This is me lately. Eating & Biking.
With the trip 5 weeks out today, I've ramped up my cycling rides to 50mi as a baseline with 60mi and 75mi routes mixed into the week. Yesterday I did a short spin in since we headed up to the cabin for the Easter weekend.
Packing has officially started for the trip. As I ride I think of things that are important to have with me or plan to ship to myself. Currently I have 2 shipments planned to hotels. I called and made sure it's okay with them, and have planned on sending them to the rest day hotels, when we are at the hotels for 2 nights.
We are allotted 30 lbs of gear total. I'm currently at 15 lbs without packing clothes, but I'll make it no worries. Being a guide has its benefits, I know what it's like to live out of a tent or hotel room for months. I also own a lot of quick dry items and lightweight gear.
What I'm shipping??
So far my shipping boxes include:
Nuun, Honey Stingers, tubes, tiny chain oil & rag, sunscreen, small chamois creme, tiny citrus cleaner, dish sponge & tiny soap, small toiletry restocks, protein powders, instant espresso restock
What I'm packing??
Bike Items:
degreaser, oil, rags (2 tiny), empty yogurt cup for cleaning chain, chain remover, toothbrush (cut in half), Di2 charger, Di2 cable install tool, 2 extra Di2 cables, Garmin, bike backpack w/ water bladder, red & white lights, batteries for HR strap and pedals, extra spokes, tweezers, multitool, tire boots, zip-ties, quick-link spare
Cycling Clothes:
Kits, socks, gloves, long bibs, knee/arm warmers, arm coolers, vests (wind & medium weight), rain coat, light coat, hat (see video), under tank, rain helmet cover, ear warmer, toe covers.
Clothes & all else:
Sunglasses & extra lenses, Meds (Melatonin, Ibuprofen, Pepto, D Mannose), small Theragun, toiletries (travel sizes), pjs, flip flops, pants, skirt, puffy coat/vest, long sleeve shirt, underwear, toothbrush, travel grocery bag, coffee cup, instant coffee, headphones, protein shaker & powder, sunscreen, clothes washing bag, laundry soap sheets, drying string, bottle brush, small sponge, tiny dish soap, swimsuit, USB charging plug hub
I'm sure this will change slightly as I finalize my 2 bags. (*The company ships us 2 bags to be used for the trip.) Once I get close enough, I will weigh it all again with my last items. Ideally I'll be 5 pounds under. Fingers crossed.
I know some might not prep like this, but knowing I have the items I need to fully recover is important for me. Similar to when I raced; I made sure to have Nuun Recovery and a protein shake within 30 min of the end of my races, helping to prep for the next day's stage. This will essentially be the longest stage event I've ever done. Here I thought Gila was tough! HA!
So that's the status of packing.. It's exciting and yet nerve-racking. There are many cities we overnight in with access to stores, so I'm not tooooo concerned. I even looked up which cities have REI's to restock as needed.
With recovery in mind, I also looked into the 5 rest days.. I'm hoping to schedule 2 massages during the trip if possible. Again, fingers crossed that works out.
Finally, bike overhaul will happen soon.. I have a pile of replacement items that will go onto the bike. I've included new heal guards and clips for my shoes. Ideally I'll do the bike tune up in a week or two.
Overall, feeling pretty solid on prep.