The Big Ride

The gear necessary for the “Big Ride” is only part of the equation. The other factors are: the rider and the bike.

As some of you know, my wife and I are planning a trip from Jacksonville to the Catskill Mountains of New York and back. My first concern was the condition of my ride (and the wife’s). So, I broke out the maintenance checklist and began working my way through it.

 Tune-up
 Oil change
 Tire tread & pressure check
 Control cables
 Brake pads
 Fluid levels
 Light check
 Nut & bolt check

Next I considered adding some accessories to enhance the trip.

 Backrest
 Luggage rack
 Camera mount
 Travel bags

Finally, I considered the following contingency items:

 Tire plugs (there’s a story behind that!)
 Fix-a-flat (same story!)
 Extra set of brake pads (mine are worn but not yet the point of replacement)

That pretty much took care of the bikes. I next turned my attention to the riders. This is where the gear issue came into play. Aside from all the great things Yankee mentioned in this blog (with the exception of a GPS as he hasn’t yet found me one I can afford), I added the following items:

 Flashlight (mine is a wind-up generator type)
 Bottled water
 Cell phone & charger
 Cigarette lighter (flame producing type - great for starting emergency camp fires)
 Road Maps (‘cuz MapQuest ain’t always right and electronics don’t always work)
 Motorcycle cover (Can double as temporary shelter when stuck in the middle of nowhere in a driving rain)
 Extra shoes or boots (for the same reason you carry extra socks!)
 And of course, personal protection!

I hope this sparked some neurons for anyone planning a cross-country trip. If you come across something I overlooked, please post. I can use all the help I can get!

Stay safe, and keep the dirty side down!