Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Inventory of Luggage

My bicycle is scheduled to arrive in Astoria, Oregon, via FedEx this Friday. I am right behind it, packing my small (carry-on size) medium Samsonite suitcase (I made a legitimate attempt to get everything to fit in a small carry-on; if my head were not so big, my helmet would have been smaller) and my Eddie Bauer Adventurer Backpack (highly recommended by Helen and amiably shipped to my office in Manhattan by Victor in the Eddie Bauer store in Queens when their website had the item on backorder through June 15).

The below inventory is synced with America By Bicycle's Equipment List. Quantities may vary slightly from AbyB's recommendations. AbyB's baggage restrictions: one medium-size suitcase OR duffel bag and a small carry-on type bag (bags will be shipped by truck daily, hotel to hotel).

[Prices are included for anyone else who might be crazy enough to invest in a tour like this one with less than a year to prepare.]

With Maddy (my Trek 5.0 Madone), currently westbound:
  • New tires [Continental Ultra Gatorskin Bicycle Tire (700x25c), $46.00 x 2], new tubes (Specialized Presta Valve Tube, (700x20/28) $7.00 x 2], new chain [Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 Chain, $65.00]
  • Proper gearing (to get you over all the hills!) [new rear cassette with the highest gear we could fit on the bicycle without having to replace the crankset and derailleurs: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 10 Speed 12-27 Cassette: $185.00]. 
  • Bike-mounted air pump with a valve that fits your tubes/presta/schrader [Blackburn Airstick, $29.99]
  • Water bottle cages [Tacx Tao, silver, $18.00 x 2]
  • Bicycle computer [Cateye V3, $199.99]
  • Upgraded handlebar (lighter, higher-grade carbon) [Deda Zero 100 Road Bar, $139.99]
  • Upgraded stem (longer for fit, lighter, higher-grade carbon) [3T ARX Team Stem, black/red, $81.00]
  • Upgraded bicycle seat [Specialized Toupe Team 2010, black/red, $170.00]
  • Upgraded seatpost (lighter, higher-grade carbon) [Easton EC70 Seatpost, $130.00]
  • Clipless pedals [Shimano XT M770 SPD Mountain Bike Pedal, $124.99]
  • Aircaddy K9100 Compact Box [$99.95 + $20.00 freight shipping from Lickton's Supply Corp via ShipBikes.com]
  • Shipping via ShipBikes.com's FedEx account from Brooklyn, New York, to Astoria, Oregon [$107.85]
In my medium suitcase, to be westbound with me on Friday:

Cycling clothes
Equipment
  • Four new spare inner tubes [two Specialized Presta Valve Tubes, (700x20/28) $7.00 x 2]; Sunlite Premium Bicycle Tube, 700x25-30, $3.99 x 2] / one new spare tire [Continental Ultra Gatorskin (700x25c), $46.00 x 1]
  • Extra special nuts/bolts/etc that you bike requires [none of which I am aware]
  • Six extra spokes to fit your wheels [Trek spokes: 2 front spokes; 3 rear spokes; the bike mechanic at Bicycle Habitat said that if I needed more spokes than that in 50 days, I should just buy a whole new wheel, $1.00 x 5]
  • Any special equipment you normally use: tool kit [Topeak The Mini 9, $19.95], lube [Tri-FLow Lubricant w/ Teflon, $10.00], WD-40 [N/A], grease [N/A], tire levers [Park Tool Tire Levers, 3-pack, $4.50], patch kit [Rema Patch Kit, $3.50], rim tape [Velox, $5.00], mini-tape measure [freebie from my cycling coach]
  • Chamois cream [Butt'r, 8oz, $14.95 x 2]
Leisure clothes
  • 1 pair of slacks/skirt
  • 1 shirt/blouse
  • 2 pair shorts
  • 2 T-shirts/polos
  • 1 light sweater
  • 3 7 changes of underwear (I also believe in extra underwear)
  • 3 9 pairs socks (the brand new 6- and 3-packs that I bought from Lady Footlocker yesterday)
  • 1 pair comfortable shoes (on my feet in the airport)
  • 1 pair flip flops
  • 1 swimsuit
Personal items
  • toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, brush, comb)
  • sunscreen/lip balm
  • digital camera and USB cord
  • monetary media (credit cards, bank card, travelers checks)
  • driver's license
  • passport
  • health insurance i.d./800#
  • stamps, address book, notebook, pencils, pens [postcard stamps, my contacts are on my iPhone and MacBook, notebook, pens]
  • glasses and prescription [N/A]
  • prescription medicines [N/A]
  • idiosyncratic items which you cannot function without [hand sanitizer, though I'm clearly not a germ-aphobe, will probably be useful on the road]
In my backpack, which will be joining me and my suitcase:
Staying home:
  • Topeak Joe Blow II Floor Pump [$45.00]
  • Pearl Izumi Women's Insula Tour Jacket, black/pink/red, medium [$149.99]
  • Bulk supply of Clif Bar energy bars, protein bars and shot blocks [I know that performance nutrition is not the best place to slim your budget, but I am tired of spending money and I don't really want to expend energy on mapping out the route and coordinating bulk shipments of supplemental food when AbyB will supply water, Gatorade and bananas at every SAG stop. The rest of the fare will vary with selections of local fruit, peanut butter crackers, nuts and granola. While breakfast and dinner are provided on ride days and are planned with the riders' optimal nutritional value in mind, lunch and meals on rest days are on our own. While it's difficult to fully plan your lunches on the road, I hope that I can meet my nutritional needs without having to spend too much more money on performance supplements. If this proves to be a decision I begin to regret, I can hit up my Amazon.com account and plan a shipment to an upcoming hotel along the route.]
  • Shampoo and conditioner [expect to have them at each hotel]
This post is under-construction. I'm still packing.
Posted by Katie at 10:49 PM
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1 comment:

Monique D. said...

I say pack more undies than 3 pairs. Dude, August. August is when you're returning & it's June son.

Also don't forget your phone charger. Man that would suck.

June 17, 2010 at 4:48 PM

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