Ready, Set.......

This is our last day at home before we load up our bikes and gear in a rental car and head to Vancouver, BC via the Great Northwest of the United States.  To try to make sure we didn't forget anything and double check the performance of our bikes fully loaded we went through our check list and loaded up our panniers, handle bar bags, and all of the bike mounted accessories like lights and water bottles, collected our cycle shoes, helmets and gloves, just as if we were getting ready to leave this moment.  Since we'll spend the first 3 days in a car we wanted to try to maintain our routine before a ride to reduce the risk of forgetting something.  Once we road tested our bikes in the neighborhood everything came off the bikes and into a pile in the middle of the garage, and the wheels came off to ease the packing in the car tomorrow morning.  Out of curiosity we weighed everything on each bike and came up with the following;

Scott's Bike:

1. 43 lbs.        Surly Disk Trucker, 56cm, 700c x 32 Schwalbe Marathon tires, accessories.
2. 6.4 lbs.       Handle bar bag, Arkel
3. 13.4 lbs      Front Panniers, Axiom (tools, spare parts, camp equipment, etc.)
4. 20.75 lbs    Rear Panniers, Ortlieb (sleeping bag, pad, clothes, toiletries, electronics)
5. 6.4 lbs       Tent, REI Half Dome
6. 89.5 lbs     Total Weight, dry

Angela's Bike:

1. 37.25 lbs    REI Randonee, 54cm, 700c x 32 Schwalbe Marathon tires, accessories
2. 4.5 lbs.      Handle bar bag, Arkel
3. 6.25 lbs     Front Panniers, Ortlieb (dehydrated food, coffee mug/instant coffee, snacks)
4. 21.25 lbs.  Rear Panniers, Ortlieb (sleeping bag, pad, clothes, toiletries, etc.)
5. 69.25 lbs.  Total Weight,dry

Not exactly like 20 pound nimble, light, carbon fiber road bikes but these babies are like the SUV's of bicycles, made for carrying lots of equipment on the long hauls.  They served us well last year on our way to the Outer Banks and we expect the same service this year along the Pacific Coast.

Next stop.... Vancouver!!!

PS:  We couldn't take a 7 week trip like this without the help of friends and family.  Many thanks to our great neighbors Sheryl & Steve Wisecup for watching our house while we're gone and taking care of Stella cat.  Thanks also to my son Ryan and his wife Mattie for adopting Weaver cat to their family of cats, Emma and  Cooper, while we are gone.  Thanks also to the Longmont Post Master for agreeing to hold our mail for 7 weeks!!!