Anticipation/preparation; part 2

Soooo excited!! Day after tomorrow we leave for our 30 day trip out west!! We've spent so much time planning for this trip, it's hard to believe it's a few days away. Preparing for a trip like this requires so much time and attention to detail, what I've included in this blog (and the previous one) is only the tip of the ice burg!

Safety checks have been completed. Additionally, the bikes get a thorough washing and waxing, tire and shock psi checked, routes downloaded and reviewed, and music downloaded on a memory stick. Helmets are also prepared with communication earphones/microphone.

Next, packing. We go through our packing lists and ensure we have all of our equipment and clothing ready. You'd think with a list, this would be an easy task. However, we ALWAYS pack way to much stuff so this trip we promised we'd pack light. We've identified all hotels with laundry so that helps reduce the number of everything you need as far as clothing. We try to pack the bikes a few days in advance for two reasons. It lets us know if we need to pair down more and it allows us to have a "loaded" bike to go practice.

Yup...we practice. It's amazing how different a bike feels when it's fully loaded with gear. Yesterday, we went to the local school parking lot and practiced tight turns, quick stops, U-turns, parking, etc. It makes me a much more confident rider to get the feel of my bike when we do exercises like that. (We try and do the same type of exercises at the beginning of the riding season).

Lastly, we fill the tanks up!! All we need now is to pray for good weather and head out!! I'll try and post at least once a week with details of our ride and (hopefully) awesome pictures!! Wish us a safe, fun, exciting and successful trip!! Hope my future blogs make you...smile!!!!