana, sunhat, and any thing else I can think of to control ants, mosquitoes, and ticks. It supposedly only lasts through 6 washes, though, so I'm not planning on using it on my riding clothes, or any other clothes I intend to wash just about every day.)
          -Safety pins/mini alligator style paper clips: $2
          -Zip ties/velcro straps/rubber bands/duct tape: $3

Clothes: about $300 (only counting the cost for what I bought specially for this trip)
2 under armour heat gear short sleeve shirts
2 work out capri length pants
2 sports bras
2 pairs of "riding underwear"
2 pairs of sports socks
2 under armour cold gear long sleeve mocks
1 pair of arm sleeves (They are supposed to be cooling, but I find them to be about neutral in terms of warmth. They are good to keep the sun off, though.)
2 pairs of long leggings (one is cotton and will be used for sleeping, the other is an under armour cold gear knock off)
1 pair of nice long work out pants that could also be worn off the bike
2 cotton tank tops
2 regular bras
3 regular underwear
1 multicolor skirt (good for pulling on over my riding bottoms before running into a store)
1 pair khaki pants
2 pairs of knee high socks
1 pair of regular white socks
1 fleece jacket
1 waterproof/windbreaker shell type jacket
1 heavy duty rain poncho with grommets in the corners (can be worn while riding to cover my rear bags and handlebars while providing lots of ventilation (assuming no wind: it would act like a sail and be miserable), or used as a tarp or ground sheet)
1 wide brim sun hat
1 winter hat
1 pair winter gloves
1 bandana
1 pair DIY gaiters/shoe covers for riding in the rain, made with left over ripstop (I have fenders but they don't really protect my feet/legs well)
1 bikini swimsuit
Sunglasses
Eye glasses
Watch
Flip flops
Old sneakers (I don't need no special shoes!)

First Aid Kit: free: already had everything around the house
Band aids
Ibuprofen
Pepto Bismol tablets
Allergy pills
Iron pills (very important for me around that time of the month for moods and energy)
Vitamin B complex pills (also helps with my moods sometimes)
Alcohol wipes
Gauze pads
Itch cream (this got moved up to my tube bag for easy access after I got attacked by mosquitoes)
Neosporin
Quick clot
Mooncup, pads, tampons, and liners. (As these are "occasional" items, they will stay in my first aid kit most of the time.)

Personal/Hygiene: about $25 (most of it was stuff I already had)
Hair towel: $7
Microfiber washcloths/mini travel towels: $2 from dollar store
Travel size: (buy empty bottles to fill yourself, or go to the mini/travel section the store, or grab some complimentary ones from hotels)
     -Shampoo
     -Conditioner
     -Toothpaste
     -Face wash
     -Body wash
     -Moisturizing lotion
Folding toothbrush: $2
Floss
Deodorant
Acne cream
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Makeup (just the bare minimum for when I want to re-join society. I don't wear much makeup anyway): concealer, powder, and mascara
Burt's bees chapstick
Emergency roll of toilet paper
Small bottle of hand sanitizer with a rubbery case: $2 (attached on top of one of my panniers for easy access without having to touch anything else.)
Hair brush
Hair ties/clips/bobby pins
Tweezers
Nail clippers
Eye drops
Razor
Small mirror
Mini baby powder
Cotton balls/q-tips
Anti-chaffing stick (looks like deodorant)
Delicates laundry soap for hand washing: $1 from dollar store
Sponge
Ziploc bags
Small trash bags

Electronics: $228
Smart Phone: already had one
Phone charger cable: already had one
Camera: $120
Micro SD card and regular memory card size adapter case from BestBuy: $25 (for being able to put the memory card from the camera into my phone for uploading pics to the internet)
Battery pack: $35
Special bike charger cable, for use with my front hub generator: $30 (the cost was for parts, purchased from Brantley Electronics Supply (who were very helpful and patient with me), and assembled by my dear friend Andrew, who understands gadgetry more than I do, mostly following these plans. You can also buy commercial versions here, and here. There are surely others to be found, but as you can see, they are all pretty expensive.)
Rechargeable batteries: $10
Battery charger: $8

Safety: $33
Pepper spray: $8 (keep it where it is easy to get to)
Whistle: free (also keep it where it is easy to get to, or even better, on your person)
Reflector belt: free (as a military family we have tons of these)
Helmet: $15 (I actually don't wear one, but I will include it anyway)
Combination lock: $10
ID cards, etc.

Miscellaneous: $14
Business cards: free from Vistaprint: $7 for shipping (They have my blog website on them so the people I meet can read about my trip.)
Pocket chair: $7
Notebook/pen

Foods I will likely always be carrying:
Tortillas
Trail mix (I make my own with 1 part mixed nuts/peanuts, 1 part raisins, and 1/2 part M&Ms)
Instant mashed potatoes (the pre-flavored kind that only needs water)
Oatmeal (I prefer cinnamon flavor)
Peanut butter/nutella (Jiff makes these cute little single serving cups now that can help with space)
Fruit leather
Canned chicken/tuna
Applesauce
Instant rice
Granola bars
Some kind of pasta
Hot chocolate mix
Pop tarts
Spices (garlic powder, taco seasoning, etc)

Foods I'm going to try to carry as much as possible:
1-2 carrot sticks
Head of broccoli
1-2 small onions
Individually wrapped cheddar cheeses
Summer sausage
1-2 bananas
Dark chocolate
Eggs

Welcome to the adventures of me: Lady Grace!

Hello! I thought that since I'm planning an epic cross country bike tour and all, I should set up a new blog, you know, to let the people who love me keep up with me or maybe help others get a few ideas for adventures of their own.

I got into biking in the summer of '11 when I was up in Montana without a car. I tried the bus system for a while, but it took a long time to get anywhere, stopped running really early in the evening, and didn't run at all on Sunday. My commute to work was about 7 miles each way. At first it was a real challenge: I had a cheap $100 bike from Walmart, I didn't know hardly anything about bike maintenance, I didn't have a rack to get my stuff off my back, and I was out of shape. However, my determination (stubbornness) helped me get through it, and after about 2 months and a better $300 bike from Walmart (and some know-how about how to make proper brake and gear adjustments), I genuinely started to enjoy it. I'd never felt better.

When the summer ended and it was time for me to leave, I started dreaming about riding my bike down to Sacramento, CA, where I had a few close friends. I waited too long, however (and I was probably ill prepared anyway), and to avoid getting caught in the mountains in the dead of winter I decided to fly instead.

Fast forward a few months: I'm back with my parents in NC. I was trying to keep my biking habit alive because it made me feel so much better, when tragedy struck: I crashed hard near the end of a long ride and snapped my collarbone clean in half. I also probably got a good case of side whiplash, a partially dislocated sternoclavicular joint (where your collarbones meet in the middle under your throat), and a concussion, but those things remained undiagnosed due to my lack of insurance. I ended up getting a bad-ass titanium plate and screws put in to fix the bone (*so* thankful for hospital charity programs), but the whole thing scared me so badly that I swore off biking and got rid of my bike and everything that went with it. It ended up taking me over 6 months to completely heal, including regaining the muscle strength I had lost to atrophy, and I still get sore pretty quickly during really strenuous activities. Neck injuries are no joke. (Neither is genuinely thinking you are going to die on the side of the road...)

 

At some point in the spring though, during the days that the "weird" feeling in my chest, neck, and shoulder was almost easy to ignore, I started to get the urge to ride again. So I bought a new (fancy/expensive, not-Walmart) bike, and took it for a spin around the neighborhood. I couldn't even go 2 miles! I took it out 2 more times before it became a clothes rack in the living room. It sat there for 2 months, every time I looked at it was so mad at myself for buying something so expensive and not using it, and for being so out of shape. So I decided that I was really going to do this cross country tour, dang it!

So here I am. I've worked my way up to 28 mile rides on the flat land on the other side of the river. (I'm going to claim that this was also one reason I didn't last long the first time I went back out: my neighborhood has some killer hills). I've started buying the gear I want/need for long term travel on the road. And as much as I like to think I can afford all the fancy-smancy stuff I want now, when I have a job and am getting paid on a regular basis, I'm far from rich. And I really need to start doing the diy route. But not the half assed "I'm gonna get all this stuff to diy and then not actually finish the projects so I end up spending all this money on pile of half-baked junk" kind of thing. Like, I really need to follow through.

Case in point: before my accident, I bought a cheap hammock because I decided I actually don't like camping, mainly because I don't like sleeping on the ground (and I really like hot showers). Unfortunately, I plan on camping almost exclusevly to save money. So when I found out that some people camp with hammocks instead of tents, I thought "what a great idea!" Well, it was getting to be winter, so I learned about under-quilts. Have you seen how much they are going for? They are pretty darn pricey. But I was determined, so I decided to make my own. I couldn't afford down, so I bought some wool batting. I wanted it to be lightweight, and blend in in the woods, and be somewhat waterproof, blah, blah, blah, so I went and bought some green and grey ripstop nylon, and some grosgrain ribbon for the edge channels, and I can't even remember what else so that I could make it just the way I wanted. Then I hit the wall of "I don't want to mess up. What if I cut it wrong. What if I don't like it. What if, what if. what if." So it never got finished. I would lay it all out and pile it up and fold it in various ways and look at patterns online... and then I would sleep on it for a few days just to be sure, waiting for some sort of light bulb moment of inspiration that never came. Rinse and repeat. I really need to find all that stuff and finish what I started, because I'm going broke fast.

I'm planning on leaving for my epic trip sometime in mid to late September. That gives me about 2 months to get my act together. Before I leave I plan to make a bug net for my hammock, a tarp (either from a plastic painters drop cloth or the ripstop I bought for the underquilt. I haven't decided yet), an alcohol stove, and who knows what else. I'm sure I can think of more things I just have to have. I also bought a food dehydrator, which I had planned to use to dry enough veggies/fruits/meat for my trip, thinking that when dehydrated it would be small and light enough for me to take it all with me. I don't think that idea was very realistic now. Then I thought, "hey, I'll still make it all and just have my mom send me care packages!" However, I'm starting to doubt the legitimacy of that plan as well. I'm hoping once my panniers get here everything will start falling into place. (Cross my fingers)