Checking Off the Things To Do

Here is a little fender bender I saw on my way home yesterday. I did not ride up to see if there were any stop lines painted on the road, but few drivers pay any attention to them anyways. I am sure glad to be on a bike instead of driving. It seems as though many drivers are more courteous of cyclists right now, than they have been through the past several months. There also seems to be an influx of cyclists, which may help raise the general level of awareness of bikes on the road.




I am happy to report that I've only driven my vehicle about 30 feet in the last 10 days. I backed it up just enough to get the mower out of the backyard, and then forward again to block the gate after I was done. On my bike commute I noticed that gas is up to about $3.45 per gallon. I suspect it will get higher soon. It is at a point where I choose to wait until I have several errands to do in one trip with my vehicle. I do not casually get in and drive.

The price of gas has also curbed my desire to explore the GDMBR much more. However, I really want to drive out to Grants to look for a spring that I think might be a better place to get water and camp near, than San Mateo spring. Perhaps this weekend I can camp out there, and also do a hike in El Malpais National Monument. I love hiking in the Malpais area when it is not too hot. I think I know where Flint's hideout might have been. Flint is a character from a Louis L'Amour novel by the same name. The action of the novel is the El Malpais area and Grants, New Mexico.

I still need to prepare my drop boxes to ship, but I have everything purchased for them. Gear-wise I am good. I am riding my trip bike every day and it is dialed in. I have learned how to pack the Epic Designs Super Twinkie Seat Post Bag so that it rides well. I love the custom frame bag and Gas Tank bag that Eric Parsons made too. I have gotten use to the Canon PowerShot A720 IS camera, but I need some more memory cards for it. I have learned how to use the Garmin eTrek Vista HCx effectively even though I wish it would hold a lot more Waypoints. I have also figured out how to make the Tracking function work on the SPOT GPS transponder. The Primus 1 liter EtaPower pot arrived and it's incredible efficiency definitely makes it worth the slight weight penalty. I have ordered the latest Adventure Cycling Association's (ACA) GDMBR maps. They should be here in a day or two. I will leave the old maps at home for my wife so that she can see where I am more easily from the SPOT tracking data and Google Earth maps.

It has been a busy year and a half getting ready to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). The physical training has only been one part of the total preparation. It has been almost a year since my first shakedown trip from Pie Town, New Mexico. Just before I left for that shakedown/experiment I was riding with my load around the neighborhood, and I overheard a couple talking in their front yard as I peddled by. I did not quite make out what she said, but his response was: "He is running away from home."

Many people have contacted me about joining my group for this GDMBR trip, but only a handful remain. In 23 days it all comes together. By this time of the day on May 23rd I will be about halfway from Antelope Wells to Hachita ... grinning from ear to ear and loving it!